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0000017a-15d9-d736-a57f-17ff8e6d0001Rick Perry served as governor of Texas from 2000 to 2015, making him the longest-serving governor in that state's history.A fifth-generation Texan, Perry attended Texas A &M University and served as an officer in the U.S. Air Force, piloting missions from 1974 to 1977 and attaining the rank of captain. After his service, Perry went into business with his father, a cotton farmer.Perry was first elected as a Democrat to the Texas House of Representatives in 1984. After working on Al Gore's first presidential campaign, he switched parties, and in 1990, won the office of Texas Agricultural Commissioner after a controversial campaign managed by Karl Rove. In 1998, he ran for lieutenant governor and won.In 2012, Perry ran in the Republican Presidential Primary. After placing fifth in the Iowa caucuses, he skipped the New Hampshire Primary and pulled out of the race in January 2012. Perry suspended his 2016 presidential campaign on Sept. 11, 2015.

NH Conservatives Defend Perry Speech

Josh Rogers
/
NHPR

Jennifer Horn, House Speaker William O'Brien, and Kevin Smith call press conference to tell media to stop reporting "innuendo" about Rick Perry's speech to Cornerstone Action. NHPR's Josh Rogers reports.

Footage of Rick Perry at the Cornerstone Action dinner has become a viral sensation on youtube. An edited version -- 8 minutes from a 25 minute speech, highlighting Perry’s most animated moments -- has racked up well over a million hits, and fueled speculation, denied by Perry, that he delivered his remarks while intoxicated. NH conservatives Jennifer Horn, Kevin Smith and William O’Brien backed Perry up at a news conference. They urged reporters to resist what they termed innuendo and gotcha games, and insisted Perry’s speech went over well with the conservative crowd for whom it was intended. House Speaker Bill O’Brien.

 “I sat there thinking we need to see more of this Governor Perry if he’s going to move his campaign forward.”

O’Brien, Horn and Smith all say they are neutral in the 2012 primary, and say their press conference was not coordinated with Rick Perry’s campaign, but the campaign was told it was being held.

http://youtu.be/7M4gz97Y9W8

 

Unedited:

http://youtu.be/21z30aNO3cA

Josh has worked at NHPR since 2000.
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