Texas Republican Gov. Rick Perry on Thursday called the 2012 presidential campaign a humbling experience and admitted that he has some work to do before he launches another White House bid.
The governor, who is not running for re-election in Texas, is considered a potential GOP candidate for president in 2016.
“I learned a lot of lessons, the least of which is if you’re going to run for president I highly recommend you don’t have major back surgery six weeks before you start, and that you spend a lot of time in preparation,” he said on CBS “This Morning,” according to a transcript from the program. The Associated Press reported earlier on Perry’s comments on the show.
“I think preparation, no matter what I’m going to do in my future life post-governorship of Texas, the preparation of — whether it’s foreign policy, good economic policies, a broad array of issues that you need to have your hand and mind around — is good,” Perry continued.
Perry said he has improved his debate skills. He recently challenged New York Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo to a debate on jobs. Cuomo declined.
“I’m getting where I like [debates] better. I did a lot of those back in 2011. Some of them worked out alright, some of them didn’t,” Perry said. The Texas governor famously goofed in November 2011 at a Republican primary debate, forgetting for a moment one of the three federal agencies he wanted to eliminate.
“But Governor, you heard what people are saying: A little free advice for Rick Perry, the fewer debates the better,” CBS’ Gayle King responded.
“From the Democratic Governors Association, I thank you for that advice,” Perry responded. “But I’ll make my own decision.”
Perry also weighed in on the Cliven Bundy story, calling a Nevada rancher’s racially charged statements a “side story.”
Bundy has earned the support of some Republicans over the rancher’s dispute with the Bureau of Land Management over grazing fees Bundy has not paid.
“Rather than sending armed troops, I don’t think that is the way that the government should be handling any of these things with its own citizens,” he said. “I hope our government officials are very, very wise and use common sense when it comes to these issues of conflict within the borders of the United States dealing with something that should be able to do be dealt with in a substantially less-confrontational way.”
He side-stepped questions about the racially charged statements, concluding that “he is an individual – deal with his issues as you may, but added that “if this country’s to stay the land of freedom and liberty, private property rights must be respected.”
Jane Timm