(CNN) - In defending his latest television ad, Texas Gov. Rick Perry on Friday continued his attack strategy against President Barack Obama and emphatically called him a "socialist."
"Absolutely," Perry said in an interview on Fox News. "I think Barack Obama is a socialist."
Conservative talk show host Bill O'Reilly was the latest to question the presidential candidate over the validity of his new TV ad, which claims Obama believes Americans are lazy.
The spot, broadcast in Iowa and nationwide on cable, showed a clip of Obama saying, "We've been a little bit lazy, I think, over the last couple of decades."
In the ad, Perry said: "Can you believe that? That's what our president thinks is wrong with America? That Americans are lazy? That's pathetic. It's time to clean house in Washington."
But critics argue that Perry took Obama's "lazy" remark out of context.
The president made the comment in response to a question last weekend about how foreign investors viewed the United States. When listening to the rest of his remarks, Obama seemed to be addressing U.S. business practices as "lazy," rather than American workers or voters.
O'Reilly on Friday questioned Perry over whether he was being misleading with the ad.
"I believe he was talking about Americans," Perry responded.
O’Reilly asked the candidate if he believed the notion that Obama simply doesn’t like America, to which Perry replied: “I think he cares for this country. I just think his policies are socialist.”
Perry added that he believes the president "truly misunderstands" the country's free enterprise system, citing a 2008 campaign moment when Obama was confronted about taxes by a voter who later became known as "Joe the Plumber."
Obama responded saying that spreading the wealth around was "good for everybody."
"When you talk about printing money and spending government money, and trying to spend it out," Perry said. "That conversation he had with Joe the Plumber - kind of redistribute the wealth - the best I can tell, that's socialism."
According to the latest CNN/ORC International Poll, Perry took 12% of support among Republicans and those leaning toward the GOP, putting him fourth place in the GOP race for the White House.
From CNN Politics
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Guess what! We don't live in a purely capitalist society. We have a mixed economy whereas China has a command economy.
These GOP nitwits throw around the word "socialist" and have no idea what it means.
If we were pure socialist then there would be NO private business whatsoever. Everybody would work for the state.
Nobody that I know of within the entire political sphere is proposing that we do that.
The problem with the GOP is that ANYTHING DONE FOR THE COMMON GOOD they label "socialist".
GOP, you're useless.
.
jesse a horse must have stomped on your head. You are an idiot and one of the reasons the repos are in the toilet. American people are tired of these stupid remarks
Jesse in Texas- how is it living back in the 60"s ? We in the 21st century don't rely on name calling to describe people we may not agree with. And I suggest you read the book by Karl Marx before you claim someone is living it. The principal has never been in practice by any country or government.
obama's a socialist, well DUH! Socialism doesn't work. It never has and it probably never will. That's one reason why obama appears so completely incompetent. His boss is pushing an agenda that does not , cannot , work for humans.
Socialism does work pretty well for ant colonies but I maintain that there are differences between ants and humans.
Perry is GAY. He pretends to be hetero with his good looking wife. Just ask his TX Rangers who protect him and TABC agents that regulate the bars some of which are for gays. All they may say is he frequents those establishments. No pictures of tongue action yet. You best get on down the road "Ricky".
Whether you like Perry or not the fact still remains that Obama IS a socialist... For all you liberals that disagree then just do your research on the guy and his policies and youll find out real fast what Obama is all about!
Socialism works great for the rich. We need to extend it to the middle and working classes.
The Mormons call it, (the law of consecration), and it equally spreads out the ownership of property according to family need. Provides that a man can support his family without abuse from other parties. Taxation very minimal. Man would be given a plow and seeds, or cows and chickens. we would trade between our selves. Like the early 1800's when products were traded instead of sold
This guy wouldn't know a socialist from a socialite.
Gov Perry is correct – President Obama's actions have clearly demonstrated his inclination to socialism. One can't really fault Obama and in some way I feel sorry for him. He was raised in a Marxist household/environment and didn't have the opportunity to learn that free enterprise is the greatest avenue to prosperity for all. Unfortunately, his beliefs have prohibited him from using proven, free market principles to help our country. I don't think he will ever understand what President John Kennedy meant when he said, "A rising tide lifts all boats."
Desperate WORDS from a desperate LOSER! Send his azz back to COW TOWN. Everything that comes out of this clowns mouth is embarrassing to TEXANS, on the other hand, the whole WORLD thinks he is an IDIOT!
Huh!
Doesn't this guy give free tuition or something to children of illegal aliens? And telling the world that it is 'Heartless' not to do so?
And what about those vaccinations you made mandatory for school girls in Texas?
Perry, make up your mind, are you a socialist too?
Obama is as much a socialist, as Perry is a fascist.
Go ahead and file this one under "no $h1t sherlock".
Considering his grades in college, Rick Perry would be hard pressed to know a socialist from a bowling ball. But then, people who would vote for Perry don’t care about brains.
thank goodness we don't have intellectual midgets masquerading as politicians in Canada !
Perry once again proves that he is brainless calling names instead of saying what matters to the country most to get out of our owes. I always thought he has a head full of Texas dung instead of a brain.
I thought he was a Muslim Communist?
Anonymous, just look at Cali and Detroit and thats what you get with socialist ideas. Both are broke and can pay their bills. What will the people do when they get a voucher saying here is your welfare money or here is your paycheck.
He can call Obama a socialist all he wants, it doesn't change the fact that he's not going to win the race.
Geez, can't these Republican'ts find anything ELSE to say about Obama? It seems their vocabulary is quite limited, not that I'm surprised.
Tell us something that we don't know Rick. He's also not an american citizen so throw that in the mix also. Oh and a muslim but who cares about religion anyway.
Capitalism is supposedly the opposite of Socialism, right? And the number one "scoreboard" of capitalism is the stock market.....I find it interesting to review the disparity of stock market performances during GOP & Democratic presidencies......100 year results.....the Dow Jones is up 1.4% per/ave. during GOP presidencies and 14.3% during Demo presidencies, a difference in return on investment of slightly more than 1000%....No different during the last two presidencies...Bush took over in 1991 Dow 10,700 and left Dow 7,700, a loss of 4 trillion, Obama Dow 7,700 to 12,000, a gain of 6 trillion, a difference of 10 trillion, or almost two thirds of our entire federal deficit....Bottom line, if Obama is a socialist, then I guess you must say that capitalism loves socialsim.
"What is wrong with socialism exactly? And, do people truly understand what socialism is?"
Exactly. People throw it around like a dirty word, but I don't see anything wrong with socialism. In fact, I think I'd prefer it.