Rick Perry: 'Heartless' Poor Word Choice In Immigration Debate

Texas Gov. Rick Perry apologized for calling those who oppose instate tuition for the children of illegals "heartless."

“I was probably a bit over-passionate by using that word and it was inappropriate,”

Rick Santorum and other GOP candidates pounded Rick Perry in the Florida debate for his position on education for the children of illegal immigrants. As Governor of Texas, Perry signed a very popular, in Texas,  bill that gave instate tuition to the children if illegal residents. Santorum attacked Perry for subsidizing illegals with taxpayer monies. His position, and some of the other candidates positions, is very contrived. Unless candidates are in favor of refusing all public education to the children of illegal immigrants, they are in a hypocritical position attacking Perry. How can you support giving an illegal child a free public education for 12 years and oppose allowing them to have discounted instate tuition when the enter a state college? That argument would have been much better for Rick Perry than playing the 'heartless' card. Hopefully, Perry will learn and improve his debating skills. Otherwise, he is toast. The vicious attacks on Perry seems to had two effects. A few points have been knocked off Perry's poll numbers and the attacking candidates have also lost ground in polling. Michelle Bachmann and Rick Santorum only got 3% in the latest FOX News poll. That is behind Huntsman who got 4%. The biggest recent winner is Herman Cain.