NBC News " Meet The Press" - Transcript : Donald Trump
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GOV. RICK PERRY:
Good to be with you.
CHUCK TODD:
Governor, I know you say he's unfit to be commander-in-chief, Donald Trump has already this morning put out a statement that says, not only does he not owe John McCain an apology, but that John McCain owes an apology for his comment calling supporters of Donald Trump 'crazies.' How do you respond to that?
GOV. RICK PERRY:
Well, more over-the-top, bombastic rhetoric from Donald Trump. This time, he's been able to offend one of the most beloved groups in America, and that's our veterans. I really don't understand his strategy here, of taking on a bullet that went through John McCain and hit a lot of us that wore the uniform of this country.
I mean, this is really offensive. And we need someone to be bringing this country together. Chuck, there's a reason that when I announced for the presidency, that Marcus Luttrell, Morgan Luttrell, Mike Thornton, a Medal of Honor recipient, Pete Scobell, I mean, all of those veterans were standing on the stage with me, supporting me, because they know what I've done to support veterans both in my professional life as a governor, but also in my personal life that a lot of people may not have known about.
And it matters that we have a commander in chief that respects what those individuals have done. And I still stand by my statement. Until Mr. Trump apologizes directly to John McCain, and also to the veterans of this country, I don't think he has the character or the temperament to hold the highest position in this country.
CHUCK TODD:
Well, are you comfortable appearing on stage with him to debate? Or do you think he should be kicked out of the debates?
GOV. RICK PERRY:
Well, I'm going to let the folks who are putting the debates together. But let me tell you, I'm real comfortable being on the stage with him and confronting him on a host of issues that he's just wrong on. I mean, there's one thing to just spew invectives and spew rhetoric out there. But America's looking for somebody that's got some solutions. And I'll be real honest with you, I haven't heard any solutions coming from Donald Trump. Just rhetoric.
CHUCK TODD:
Look, is this a "reap what you sow" though, issue here for the Republican party? The party embraced Donald Trump four years ago. Mitt Romney sought his endorsement, a lot of you did one on one meetings courting Donald Trump back in 2011 after he dropped out during his whole birther craze at the time. And you actively reached out to him. In hindsight, was that a mistake for the party in general to embrace Trump four years ago?
GOV. RICK PERRY:
Well, his Twitter handle is "The Real Donald Trump." And I'll suggest to you, we're seeing the real Donald Trump now.
CHUCK TODD:
And that is what?
GOV. RICK PERRY:
Well, we're seeing an individual who's more interested in throwing invectives and this hyperbolic rhetoric out there rather than laying out solutions. Listen, we need somebody, as I laid out ten days ago, two weeks ago, about how the Republican party needs to be reaching out to people of different cultures and races and ethnicities.
What we've done in the state of Texas, for instance, to let African Americans keep more of what they work for, graduate from high school at some of the highest rates, as a matter of fact, the highest rate in America. That's what the Republican party needs to be about. That's what with end to hear. And frankly, that's what Americans are begging for, a leader that has solutions to give them hope that the best days are in front of us as a country.
CHUCK TODD:
Rick Perry, thanks for coming on this morning, former governor, thank you.
GOV. RICK PERRY:
Good to be with you. Thank you sir.
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