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Gov. Perry Regrets “Heartless” Comment

Rick Perry is backing off a remark he made in a Republican presidential debate last week that was panned by some conservative activists. The Texas Governor accused those who oppose his policy of providing in-state tuition to the children of illegal immigrants as being heartless.

"If you say that we should not educate children who have come into our state for other reason than they've been brought there by no fault of their own, I don't think you have a heart,” Perry said Thursday at the Google/Fox News debate in Orlando, Florida.

Now, Perry is reversing course.

“I was probably a bit over-passionate by using that word and it was inappropriate,” Perry said in an interview with Newsmax.com. Watch the full interview above. 

Nathan Bernier is the transportation reporter at KUT. He covers the big projects that are reshaping how we get around Austin, like the I-35 overhaul, the airport's rapid growth and the multibillion-dollar transit expansion Project Connect. He also focuses on the daily changes that affect how we walk, bike and drive around the city. Got a tip? Email him at nbernier@kut.org. Follow him on X @KUTnathan.
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