Rick Perry: I was "lobbied" on HPV vaccine -- by a woman with cancer

AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack

Republican presidential candidate and Texas Gov. Rick Perry gave something of a confession on Thursday night about the controversial executive order he signed in 2007 requiring school girls to be vaccinated for HPV, a sexually transmitted virus.

At the Florida Republican debate on Thursday, Perry continued to take heat for mandating the vaccine for the human papillomavirus, which causes cervical cancer. Perry's opponent,  Rep. Michele Bachmann, has repeatedly charged that Perry signed the executive order under the influence of pharmaceutical lobbyists.

"I got lobbied on this issue," Perry said in response. "I got lobbied by a 31-year-old young lady with stage four cervical cancer."

Perry pointed out that he has "readily admitted" that he botched the implementation of the policy. He should have allowed parents to opt in to administering the vaccine to their daughters, rather than asking them to opt out if they objected to it. However, Perry added, "I erred on the side of life, and I will always err on the side of the life."

Bachmann was asked whether she stood by the claim she made earlier this month that the HPV vaccine could be tied to mental retardation. After a debate last week, Bachmann said on Fox News that a woman told her that her daughter received the HPV vaccine and "suffered mental retardation as a result. There are very dangerous consequences."

When asked whether she would still call the vaccine dangerous, even though medical experts disagree, Bachmann said, "I didn't make that claim." Bachmann has said in the past week that she was not speaking as a medical expert but merely relaying what someone told her.

Update Sept. 23, 11 a.m. ET: Following the debate, the Perry campaign said he met the woman he talked about after he signed the executive order.

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[houstontx006]

LIAR! He has not always erred on the side of life. Ask Cameron Todd Willingham... Oh wait, we cant, Perry called him a monster when he was executed based on a conviction supported by junk science.

[nomorfun2011]

Soooo, Perry admits that he does what lobbyists want him to do, and Bachman admits that she just repeats whatever sounds good to her by any old person who says it. There ya go. Good luck with those choices Cons.

[hush_puppy]

Until he just admits he signed this bill for the money and support of the drug people. (He only met this woman after signing the bill). How can you trust a good ol' boy from Texas?

[you_MAY_be_right]

"Bachmann said, "I didn't make that claim." Bachmann has said in the past week that she was not speaking as a medical expert but merely relaying what someone told her."


GREAAAT!

Just what America needs, another president that doesn't make decisions on any sort of verifiable facts but operates on hearsay.

[baileyccc]

The truth is Perry is a pawn in Big Pharma agenda.

[Overruled1]

Texans ought to organize the state's laws to reflect what they want out of government, not religion preaching politics. That is always a dangerous issue as we see in extremist Islamic states.
What do you mean you might ask...
Well for example, the oil coming out of the ground under their feet.
That oil should belong to the land owner, but according to state law, they have no mineral rights, therefore, you cant pump it out yourself. Some politicians have it so well don't they?

[nomorfun2011]

I'm not sure what you mean by that oil remark. I own the mineral rights to the oil under MY land in Texas, and my family has for about 60 years now. Of course I can't pump it out of the ground myself. How would I know how to do that? My $750 a month check (my share after division with my five siblings) for my mineral rights says you are wrong.

[dxlh]

Perry met with that woman AFTER he'd already mandated girls get the shot.

[nomorfun2011]

LOL... isn't that funny? He had to admit THAT too!

[truthseeker2727]

Perry has no substance, and thinks he can get this country going again because he's from Texas.

[RememberTheRepublic]

Rick Perry has the consistency of a see-saw and the morals of a snake...In the 80's he was a Democrat and Campaign Manager to Al Gore. How can anyone take him seriously?! And now he's conveniently running on a platform of fiscal conservatism, constitutional principles and limited government that obviously appeals to the Tea Party; political opportunism at its worst.

He also lied at the recent debate saying he only received $5000 in campaign contributions from Merck and this in no way influenced his decision to issue an executive order forcing all teenage girls in Texas to receive this STD vaccine (executive orders and violation of individual liberties are not compatible with supposed views of limited government). It's now been proven that he actually received $30,000 directly to his campaign. He also chairs the 'Republican Governors Association' that donated $4 Million to him in 5 years. Guess who is the RGAs largest contributor? Merck with $500,000. I mean this stuff is absolutely disgraceful!

America will truly get the government it deserves if it elevates this guy to president. Don't rely on the media to screen him, do your own due diligence. Like him or not, at least Ron Paul has been consistent in his principles and has no skeletons in his closet. If you want to listen to a person who is an expert on the Constitution, free market economics, fiscal conservatism, limited government then at the very least study this guy. You don't have to vote for him, but at least he is an expert on these issues having researched them intensely for the last 40 years.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3SOlXxUBLk&feature=pyv

[imnotimportant]

So the person who can't be bought for $5,000, can be bought by one single emotional lobbyist for nothing.

[imnotimportant]

Sounds like you are trying to pull a Bachmann and place your decision making responsibilities on some tearful bystander.