Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry on Friday defended his wife Anita after she publicly charged that he had been "brutalized" on the campaign trail for his Christian faith by his political opponents and the press.
In a speech at North Greenville University on Thursday that largely focused on faith, Anita Perry said it's been a rough month for her and her husband.
"We have been brutalized and beaten up and chewed up in the press to where I need this today," she said. "We are being brutalized by our opponents, and our own party. So much of that is, I think they look at him, because of his faith. He is the only true conservative - well, there are some true conservatives. And they're there for good reasons. And they may feel like God called them too. But I truly feel like we are here for that purpose."
Elections are always toughest on family members, Perry said on CBS' "The Early Show."
"My wife said two things yesterday. She said he's the most conservative candidate in the race and he's a Christian. And I can't argue with either one of those facts," Perry said, though he declined to repeat the "brutalization" charge.
Asked about the flap on ABC's "Good Morning America," Perry gave a nearly identical response, backing his wife without addressing the "brutalization" charge.
Anita Perry's remarks come in the wake of a dust-up over religion involving one of Perry's high-profile supporters, Texas Pastor Robert Jeffress. After Jeffress called Mormonism a "cult," Perry had to repeatedly assert that he disagrees with the pastor.
Presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who is Mormon, called on Perry to repudiate the remarks. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a Romney supporter, said it wasn't presidential to associate with Jeffress.
On "The Early Show," Perry once again said he doesn't agree with Jeffress, but he will not reject the pastor's endorsement.
"Just because someone has endorsed me doesn't mean I endorse what they say or what they do and that is the case here," he said. "And we have said that repeatedly. So I think anyone trying to use this as a political tool just needs to look at the facts."
He continued, "But on the other side of it, if I have to spend all of my time disassociating myself with what someone says about me or if President Obama has to disassociate people who support him with things they say, we are not going to get much time how to create jobs in this country and that is what Americans are interested in."
Rick Perry backs wife following controversial comments
/ CBS News
Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry on Friday defended his wife Anita after she publicly charged that he had been "brutalized" on the campaign trail for his Christian faith by his political opponents and the press.
In a speech at North Greenville University on Thursday that largely focused on faith, Anita Perry said it's been a rough month for her and her husband.
"We have been brutalized and beaten up and chewed up in the press to where I need this today," she said. "We are being brutalized by our opponents, and our own party. So much of that is, I think they look at him, because of his faith. He is the only true conservative - well, there are some true conservatives. And they're there for good reasons. And they may feel like God called them too. But I truly feel like we are here for that purpose."
Elections are always toughest on family members, Perry said on CBS' "The Early Show."
"My wife said two things yesterday. She said he's the most conservative candidate in the race and he's a Christian. And I can't argue with either one of those facts," Perry said, though he declined to repeat the "brutalization" charge.
Asked about the flap on ABC's "Good Morning America," Perry gave a nearly identical response, backing his wife without addressing the "brutalization" charge.
Anita Perry's remarks come in the wake of a dust-up over religion involving one of Perry's high-profile supporters, Texas Pastor Robert Jeffress. After Jeffress called Mormonism a "cult," Perry had to repeatedly assert that he disagrees with the pastor.
Presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who is Mormon, called on Perry to repudiate the remarks. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a Romney supporter, said it wasn't presidential to associate with Jeffress.
On "The Early Show," Perry once again said he doesn't agree with Jeffress, but he will not reject the pastor's endorsement.
"Just because someone has endorsed me doesn't mean I endorse what they say or what they do and that is the case here," he said. "And we have said that repeatedly. So I think anyone trying to use this as a political tool just needs to look at the facts."
He continued, "But on the other side of it, if I have to spend all of my time disassociating myself with what someone says about me or if President Obama has to disassociate people who support him with things they say, we are not going to get much time how to create jobs in this country and that is what Americans are interested in."