Politics

Perry mocks Romney’s $10K challenge

Alex Pappas Political Reporter
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AMES, Iowa — Texas Gov. Rick Perry told reporters inside a coffee house on Sunday that Mitt Romney’s offer during this weekend’s debate to bet $10,000 to settle an argument they were having shows how he’s different from ordinary Iowans.

“All those houses that I was driving by, probably most of them that we’ll fly over this afternoon, that is way out of the ordinary,” Perry said at Café Diem Coffee House. “For most Iowans, having an extra 10,000 that you would throw down on a bet seems very out of the ordinary.”

Romney’s challenge came after Perry said in the debate that Romney removed a line from his book “No Apologies” that said his Massachusetts health care plan should be a model for the nation. Romney’s campaign says Perry is mischaracterizing the line.

“He can deny as many times as he wants,” Perry said. “He can make as many bets as he wants. That is what he thinks in his heart because that’s what was in that book.”

Perry also that, “I would suggest to you that ten thousand dollars is pocket change for Mitt to make that statement, but you’ll need to ask him. Maybe it was just a misstatement or something. Who knows?”

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