Texas Republican Gov. Rick Perry thinks President Obama couldn’t care less about whether the U.S. border is secure or not.
He sparred with Martha Raddatz on ABC’s “This Week With George Stephanopoulos” over the flood of illegal immigrants pouring over the border. Raddatz argued that the U.S. is required to accept illegals from non-contiguous nations in areas like Central and South America.
“This is about a law, this isn’t necessarily about border patrol, this is about a law,” Raddatz said. “Should that law be changed?”
Perry answered, saying it is “the rule of law” that “the Constitution requires the United States to secure the border,” and that “we are paying a huge price.”
Raddatz brought up the law again, this time attempting to shift the focus to George W. Bush and the problems the law has created in the courts. “The 2008 law that was signed into law by George Bush,” she said. “Isn’t this a backlog in the courts? Doesn’t that have to be addressed first?”
“What has to be addressed is the security of the border,” Perry shot back. “You know that, I know that, the president of the United States knows that.”
“I don’t believe he particularly cares whether or not the border of the United States is secure. And that’s the reason there’s been this lack of effort, this lack of focus, this lack of resources.”
Raddatz cut in, reminding Perry that “he [Obama] is telling people not to come, he’s telling them in ads not to come into the United States.”
“About five years too late,” Perry snapped.
“The President has sent powerful messages time after time, by his policies, by nuances, that it is ok to come to the United States and you can come across and you’ll be accepted in open arms.”
[h/t Mediaite]