The news following Wednesday night’s CNBC Republican presidential primary debate has focused on Texas Governor Rick Perry’s mega-flub, in which he forgot a portion of his own plan for Washington. Perry now famously failed to name the third of three agencies he would eliminate as president.
“I will tell you, it’s three agencies of government, when I get there, that are gone,” he said. “Commerce, education, and the, um, what’s the third one there …” He stumbled, minutes later finally remembering that the third agency would be the Department of Energy.
On Laura Ingraham’s radio show Thursday, Perry sheepishly recalled the incident explaining it was a “brain freeze” that felt hours long.
“A brain freeze for 54 seconds, it seemed like 54 hours. Listen, I stepped in it and I’m still wiping it off my boots,” he said. “You know I think a bunch of Americans would be pretty happy to forget big chunks of the federal government.”
Perry said that it is always good to laugh at your flubs and with that in mind he has a new section on his campaign website where people can vote on which government agency they would like to “forget about the most.”
The Texas governor explained just how rough the “brain freeze” was.
“Energy was the third and I’m telling you I couldn’t have knocked it out with a sledgehammer last night,” he said.
Listen:
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Ingraham contended that she believed he did well in the debate, even with the flub.
“I thought you did well in the debate. And look, there are all these snotty little comments today. And we were teasing you earlier: I am sure your people told you, we were teasing — you know, the ‘Oops…I did It Again’ Britney Spears song,” she said, referencing his own “oops” comment when his memory failed him.
Perry admitted the Spears song came to his mind, too, the next morning.
“Everybody forgets things from time to time, and I stepped in it and forget the name of a Federal agency,” he said.
Ingraham advised that Perry preempt people making fun of him and go on Saturday Night Live. Perry explained that tonight he will be embracing his funny side on The Daily Show and the Late Show with David Letterman.