. There were no slip-ups for former Texas Gov. Rick Perry today at the Conservative Political Action Conference who spoke mainly on foreign policy issues and the need to secure the U.S. border.
But there were no break-out moments, either, as a welcoming but not raucous crowd listened to Perry touch on hot button issues of the Islamic State, Iran’s nuclear development, support for Israel and the U.S.-Mexican border. In the 2012 campaign Perry stumbled and did not seem prepared on a wide number of issues. He has said that he is preparing and studying much more seriously on what is expected to be a 2016 presidential run.
“At no time has the future been more uncertain and world more dangerous than today,” said Perry.
“This administration’s incompetence in Iraq and Syria has allowed the emergence of ISIS,” he said, using an acronym for the Islamic extremist group.
“Let’s be very, very clear about what ISIS is,” said Perry. “They are a religious movement that seeks to take the world back to the 7th century.”
“To deny the fundamentally religious threat is naïve, it is dangerous,and it is misguided.”
“Isis represents the worst threat to freedom since communism.”
Perry also spoke out against the Obama Administration’s negotiations with Iran - talks which have strained relations between the U.S. and Israel. “I believe it is fundamentally dangerous to grant Iran’s nuclear ambitions diplomatic cover.”
He said there should be two non-negotiable principles: “Iran should not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons. Period. And number 2, Israel has the right to exist as a Jewish state.”
Perry, governor for 14 years, also raised his foreign policy bonafides regarding the border. “I looked the president in the eye and said, ‘if you do not secure the border between the U.S. and Mexico, Texas will.” Perry called up the National Guard to help stem the flow of immigrants entering Texas illegally.
On the domestic front Perry said, “It is time to restore hope and opportunity to the middle class Americans out there.” He called for tax reform and job growth and reminded the audience of Texas’ success in creating jobs.
“In my 14 yeas as gov. Texas created almost one third of all the private sector jobs in America.”