On her radio show today, Laura Ingraham grilled Gov. Rick Perry about his criticism of Mitt Romney’s career as a “vulture capitalist” at Bain Capital. Especially unhelpful to Perry’s case against Romney was the fact that he received donations from private-equity firms in previous campaigns, as Ingraham pointed out. Here’s a partial transcript (the exchange occurs about 4:16 minutes in) and audio below.
Ingraham: You know I am going to raise the issue of Texans for Public Justice. Their analysis of your campaign contributions since 2000 [indicates] you have received more than $7 million from private-equity firms and private investment firms. Are any of those “vulture” firms?
Perry: Listen, I didn’t paint with a broad brush and say that every private equity firm out there is . . .
Ingraham: Only Romney’s are vultures? None of your guys, only Romney’s?
Perry: Look, Romney is running for president.
Ingraham: Yeah, you are running for president too, and you have benefitted from these firms.
Perry: Correct, and I don’t have a problem with that.
