Rick Perry: Transcript of ABC/Yahoo News Exclusive Interview
ABC News' Christiane Amanpour interviews Texas Governor Rick Perry
Nov. 8, 2011 -- CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR: We are live on ABCnews.com and Yahoo news for a special segment called Newsmakers, a special live event. I'm Christiane Amanpour here in Austin with the Texas Governor Rick Perry. Thank you for joining us.
RICK PERRY: Christiane it's an honor to have you in Texas.
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR: It's (TAPE SKIPS) great to be here. Let me ask you first, when precisely did you know that you wanted to be President of the United States?
RICK PERRY: Well, precisely, I'm not sure I can put a finger on. But the-- the summer of-- this year. I'm gonna say June, late June would be about as close as I could get to saying that the decision-- was made both in my heart and my mind and my family.
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR: Well, now we're well into the campaign. The first major contests are coming up in under two months. Let me ask you about another campaign that's rather beleaguered. Herman Cain has had many allegations against him right now. If they were proven true, do you believe that something as serious as sexual harassment should be serious enough or would be to disqualify a candidate from the presidency?
RICK PERRY: I think trying to-- make theoretical calls about-- issues that are-- dogging a particular campaign is not of great interest to me.
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR: Just asking your opinion on that.
RICK PERRY: Right, and I'm giving you my opinion that-- I-- I don't have-- an interest in getting off of my message on how we create jobs in this country. A lot of allegations and "he said, she said"--
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR: Do you think they've been answered well?
RICK PERRY: I-- I-- again-- I've been focused on my business and-- haven't paid a lot of attention. And I'm sure that campaign will appropriately-- address them. I'm very focused on my campaign and how we talk to Americans about getting this country back to work. It's the reason I laid a plan out two weeks ago-- to cut and to balance and to grow this economy.
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR: On those issues, we have obviously asked a lot of people who go to ABCnews.com and Yahoo news to ask for their questions that they might put towards candidates. And a lot of them, of course, came up with the issue of taxes. Let me read you a question. One man wonders, quote, "With the majority of Americans in favor of additional taxes for the rich, why is the Republican party opposed?" And Governor, roughly 75 percent of Americans believe that the rich should pay higher taxes to help pay down the debt. Do you not think you're out of touch with the American people if you're opposed to that?
RICK PERRY: As the Governor of the state that's created more jobs than any other state, (LAUGH) in the-- in the last decade-- as a matter of fact 40 percent of all the jobs created in this country since June of 2009 have been in my home state, I-- I know a thing a two about how you entice entrepreneurs into-- putting their capital into play in creating jobs.
And-- and that's very, very important. And one of the ways that we did it was make sure that we don't overtax those job creators out there. So-- the idea that-- some would want to-- get in the business of dividing Americans, pitting this group against that group-- I'm just not gonna engage in that.
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