CNN has already begun promoting the first Democratic debate on the network and shows are already being beamed live from outside the Detroit Fox Theatre that will play host to two nights of debating. Part of their coverage has been showing the greatest hits from debates over the past several elections. One of those clips prompted hilarious responses about former Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX).
Perry forgot one of the three agencies he wanted to shut down if he was the president. He ultimately passed it off as an "oops" moment.
"I guess Perry got the last laugh, though, because he ended up leading that agency he couldn't remember -- that he wanted to get rid of," CNN host Ana Cabrera noted.
"He's in charge of our nuclear weapons production!" Democratic strategist Paul Begala exclaimed. "He's stick-a-fork-in-your-eye stupid!"
Cabrera chided him, saying he should stay on the topic of the debate.
"I'm sorry, I've known that guy for 30 years," Begala continued. "And I don't sleep at night thinking he's in charge of producing nuclear weapons, God almighty."
"And [he's] seen as one of the cabinet secretaries that's performed the best!" agreed Joe Lockhart, former Clinton White House press secretary.
Begala clarified that Perry at the time did have a severe back injury and wasn't sleeping well as a result of it.
"He's actually a terrific politician," Begala continued. "I don't support him as far as his agenda, and he probably is not the smartest person to come out of my home state, but he was having a hard time then because of his health."
Perry announced in April that he would be stepping down this year. It's unclear what the former governor will do next in his political career or whether he'll move on to the private sector.
You can watch the exchange below:
