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Perry Attends Post-Debate Frat Party

“Debates are not my strong suit,”says GOP contender

Updated: October 12, 2011 | 8:53 a.m.
October 12, 2011 | 12:00 a.m.

Texas Governor Rick Perry. (Chet Susslin)

HANOVER, N.H. -- After a two-hour debate on the economy, earnest GOP operatives headed straight to the spin room to tout the merits of their respective candidates. As for Texas Gov. Rick Perry, he headed straight to the Beta Theta Pi fraternity house.

“Debates are not my strong suit,” Perry told reporters after visiting with about 100 fraternity brothers gathered to see him at the house, a few blocks from the debate site on the campus of Dartmouth College. No keg stands were in view.

While Perry has been adamant about assuring older Americans – those 55 and up – that Social Security will be there for them, he told the students that the popular retirement program is endangered for “your generation” and pushed private retirement accounts instead.

“I’d rather run this account myself than have the government run it,” said Perry.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story misstated where Perry made his comment about debates. He said it to reporters outside the party.

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