Perry: What If Wendy Davis' Mom Had Aborted Her?

Rick Perry set tongues wagging today with some rather personal remarks about legislator-turned-liberal-folk-hero Wendy Davis. In decrying Davis' filibuster, Perry pointed out that Davis was the daughter of a single mother, and had herself been a single teen mom, WFAA reports. "She didn't come from particularly good circumstances. What if her mom had said, 'I just can't do this, I don't want to do this?'" Perry asked. "It's just unfortunate that she hasn't learned from her own example … that every life matters."

Davis did not appreciate the sentiment. "Rick Perry's statement is without dignity and tarnishes the high office he holds," she said. "They are small words that reflect a dark and negative point of view." Perry's comments came as he called another special legislative session to revive the bill Davis talked for so long to shelve. (More Rick Perry stories.)