If you look at the transcipt of the debate, that is consistent with what he said at the time - it just wasn't reported by the MSM or by Romney and Bachmann.
"And people who are on Social Security today, men and women who are receiving those benefits today, are individuals at my age that are in line pretty quick to get them, they don't need to worry about anything. But I think the Republican candidates are talking about ways to transition this program, and it is a monstrous lie.
It is a Ponzi scheme to tell our kids that are 25 or 30 years old today, you're paying into a program that's going to be there. Anybody that's for the status quo with Social Security today is involved with a monstrous lie to our kids, and it's not right.
You cannot keep the status quo in place and not call it anything other than a Ponzi scheme. It is."
Governor Perry clearly calls for keeping benefits for current retirees and people soon to be retired, and also calls for a change in the "status quo" for younger people.
Well I agree, that is what they all are saying. But, Perry wasn’t clear enough in the debate.
Fair is fair. One minute to answer about SS is not fair.
I don’t think we have a candidate that would opt to keep the current system.
But...the trick is to make it clear what your intent is.
These folks are in a competition. You take what you can get when someone looks weak as an opportunity to put your plan out there.
Rather than SS, I would go after Perry on immigration. That record is shameful.