Perry demonstrated himself complete unfit to be our canidate Thursday. HE did it. Childishly blaming everyone else for what HE did only lessens his stature here.
From his interview on Hannity's radio show, Perry was trying to suggest, since the feds aren't doing their job on the border, these kid's common life of welfare and criminal activity was heartless. Texas wanted to incentivize legalization through in-state education rather than bare the greater social cost of inaction.
Those elements were in his debate answer but the way he said it was offensive and stupid.
I don't know how he recovers from that kind of verbal gaffe. He's not a naturally artful communicator, that is certain.
His campaign has not handled the error well and hasn't prepared him well either. However strong his total record is, his heart and head may not be in this race.