In S.F., Rick Perry compares homosexuality to alcoholism

Texas Gov. Rick Perry addresses the Commonwealth Club at the Intercontinental Mark Hopkins hotel in San Francisco in a wideranging talk that also included comments on climate change. Texas Gov. Rick Perry addresses the Commonwealth Club at the Intercontinental Mark Hopkins hotel in San Francisco in a wideranging talk that also included comments on climate change. Photo: Kevin N. Hume, The Chronicle Buy photo Photo: Kevin N. Hume, The Chronicle Image 1 of / 15 Caption Close In S.F., Rick Perry compares homosexuality to alcoholism 1 / 15 Back to Gallery

Texas Gov. Rick Perry, speaking in San Francisco on Wednesday night, said the U.S. would better serve its diverse population by letting the states handle many economic and social policies, a point he perhaps inadvertently drove home when he compared homosexuality to alcoholism.

Addressing the Commonwealth Club of California, Perry argued the federal government should give up much of its policy-making power, letting states chart their own courses on issues ranging from business subsidies to abortion. He joked about his frequent habit of luring California companies to Texas and called the competition between the two states healthy for both, as well as the nation.

But as Perry eyes another possible presidential run, some of his comments illustrated the wide gulf that exists between blue California and red Texas - and within the nation as a whole.

'Reparative therapy'

The Texas Republican Party this month adopted a platform supporting access to "reparative therapy" for gays and lesbians, a widely discredited process intended to change sexual orientation. In response to an audience question about it Wednesday night, Perry said he did not know whether the therapy worked.

Commonwealth Club interviewer Greg Dalton then asked him whether he believes homosexuality is a disorder.

"Whether or not you feel compelled to follow a particular lifestyle or not, you have the ability to decide not to do that," Perry said. "I may have the genetic coding that I'm inclined to be an alcoholic, but I have the desire not to do that, and I look at the homosexual issue the same way."

The large crowd gathered at the InterContinental Mark Hopkins hotel on Nob Hill included many Perry supporters. But the comment still drew a murmur of disbelief.

Perry also said he would not support efforts to fight climate change that would "strangle" the economy, including putting a price on carbon dioxide emissions as California has done with its "cap and trade" system. He complained that people concerned about global warming had adopted an attitude of "You either believe this all the way, or you're a Neanderthal."

Perry argued forcefully for the use of fracking to tap oil and gas reserves, saying it had created a tremendous economic boom in his home state. He said California could enjoy the same prosperity by developing its own shale formation, the Monterey Shale, despite a recent federal government report that cast doubt on the amount of oil current technology can wrest from the formation.

On Cantor's defeat

"It's up to you to determine the course of this state, to decide whether you live in a regulatory state or one that emphasizes freedom and growth, whether you tap into your energy potential or develop only certain forms of clean energy," Perry said. "Those decisions should be yours. But I do know this - the fastest way to rev up the economy is for America to develop all forms of energy."

Finally, he attributed this week's stunning defeat of House Majority Leader Eric Cantor in Virginia's Republican primary to not spending enough time with constituents.

"Having been involved in elected office for 30 years now," Perry said, "it's pretty simple: Spend plenty of time in your home district."