Via POLITICO's Reid Epstein, Rick Perry ramped up his criticisms of Michele Bachmann over her claims of the HPV vaccine causing "retardation" today - and revealed he'd chatted with Paul Ryan, the House Budget Committee head whose Medicare revamp made him a poster boy for Democratic criticism earlier this year.

Speaking to reporters after a tour of a Coca-Cola bottling factory in Atlantic, Iowa, Texas Gov. Rick Perry said Michele Bachman should not be suggesting that there are ill-effects of the HPV vaccine.


“It was an ill choice of response when she had no scientific backing, to say the least,” Perry said. “There were a number of venues that have responded to that and responded appropriately. To put our vaccinations of our children in question with hearsay and innuendo is not in the best interest of the healthcare of our citizens. … To make statements without clear and incontrovertible evidence is not good for the general debate and my bet is if Mrs. Bachmann had the opportunity to retrieve those words that she certainly would.”

Perry also said he spoke Friday with Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and backs the House Budget Committee chairman’s fiscal proposal.

“I talked with Paul Ryan today and told him that I thank you for standing up and having the courage and I’m proud to join you in having this discussion were having with America.”

Perry defended his description of Social Security as a “Ponzi scheme.”

“Kids know that paying into something that won’t be there in the future is a Ponzi scheme,” he said.