Old Fashioned Texas Stand-Off Brewing Between Paul and Perry

Candidates battling for the media coverage basement can't even agree if they've met.

A chart was released Thursday measuring the amount of media coverage each potential presidential candidate, and fighting for last place was Ron Paul and Rick Perry. The two candidates from the second largest state in the union came second-to-last and last in the poll. Jon Stewart first pointed out the lack of coverage Ron Paul's campaign has received, despite coming in second to Michelle Bachmann in the Ames poll. Perry, in his basement defense, just announced his candidacy less than a week ago. In that week, the coverage of his campaign easily passed Paul's, due mostly to comments attacking the Federal Reserve, dissent from fellow Republicans, and the news his treasurer had two jobs. An in-state rivalry seems to be brewing between the Texas governor and congressman.

Paul responded to Perry's "almost treasonous" comments about Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke when speaking in New Hampshire on Wednesday, and chose to take a shot at Perry's placement on the political spectrum.  Paul told the crowd that Perry, "makes me sound like a moderate. I have never once said Bernanke has committed treason. But I have suggested very strongly that the Federal Reserve system and all the members have been counterfeiters for a long time."

Politico is now reporting the two can't decide if they have ever met. A top Ron Paul advisor told Politico Paul and Perry have, "never spoken a word or shaken hands," but the congressman and governor have "occasionally been in the same room over the years." A spokesman for governor Perry told Politico they met recently at a delegation in Washington, and, as if assuring the people of Texas, said, "On issues that face Texas, the governor works with the entire delegation." The two have disagreed plenty of times over the years, most recently over Perry's suport for a super highway that would connect Mexico with Canada through the United States.

The most significant thing the two agreed on, Politico notes, was when Perry said Texas may want to secede from the Union. Paul stood by his side (figuratively) through the controversy that followed, calling the idea, "very much American." Paul said this to CNN in 2009:

We seceded from England, so it’s a very good principle. It’s a principle of a free society. It’s a shame we don’t have it anymore. I argue that if you had the principle of secession, our federal government wouldn’t be as intrusive into state affairs, that would be very good.

Texas forever?