Perry’s decades-old barb about Carolina barbecue comes back to bite him

(By Tina Korbe, Hot Air) - Don’t mess with North Carolinians and their barbecue. Pick a side, maybe — East v. West, vinegar v. tomato, whole hog v. pork shoulders — but, whatever you do, don’t just dismiss the meat of the matter as flavorless. That’s what Rick Perry did in 1992 — and he’s still paying a price.

Apparently, in 1992, when Perry was Texas agriculture commissioner and the city of Houston hosted the Republican National Convention, he tried Eastern North Carolina BBQ from King’s of Kinston and reacted to it with this: “I’ve had road kill that tasted better than that.”

Last week, 'Raleigh News and Observer' staffers Rob Christensen and Craig Jarvis served up the decades-old quote in a quick blog post — and North Carolinians are none too pleased with Mr. Perry at the moment.