MANCHESTER, N.H. — Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry says he hadn’t been drinking alcohol or taking medication when he delivered an animated speech last week in New Hampshire. Now New Hampshire Republicans are coming to the Texas governor’s defense.

Jennifer Horn is a former Republican congressional candidate who was among a handful of local partisans who attended the speech but have not endorsed a presidential candidate. She says there is no reason to suspect Perry was under the influence of anything. She and the other speech goers are planning to praise Perry’s performance at a news conference this afternoon — and blame the media for the hype.

A YouTube video of the address has gone viral online, and political observers have questioned whether Perry was under the influence of a substance.


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