The comment came during a TV interview in which Perry was asked about President Barack Obama's response to the shooting, which left nine people dead at the historically black church in Charleston. In a speech Thursday, Obama suggested more gun control might be necessary to prevent tragedies like it.

"This is the M.O. of this administration anytime there is a accident like this," Perry told Newsmax's Steve Malzberg in an interview published Friday. "You know, the president's clear. He doesn't like for Americans to have guns, and so he uses every opportunity, this being another one, to basically go parrot that message."

After what he said started going like gangbusters on social media, his campaign stepped in and said he "mispoke"

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He also tried to say that the real issue is *drugs*. What IS It about the GOP and not being able to just speak plainly? This is about RACISM. 

Roof, who was apprehended in North Carolina on Thursday, has confirmed that the killings were both premeditated and racially motivated. The shooting suspect told authorities he wanted to “start a race war”, after confessing to attending Bible study with the victims and then opening fire.