Perry camp admits filming Hutchison

DALLAS, March 24 (UPI) -- Texas Gov. Rick Perry's campaign has acknowledged hiring men to film an event in which Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton praised his potential opponent.

An edited version of the video in which the Democrat calls Republican Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison "my partner on so many fronts" was circulated in e-mails to conservative GOP activists, The Dallas Morning News reported Thursday.

A spokesman for Hutchison, who may challenge Perry in next year's GOP primary, called the video a political dirty trick.

"The governor should be worried about far bigger issues than paying people to fly across the country to stalk the senator," said Hutchison campaign manager Terry Sullivan.

Luis Saenz, Perry's campaign director, defended filming the March 3 ceremony in Washington marking the preservation of the Sewall-Belmont House, an historic building.

"Any potential opponent should not expect a free ride," said Saenz, who promised an aggressive effort to follow what potential opponents say and do.

Saenz said the Perry campaign paid for the filming but did not intend for the video to get such wide distribution.