AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - Texas Gov. Rick Perry is denying he has sleep apnea after the diagnosis was revealed in a reporter's diary from a failed presidential campaign marked by several notable flubs.
Perry said Thursday he was misdiagnosed with the condition during the campaign. It was recently disclosed in the e-book "Oops!" by Texas Tribune reporter Jay Root.
Perry's most notable misstep was his "Oops" comment during a televised debate when he couldn't recall which three federal agencies he wanted to eliminate.
Perry said Thursday doctors considered sleep apnea as a potential cause of his sleepless nights. Perry tried sleeping with a special mask, but said it didn't work.
Perry had back surgery before the campaign and says now he was kept awake by a nerve issue in his foot.
Root, who is a former Associated Press reporter in Austin, compiled material for his Perry book while working for the Texas Tribune.
