Sheriff Joe Arpaio stumps for Rick Perry, calls Iowa ‘Buckeyes.’ Oops (video)

Blessed as he is by the gaffe fairy this political season, Rick Perry really didn’t need Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio (in photo, left) creating a new one for him. But during a speech to the Westside Consevative Club in Des Moines, IA on Wednesday, Arpaio — a staunch proponent of immigration border security who is campaigning for Perry ahead of the Iowa caucuses — tripped up in one of the worst ways possible. He referred to Iowans at “Buckeyes,” mixing them up with a state a few hundred miles away.

After a chorus of boos from the crowd, Arpaio was politely corrected. He then made matters worse by saying “Buckeyes, Hawkeyes, what’s the difference?”

SportsbyBrooks:

After Arpaio introduced Perry, the Texas Governor said of the Sheriff losing sight of the border between the states and two Big Ten schools:

“Well, you know how to get an Iowa crowd riled up in the morning…call ‘em Buckeyes. Actually, there’s probably some [Iowa State] Cyclones in this crowd.”

Combined with Michelle Bachmann’s blasphemous Iowa-Iowa State half-and-half jersey from Sept., things are looking better and better for Mitt Romney.

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Video: Sheriff Joe Arpaio Calls Iowa “Buckeyes” [SportsbyBrooks]