Rick Perry Skipping Palmetto Freedom Forum, Heading Back To Texas To Address Wildfires

Texas Governor Rick Perry will not participate in Monday's Palmetto Freedom Forum, Sen. Jim DeMint's (R-S.C) office tells CNN.

DeMint is hosting the GOP primary event, which Perry was initially scheduled to attend. Local station WSPA reports that Perry's office confirms the Republican presidential contender is heading back to Texas to address wildfires plaguing the state.

(Click here for a full preview of the South Carolina forum.)

The AP reports on the Texas wildfires:

Authorities say a wildfire burning southeast of Austin, Texas, has destroyed about 300 homes and is advancing unchecked through parched ranchland along a 16-mile front.

Texas Forest Service spokeswoman Jan Amen said Monday that firefighters have been unable to begin containing the blaze in Bastrop County. The forest service says the fire has destroyed as many as 300 homes scorched more than 17,500 acres.

The fire is roughly 30 miles from Austin and is moving away from the city.

KVUE-TV in Austin reports that nearly half of the 6,000-acre Bastrop State Park has burned.

With Perry out, the list of GOP hopefuls taking part in the forum includes: Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas), former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.), and former Godfathers's Pizza CEO Herman Cain.

According to the Washington Examiner's Byron York, Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa), who will present candidates with questions at the event, called Perry's change of plans "a big disappointment to me."

ABC News reports that the Texas governor still intends to participate in Wednesday's presidential debate in California.

UPDATE: DeMint tells ABC News of Perry's last-minute change of plans, "He has to make his own decision, but certainly we are disappointed."

 

 

Comments

[menmykoko]

09:23 PM on 09/07/2011

It must be getting close to his house.

[Christina-Xena]

04:09 PM on 09/07/2011

Some are trying to twist this to be a negative issue about President Obama? Quite a stretch there!

1. There are fires all over the country right now...is Obama supposed to skip around fire-to-fi­re to do what? Grab a firehose? He goes to MAJOR disaster sites AFTER the fact, with FEMA reps, to show his concern and how the Federal Government is aiding in restoratio­n.

2. . If Texas, or Perry, want's Obama's appearance let them first ask. Frankly I can't see Perry, Obama and FEMA people standing together at a press conference...no way!

3. Perry doesn't like federal interferen­ce in state's activities­....remember?

4. Perry doesn't believe in climate change that leads to dought and fire. Or that it's influenced by man. So it must be God's will that Texas is drying up and burning it to hell !

5. Perry might try a Ben Benankie "Texas style" response and "treat him pretty ugly down here" Like doing a Dallas-JFK trick. I would be concerned for Obama's personal safety.

6., This fire allows Perry to skip the Republican debates....how convenient!

7. Since he often seems to speak for God, maybe he can sprinkle Texas Holy Water over the fire from his helicopter!

Someone please check Perry for matchs, and where his religious convictions are now.

[rshrink]

09:12 AM on 09/07/2011

Rick Perry is in the back pocket of the Koch brothers. Without them and their millionair­e and billionair­e friends money, Perry would be just another here and gone again candidate, probably unable to find a job. To me, he has cruked written all over him. Are people gullible enough to think that when he is getting million dollar donations to his campaign, that he is going to be concerned with the working class? Get real. He has already laid out the policies the Koch brothers and other billionair­es have ordered him to enforce. And he will. He is in it for the money, ladies and gentlemen. The oil and gas companies will enjoy even more benefits than they did under Bush/Chene­y. Four more years of the oil companies running and ruining this country. Poverty and unemployme­nt will continue to rise to the levels of beyond the great depression and the billionair­es will continue to seclude themselves in gated communitie­s with their private military to protect them from the rioting citizenry. Sound like the middle east of late. Yes folks, that is where we will be. If you want that, vote for Perry.

[wayne the pain]

08:40 AM on 09/07/2011

He had to go back to Texas to cut more fire fighting funds! He also wants to reject any help from the federal government since he does not believe in it! I love this rugged individualism Rugged Rick shows the rest of the country. Just the kind of man we need to preside over the distruction of the entire country!

[rshrink]

10:04 AM on 09/07/2011

He has the Koch money and the evangelical army behind him. What else does a republican need? I can't think of anything else.

[irishcreme]

10:42 AM on 09/07/2011

And he talks slow enough that a lot of the dummies that support Rs can understand what he's saying whether it makes sense or not.

[docmark]

08:01 PM on 09/06/2011

As a Texan, I have zero faith in Rick Perry. A President is the leader of all Americans.

Trusting a President's decision-making ability in an emergency crisis is my #1 priority. As we know, great Presidents have come from all background­s. The responsibi­lities of a Governor is much different than that of a President. Being President requires on the job training. Had Lincoln run today, he'd be ignored. He was a simple country lawyer who had a little experience as an Illinois State legislator­.

It's what the Bush Administra­tion did after 9/11 and Afghanistan that he lost the trust of Americans. No President had ever deliberate­ly deceived us about the reason for pre-emtive­ly invading a nation (Iraq). There was zero post-invas­ion planning.

I don't trust Rick Perry. Although disagreeing phiIosophically, I would've trusted McCain (minus Palin). I trusted Bush 41.

(1) Perry became a Republican in 1989 after it became popular

(2) Perry embraced Evangelicism after it became popular

(3) Perry wouldn't hesitate to switch the above core views if he'd be helped politically

Nothing Perry has done has bolstered my faith in his leadership abilities. I'm bothered by the fact that he has a history of being whoever the voters want him to be. I want someone who has shown that he/she will not change certain core views, despite the politics. Also, in my opinion, Perry is not smart enough to be President. Will he hand off everything the way GW did?

[rshrink]

11:45 PM on 09/06/2011

He already has his marching orders from his backers, the Koch brothers and their billionaire friends. Everything he has talked about already, is down the line for the oil and gas and their plan for this country to remain dependent on them, so that they continue to have wealth and wield power. If that is what you want, vote for Perry.

[docmark]

02:51 AM on 09/07/2011

I don't want to believe that Americans would turn right around and vote for a guy even less competent than GW. Obama inherited a ton of problems; probably more than any President since FDR (actually, Obama inherited the worst recession since the Great Depression, 2 wars (one which was based on a deception), allies who lost their faith in American ideals and a divided nation. But, the President always gets blamed for the economy.

I'll never forget watching Ann Coulter on Fox News. She said she was happy that Obama won the election. She freely admitted Bush left office with the nation shambles. She claimed that no successor to Bush (Repub or Dem) would be successful. And, if someone's going to fail, it might as well be a Democrat. She freely acknowledged that America's short memory would serve the Conservatives well in 2012. Her conservative panel members tacitly agreed.

As for your post, there's no doubt in my mind that some very powerful entities want Perry as President and will do whatever it takes to get him elected. Likewise, Perry wants to be President and will do whatever the power-brokers (and their unlimited financial resources) ask of him. They're not stupid. They understand that Rick Perry is not one of the smartest guys in the room. They will expect their favors to pay-off handsomely and Perry will oblige them.

[wrabbitt]

06:22 PM on 09/06/2011

Address the wildfires? What he going to do promise them everything like he is anyone who will listen?

[TXanimal]

04:47 PM on 09/06/2011

Why, so he can hold another prayer meeting and whine about how the big bad gub'mint really DOES owe him money?

[Jeff Klenck]

02:44 PM on 09/06/2011

Another prayer convention and the whole state will disappear. It's not working boys.time to start thinking rational

[The Refudiator]

02:38 PM on 09/06/2011

The fires have been ravaging Texas for several months...its not until they get near Austin..where Little Ricky owns property , does he "adress" the issue.

I would think Little Ricky could divert money from his multimillion dollar Texas development fund( used to give tax breaks and"incentives", to corporations to move to Texas) to fight the fires after cutting the fire fighting budget. Logically corporation would want Texas to be un-frickaseed and pan seared before they move there

[JohnBryansFontaine]

01:59 PM on 09/06/2011

APPENDIX D: SUMMARY OF ( TEXAS ) BIENNIAL STATE BUDGET, Page 39 :

ESTIMATED/BUDGETED E/B BIENNIAL
2008-09 2010-11 Change % Change
Texas Forest Service 76,370,730 38,550,563 (37,820,167) (49.5)

Please go to the page if you want to see it in readable form

http://www.lbb.state.tx.us/Higher_Education/HigherEd_FinancingPrimer.pdf

[JohnBryansFontaine]

01:23 PM on 09/06/2011

Texas is burning from Rick Perry budget cuts

http://www.texassharon.com/2011/09/06/texas-is-burning-from-rick-perry-budget-cuts/

[nbj5215]

03:02 PM on 09/06/2011

No amount of money would prevent wild fires

[fromdnorth]

01:21 PM on 09/06/2011

Even Moses did not do as well as Perry... Moses saw only a burning bush... (or was it a burning Bush)... Perry saw a landscape on fire... There must be a reference somewhere

[JohnBryansFontaine]

01:19 PM on 09/06/2011

Texas plans to cut budget of agency battling fires
Thu, May 19, 2011
By Ben Wermund

"...Texas lawmakers are set to slash funding for the agency responsible for fighting wildfires in the midst of a historic wildfire season in which some 2.5 million acres have burned.

The Texas Forest Service faces almost $34 million in budget cuts over the next two years, roughly a third of the agency's total budget. The cuts are in both the House and Senate versions of the proposed state budget...."

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/19/us-texas-budget-wildfires-idUSTRE74I39V20110519

[elogco]

02:02 PM on 09/06/2011

Rick is counting on FEMA to pickup the shortfall. Ain't nothing like those federal dollars.

[elogco]

02:08 PM on 09/06/2011

Thank you for posting these reports and their cites which report the 'goings on' here in Texas.

[fromdnorth]

01:18 PM on 09/06/2011

Iss. So Rick (Duckin') Perry went to Texas to address the fires... So what did he say to the fires... and did the fires respond to his address....

[CePe]

01:08 PM on 09/06/2011

Texas Update: Originally we were told that FEMA would be arriving in Bastrop on Wednesday to help those suffering from the worst of the fire -- now, we've been told FEMA is here, at work, today!! I am so impressed by FEMA under Craig Fugate. What an effective, efficient operation FEMA is today, in comparison to FEMA in New Orleans under Brownie and the Bush Administration. Count me as one of many Texans who welcomes FEMA with open arms and is grateful for their arrival. And yes, Governor Perry did ask for FEMA assistance - not doing so would have been an conscionable act, in the light of the losses suffered by so many innocent American citizens who just happen to live in Texas. Proof, yet again, that government can and does play a valuable, significant and meaningful role in the lives of average Americans.

[Christina-Xena]

03:40 PM on 09/07/2011

Perry, wants disaster help, given it's quick consumption of people and property. But poverty, education, health and starvation­, is slow consumption so no help wanted.

What the difference in these areas?

Natural disasters are fast, obvious and non-discri­minatory.

Other degradations ares slower and more discriminatory­, so one can attribute "blame" (right or wrongly) to the victims, therefore has less public support for wide interventi­on. And big oil/rich, see such groups of people as a drain on their profitabil­ity (higher corporate taxes) .especiall­y in the short-run.

So Perry's, and Republican, campaigns comes down to fanning bias attitudes and promoting selfish interests of big money. They stroke negative views inherient in discrimina­tion (such as "they are sponging off the system and are lazy"), and by convincing­ the public the best interests of those in the middle class is best served by making the rich richer...b­y promoting the trickle down theory

People like Perry are merely slick salesmen for the well-to-do and big business, not the champion of the average people. And it sells well in Texas because of the history and pride in the state of self-relia­nce and past ground-level opportunit­y.

But in reality those times of are long gone, and Texas needs to move into the present reality of being not only being deeply intertwine­d with the United States, but with the World as well with a much more balanced longer-term perspective, and for the greater good, especially of the poor.

[CePe]

03:54 PM on 09/07/2011

Are you preaching to the choir here? ;-) OK -- no disagreement from me!