Rick Perry possibly running for President; Democrats rejoice
AUSTIN - Gov. Rick Perry fueled a fresh round of speculation over a potential White House run Friday when he said he will "think about it" when the legislative session is over.
The answer was far from a declaration for president; he was quick to add, "I think about a lot of things."
Asked whether this signaled a new interest from Perry in the presidency, his spokesman Mark Miner said by email, "Nothing has changed. The governor has no intention of running for president."
In presidential politics, however, every new answer must be held up to the light and examined, and that's just what happened - as Perry surely knew it would.
"He's taking a cue from Sarah Palin. You'll know he's serious when he gets a bus," said Larry Sabato, director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia. "It's the big tease. I don't think any party's voters have ever been teased by so many candidates in one year as have Republicans this year."
Palin, the former Alaska governor and 2008 vice presidential candidate, is poised for a bus tour that has people buzzing over prospects for her to jump into the race for president. Perry in the past has denied any interest in running for president.This week, however, he told Fox News' Greta Van Susteren that "I can't say I'm not tempted," adding that it is something he does not want to do.
Perry's comments Friday came in response to reporters' questions at a signing ceremony for Voter ID legislation, a signature GOP issue. The new round of questions kicked off with a reference to an endorsement of Perry for president by the Hispanic Republican Conference of Texas.
"I don't make a lot of anything dealing with that until we get past the Monday deadline for this legislative session. That's our focus," Perry said. After that? "Yes sir, I'm going to think about it. But I think about a lot of things," Perry said.
This prompted reporters to ask about the change in his answer.
"I didn't say I was running, did I?" Perry asked. "I'm going to think about it."
Pressed further, he quipped that the change was prompted by Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, who was at the news conference and in April suggested he was weighing whether to run for governor or U.S. Senate.
Rep. Jessica Farrar, of Houston, leader of the House Democratic Caucus, said, "I think it's the same as pretty much what he's been doing all session. He's been playing politics and ignoring the future of the state."
Source would love a Perry/Palin ticket if it wasn't so terrified of the American voting public.
The answer was far from a declaration for president; he was quick to add, "I think about a lot of things."
Asked whether this signaled a new interest from Perry in the presidency, his spokesman Mark Miner said by email, "Nothing has changed. The governor has no intention of running for president."
In presidential politics, however, every new answer must be held up to the light and examined, and that's just what happened - as Perry surely knew it would.
"He's taking a cue from Sarah Palin. You'll know he's serious when he gets a bus," said Larry Sabato, director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia. "It's the big tease. I don't think any party's voters have ever been teased by so many candidates in one year as have Republicans this year."
Palin, the former Alaska governor and 2008 vice presidential candidate, is poised for a bus tour that has people buzzing over prospects for her to jump into the race for president. Perry in the past has denied any interest in running for president.This week, however, he told Fox News' Greta Van Susteren that "I can't say I'm not tempted," adding that it is something he does not want to do.
Perry's comments Friday came in response to reporters' questions at a signing ceremony for Voter ID legislation, a signature GOP issue. The new round of questions kicked off with a reference to an endorsement of Perry for president by the Hispanic Republican Conference of Texas.
"I don't make a lot of anything dealing with that until we get past the Monday deadline for this legislative session. That's our focus," Perry said. After that? "Yes sir, I'm going to think about it. But I think about a lot of things," Perry said.
This prompted reporters to ask about the change in his answer.
"I didn't say I was running, did I?" Perry asked. "I'm going to think about it."
Pressed further, he quipped that the change was prompted by Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, who was at the news conference and in April suggested he was weighing whether to run for governor or U.S. Senate.
Rep. Jessica Farrar, of Houston, leader of the House Democratic Caucus, said, "I think it's the same as pretty much what he's been doing all session. He's been playing politics and ignoring the future of the state."
Source would love a Perry/Palin ticket if it wasn't so terrified of the American voting public.