SMOOTH ONE BY PERRY – AT 12:24 P.M. ET:  Republican frontrunner, Governor Rick Perry of Texas, cut short his campaign today to return to Texas to deal with the spreading wildfires.  It is a smart move on Perry's part, demonstrating responsibility to the job and placing it above politics.  From the Washington Examiner:

Texas Gov. Rick Perry surprised the organizers of today's Palmetto Freedom Forum by withdrawing from the event just hours before it is scheduled to begin. Put together by Sen. Jim DeMint, who is widely acknowledged as a kingmaker in the Republican race in South Carolina, the event, set for 3 p.m. today, will feature candidates Mitt Romney, Michele Bachmann, Ron Paul, Herman Cain, and Newt Gingrich in an unconventional question-and-answer format with DeMint, Iowa Republican Rep. Steve King, and Princeton University professor Robert George.

According to several sources familiar with events, the chairman of Perry's campaign in South Carolina, former Republican party chief Katon Dawson, called organizers this morning to say that Perry needs to return to Texas to deal with quickly-spreading wildfires. Event organizers offered to move the schedule around -- the candidates were scheduled to speak in alphabetical order at the forum, which would have put Perry second-to-last -- and waited for Perry's response. The first definitive reports they heard on Perry's decision came from the media. In the meantime, Perry was participating in a town hall event in Myrtle Beach, S.C. organized by Rep. Tim Scott. Perry was scheduled to speak personally with DeMint at 11:15 a.m., at which time he would officially withdraw from the forum. Perry has a plane waiting in Myrtle Beach to return him to Texas.

COMMENT:  A Drudge headline earlier today read, "Texas on fire."  Maybe that influenced the decision.

The key question is whether Perry will now show up at the Reagan Library on Wednesday night for the first major, televised debate in which he's scheduled to take part.  The faithful will give Perry this one withdrawal today, to do his job as governor.  But attending the Reagan debate, after he's had a chance to return to Texas for two days, means a plane ride to California, and a quick flight back.  If he skips the Reagan Library, suspicions will rise that he's not ready for prime time. 

September 5, 2011