Perry 'thinking' about presidential run
Des Moines, Iowa (CNN) - Texas Gov. Rick Perry said Friday he will consider a run for the Republican presidential nomination.
"I'm going to think about it" after the Texas legislative session ends on Monday, Perry told reporters in Austin after a bill signing. Perry added, "But I think about a lot of things."
Perry's remarks come on the heels of a Fox News interview this week in which he admitted that he is "tempted" to run for president.
"Oh, I can't say I'm not tempted, but the fact is this is something I don't want to do," Perry said.
A spokesman for Perry's office immediately sought to walk back his comments, noting that the governor has said he has no plans to run and that his position on the matter "remains the same."
Perry has been questioned about the presidential race on a near daily basis by the dogged Texas press corps, especially in recent weeks following the departure of Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels from the presidential field.
He has repeatedly dismissed the speculation while also never completely shutting the door on a run.
Perry addressed a Republican National Committee meeting in Dallas earlier this month and impressed a number of state party chairman, several of whom told CNN they would like to see him mount a campaign.
David Carney, Rick Perry's closest political adviser, told CNN that the governor is indeed "thinking" about a presidential bid. But Carney cautioned that it's simply "human nature" to contemplate a run for higher office after receiving words of encouragement from Republican donors and activists around the country.
"Nothing has really changed," Carney said. "He is not running for president. The drumbeat over the last three to four weeks has been pretty intense. But he hasn't made any decision."
Carney said Perry gave an "honest answer" Friday when asked about his ambitions.
"He is thinking about it," Carney said. "Its become a topic of discussion. It's not a systematic look at how he would do this. It's a much more casual thing than that."
A Perry bid would be problematic given the fact that both Carney and Perry's 2010 campaign manager Rob Johnson are currently working for Newt Gingrich's presidential effort.
"That would be a little bit of a complication," Carney said.
Perry also serves as chairman of the Republican Governors Association.
Perry is the longest serving governor in Texas history and won a historic third term last November. But according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll released this week, only four percent of Texas Republicans would support Republican Gov. Rick Perry in a bid for the White House.
A CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll out Friday indicates that 50 percent of Republicans and independents who lean toward the GOP say they would not like to see Perry run for the nomination, while 40 percent say they would like to see him run.
At the RNC meeting in Dallas, Perry predicted that the Republican presidential field may not be finalized for some time.
"It's a bit early to be identifying who is going to the choice of the Republicans," Perry told reporters. "I think there are still a number of folks out there who have not made a decision about it."
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NO Thanks
So "Mr. Secession" now wants to be President of the Country he mused about his state seceding from? Why is that? After saying he didn't want any federal stimulus money he decided he needed Federal Money to fight the wildfires that he couldn't because of gutting his en-con department? Or is it because the oil companies need a more sympathetic president that they can control, like the last one.
Just what American needs. Another Texas Republican nutjob.
This is NOT a beauty contest or a popularity contest!!! The rethugs get more pathetic and desperate by the day!!
LOL Even the people in texas don't want him. Is there anyone from the party of hell no, except for the rich, who is NOT running? Do people really understand the role of being our president?
Calling all male WASP! Calling.... Anybody out there?
Romney set to denounce is Mormonism!
Calling! The GOP needs you.......
He needs to make up his mind on whether he still wants to secede from the USA.
Yep, Guv Goodhair want to be El Presidenta' so we can secede from the planet down here in By Gawd Texas.
Another Texas governor for white house NO
Governor Perry should not even think about running for President. he has made statements in the past which definitely show he does not have the temperament to be president nor does he have the ability to work with people with di8fferent opinions than his.
Texas may like him but I do not believe he would ever be the right person to be president.
Perry makes GW Bush look like Albert EInstein! He is a joke! I think the rest of America learned a bad lesson after GWB and wouldn't fall for total Dubwa Clone!
oh boy! Another village idiot from Texas!
If the GOP has any plans to win Perry should not be on their list. He has lied his way into office and is just like Tom DeLay. He will be bad for America. He is a self serving man. Oh! He is exactly what the GOP wants!
I thought that the state of Texas, at Perry's direction, had already seceded from the USA?
Governor Perry can think? Gee he is a rarity in the republican camp then. He like the rest of the pack, doesn't have a SNOWBALLS CHANCE in Hades.
Go create your own country to be the President of, since you want to secede from the U.S. so bad.
He might as well every other right wing bozo is either "considering", running, or has been in already!
Just what the reepublicans need! A southern clown that will need his drawl translated!
If he runs, our party would lose the state of Texas for the 1st time in decades. Even his own state's citizens don't want him.
We won't win with an extremist like Trump, Palin, Bachman, Gingrich, Cain, Santorium, or Perry.
A moderate like Romney or Huntsman or Pawlenty can't draw any meaningful contrasts that position them successful against the President; particularly when he has 4 years of experience under his belt.
The embrace of Palin's type of flamethrower rhetoric has pigeon-holed the Party. We're going to have to run hard right in the primaries and the lurch back to the center to try and SVENGALI the independents into voting for us.
We should just put until 2016.
A $27 Billion defict texas faces and most of it under his watch while he controlled( republican party) both chambers. Yeah, last two times we had a Texan run and win the WH, things didn't turn out so well for the country. Ricky, stay in Texas.
That could be fun. I would love to see Mr Anti-Government explain why there are 333,000 more government employees now working in Texas than when he took office including 23,000 more federal governement workers and 60,000 more state workers.
So is Donald Duck and Sarah Palin!!
Like he said – he thinks about a lot of things. Well, some of us think also. And I'm thinking no way in hell do we need another six-shooter type trying to get us in wars all over the world. If W was still there, I'm sure we'd have major forces on the groung in Libya instead of just air support. NO MORE TEXANS unless we can reincarnate Ann Richards.
Did you all hear the guy from Thundering in DC this morning - Palin was NOT invited and is NOT welcome to make a speech or take away in ANY way from their mission of bringing light to prisoners of war.
A GWB Clone – Perry has been a total goof off as Governor. His main priority this year is making women who have abortions look at a sonogram! He is more worried about scoring political points with his donors than governing. He and his GOP Cronies have slashed spending mainly in education. As a President If you loved Dubwa's "No Child Left Behind," you'll love Perry's "No Education For Our People."
The Republican Circus's clown car is now unloading in the center ring.
Ouch. If Texans don't even like him, thats....wow.... One thing republicans have in common; huge, grotesque egos.