COLUMBIA, S.C. – Jim DeMint is clear: He expects some attention from Rick Perry. The South Carolina senator had been expecting the Texas governor, now leading the Republican presidential pack, to answer long-form questions from DeMint and two other panelists at Monday’s Palmetto Freedom Forum. But Perry sent word just hours beforehand that he would skip the event and instead fly to Texas to deal with wildfires. When Perry called DeMint with word — it had already been all over the news — Perry knew he was causing a major problem. “He just committed to spend extra time in South Carolina to make up for it,” DeMint, who has never met Perry, said a short time after the call. So look for Perry to try to mend fences, and soon.
DeMint and the forum’s other organizers are taking Perry at his word about the urgency of the situation in Texas. The fires are a serious and growing problem, and as governor, Perry has a responsibility to deal with them. On the other hand, some rival candidates aren’t so understanding.
