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Perry Presidential Campaign Announcement This Weekend

By BJ Austin, KERA News

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-981696.mp3

Dallas, TX – The spokesman for the Governor says Rick Perry IS running for President. This weekend, Governor Perry is headed to South Carolina, New Hampshire and Iowa - sounding very much like a candidate. KERA's BJ Austin reports.

Mark Miner, spokesman for Rick Perry told the Associated Press that the Governor IS running for president. And Governor Perry certainly sounded like a candidate in a satellite interview with WMUR, a Manchester, New Hampshire television station just moments after the AP bulletin appeared.

WMUR interviewer: Yes, it's a late entry, but for Texas Governor Rick Perry, he says the decision to run was an easy one.

Perry: At the end of the day it's really about America. It's about me doing my duty. It's about bringing some principles and a vision to this country that give people hope that America's finest and greatest days are still ahead of us. They're not behind us.

SMU political scientist Cal Jillson says there hasn't been an "official" announcement from Perry yet. He says that's a delicately timed thing because campaign finance and reporting rules kick in immediately. And Jillson says you certainly want something with more glitz that an announcement from a staffer.

Jillson: This is not exactly the type of dramatic rollout that you would like to have seen. You want the candidate to say he's running for President. And you want him to do it in a place that means something, that represents his candidacy and the principles he stands for. Maybe we'll see that later.

Jillson says Perry is creating a lot of buzz and pressure's mounting.

Jillson: The national media is just an avalanche around Rick Perry right now. And they're saying do what you're going to do. Let's go. Let's go. And so I guess they sent Mark Miner out to say hold it guys, he is running. Let us catch our breath.

Mark Miner says Governor Perry will announce his intentions to run for the GOP presidential nomination Saturday in South Carolina. That's the same day Republican Presidential hopefuls stump for votes in the Iowa Straw Poll. It's seen as an early test of organizational strength for presidential candidates.

Email BJ Austin