The reporters covering Rick Perry's presidential campaign have, from time to time, complained about a lack of advance notice from the campaign on events. There have been instances of last-second news conferences called where the national media have been unable to attend. And even on a good week, reporters only found out about campaign stops about seven days ahead of time.
Then the bus tour happened. It was a luxury. Sure we didn't get final dates until about a week before it began, but once it did...there were no planes to catch, no cars to rent, and the campaign even told us way ahead of time which hotels to book.
The reporters started to feel like the campaign had turned a corner on advanced planning; that, from here on out, we'd have much better warner on events and campaign stops.
Then there was Saturday afternoon.
The Perry campaign's South Carolina office emailed to say the governor would be speaking in South Carolina on January 4th. The day after the Iowa caucuses.
One little problem: There are NO flights from Iowa to South Carolina for less than $1,100 ONE WAY. And none of those flights would get the press corps to the Palmetto State until after the first Perry event.
I'm not even trying. The campaign says Perry will be in New Hampshire for two debates there this weekend...and I already have a hotel and plane ticket for that. So it's on to New Hampshire for at least a couple of days, then probably down to South Carolina.
All this is really speculation. We need to see what Perry does Tuesday night first. He could come in 3rd. He could come in 5th. And all that will determine whether I leave New Hampshire early...or just head back to Austin.
