The Note

Irene Aftermath: Dem Lawmaker Says Americans Should be Grateful for Preparation

ABCNews.com — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 12:48:28 -0400

ABC News’ Z. Byron Wolf (@zbyronwolf) reports:

The Northeast is just beginning to recover from its tangle with Hurricane and Rep. Bill Keating is the perfect subject for an assessment. He’s the ranking Democrat on the Homeland Security subcommittee for oversight and he was on the coast at his home in Monument Beach when Hurricane Irene hit.

Monument Beach and the surrounding area saw some of the biggest water surges during the hurricane. The congressman’s house lost power and internet connection yesterday, though power is back up today. According to his spokesperson, one of the most dangerous things was an unanchored sail boat that was being tossed around in the water during the storm.

But Keating told ABC’s Top Line politics program Monday that “preparation was excellent” and for that people should be grateful. Keating, who said he has spent the day talking to local merchants, praised President Obama’s declaration of a state of emergency in Massachusetts, 12 other states, the District of Colombia and Puerto Rico.

“The big thing, this cash -- cash style really cities and towns and local business people are affected by this. So I think the preparation was looked at very gratefully but you know people are still overcoming as I am being without power, sitting at your home, there are 700,000 people across Massachusetts and millions across the eastern part of the country.”

The cost of paying for Irene has forced the federal government's strapped Disaster Relief Fund to divert money meant for tornado victims in Joplin, Mo. A spokesman for Federal Emergency Management Agency told the Associated Press today that Congress will have to vote for more money to restore full funding for Joplin and other areas hit by natural disasters earlier this year.

More than 4.5 million people along the East Coast were without power today. In addition, Irene is blamed for the deaths of 25 people.

But for now, Keating said people are “looking at the response from a personal term, and I can feel what it's like to be without power myself. And be grateful at the same time that people weren't hurt or seriously injured.”

He later added: “I'm just happy that no one was hurt in my community, no one was hurt here. Unfortunately we can't say that for every community.”

Rick Perry Wades Into Foreign Policy with Speech to Veterans

ABCNews.com — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 11:14:41 -0400

ABC News’ Arlette Saenz (@arlettesaenz) reports:

Texas Governor Rick Perry delved into foreign policy this morning as he addressed the Veterans of Foreign Wars convention in San Antonio, warning that the United States “cannot concede the moral authority of our nation to multi-lateral debating societies.”

“I do not believe that America should fall subject to a foreign policy of military adventurism. We should only risk shedding American blood and spending American treasure when our vital interests are threatened and we should always look to build coalitions among the nations to protect the mutual interests of freedom loving people,” Perry told thousands of veterans today.

“It’s not our interest to go it alone. We respect our allies, and we must always seek to engage them in military missions. At the same time, we must be willing to act when it is time to act. We cannot concede the moral authority of our nation to multi-lateral debating societies, and when our interests are threatened American soldiers should be led by American commanders.”

Perry pointed to the lessons learned from the Vietnam War as helping leaders make more cautious decisions when engaging in combat.

“A president should never send our sons and daughters into war without a plan to win and the resources to make that possible,” Perry said. “It’s a dangerous world that we live in today. Our enemies often don’t wear uniforms or swear allegiance to a particular flag but instead to an ideology of hatred. As the 10^th anniversary of the attacks of 911 approach, we must renew our commitment to taking the fight to the enemy wherever they are before they strike at home.”

Two weeks ago, Perry, who flew C-130s in the Air Force from 1972 to 1977, stated that one of his greatest motivations to run for president was to ensure “every young man and woman who puts on the uniform of this nation respects highly the president of the United States.”

“I think the military men and women respect the commander in chief regardless of who it is. I think they really like to see a person who’s worn the uniform in that office and, you know, I think that’s just a true statement and I wouldn’t back up off of it an inch,” Perry told a group of reporters at the Iowa State Fair earlier this month. “Go ask your veterans if they’d rather see somebody who’s never served as the commander in chief.”

Perry never served in a war but highlighted the dedication and service of his father, who was a tail gunner in World War II, flying 35 missions over Germany in 1944 and 1945.

“He helped liberate millions from tyranny. When he came home he didn’t seek acclaim or credit, he just wanted to live in peace and freedom,” Perry recounted. “His story is not unique. Indeed his story was if anything very representative of our entire generation, the greatest generation who know all about placing country and community ahead of self.”

“I know the credo of survivors of war that only the heroes are the ones who never make it home, but in my eyes you all are heroes every one of you.”

In his speech, Perry announced a new Texas initiative called Housing4TexasHeroes, a three million dollar grant program which will help veterans buy, build, rehabilitate, or rent homes.

“A great nation cannot turn its eye away from wounded warriors. We should honor them with the best healthcare possible, with help transitioning back to civilian life and with jobs,” Perry said. “It anguishes me to see young men and women come home scarred, feeling isolated, unable to cope with what they’ve experienced. these are our precious sons and daughters. They are our nations’ newest generation of heroes. They are our own flesh and blood. We must take care of them, everyone of them.”

In the month leading up to his official announcement, Perry attempted to sharpen his foreign policy acumen, meeting with national security experts Doug Feith and William Luti in a foreign policy and national security briefing coordinated in part by former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

Mitt Romney is slated to speak to the VFW convention tomorrow.

Let The Vetting Begin:Rick Perry Under The Microscope (The Note)

ABCNews.com — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 09:01:42 -0400

By MICHAEL FALCONE (@michaelpfalcone) and AMY WALTER (@amyewalter)

Earlier this month, just days after he jumped into the presidential race, Rick Perry told an Iowa crowd why he liked their caucus process.

There’s going to be “a lot of probin’ and lot of feelin’ and touchin’ and talkin’ and vetting the candidates and asking questions,” Perry predicted at a county GOP event in Cedar Rapids on Aug. 16. The Texas governor was back in Iowa over the weekend and it was apparent the vetting was well underway.

The Des Moines Register’s Jennifer Jacobs reported that Perry “dodged questions from two farmers at an Iowa Corn Growers Association meeting,” who were hoping to pin the governor down on ethanol policy. Not satisfied that Perry would do enough to protect his livelihood, one corn and soybean grower told the Register that while he loves what Perry says on other issues, “I just could not support him.” http://bit.ly/qsHCcH

It’s hardly just Iowans that are taking a closer look at the Republican contender, who last week leapfrogged Mitt Romney as the front-runner for the GOP nomination. A series of media headlines make clear that Perry, who has never had to endure the spotlight of a national campaign, is about to see his record in Texas, his comments on the campaign trail and even his personal life, picked over like never before.

“Rick Perry's 'Texas miracle': a demographic quirk?” reads a recent headline in the Christian Science Monitor. This weekend the liberal website, ThinkProgress, which dispatched a reporter to Iowa to cover Perry’s events on Saturday, ran a story titled: “Perry Says He Hasn’t ‘Backed Off Anything’ In His Book, Still Thinks Social Security Is Unconstitutional.”

Today a front-page story in the New York Times declares: “As a States’ Rights Stalwart, Perry Draws Doubts.” This morning, the Washington Post notes, “Rick Perry has distanced himself from George W. Bush’s brand of conservatism.” And the coup de grace: the headline of the article leading Politico’s website Monday morning, asks pointedly and simply: “Is Rick Perry dumb?”

As proof that Perry, the longest-serving governor in his state’s history, is not, in fact, “dumb,” a spokesman for his presidential campaign offered up this evidence to the reporter:

“In an illustration that Perry knows what he needs to know, his spokesman said the governor is currently reading Henry Kissinger’s recent China book -- ‘On China.’ … Mark Miner, the spokesman, said Perry is also reading Charles Stanley’s ‘Turning the Tide,’ a Baptist pastor’s how-to for Christian conservatives who want to change the country’s direction, and the Bible. Perry also carries an Apple laptop as well as an iPad with him on the road, said Miner, who called his boss ‘an avid reader.’”

As the new kid on the block, Perry’s getting tons of ink -- not all of it flattering. But will it matter? A GOP electorate hungry for a fighter and one with a record on job creation to boot may give Perry the benefit of the doubt they wouldn't give other GOP hopefuls.

PERRY ON STATES RIGHTS. The New York Times’ Manny Fernandez and the Texas Tribune’s Emily Ramshaw report that while Perry “uses the issue of states’ rights to give his candidacy an overarching them… he has been inconsistent in applying those beliefs, drawing criticism from some states’ rights advocates and raising questions even among fellow Republicans about whether his stance is as much campaign positioning as a philosophical commitment.” More from the joint report: “In one of his more well-publicized shifts, Mr. Perry proclaimed that gay marriage was an issue for individual states to decide, but backtracked in recent weeks and now says he supports a federal amendment banning gay marriage. … Despite his vocal opposition to what he has called “the unprecedented and massive federal overreach” of President Obama’s health care overhaul, Mr. Perry accepted a $1 million federal grant last October for planning to carry out one of its key provisions. … Although his 2010 book, “Fed Up! Our Fight to Save America from Washington,” describes his outrage that federal bureaucrats distributed more than $245 billion in farm subsidies from 1995 to 2009, the governor received some of that money. Mr. Perry, a former West Texas cotton farmer, received at least $83,000 in federal farm subsidies between 1987 and 1998, during the time he was in elected office, according to his tax returns.” http://nyti.ms/mXfYE4

BACHMANN MIXES THEOLOGY AND METEOROLOGY. At a campaign rally in Florida yesterday, Michele Bachmann weighed in on the causes of recent natural disasters, including Hurricane Irene: "I don't know how much God has to do to get the attention of the politicians,” she said according to the Tampa Tribune. “We've had an earthquake; we've had a hurricane. He said, 'Are you going to start listening to me here?' Listen to the American people because the American people are roaring right now. They know government is on a morbid obesity diet and we've got to rein in the spending." http://bit.ly/o637TN (h/t ABC’s Rick Klein)

ON TODAY’S “TOP LINE. ABC’s Rick Klein and Amy Walter interview Rep. Bill Keating, D-Mass., the ranking member of the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations, and Management. Also on the program, Associated Press political reporter Beth Fouhy. Watch “Top Line” LIVE at 12:00 p.m. Eastern. http://abcn.ws/toplineliveabc

THE BUZZ

THE PERRY-ROMNEY RIVALRY. “With Rick Perry and Mitt Romney now leading the field, the Republican 2012 presidential contest is creating a new chapter in the story of two men who have occasionally clashed and who have markedly different personal styles,” the Wall Street Journal’s Patrick O’Connor notes. “In 2006, during a meeting in Austin, Mr. Perry, the Texas governor, questioned a decision Mr. Romney, then the governor of Massachusetts, had made as chairman of the Republican Governors Association. Mr. Romney had hired the media adviser Alex Castellanos for the group, though Mr. Castellanos was working for one of the candidates trying at the time to unseat Mr. Perry. In the meeting, Mr. Romney defended his decision, according to multiple people familiar with the exchange, and the shouting match that ensued has quickly become campaign lore. Mr. Castellanos declined to comment on the governors association. A year later, Mr. Perry chose not to endorse Mr. Romney for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination. Instead, Mr. Perry became the only sitting governor to endorse former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. … Aides to both men played down any friction. In an email, Perry adviser Dave Carney called rumors of a rivalry ‘urban myths,’ adding, ‘Gov. Perry's decision to run is not based in any way on what Gov. Romney and his first-class team has done or not done.’ Romney spokeswoman Gail Gitcho said, ‘Mitt Romney considers Rick Perry a friend and believes he will add a lot to the discussion during the primary.’” http://on.wsj.com/qiArtQ

COLIN POWELL NOT SOLD ON OBAMA. Former Secretary of State Colin Powell, who famously crossed party lines to vote for President Obama in 2008, said today that he’s not necessarily supporting the president for reelection in 2012, ABC’s Rick Klein reports. “I haven’t decided who I’m going to vote for,” Powell said on CBS’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday. “Just as was the case in 2008, I am going to watch the campaign unfold. In the course of my life I have voted for Democrats, I have voted for Republicans, I have changed from one four-year cycle to another. “I’ve always felt it my responsibility as a citizen to take a look at the issues, examine the candidates, and pick the person that I think is best qualified for the office of the president in that year. And not just solely on the basis of party affiliation,” he said. Asked about the Republican field, Powell said there are some “interesting candidates,” but no one who has “emerged into the leading position.” “So let’s see if anybody else is going to join, and we’ve got a long way to go,” he added. http://abcn.ws/pLjSQs

ROMNEY’S TEA PARTY BALANCING ACT. “Mitt Romney says he’s on the same page as tea party activists, but some national organizations affiliated with the movement say the GOP presidential candidate hasn’t made much of an effort to get to know them,” writes the Daily Caller’s Alex Pappas. “In fact, these tea party organizers say they can’t recall the former Massachusetts governor ever speaking at a tea party gathering, unlike nearly all of his primary opponents. ‘To my knowledge, Mitt Romney has never requested to participate in one of our tea party events or rallies,’ said Jacqueline Bodnar, a spokeswoman at FreedomWorks, the Washington, D.C.-based organization led by former House leader Dick Armey. The group helped organize events like the 9/12 March on Washington in 2009 and annual ‘tax day’ rallies. Bodnar said there has been very little contact between FreedomWorks and Romney. … Another national figure in the movement, Mark Meckler, a national coordinator for the Tea Party Patriots, also said Romney ‘certainly never reached out to our organization, not that I’m aware of.’ … Other Republican candidates for president -- former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty (who has since dropped out of the race), Texas Rep. Ron Paul, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, businessman Herman Cain, Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson and Texas Gov. Rick Perry — have all spoken at tea party events. Romney’s campaign did not comment when reached by The Daily Caller, but the former governor continues to make the point while on the trail that he fits in well with the conservative grassroots activists.” http://thedc.com/qQ8dM7

HOUSE GOP READIES FALL AGENDA. “House Republicans are planning votes for almost every week this fall in an effort to repeal environmental and labor requirements on business that they say have hampered job growth,” writes the Washington Post’s Paul Kane. “With everyone from President Obama to his Republican challengers in the 2012 campaign focusing on ways to spur economic growth, House Republicans will roll out plans Monday to fight regulations from the National Labor Relations Board, pollution rules handed down by the Environmental Protection Agency and regulations that affect health plans for small businesses. In addition, the lawmakers plan to urge a 20 percent tax deduction for small businesses. … The push for a jobs agenda comes as Obama, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney and others plan to present their own jobs agendas just after Labor Day. In mid-August, shortly after lawmakers agreed on a deal to raise the nation’s debt ceiling, just 13 percent of voters in a Gallup poll approved of the job Congress was doing, a record low. Some Republican strategists have been warning party leaders that the focus on cutting spending is not resonating with independent voters who are most concerned about a sagging economy and an unemployment rate that has exceeded 9 percent for more than two years.” http://wapo.st/ph3ji5

WHO’S TWEETING?

@carenbohan: Obama will announce today that Alan Krueger, a labor economist at Princeton University, is his pick to head the Council of Economic Advisers

@PounderFile: Great piece from @SalenaZitoTrib ... "Battlegrounds of Resentment"is.gd/2BgunY

@samsteinhp: Pawlenty left the GOP primary with his campaign in debt: huff.to/rovQbt

@MPOTheHill: Trump, ever full of bluster, says he's spoken to all the GOP presidential candidates, including Perry "seven or eight times already."

@rickklein: 3 years ago today, top stories @ABC included "Sarah Who? Why John McCain Picked Palin," "Michael Jackson: 'I Feel ... Very Young' at 50."

POLITICAL RADAR:

(all times local)

* Rick Perry delivers remarks at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Convention in San Antonio, Tex. at 8:45 a.m. Perry will make a campaign announcement at the Tulsa Press Club in Oklahoma. It is expected to be an endorsement from Sen. Jim Inhofe. He will hold a fundraising luncheon at the Tulsa Summit Club and another fundraiser at National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum tonight.

* Michele Bachmann campaigns in Florida, meeting voters at the Calistoga Bakery Café in Naples in the morning, followed by a Bay of Pigs Museum tour in the afternoon and a meet-and-greet at Versailles Restaurant in Miami later in the day.

* Jon Huntsman campaigns in South Carolina, announcing the endorsement of the state’s attorney general, Alan Wilson.

* Herman Cain wraps up his trip to Israel and returns to the U.S.

The Note Futures Calendar: http://abcn.ws/ZI9gV

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* For breaking political news and analysis check out The Note blog: http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/and ABCNews.com/Politics: http://abcnews.com/politics

The Note's Must-Reads for Monday, August 29, 2011

ABCNews.com — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 04:00:23 -0400

Compiled by ABC News Digital News Associates Jacqueline Fernandez, Jayce Henderson and Desk Assistant Amanda VanAllen

2012 ELECTIONS:
The Hills’ Brendan Sasso: “Romney-Perry, Perry-Romney domain names selling for $50k” The owner of the domain names Romney-Perry2012.com and Perry-Romney2012.com has put a price on the rights to the websites: $50,000 each. The auction is a clear sign that the presidential race is heating up, as the cottage industry of presidential domain names gears up for profit. LINK

The Washington Times’ Dave Boyer: “Obama’s campaign muddled in name game” President Obama’s re-election campaign has appropriated for its voter-registration operation the name of an existing group, Project Vote, that has been the target of voter-fraud complaints tied to the much-criticized and now-defunct activist group ACORN. LINK

The New York Times’ Manny Fernandez and Emily Ramshaw: “As a States’ Rights Stalwart, Perry Draws Doubts” As Gov. Rick Perry of Texas begins his presidential campaign, he is working hard to position himself as the leading Republican champion of states’ rights, using his high-profile battles with Washington and his book on the dangers of federal power to build an ideological and constitutional rationale for his fierce anti-Obama message. LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Patrick O’ Connor: “GOP Leaders Bring Some Bad Blood to Race” With Rick Perry and Mitt Romney now leading the field, the Republican 2012 presidential contest is creating a new chapter in the story of two men who have occasionally clashed and who have markedly different personal styles. In 2006, during a meeting in Austin, Mr. Perry, the Texas governor, questioned a decision Mr. Romney, then the governor of Massachusetts, had made as chairman of the Republican Governors Association. Mr. Romney had hired the media adviser Alex Castellanos for the group, though Mr. Castellanos was working for one of the candidates trying at the time to unseat Mr. Perry. LINK

The Washington Post’s Perry Bacon: “Rick Perry has distanced himself from George W. Bush’s brand of conservatism” Texas Gov. Rick Perry, like most of the other the GOP presidential hopefuls, says his campaign is about undoing the decisions of President Obama. But Perry also presents a stark alternative to the last Republican to occupy the White House, his fellow Texan George W. Bush. LINK

The New York Daily News’ Kenneth Lovett: “Former New York Gov. George Pataki decides against running for President in 2012” Former Gov. George Pataki's presidential bid ended before it even started. Pataki, who was flirting with the idea of getting into the Republican field, has decided against it, sources said. The former three-term governor is citing personal reasons for his decision to take a pass, those close to him told The News. LINK

USA Today’s Alan Gomez: “Tea Party taking a good look at Perry” For the past few months, members of the Tea Party movement pointed to Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann , businessman Herman Cain and Texas Rep. Ron Paul as favorites in the GOP presidential field. LINK

HURRICANE IRENE:
ABC News’ Jake Tapper: “Obama Visits FEMA’s Hurricane Response Center” As Hurricane Irene's Category 1-force winds pounded the coast of North Carolina today, President Obama visited FEMA's National Response Coordination Center in Washington, D.C. After touring the facility, Obama shared what he's most worried about. LINK

The Los Angeles Times’ Andrew Malcolm: “Obama and his aides hail governments' response to Tropical Storm Irene” Good afternoon, everybody. I’m joined today by my secretary of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano, and administrator of FEMA, Craig Fugate, to provide a brief update on our ongoing response efforts to Hurricane Irene. First, let me say that this is a storm that has claimed lives. Our thoughts and prayers are with those who’ve lost loved ones and those whose lives have been affected by the storm. LINK

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Powell Not Sold on Obama in ‘12

ABCNews.com — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 11:47:00 -0400

ABC News’ Rick Klein (@rickklein) reports:

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell, who famously crossed party lines to vote for President Obama in 2008, said today that he’s not necessarily supporting the president for reelection in 2012.

“I haven’t decided who I’m going to vote for,” Powell said on CBS’ “Face the Nation.” “Just as was the case in 2008, I am going to watch the campaign unfold. In the course of my life I have voted for Democrats, I have voted for Republicans, I have changed from one four-year cycle to another.

“I’ve always felt it my responsibility as a citizen to take a look at the issues, examine the candidates, and pick the person that I think is best qualified for the office of the president in that year. And not just solely on the basis of party affiliation,” he said.

Asked about the Republican field, Powell said there are some “interesting candidates,” but no one who has “emerged into the leading position.”

“So let’s see if anybody else is going to join, and we’ve got a long way to go,” he added.

Powell, the nation’s first African-American secretary of state, praised Obama’s leadership style in 2008 in endorsing him, saying shortly before the election that Obama “has a definite way of doing business that will serve us well.” He also said at the time that he didn’t think the GOP vice-presidential candidate, Sarah Palin, was “ready” to be president.

In his interview today, Powell also had a strong reaction to former Vice President Dick Cheney’s new memoir. He said Cheney took “cheap shots” in his book and seemed to be chasing “tabloid” headlines by saying his book would make “heads explode” in Washington.

“I haven’t heard anything that explosive,” Powell said.

Ron Paul: Who Needs FEMA Anyway?

ABCNews.com — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 17:37:46 -0400

ABC News' Jason Volack reports:

With Hurricane Irene bearing down on the East Coast and taking direct aim at America’s biggest city, who needs the Federal Emergency Management Agency anyway?

At least that’s the question that presidential candidate Ron Paul raised today at a campaign stop in New Hampshire, just hours before the storm was expected to begin inflicting heavy damage up and down the Eastern Seaboard.

"We should be like 1900. We should be like 1940, 1950, 1960," Paul told a reporter for NBC News after a lunch-time speech in Gilford, N.H. "I live on the Gulf Coast; we deal with hurricanes all the time. Galveston is in my district.”

"There's no magic about FEMA. They're a great contribution to deficit financing and quite frankly they don't have a penny in the bank. We should be coordinated but coordinated voluntarily with the states," Paul said. "A state can decide. We don't need somebody in Washington."

This isn’t the first time the libertarian-leaning Texas Congressman had made controversial remarks regarding FEMA. In a May 13interview with CNN, Paul called for the elimination of the agency.

“Why should somebody from the central part of the United States rebuild my house? Why shouldn't I have to buy my own insurance and protect about the potential dangers,” Paul said. “Well, the reason we don't have market insurance is it's too expensive. Well, why is it expensive? Because it's dangerous. Well, so why should - why should we take money from somebody else who don't get the chance to live on the Gulf and make them pay to rebuild my house?”

FEMA’s primary job is to coordinate the response to a major disaster. The agency also provides state and local governments with experts in specialized fields and assists individuals and businesses with low interest loans for rebuilding.

To receive FEMA’s help – a state my declare a state of emergency and request help from the president. The agency directed relief for both Hurricane’s Andrew in 1992 and Katrina in 2005.

The campaign did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for comment.

White House: Gadhafi On the Loose Slows the Transition

ABCNews.com — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 17:10:20 -0400

ABC News' David Kerley reports:

The White House still believes that Moammar Gadhafi is still in Libya, and the fact that he hasn’t been killed, captured, or fled, will make it harder for the rebels to form a transitional government.

White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters on Martha’s Vineyard, “there obviously does continue to be some fighting in parts of Tripoli and other places around the country, but it is evident that there is momentum on the side of the rebels as they continue to make advances and as they continue in their efforts to set up a new government in Libya.”

But Earnest admitted a Gadhafi on the looses is not good for the rebels. “it is the belief of this administration that the transition would proceed more smoothly if Gadhafi were to turn himself in and were to be held accountable.”

Mitt Romney Cancels Fundraisers Due To Hurricane Irene

ABCNews.com — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 15:55:29 -0400

ABC's Emily Friedman (@EmilyABC) reports:

It seems nobody is safe from Hurricane Irene -- not even Mitt Romney.

Romney's campaign tells ABC News that the GOP candidate has cancelled three fundraisers this weekend out of an abundance of caution. The campaign says they will all be rescheduled.

Romney had been scheduled to have an event in Martha's Vineyard on Saturday and then one in East Hampton that afternoon. Another in South Hampton was slated for Sunday.

All of these areas are expected to be hit hard by Hurricane Irene.

Presidential candidate Jon Huntsman's plans to raise some coin this weekend may also been thwarted. The former Utah governor had been planning to hold a fundraiser at the Hamptons home of real estate developer Bill Mack. The event is still on as of now, but his campaign is keeping a close eye on weather reports.

ABC's Sarah Kunin contributed reporting.

Huntsman to Unveil Jobs Plan in New Hampshire

ABCNews.com — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 15:33:21 -0400

ABC News' Sarah Kunin (@Sarah_Kunin) reports:

Jon Huntsman will reveal his job creation strategy at the Gilchrist Metal Fabricating plant in Hudson on Wednesday, August 31st, ABC news has confirmed. The announcement was first reported by New Hampshire’s Union Leader.

Huntsman’s decision to announce at a New Hampshire industrial facility plays both to his early primary aspirations as well as his made-in-America ideals. His spokesperson Tim Miller tells ABC News: “Governor Huntsman is going to lay-out an economic agenda that would turn our economy around and allow entrepreneurs to thrive and create jobs- just as he did in Utah where the state led the nation in job growth. He believes its time for us to make "made in america" mean something again, and a Granite State manufacturer is a great place to start.”

The former governor has touted job creation as a primary campaign platform since his official announcement on June 21st, telling the audience: “We must reignite the powerful job creating engine of our economy - the industry, innovation, reliability, and trailblazing genius of Americans and their enterprises -- and restore confidence in our people. We can and will own the future.”

Huntsman’s announcement comes just days before GOP rival Mitt Romney unveils his own job creation plan in Nevada on September 6th. Gilchrist Metal president Jack Gilchrist, who is a registered independent, told the Union Leader that he has not endorsed a candidate yet, but is happy to provide a venue for Huntsman’s announcement. The event kicks off a 6 day tour through the Granite State, which will include a “Politics and Eggs” speech at Saint Anselm College as well as several stops at local fairs and house parties.

SMU Prof: Perry "Will Shoulder Bachmann Aside In the Coming Months"

ABCNews.com — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 15:29:49 -0400

ABC New's Amy Walter (@amyewalter) reports:

Texas Gov. Rick Perry is a “natural on the campaign trail” and has a message that the “Republican primary electorate is on board with,” says SMU political professor Cal Jillson.

But, while Perry may be pitch-perfect in a primary, Jillson warns that his profile – and the Texas economic story – may not sell as well in a general election.

In an interview with ABC’s “Top Line,” Jillson notes that Perry’s strong “early reception” - marked by his vault to the top of GOP primary polling this week– “is going to last for a while.” Moreover, Jillson thinks that Perry “will shoulder Bachmann aside of the coming months and be the candidate who is the alternative to Mitt Romney.”

Jillson, author of forthcoming book , “Lone Star Tarnished: A Critical Look At Texas Politics and Public Policy,” notes says that Perry’s view of the role of government isn’t very different from the way his predecessors have seen it.

“Texas has had a particular outlook on the role of government that goes back well into the 19^th Century – it’s essentially permanent,” says Jillson. “It says small government, low taxes, deregulation and a heavy emphasis on personal responsibility. Rick Perry has not changed that.”

But, while “the Republican primary electorate is on board with this message,” Jillson warns that “as we go through the campaign there is going to be an unpacking of this Texas story that shows that there is a downside. And that downside is that Texas is a low-wage economy. It has been literally for decades. “

“That emphasis on personal responsibility ,” says Jillson, “is one that says if you lose a job we’re not gonna support you very well with unemployment compensation you’ve got to get back out there and find another job. We’re not going to necessarily supply y health care you’ve got to supply that to your own family.”

The other potential hurdle for Perry is to prove that a Governor of a “small government state” with a part-time legislature can tackle the pressures of running a full-time government.

“Being Governor of Texas is pretty much riding in parades and waving your cowboy hat. Whereas the presidency is a very full-time job..It’s intense and it doesn’t stop. How Rick Perry would gear up for that is a very open question.”