President 2012: Perry Panic Grips Romney Campaign?

If not now, then when?

Politico leads off its home page today with this headline: “Romney Camp Not Panicking — Yet.” The story that follows describes how the Romney campaign plans to respond in the coming months to Perry’s remarkable surge.

Taegan Goddard (who edits the excellent Political Wire website) neatly summarizes the Romney campaign’s stop-Perry plan: “1)…Sarah Palin jumps into the race and pulls Tea Party voters away from Perry, 2)…. Michigan moves up its primary in the GOP calendar, and 3)….Perry (makes) a mistake in the series of post-Labor Day debates.”

I don’t think Mitt Romney will wait for Sarah Palin or Michigan.

He will start after Rick Perry in South Carolina on Labor Day. The anti-Perry mail will start in Iowa and Florida.

Romney is a brutal campaigner and he is not going to have this nomination stolen from him.