Rick Perry Really Sounding Like He's Running for President

Watch this speech by Texas Governor Rick Perry at the Republican Leadership Conference in New Orleans over the weekend, and try to find a way to quibble with political reporter Reid Wilson's assessment that Perry was "road-testing" a presidential stump speech:

By virtually all accounts, Perry's address was one of the highlights of this year's RLC -- which certainly had its share of appalling lowlights.  The Lonestar State's chief executive has an economic record that is, or at least should be, the envy of all 49 of his counterparts across the country, and I suspect voters would be inclined to sit up and pay attention.  In this economic climate, how does one ignore these statistics?

Some 37% of all net new American jobs since the recovery began were created in Texas. Mr. Fisher's study is a lesson in what works in economic policy—and it is worth pondering in the current 1.8% growth moment. Using Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data, Dallas Fed economists looked at state-by-state employment changes since June 2009, when the recession ended. Texas added 265,300 net jobs, out of the 722,200 nationwide, and by far outpaced every other state.

Capital—both human and investment—is highly mobile, and it migrates all the time to the places where the opportunities are larger and the burdens are lower. Texas has no state income tax. Its regulatory conditions are contained and flexible. It is fiscally responsible and government is small. Its right-to-work law doesn't impose unions on businesses or employees. It is open to global trade and competition: Houston, San Antonio and El Paso are entrepôts for commerce, especially in the wake of the North American Free Trade Agreement.

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UPDATE - Is Sen. John Thune, who withdrew from 2012 consideration in February, re-evaluating that decision? Bill Kristol is hearing whispers:
 

Bill Kristol said Monday that Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) is reconsidering his decision not to run for president in 2012.  Kristol, the editor of The Weekly Standard and a major player in the GOP, said Thune is "rethinking a bit" about launching a White House bid.

The Thune camp is quasi-denying the story, but not everyone is convinced.