Gov. Perry's Steiner Ranch flyover Credit: Photo courtesy of Governor's Office

2005. President George W. Bush flies over Baton Rouge in Air Force One after Hurricane Katrina, then flies back to Washington without touching down in Louisiana

2011. Presidential hopeful Gov. Rick Perry flies into Texas to check out the wildfires, then leaves to get to the GOP presidential debate.

Perry did do a little better than Bush: He canceled a planned Labor Day press event in South Carolina to return to Texas, and yesterday he took an aerial tour of the Steiner Ranch area. The speculation had been that he would not be at tonight’s Republican primary debate at the Reagan Presidential Library in California.

However, it seems that the continuing fires are not enough to keep him here, and the Austin-American Statesman reports that he has even left it to Acting Governor David Dewhurst to sign a federal disaster declaration request.

Of course. Because it is more important to spend time prepping to complain about the federal government than to actually spend time interfacing with it.

So what happens if the situation gets worse (as if it could)? As one wag on our Facebook page put it, maybe we could send the Department of Public Safety to get him.

This article appears in 30th Anniversary.

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The Chronicle's first Culture Desk editor, Richard has reported on Austin's growing film production and appreciation scene for over a decade. A graduate of the universities of York, Stirling, and UT-Austin, a Rotten Tomatoes certified critic, and eight-time Best of Austin winner, he's currently at work on two books and a play.