The Midday Brief: Aug. 15, 2011

Your afternoon reading:

• "On his third day in the race, Gov. Rick Perry of Texas wasted little time drawing distinctions on Monday with Mitt Romney, highlighting his experience creating jobs at home. 'Take a look at his record when he was governor. Take a look at my record,' Mr. Perry said, pausing for a moment to take a reporter’s question as he visited the Iowa State Fair. He added, 'Running a state is different than running a business.'" — Perry Jabs Romney in Iowa, The New York Times

• "Karl Rove — no fan of Rick Perry historically — weighed in on Fox News this afternoon in an appearance that fell at the tail end of the Perry announcement tour. He didn't appear to name Perry, but did caution about boosting someone too 'extreme'" — Karl Rove weighs in against 'extreme' candidates, Politico
  

• "Some economists as well as Perry skeptics suggest that Mr. Perry stumbled into the Texas miracle. They say that the governor has essentially put Texas on autopilot for 11 years, and it was the state’s oil and gas boom — not his political leadership — that kept the state afloat. They also doubt that the Texas model, regardless of Mr. Perry’s role in shaping it, could be effectively applied to the nation’s far more complex economic problems." — In Texas, Perry Has Ridden an Energy Boom, The New York Times

• "So here’s what I want to know: Will his Republican rivals let him get away with 'it'–whatever 'it' is? Will he pay any price for his flip-flops? Perry talks about small government, but the HPV episode was big, nanny-state government. So was the Trans-Texas Corridor. Look at how Perry has used state agencies to expand his power." — Is the Trans-Texas Corridor the next Perry flip-flop?, BurkaBlog

New in The Texas Tribune:

• "Rick Perry hit the Iowa State Fair Monday and virtually leapt into the retail politicking for which he’s famous in Texas. Perry is expected to address voters at a 'soapbox' event today." — Perry Throws Himself Into Politicking at the Iowa State Fair

• "With Rick Perry now a presidential candidate, Perry-centric domain names are flying off the cyber shelves. Some buyers might be looking to score political points or to make mischief. Others hope to make a buck — a lot of bucks." —  How Much Would You Pay for Rickperryhalloweencostume.com?