As he drops out of the preznidential race, let us observe that “Texas’ official holiday is named Confederate Heroes Day and is celebrated on January 19.” [Wikipedia]

Cue the music: “This election is about stopping a president of the United States and his administration that is abusing the Constitution of this country, that is putting America on a track to bankruptcy. It is a powerful moment in Americans’ history, and you are on the front lines. This is Concord. This is Omaha Beach. This is going up the hill realizing that the battle is worth winning.” [MSNBC, via Political Wire]

“Texas Gov. Rick Perry revealed a hardening in his stance on abortion Tuesday, telling a crowd in Iowa that he opposed abortions in all cases, including when a woman had been raped or the victim of incest. Previously, Perry had not opposed the procedure in cases of rape or incest, or when the mother’s life was threatened.” [CNN]

“Perry makes a $150,000 annual gross salary as Texas govenor. Now, thanks to his early retirement, Perry, 61, gets a monthly retirement annuity of $7,698 before taxes, or $6,588 net. That raises his gross annual salary to more than $240,000.” No, he’s not quitting. Just “retiring”. [Texas Tribune, via Political Wire]

Rick Perry fails Schoolhouse Rock: “For Washington to tell a local school district that you cannot have a prayer and a time of prayer in that school is, I think, offensive to most Americans. I trust the people of the states to make those decisions. I trust those independent school districts to make those decisions better than eight unelected, and frankly, unaccountable judges.” [ABC, via TPM]

“I can tell you unequivocally he wasn’t drinking at the event and he hadn’t been drinking prior to the event. I was sitting with him, and I found him to be very engaging with all of the people he was talking with, he was very articulate.” —Organizer Kevin Smith (no, not that Kevin Smith), standing up for Rick Perry. [The Hill, via Political Wire]