…Forum”. Byron York:

Texas Gov. Rick Perry surprised the organizers of today’s Palmetto Freedom Forum by withdrawing from the event just hours before it is scheduled to begin. Put together by Sen. Jim DeMint, who is widely acknowledged as a kingmaker in the Republican race in South Carolina, the event, set for 3 p.m. today, will feature candidates Mitt Romney, Michele Bachmann, Ron Paul, Herman Cain, and Newt Gingrich in an unconventional question-and-answer format with DeMint, Iowa Republican Rep. Steve King, and Princeton University professor Robert George.

Wait, no Huntsman?

Clearly this is not a serious nor sober nor realistic nor electable event.

I said GOOD DAY, SIR!

According to several sources familiar with events, the chairman of Perry’s campaign in South Carolina, former Republican party chief Katon Dawson, called organizers this morning to say that Perry needs to return to Texas to deal with quickly-spreading wildfires. Event organizers offered to move the schedule around — the candidates were scheduled to speak in alphabetical order at the forum, which would have put Perry second-to-last — and waited for Perry’s response. The first definitive reports they heard on Perry’s decision came from the media. In the meantime, Perry was participating in a town hall event in Myrtle Beach, S.C. organized by Rep. Tim Scott. Perry was scheduled to speak personally with DeMint at 11:15 a.m., at which time he would officially withdraw from the forum. Perry has a plane waiting in Myrtle Beach to return him to Texas.

Organizers were shocked at the turn of events. “This is a big disappointment to me,” says Rep. King. Meanwhile, rival campaigns are careful in what they say, even on background. Some of Perry’s rivals have predicted for quite a while that he would perform unimpressively when up against his fellow candidates, both here in South Carolina and at the Reagan Library debate on Wednesday. From that perspective, they viewed Perry’s decision as a move to avoid a problem. On the other hand, the fires in Texas are serious, and as governor Perry has a responsibility to his state’s citizens, and they do not want to criticize a governor for doing his job.

In any event, Perry’s absence will change the dynamics of DeMint’s event. Romney initially declined to attend but later changed his mind after Perry made quick gains in support among Republicans both in South Carolina and nationwide. Would Romney have decided to come if Perry hadn’t? That seems unlikely.

Romney realizes he has to peel off at least some conservative votes — namely, those who might be inclined to stay home come election day should he win the Republican nomination. Appearing at these kinds of events and simply holding serve buys him some good will, particularly (I bet he believes) among the TEA Party members who are erstwhile Democrats and independents.

Right now, the Perry surge is being driven largely by the media’s decision to joust with him.

— Though it is of course being tempered by the WSJ and GOP establishment’s full-throated endorsement of serious, sober, Jon Huntsman, whose campaign, already all the rage, has exploded since he announced his economic plan to reform the tax code, while in every other way maintaining the permanent political class status quo.