At 1:30 p.m. yesterday, a handful of Rick Perry campaign staff showed up outside of Bill White’s Austin offices on West 13th street to hold a press conference.  They pulled up in a pick-up truck with a generator in the back that had two pieces of printer paper that read ‘BTEC Bill’ taped to it.  The Bill White camp was prepared - over 60 supporters were waiting for the Perry folks wielding signs berating Perry for refusing to debate White.

Perry’s spokesman tried to make a point about White’s tax records and what the Perry campaign considers to be inappropriate financial ties with BTEC Turbines, but was drowned out by White supporters shouting ‘Rick ‘Chicken’ Perry! Debate Bill Now!’ A volunteer in a chicken suit danced behind him while he spoke to reporters.

Perry’s campaign has been criticizing White for investing in a company which had previously leased generators to the Coastal Water Authority, which has ties to both White and Perry, after hurricane Rita. The investment was disclosed in White’s municipal filings years ago, but Perry’s campaign began to focus on the investment after White released 6 years of tax returns on June 10, 2010.

Perry had been refusing to debate White until he released his returns, and continues to do so. In an interview after the attempted press conference, State Rep. Mark Strama called the event what it was, "political theater," and called for Perry to discuss any thoughts that he has about White’s business career in a debate.

(Photo courtesy of www.burntorangereport.com)