Update 10:19 a.m.: Politico reports that it wasn't just his backers, but the Gingrich team itself, that has been lobbying Perry quit the race before the South Carolina primary to give a boost to Newt. 'Gingrich had been assiduously lobbying Perry officials in recent days," Politico writes. "The former House speaker has repeatedly texted Perry manager Joe Allbaugh." CNN reports that both Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich have "reached out to Perry asking for his backing in the race for the GOP presidential nomination" without confirming (as Politico has) that Perry had decided to back Gingrich.

Update 10:34 a.m.: Maybe Herman Cain will be at Perry's speech? Dave Weigel tweets the following photo of Cain's bus parked near Perry's presser.

Update 10:50 a.m.: Now that reporters have had time to talk to Perry boosters about the news, we have a batch of quotes on just how poorly the Perry campaign went and how inevitable its end was.

From The Washington Post: "[The drop out] was a foregone conclusion to what has been quite possibly the worst-run presidential campaign of our lifetimes," said one unnamed Perry fundraiser.

From ABC News: "It’s over. It’s long over. Sometimes things are finished before they’re over. It’s embarrassing to come out of the gate and get shot down, but it happens," said another fundraiser.

From The Wall Street Journal: "I know we've been close to the end, but we've been reticent to admit that," said one unnamed Perry adviser.

This article is from the archive of our partner The Wire.