Mike ‘Heckuva Job’ Brown’s endorsement up for grabs; his phone not ringing

By The Hill Staff - 09/21/11 08:12 PM ET

Michael Brown, who headed the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) during the Hurricane Katrina debacle, wanted Tim Pawlenty to win the Republican nomination.

Brown earlier this year contributed $250 to the former Minnesota governor, an endorsement that Pawlenty didn’t exactly tout on the campaign trail.

Pawlenty has since dropped out of the race and backed Mitt Romney.

But don’t expect Brown to do the same.

Brown told ITK that he soured on Romney when he was governor of Massachusetts. “I remember being in his office about some FEMA matter and he was totally disconnected … he knew nothing, and it was a meeting he had requested.”

To his credit, Brown can roll with the punches about President George W. Bush’s famous remark that he was doing “a heckuva job” during the chaos in the Gulf Coast. He knows it’ll be in his obituary and is quite aware that he remains radioactive.

Brown said he’s not leaning toward any of the other candidates, adding, “Regardless, I can’t imagine any POTUS candidate using my name except if I was supporting their opposition. No character!”

Brown, who is now a radio talk show host, author and political blogger, predicts Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) will win the nomination, “unless the ‘establishment’ wing pushes Mitt over the top.”