Afternoon Fix: Cheney wants to know why Palin quit

Dick Cheney has questions for Sarah Palin, Rick Perry has a campaign team, Jesse Jackson Jr. might have a challenger and Herman Cain will have a book.

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WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED:

* On the Laura Ingraham show this morning, former Vice President Dick Cheney said that he still had questions about former Alaska governor Sarah Palin’s decision to resign in 2009. “I’ve never gotten around the question of her having left the governorship of Alaska midterm," Cheney said. “I’ve never heard that adequately explained so that I could understand why, how she decided in her first term to step down and still be — I’d like to know more about that.”

* Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) named eight key members to his 2012 campaign today. The candidate’s team lacks much presidential campaign experience, but all of them have long experience with and loyalty to Perry himself. “Were not running a traditional campaign,” said David Carney, Perry’s political strategist since 1998.

* A decision that will probably cause some heartburn: former Rep. Debbie Halvorson is thinking about challenging Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. in next year’s Democratic primary for Illinois’ 2nd district. Halvorson lost last year to Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R), but after redistricting she will live in Jackson Jr.’s district. “I’ve been asked to run by constituents who feel they are not represented,” she said. Halvorson filed papers of candidacy, she said, “to keep my options open.”

* Environmental groups are not happy with the White House for pulling back proposed smog standards. Neither are many liberals; MoveOn.org released a statement saying that “thousands are likely to die because the President caved to big polluters” and “many MoveOn members are wondering today how they can ever work for President Obama's re-election, or make the case for him to their neighbors, when he does something like this.”

WHAT YOU SHOULDN’T MISS:

* More endorsements for ex-Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R) in the Michigan Senate race: Gov. John Kasich (R-Ohio), Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa), and Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Penn.). The three tea party-backed politicians endorsed Hoekstra at an event in Holland, Michigan. The former lawmaker wants to take on Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D) next year, but he could face a difficult primary.

* Rep. Michael Capuano (D-Mass.) won’t run for Senate in 2012, clearing the field a bit for Harvard Law professor Elizabeth Warren. Capuano lost the 2010 primary to Attorney General Martha Coakley, who went on to lose to now-Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.). CityYear founder Alan Khazei, activist Bob Massie, and Newton Mayor Setti Warren are still in the primary.

* New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) is working out the details of a dinner sit-down with Perry, saying the Texas governor requested the get-together. “I know Rick well,” he said at a press conference today.

* Jon Huntsman is repositioning himself as “the anti-circus, anti-carnival candidate,” according to strategist Jon Weaver. Huntsman will find opportunities, as Weaver put it, “speak out about all the inane and crazy comments from our opponents.” The former Utah governor has already tried to make headway as the civil, moderate candidate, but it has not gotten him much traction with voters thus far.

* Everyone has a book coming out — including former Godfathers’ Pizza CEO Herman Cain. “This is Herman Cain! My Journey to the White House” is scheduled to come out on Oct. 4, with a book tour to follow. He told the Des Moines Register it will be at least partly a memoir.

THE FIX MIX:

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With Rachel Weiner and Aaron Blake