Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels has told a local Indiana newspaper that he is nearing a decision on a presidential bid:

“I think I have got to make up my mind fairly soon,” Daniels told The Times Editorial Board Thursday during a visit to Northwest Indiana.

“I don’t think that I’ve waited too long, but I believe I should come to some decision. There are a lot of people waiting and I owe them an answer.

“The country is facing survival-level problems.”

While we can’t say for sure what his decision will be, it isn’t often that politicians announce, “The country is facing survival level problems, which is why I’ve decided against running for president.”

The decision now looks like it may come sooner than April, which is when he originally said he would announce. Should he decide to run, it would be one of the more bizarre lead ups to a presidential bid, as he has spent the past six months picking fights with each strand of the conservative movement — calling for a “truce” on social issues, floating the idea of a VAT and talking about defense spending cuts.

He’ll get a chance to make peace when he addresses CPAC’s Ronald Reagan Banquet on February 11th.