Okay, tell me this: I have some kids in Austin who are in the direct line of fire. (I'm actually more worried about them than I am about us, even tho we're closer to the coast!) Anyway, wouldn't it be better for them if Rita's forward speed was slow like that? That would cause it to expend a lot of its energy before it even got there, right?
The problem is if it stalls over Austin you could get extreme, Floyd-in-NC style rainfall flooding.
Inland flooding is constantly overlooked. It's much worse than inland wind damage, kills a lot more people.
The people at the weather channel seemed to say that if it is slower the people would have to withstand the winds longer. This bugger is the size of Georgia and it is going to take time to pass through an area at that forward speed.
We're in Austin, and not worried. I wouldn't be too concerned about them. Just make sure they don't try to cross any flooded riverbeds!