Minnesota’s former governor, Tim Pawlenty, is out on tour supporting his new book, Courage to Stand.
T-Paw, as we affectionately know him, was on Sen. John McCain’s short list for 2008 GOP Vice-President slot—many wonder if he had if we would have been listening to President McCain’s State of the Union speech this week. All signals are that TPaw is now throwing his own hat into the ring for the 2012 Presidential election.
What else is there for an ex-governor to do? Write a book, run for President, either one’s better than working as a senior greeter at Wal-Mart.
This video promoting his new book has gone viral this week. I’ve heard some folks love it, others love to make fun of it. I mean, who makes video about books? Maybe it’s genius? Maybe it’s his audition for Bill Pullman’s role in an Independence Day remake? In many ways, it’s a bit too close to 1984 to me…
I’m holding my cards close to the vest yet on 2012. Just not quite ready to commit for Minnesota’s Favorite Son. Not quite yet.
I believe Pawlenty would make an excellent Republican candidate. I’m not, however, quite sold on his Conservative credentials. Pawlenty is a practical person. Not exactly a moderate, but he plays one on TV. In office, he focused on getting things done, not necessarily on getting them done well. He did hold the line on taxes and spending….with the help of accounting gimmicks that kicked our state’s fiscal realities down the road.
Tim Pawlenty is the quintessential Sam’s Club Republican. It takes some Courage to stand up and say that to the GOP’s Country Club Republicans, as much as to the Sierra Club Democrats. We’ll see if anybody wants to listen to, or read, his message.
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STrib
The Economist