Posted on 07/28/2008 4:48:25 PM PDT by Free ThinkerNY
Announcement coming “very soon.” Geraghty notes that Pawlenty’s still scheduled to give a routine speech on Wednesday, but TNR noted over the weekend that he’s already pulled out of one event and his plans for this week are suddenly and suspiciously hazy. See this recent item from Marc Ambinder, too, passing along a rumor that McCain was planning to meet with his inner circle about VP yesterday. And then of course there’s that CNN item claiming an attendee at a fundraiser heard McCain say conservatives are “really going to like” Pawlenty. Put it all together and today’s scurrilous veep du jour meme seems a tad less scurrilous than usual.
Here’s a bullet-point argument, again from TNR, about why Pawlenty is a “slam dunk” pick. His working-class pedigree is all to the good, but between the lack of name recognition and the “boring old Republican white guy” effect, I’m underwhelmed. He doesn’t even have serious religious cred to reassure antsy evangelicals. Let’s hope the report’s wrong, although given the general savviness of McCain’s campaign these days, it probably isn’t.
Update (Ed): Well, I live in Pawlenty’s state and have met him on a couple of occasions, and this pick would not make me too glum at all. Pawlenty has a good center-right track record, especially on holding the line on taxes with a hostile Legislature. He demonstrated real leadership during the bridge collapse and its aftermath, keeping the gas-tax-increase advocates at bay and convincing the rest of the state to ignore them. He’s also pro-life, and a humble but telegenic man who will inject a little vigor into the campaign.
(Excerpt) Read more at hotair.com ...
AGW? What’s that?
How very clever of McCain to pick a complete unknown for VP.
Agreed. I think it would be a major mistake. All the VP candidate is usually good for is carrying his own state. Pawlenty isn’t going to do that for McCain. So what benefit is he? None, it would seem.
The only exception I’d make to that would be if the selection were a woman or minority. In that case, a selection that didn’t necessarily carry the state might well excite that particular demographic nationwide.
But a white guy from a near-certain Dem state and who is a moderate GOPer at best? Pass. He might be a very safe pick, but safe probably isn’t going to win this election.
Doownside, he’s a Green-weenie climate change nut...
Nobody knows the guy.
IMO, he won't help the ticket, but as bad as McCain's campaign has been conducted, this isn't any surprise.
Barring video footage of Obama molesting a child, or killing someone, he’ll win in a landslide. McCain’s only hope was to pick someone that is exciting (even if that’s a stupid reason to pick someone).
An acquaintance of mine used to be council for a GOP Senator and has a good friend at the top of the McCain Campaign. The acquaintance is also a friend of a friend of mine but does not know of that connection.
We were talking politics at a neighborhood event in Austin and this guy said told me he thinks that Pawlenty will be the VP. He told me this not knowing that I knew of his connection to the McCain Campaign.
See 28
He couldn’t deliver Republicans in his own statehouse.
Come on now. Pull yourself together. I know how you feel but it doesn't matter who the VP pick is. Nothing matters except stopping Obama from demoralizing our troops by winning. We must stop Obama. Just imagine how all the AGW Germans and Frenchies will feel if Obama is defeated.
Lets get drunk and vote for McCain. Do it for our brave fighting men and women.
3.) Pawlenty has a well-established, if somewhat superficial, maverick/reformist streak, a la McCain. He's a believer in global warming and has expended a lot of rhetoric (if not political capital) taking on oil and pharmaceutical companies. He'd reinforce McCain's appeal as a somewhat unorthodox Republican.
Never heard of him. From some of the comments here, not sure I’d like him.
thanks for voting in effect for
obama.
Another global warming cultist. :-(
I hear Bret Favre is available.
Who??????????????????? Now, that’s a wise pick!
john bolton i like.
but he’s a target of the left.
mccain would lose the election.
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