Tim Pawlenty: "I'm running for president" [VIDEO]

By Hart Van Denburg Wed., Apr. 13 2011 at 5:15 AM

Categories: T-Paw

Tim Pawlenty tells Piers Morgan he's running.

"I'm running for president," former Gov. Tim Pawlenty told CNN's Piers Morgan last night. "I'm not putting my hat in the ring rhetorically or ultimately for vice president. I'm focused on running for president."

He also threatened to grow his mullet back if billionaire birther Donald Trump gets into the race for the Republican nomination.

This wasn't a formal announcement, and there was no soaring rhetoric, but we're pretty sure it's the first time that Pawlenty has come right out and confirmed on TV what everyone's suspected for months, if not years.

What made it so odd was that it happened on a CNN chat show, in the midst of a dismissive crack about the Donald's 'do.

Pawlenty spokesman Alex Conant was caught off guard, too. Nothing to see here, he told the Strib. "He did not make news. He said he's not running for VP. Said that lots of times."

Right.

Here's a transcript of how the "not news" dropped:

After months, if not years, of planning his presidential run, Pawlenty is hardly a household name.
Morgan: "Did you ever imagine in your wildest nightmares that you'd see a poll of potential Republican candidates which had you at 2 percent and Donald Trump at 19 percent?"
Pawlenty: Well for me, I'm just getting known, Piers. So our trajectory is kind of a tortoise and hare strategy and as we get better known particularly in the early states I think you'll see those numbers change for me. But as to Donald Trump, the Donald I think he's funny, I think he's exciting. He's obviously very successful. I think he brings a lot to the debate so I welcome him to it. If hair is going to be a factor in this race, Piers, then I'm going to grow my mullet back out."

Pawlenty: "If hair is going to be a factor in this race, Piers, then I'm going to grow my mullet back out."
Morgan: "In a hypothetical scenario, Governor, if someone like Donald Trump was to emerge as the Republican nominee and asked you to be vice president, would you accept that honor?"
Pawlenty: "I'm running for president. I'm not putting my hat in the ring rhetorically or ultimately for vice president so I'm focused on running for president. And as to Donald Trump, I don't even know if he's going to run, but like I said, I hope he does in one sense. I think he's funny, he brings a lot to the debate, but I just hope that the country will take the full measure of all the candidates and make an informed decision. I believe they will."