Minneapolis / St. Paul Blog

The above video is most notable for John McCain's refusal to endorse Sarah Palin, his one time running mate. But it also isn't particularly flattering for Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, who gets mentioned third on McCain's shortlist, behind John Hansman (who?) and Bobby Jindal (the GOP answer to Kenneth the Page).

Passed over for Sarah Palin, Governor Tim Pawlenty has lately been sulking about, acting like a member of the First Wives' Club. Appearing on CBS today as it became clear that John McCain cannot the electoral math, Pawlenty looked almost like he was gloating over McCain's loss, and could barely suppress a smirk. He used the opportunity to put himself out as the future of the Republican party, and advocated for a surprising new direction for the GOP.

Before the vice presidential debate last night, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty spoke on UK's Sky News about Gov. Sarah Palin and not being picked for the spot. We're still convinced he's a little sour, but he sure puts on a heckuva fake smile and has those talking points memorized like no one else.

Watch the video after the jump.

In our print edition today, we say that Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty was jilted for a younger woman: Sarah Palin. Turns out that wasn't far from the truth--T-Paw was one of two finalists for the VP position but was edged out at the last minute by Sarah Palin, at least according to the Washington Post.

Palin was one of two finalists in the vice presidential sweepstakes who were interviewed last week by former White House counsel Arthur B. Culvahouse Jr., just days before McCain introduced her to the nation as his choice. The other finalist was Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty. One of the officials said Culvahouse was chasing down last-minute information about Pawlenty at the request of the campaign as late as last Thursday, the day McCain offered the job to Palin and she accepted.

Wow. So much for conventional wisdom.

DENVER - John McCain tapped little-known Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to be his vice presidential running mate on Friday in a startling selection on the eve of the Republican National Convention.

Instant reaction: This is a naked grab for disenfranchised Hillary voters. One drawback: Choosing a governor with two years in office certainly detracts from McCain's "Obama's not experienced enough" argument.

The nation may have just discovered Tim Pawlenty, but City Pages has been writing about him since he first rose to power. Here's a compendium of articles that provide a critical look at John McCain's vice presidential frontrunner.

Governor No
Tim Pawlenty racked up more vetoes this year than any governor in Minnesota's history. Is this the man we want to be vice president?

Pawlenty flip-flops on Cuba just in time to cozy up to McCain
Is Gov. Tim Pawlenty's change of heart politically motivated?

VP Pawlenty Watch
Our ongoing horserace coverage of T-Paw's quest to be McCain's running mate

The Smiling Face of Pain
The "new" Tim Pawlenty looks a lot like the old one

A Portrait of the Governor as a Young Weenie
Husker Du's Grant Hart recalls his old classmate, Tim Pawlenty

The Republicans have released the speaking schedule for the RNC, as the PiPress reports today. It leaves one question unanswered: On the topic of running mates, is John McCain confused, or just toying with the hopefuls (and us)? Here's the outside scoop!

John Fund gives the thumbs up to Tim Pawlenty as a veep choice in the Wall Street Journal:

Tim Pawlenty is not every conservative's dream of a leader. But in a time when the party's market share is perilously low, he has a proven record of success in a tough state, and has many more political hits than strikeouts in his record.

"He's thought a lot about the country's political future and how to adapt conservatism to changing demographics and pressures," says Minnesota GOP Congresswoman Michele Bachman, who sometimes tangled with Gov. Pawlenty when she was in the state legislature. She notes his ability to move with equal ease between business audiences and evangelicals like herself.

I might add that those national media figures who lie in wait hoping to sandbag new Republicans on the national stage will have a hard time with the smooth and fluent Mr. Pawlenty. "Sam Club's Republicanism" may be partly a marketing tool. But it will probably play better with voters leery of the GOP than "compassionate conservatism" ever did.

Faithful VP Pawlenty Watchers, our time is at hand. Today the reputable Drudge Report features as its top story a headline that McCain is "inching towards" selecting our man T-Paw as his VP candidate.

The whole thing is fascinating, but I was particularly interested in the part where T-Paw blows off his teacher by saying, "I'm gonna be president someday."