Archive

Posts Tagged ‘Pawlenty’
August 10th, 2012 at 2:26 pm
Final* Veep Chances

This is my FINAL assessment of the percentage chances of each potential Romney running mate of actually getting chosen. Something is telling me that Rob Portman is out of the picture. I’ve never thought Rubio had much chance. Nobody has seemed to listen to my arguments in favor of Kyl, Toomey or Santorum. And I think Kelly Ayotte got a very close look, deservedly so, but probably I think she faded just from lack of national seasoning.

Jindal 19%

Ryan 19%

Pawlenty 19%

Christie 19%

McDonnell 19%

Anybody else 5%

* The only way this will not be my final assessment is if I get a very, very reliable “scoop.”

August 10th, 2012 at 12:39 pm
Romney Should be Worried, But Not Panicked

So says Nate Silver, in this bit of superb analysis.

Also via Silver, Bob McDonnell gets a huge boost, and Tim Pawlenty a HUGE downer, from this analysis. (I discount the Portman boost also in here, because this measures ONLY home-state effects of the Veep choice. My contention is that Portman helps at home, but hurts EVERYwhere else, at least a little, because of the combo of his multiple Bush ties and because of his wealthy son of wealthy son status. For that matter, I also give bonus points to Christie and Jindal for NON-home-state effects: I think Christie helps across the Rust Belt on style points alone — and perhaps especially in Pennsylvania, because it shares some media markets with New Jersey, plus can take the fight to Obama in what has turned into the vilest, most vicious race in history — while Jindal helps thematically by allowing Romney to better make the election a referendum on ObamaCare, because Jindal can offer and explain positive alternatives to it.)

The other guy who I’ve touted all along among my top five picks is Pat Toomey. It baffles me that he hasn’t gotten more attention. Silver’s analysis (see his very last chart) shows Toomey quite high among all the possibilities in terms of the actual likelihood that his choice alone could swing the election. He also risks almost no down-side, and his balanced-budget plan doesn’t risk anything that could be demagogued as “slashing” Social Security and Medicare.

Food for thought!

September 12th, 2011 at 11:06 am
P(aw)lenty of Pleading to Be Number Two

Well, I guess Tim Pawlenty really didn’t mean it when he took shots at “Obamneycare.” Now the former Minnesota governor has endorsed the author of that plan, Mitt Romney, for president.

Methinks what Pawlenty is really saying is: “Please, please, please Mr. Romney, if you get the nomination, choose me for vice president! I promise I’m your man. Oh pleaseohpleaseohpleaseohplease! I really didn’t mean that bit about Obamneycare. It wasn’t even an intentional slight, and I wasn’t trying to be funny. I just had a slip of the tongue. That’s why I didn’t repeat it in that debate: I really didn’t mean it in the first place. PLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASE!!!! I promise I’ll be good.”

September 18th, 2009 at 2:07 pm
“Calling Out” Tim Pawlenty. That’s P-a-w-l-e-n-t-y.
Posted by Print

Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, who has chosen not to run for a third term, may or may not decide to run for President.  While articulate and attractive, Pawlenty needs what all politicians need who have not long lived on the national political stage – name identification and recognition in his own party.

So what do those geniuses at the Democratic National Committee do?   Well, they’ve got this new “Call ’em Out” program, the purpose of which seems to be to attack people who have criticized ObamaCare.  Their first target?  Tim Pawlenty.

Hey, Maude, the Dems are attacking someone named Tim Pawlenty.

Yeah, Harvey, Tim Pawlenty opposes ObamaCare.

Well, don’t we oppose ObamaCare, Maude?

Of course we do, Harvey.  Most Americans do.

Well, that Pawlenty fellow seems okay by me.  Maybe we could have him over here for one of those coffees, introduce him to the neighbors, give him some money or something.  Good to know he’s one of us.