Do you think Gov. Tim Pawlenty could win the presidency? As a featured question on MPR's NewsQ, the responses ranged from "no" to "possibly" to "yes." A few examples:
Absolutely he could win - a two-term Republican governor in a Democratic state who has had consistently good approval ratings and so far as we can tell no major skeletons in his closest, he definitely would have a strong chance. I haven't agreed with him on all things, but he does strike me as an intelligent, diplomatic, and level-headed individual. We could do worse.
Some of the replies made me think about what the political minds here at Gather would say to this. What do you think Pawlenty's presidential chances are, and why?
This is an open discussion, so you're welcome to link to your related Gather articles or other online resources. Your comments & articles may be quoted on MPR's Your Voice or elsewhere on mpr.org.
________________
Julia Schrenkler
Interactive Producer
American Public Media
Minnesota Public Radio
Objects in Mirror
recommend this
email
print
link to this page
Comments: 25
He can't be President. I would never be able to say I ever saw the President once doing that.
No way.
I have a better chance of winning the lottery.
*2010 elections could be a blood bath for Dems
*We could be a war with Iran in addition to Iraq and Afganistan
*Now that we've let our guard down in Eastern Europe, Russia could be on the prowl again
*If the economy comes back, HELLO INFLATION!
*If health reform is shoved down America's throat without input from the American people and without transparency, it will make things interesting
*If America gets attacked because us appeasing and letting our guard down
*If they pass Cap and Tax and further tank our economy
*If Rep Charles Rangel still is in office.......
*If ACORN "investigations" turn up more stuff
Oh, oh, 2012 is, so, so far away.
This really gets the political left here in Minnesota wringing their hands! Just think, big time Dems like Mondale and Humphrey couldn't win the big one but Pawlenty might!
You know when the political left and their allies in the mainstream media start the charactor assignation then he is really a threat. Right now, it's got them worried.
Just wait until the charactor assignation starts, then he is a threat.
Check, and check again.
Lets see how much I have in my war chest...
Oh, well.
The entire Republican party is out in the wilderness. Each new appearance sends him farther into the deep woods. I'll stop before I mix my metaphors.
Heck, with Michigan, New Jersey, and California all going bankrupt, Pawlenty, by not raising taxes and just cutting the budget, he may look a genius for this in couple of years.
The current level of government spending and involvment in our lives is not sustainable.
Like I said, alot of things are going to happen in the next couple of years, so you can fuss all you want about Pawlenty.
You will know when Pawlenty becomes a threat when the mainstream media starts their charactor assignation.
New York Times
Is he now given "frontrunner" status?
Now that Bush is gone and looking like Palin is not in the limelight, is T-Paw the "boogyman" that the left is fixated on? Who does the political left put up on the big screen for their "twenty minutes of hate" each day like in the book 1984? It was Bush and Rove, is Pawlenty the new "Goldstein"?
He's definitely doing his homework - and field work, check his traveling - to indicate a solid run. As a Minnesotan and passionately political person, are you interested in his moves? Or are you more interested in tracking (backing?) Liz Cheney? [read your link above]
The legislature is not in session, so there is no current policy up for vote or hearings. So, it means monitoring and overseeing the different departments and showing up for various stuff like National Guard deployments and ribbon cutting ceremonies.
So, what's the big deal? There is too much going on to ponder if Pawlenty is running.