RSS Feed MenuTim Pawlenty rolled out the “Pawlenty Seven”, a list of national Republican 2010 candidates, this evening during his first “Facebook Town Hall” event. They are: Tim Burns in Pennsylvania’s 12th district, Bob Dold in Illinois’s 10th, Sean Duffy in Wisconsin’s 7th, Charles Djou in Hawaii’s 1st, Pat Meehan in Pennsylvania’s 7th and, on the Senate side, former Rep. Pat Toomey (Pa.) and Gov. John Hoeven (N.D.).
Pawlenty remarked that these candidates shared his “common sense approach to governing” and that together they would work to stop the out of control spending in Washington. Interestingly none of these candidates are incumbents, a likely move, as Chris Cillizza noted earlier today, “aimed at reinforcing his outsider status within the party.”
Perhaps most notable on this list is Pat Toomey, who largely can be credited with Sen. Arlen Specter’s jump across party lines last year, due to speculation that he could not defeat the more conservative Mr. Toomey in the 2010 primary. Toomey’s challenge cost the GOP a crucial Senate seat in 2010, one that could have been used in the GOP’s all out fight against healthcare. Should Toomey fail in his bid against Specter the entire enterprise would be a resounding defeat for the GOP.
After endorsing his seven candidates, Pawlenty took questions from the audience, establishing positions on a variety of issues including healthcare, national security, immigration, budgeting, and past GOP failures.
He struck familiar notes on these issues, repeating his charge that the GOP has been guilty of “hypocrisy” and been spending like Democrats, and have only themselves to blame for failures in 2006 and 2008.
On national security, Pawlenty ripped Obama for reneging on the U.S.’s missile defense initiatives in Poland and the Czech Republic, remarking that this was “troubling to our allies.” He charged the president with being “overly concerned with being popular” and suggested Obama should be “more focused on being respected” and make America’s safety the first order of business. He went on to add that the administration is unwisely expending resources on providing KSM with a civilian trial, when those resources could be devoted to stopping those who are plotting attacks.
To solve budgeting problems, a familiar topic for Pawlenty, he endorsed the use of Zero Based Budgeting – a tool that analyzes each government spending program from the ground up, (the norm is to mostly evaluate the margins) and Sunset Legislation, which puts expirations on laws, forcing their re-evaluation during renewal.
Perhaps what is most notable about Pawlenty’s “townhall” is his impressive show of technological savvy. He has proven himself as an effective fundraiser, raising $1.3 million in the last three months of 2009. Tonight, he unveiled a widget on his Facebook page that allows users to easily donate to candidates he has endorsed, a “one-stop-shop” of sorts. Pawlenty’s impressive ability to raise money could win him many allies within the party in 2010, which could set him up for significantly bigger national exposure in 2011.
While his name recognition and status has not budged much with his early 2010 media forays, his political fortunes may be improving because of the withering of the GOP field. If Romney cannot credibly dissociate himself from Obamacare he could face a terrible backlash in the lead-up to 2012, and Sarah Palin has further reduced her chances of a credible bid with her new reality TV venture. Perhaps the combination of savvy fundraising techniques and simple inertia will be the force leading Pawlenty forward in 2010.
Gramps // Apr 1, 2010 at 3:53 pm
Well if Palin is refusing to speak at the latest RNC fund raiser; where is she going to expend her charismatic political energy, at TP fund raisers?
Perhaps she will only endorse selective candidates as Tony Perkins is suggesting… one might wonder if he would have chosen McCain as a first choice.
ottovbvs // Apr 1, 2010 at 4:07 pm
Amphipolis // Apr 1, 2010 at 3:45 pm
“That’s exactly my point, ottovbvs.”
…..Some symbol….he’s piling up a huge legislative record…..turning the economy around(watch for the jobs numbers tomorrow morning)….just agreed a new START treaty…..the rest of the world thinks he walks on water (even in Israel where they prefer him to their own leaders)……and as that WAPO poll last week showed is both liked (68%) and regarded as competent (65%) by the same people who only gave him 53% overall appro…..if this is symbolism lets have lots more of it….the only regrets are amongst hard right Republicans
Rob_654 // Apr 1, 2010 at 4:15 pm
If Pawlenty does for the US what he has done for the budget in MN – we can look forward to even more debt sales to China and Japan. If this guy can’t balance MN’s budget – how can he possibly handle the budget of the US?
Telly Davidson // Apr 1, 2010 at 4:21 pm
Agree with all who say that the idea that Tim “B-list” Pawlenty is conceivable as more than a VP-candidate speaks volumes about the abortion/gay rights Litmus Tests (see also “Crist, Charlie” and “Scozzafavva, Deedee”). But if he ran, his CV would make Obama look like Roosevelt or Eisenhower — where’s his best-selling book? The interviews on Oprah, Barbara Walters, Katie Couric? The 300,000-attendance rallies? Palin and Romney (and Obama) had ‘em all — Pawlenty, not so much…
But — in Sarah Palin’s fevered mind, anyway — methinks her ‘reality show’ is proof positive that she WILL ‘oblige’ those who want her to run for the 1600 Pennsylvania prize. Hillary went ape in 2007-08 when she watched Obama’s Campaign 9.0 stylings kick into effect — complete with Twitter pages, Facebook “friends”, rap CDs from Will.I.Am, and other previously-unthinkable gaucheries for the Leader of the Free World. When she screeched in panic, “Why aren’t WE doing that?”, a campaign adviser quoted in “Game Change” said he felt like telling her, “Because your audience isn’t college kids!! Because you’re not leading a Movement!! Because we don’t give away cheezy T-shirts in Newport or Rodeo Drive!! WE don’t do things like THAT.”
By the time she/they realized the rules had changed, it was too late — just as Bill Clinton’s saxophone solo on Arsenio and jokes about underwear on MTV obliterated droning, uncharismatic Paul Tsongas in ‘92. With her Harvey Weinstein-like knowledge of media nuance and demographics , Sarah probably *thinks* that becoming the next Jaclyn-Smith-on-Shear-Genius makes her seem “more” Presidential — competing against the First Facebook Friend.
Hot Air » Blog Archive » Romney 2008: The first person I talked to when working on RomneyCare was … Ted Kennedy // Apr 1, 2010 at 4:58 pm
[...] say, it’s no coincidence that there’s been a surge in coverage of dark horses lately. Pawlenty, Thune, even Rick Santorum(!): Who will be the slightly stiff social con who steps in if Romney [...]
T-Paw 4 Prez?! « Shermanesque // Apr 1, 2010 at 7:55 pm
[...] a Comment Tags: 2012, elections, gingritch, gop, palin, pawlenty, romney In a post titled “If Romney Fades and Palin Implodes – Pawlenty?” Bryce McNitt talks about the Minnesota Governor’s rising profile in the GOP: Perhaps what is [...]
BoolaBoola // Apr 2, 2010 at 1:33 am
Pawlenty can never win. First of all his name is too funny–isn’t “pawlenty” a kind of starchy corn-meal loaf? And secondly with that stupid-sounding Gomer-Pyle accent he’ll be nowhere against suave, debonair, sophisticated Obama.
BoolaBoola // Apr 2, 2010 at 5:31 am
Question to ask all future GOP candidates: will you pledge to appoint Sarah Palin to the Supreme Court?
aDude // Apr 2, 2010 at 8:05 am
At the risk of sounding like a broken record (assuming one is old enough to remember what a record is), Reagan has a 35% approval rating just 18 months before carrying 49 states. So if Obama is hovering at 53% with the economy improving over the next 30 months, he wins. Ball game over, thank you for playing.
Analysis of past elections – since 1944 like clockwork the White House change parties every eight years with only one exception. We had eight years of FDR/Truman, eight years of Eisenhower, eight years of Kennedy/Johnson, eight years of Nixon/Ford, four years of Carter (the exception), 12 years of Reagan/Bush, eight years of Clinton, and eight years of Bush. The only exception to the eight year rule was Reagan’s first term. So Ford and Bush Sr were swimming against the tide in trying to extend their parties time in the White House beyond eight years (or 12 in Bush Sr’s case). Given that, it’s not surprising that they lost. Only Carter managed to screw up enough break the eight year rule.
So on the basis of that history, Obama will be very hard to beat.
Look beyond the top level race and the picture gets more interesting. 2012 will be the first real chance the Republican Party has to taking control of Congress. In the Senate it will be the class of 2006, the year the Democrats won the Senate, in many cases with relatively weak candidates. Just as the Republicans lost the Senate in 1986 because the class of 1980 wasn’t particularly strong, 2012 represents the year where there will be enough weaker freshman Democrats that a good, coherent message and articulate candidates can carry the day.
In order to accomplish that, the presidential race, even if it does not succeed in taking the White House, needs to have someone who can intelligently and cogently deliver the message of limited government, limited taxes, and personal freedom. Someone who can lead and inspire even in an effort that personally doesn’t succeed.
In 1956, Eisenhower handily won reelection. But his coattails were non-existent – the Democrats did well in Congressional elections. Stevenson lost the White House, but he did provide enough intellectual cover for the Democrats to win the Congressional races.
That is what is discouraging about the current crop of Republican candidates. Romney would fit the bill (and will probably be the candidate), except over the last few years he has flip flopped more than a goldfish that jumped out of the tank. Jindal has all the charisma of Dennis Kucinich. Pawlenty has potential, but how much experience will he have had in 2012? Gingrich definitely has the intellectual heft and the experience, but his personal life makes Bill Clinton look like St Francis of Assisi. And as for Palin, well, she’s Palin.
Not the best lineup. But then, in 2006 who would have though that some unknown freshman Senator with a funny name would lead his party in one of the greatest sweeps since 1932? So there is hope.
ottovbvs // Apr 2, 2010 at 12:16 pm
aDude // Apr 2, 2010 at 8:05 am
…..Whilst in many ways I agree with your reasoning I’m not sure the FDR/Truman example fits……you have to remember the Dems had five successive terms…… partly this was the new deal and war but it was also that apart from perhaps Wilkie the Republicans never really fielded a credible candidate
ottovbvs // Apr 2, 2010 at 12:19 pm
“Not the best lineup. But then, in 2006 who would have though that some unknown freshman Senator with a funny name would lead his party in one of the greatest sweeps since 1932?”
….but whoever gets the nod is going to be running against the guy with the funny name who imho is the most skilful politician the Dems have fielded since FDR
aDude // Apr 2, 2010 at 4:45 pm
otto – I absolutely agree that Obama is the the strongest president the Democrats have had since FDR. More disciplined than Clinton, more intelligent than LBJ (who was actually quite smart), more articulate than JFK. Which is why I’m prepared to write off the top level race in 2012 and focus on the Congressional races.
Reagan was the last strong Republican leader, and none of the current crop look anything like Reagan.
Gus // Apr 2, 2010 at 4:57 pm
Pawlenty has no chance. He has managed to win two statewide elections in a nominally blue state, but note that he didn’t win a majority in either one. His stewardship of the state has been mediocre at best, and while it’s unfair to blame him for the I-35W bridge collapse, don’t think that won’t be used against him. Not to mention the fact that he’s utterly dull and uninspiring. Might not be a bad placeholder if it looks like Obama’s a shoo-in for 2012, though.
kevin47 // Apr 2, 2010 at 6:10 pm
“Pawlenty has no chance.”
No chance whatsoever?
“He has managed to win two statewide elections in a nominally blue state, but note that he didn’t win a majority in either one.”
That’s because Minnesota typically throws a lot of support toward independents. Pawlenty got 47% of the vote in 2006, an election during which every Republican incumbent was tossed out at a state level.
“His stewardship of the state has been mediocre at best,”
I know several Democrats here who concede that he has done a pretty good job from a stewardship standpoint.
“and while it’s unfair to blame him for the I-35W bridge collapse, don’t think that won’t be used against him.”
Really? I get the sense that you are a Democrat. You concede that this argument would be unfair. Who, in your estimation, would find it to be fair? I think Obama would float it via one of his goons, and then deny it once the backlash hit.
“Not to mention the fact that he’s utterly dull and uninspiring.”
That’s the talking point. I fail to understand why he is any less inspiring than Mike Huckabee. I think he is actually a very good speaker. He also answers questions intelligently off the cuff, and has a strong sense of his environment. He’s a good politician, and I wouldn’t underestimate him.
“Might not be a bad placeholder if it looks like Obama’s a shoo-in for 2012, though.”
No reasonable analyst thinks Obama will be a shoo-in. He is not going to get the same level of support he did in 2008, and I can totally see him having a malaise speech moment.
dendup // Apr 2, 2010 at 6:25 pm
My wife tells me there’s some on the really far right who want to eliminate the border between the US and Canada ie annex Canada. Maybe this is Frum’s real plan – then he’s a natural born citizen. Could there be any stoppng him?????