MN Governor Tim Pawlenty is not on the road right now, that I know of, but there's enough stuff for a post. He is scheduled to be in Iowa for several days, beginning Saturday.
While mouthing off in DC earlier this week, he called the stimulus package "largely ineffective." A former McCain economic adviser, among others, published a reality-based, and therefore very different, view.
Also in DC, he said that the Republicans need to shed their elitist, country-club image, and strongly implied that he's just the man to pull it off. Former US Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA) took issue. Timmy and Ricky are both regarded, in some circles, as 'future-of-the-GOP' types. It's unlikely that these two sorry stiffs will seriously start trash-talking each other, but it stands to be hilarious if they do.
TBag managed all of 3% in yet another poll of New Hampshire Republicans. Even the Minneapolis Star Tribune, normally a Pawlenty cheerleader, called his poll numbers so far "consistently dismal." I've been taking for granted that he'll officially declare for the race early next year. In the face of numbers like these, I'm a little less sure, but still pretty sure, that he will.
From 2020Hindsight, a former conservative educational policy advocate, closely aligned with Tea-Paw, in the state Department of Education is facing investigation. The post continues with great stuff like this:
Conservative public policy's chief goal is minimizing wealthy Minnesotan's tax burden. With public education occupying a substantial chunk of Minnesota's state budget, undermining public confidence in public schools mitigates public outrage over state funding cuts. National conservative educational policy, expressed in the federal No Child Left Behind Act, facilitates the anti-public agenda by creating a impossible performance standard. By 2014, every Minnesota school will, under NCLB standards, "fail." As Deputy Commissioner, Ms Anderson had been an enthusiastic supporter of NCLB and other conservative educational policy initiatives.
It's bad enough that conservative policy advocates work to unravel Minnesota's prosperity, anchored in our strong public education institutions. Cashing in at Minnesota school children's expense is uniquely distasteful. These allegations merit prompt attention from the Minnesota Management and Budget Office and the Office of the Legislative Auditor.
After being in Iraq last week, MN Gov. Tim Pawlenty visited Afghanistan. Apparently, he hasn't learned from a previously failed presidential aspirant - yeah, the one that snubbed TBag when it came time for his VP pick, putting the nation at tremendous risk instead via the most reckless, preposterous selection arguably in the history of US presidential politics. Anyway, Timmy's talking 'surge!', kind of.
Monday, he stopped in Washington, DC, for the same tiresome crap in which he's been indulging himself for a while.
- He blathered on about 'entitlement reform,' and bashed the Obama administration's largely successful efforts to keep the country out of another Great Depression (see the Washington Post article linked above)...
(H***, yes, it pains me to link The Weekly Standard AND Politico - in the same post, no less. But I have a job to do.)
From the Weekly Standard article:
But in the end, Pawlenty said, there won't be much difference between GOP presidential candidates on the issues. He said it's important to have a presidential candidate who doesn't live up to the stereotype that Republicans are "all CEOs" who "play polo on the weekends." Pawlenty made the case that his background as the son of a truck driver who worked his way through college helps him reach out to working class voters, who are turned off by "country club elitists."
He's a real 'man of the people,' all right. Farcical.
There's a scene from the movie Patton where the title character stops briefly to encourage some U.S. infantrymen. As he roars off in his jeep, one sarcastically comments to another, "There he goes, Old Blood and Guts."
"Yeah," the other replies, "our blood, his 'guts.'"
MN Gov. Tim Pawlenty was in Iraq Wednesday and Thursday. He's in Kuwait today. Here's one thing he had to say, to the St. Paul Pioneer Press (that's where I got the photo, too):
There's a lot of hope in the air. It's a hopeful sense here in Iraq.
I'm gonna say this flat-out, and make it quick. While other activities are equally foul, I know of nothing more vile, loathsome and despicable than initiating a conflict where others are to be killed or maimed, in a cause that might be termed questionable at best, while those doing the sending kick back in safety and comfort (and get richer while doing so). The same goes for the warmongers' b***-licking propagandists, like TBag. It's far, far below what can be explained as 'they don't know any better.' They don't, because they're so far gone in cowardly, self-serving cognitive dissonance, but the behavior's still absolutely contemptible, and needs to be confronted and changed, via the legal system where warranted.
Speaking of contemptible, this one speaks for itself. The text might take a while to come up.
MN Governor Tim Pawlenty isn't on the road right now, that I know of (assuming he's back from Colorado), but he's been in the news with a couple of things recently.
This historic photo includes some of America's finest political minds, past or present. If you don't believe me, ask Timmy. From left, Republican governors Bob McDonnell (VA), Haley Barbour (MS), Linda Lingle (HI), TBag, and Rick Perry (TX). Moderator Walter Isaacson is on the right. Photo from The Aspen Times.Article here.
Most viewers presumably know that Tea-Paw weighed in on claims that felons stole Al Franken's Senate seat for him. Righteous mockery can be found here,here, and here (in the comments).
Gov. BridgeFail fell behind other possible candidates for the 2012 GOP presidential nomination in matters pecuniary, though his haul is nevertheless not unimpressive. Here's where it's mostly going.
Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty is spending a few days in Colorado. The agenda:
- Today, there's an event in Aspen for Republican candidate for Colorado governor Scott McInnis, who was the subject of an embarrassing story, very recently.
The panel will feature number of key Republican governors. Attendants include Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour, Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle and Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell.
- Friday, he's keynote speaker at the Lincoln Day Dinner, in Glendale, sponsored by the Arapahoe/Denver County GOP.
Today, MN Governor Tim Pawlenty is scheduled to speak at the Strafford County Republican Committee Summer Picnic at Guppey Park in Dover, New Hampshire. On his way, he stopped at the National Governors Association meeting in Boston, which started yesterday.
Previous candidate/TV personality Mike Huckabee entering the race could be a blow to Gutshot's dream, if it happens. (I'd say it's at least fairly likely.)
2020Hindsight explains what Gov. BridgeFail's politically motivated decision to refuse federal matching funds for Medicaid could really cost Minnesota.
Polinaut finds a claim Timmy made about workers' strikes 'False.' I got the photo from MPR, too.
More bad news arrived for lame duck Minnesota Governor and 2012 Presidential candidate Tim Pawlenty. Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-BP) is pushing Rep. Steve King's (R-IA) presidential aspirations. Last weekend she was in Iowa for yet another out-of-state fundraiser:
While denying any plans to seek the presidency herself in 2012, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) has made no secret of her "high opinion" of right-wing colleague Rep. Steve King (R-IA) as a "potential nominee." While headlining a fundraiser on Saturday for Iowa Attorney General candidate and King's former chief of staff Brenna Findley, Bachmann expanded on her national design by plugging King and his political family as the future of the federal government:
"Who would you like to see nominated to the Supreme Court - Elena Kagan or Brenna Findley?" Bachmann said, prompting applause. "I knew you were smart. And when Steve King is president, he can appoint her."
Bachmann clearly isn't backing Pawlenty's floundering bid. Then again ... who is? He has consistently polled in the low single digits in Republican straw polls.
MN Gov. Tim Pawlenty will be in South Carolina today and tomorrow. Today, he's doing a fundraiser for the SC Republican Party. Tomorrow, he'll be at a reception for Mick Mulvaney, a challenger to US Congressman John Spratt (D-SC). The latter is a make-up gig. He had to cancel previously, to stay in Minnesota after the MN Supreme Court overturned his unallotments. Of course, in practical terms he mostly got them anyway, and hopefully Dems can use that sad reality to their advantage in November.
Someone at Polinaut commented, a while back, that Timmy seemed to have begun to affect a mild Southern drawl. It's going to take a lot more than that, for him to make real inroads down there.
Today let's take a look at the lighter side of Tim Pawlenty's floundering presidential bid. The lame duck Minnesota Governor's hopes for becoming the 2012 Republican Presidential nominee don't look good right now as he's been consistently polling in the low single digits. So let's consider a list compiled by a the right wing nutjobs at Townhall.
The Townhall editorial staff compiled a massive list of those we believe have the largest bull's-eyes painted on them by the Left and the Democrat-dominated government. From that list, through a process of voting, debating and prioritizing, we assembled the final 100.
First the good news for Timmeh:
#86 TIM PAWLENTY
Conservative governor of Minnesota and possible 2012 GOP presidential candidate
So he's not hated ... I guess that's good.
Now the bad news. Guv'nor BridgeFail isn't very hated because he's unknown by both liberals and conservatives nationally. His bland, boring personality just isn't making waves despite criss-crossing the country for the last year to raise his profile.
We Minnesotans know Gov. Gutshot pretty well and polling indicates he is unpopular. If he were better known nationally, it'd be more like Minnesota where the majority of people don't like him.
MN Governor Tim Pawlenty is keynote speaker this evening at the Tennessee Republican Party's Statesmen's Dinner in Nashville.
Look for TBag to continue to ramp up a 'Southern Strategy' in a desperate effort to get some traction for his presidential fantasiesdelusions aspirations.
mnpACT! has valuable remarks on the subject of Tea-Paw's refusal of an opportunity to expand Medicaid coverage for poor adults in Minnesota.
Today, MN Gov. Tim Pawlenty is speaking to a gathering in Minneapolis sponsored by the one and only Heritage Foundation. Tomorrow, he'll be at a fundraiser in Oklahoma City.
The Heritage Foundation is about the oldest, best-known, and most effective (in a negative sense) of the mostly corporate funded right-wing propaganda mills, ridiculously termed 'think-tanks.' In reality, the only time 'conservative' and 'think' belong in the same statement is with a negative qualifier between them - for example, "Conservatives never think; they only react, based on emotion and dogma." I recently ran across this post, about its fundraising tactics.
For some reason, it's been all over the web that Gov. BridgeFail set up PACs in New Hampshire and Iowa, like that's a surprise or something.
We can probably expect more parting gifts like this before the happy day on which Gutshot leaves office, with his legacy as the worst governor in Minnesota history secure.
MN Gov. Tim Pawlenty will be in California (first the San Francisco Bay region, then Los Angeles) from today until at least Thursday. His scheduled appearances and meetings are described as 'private,' though something will likely leak out here and there, which I'll post if it's any good.
Lame duck Minnesota Governor and 2012 Republican presidential candidate Tim Pawlenty appeared on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart tonight. I just got done watching it. Pawlenty achieved what he wanted to -- he showed he isn't a moron, he can speak grammatically correctly and he doesn't sound insane. You can read my tweets here
Mission accomplished, right?
Sure, I guess.
Considering his polling numbers are stuck in the low single digits, he's got to do something. This swing through New York City which also includes fundraising and other media appearances can't hurt.
Pawlenty did his usual good job of avoiding answering any questions and deflecting to talk about what he wanted to. He always sounds reasonable.
The difference is that we progressives here in Minnesota know otherwise. I'll write more once I see the video tomorrow and I'm sorry I can't record it -- DirecTV screwed up my installation and I'm working with them to get it fixed. G'Nite.
MN Governor Tim Pawlenty will be in or near New York City for some days. He's scheduled to appear on The Daily Show on Thursday, and Good Morning, America on Friday. Of more moment, for political purposes, are the meetings he'll be having with fat-cat Republican donors, but those won't be so well-publicized.
Here's a good piece from MinnPost regarding Timmy's spurious claims about spending on his watch.
Update
Who do you suppose actually wrote the book? Chris Cillizza? Or somebody from Politico?
MN Governor Tim Pawlenty was in Dallas Wednesday, raising money for his 'Freedom First' PAC. And he made a remark, which indicates my workload will be increasing, but I've been anticipating that.
Pawlenty was asked by reporters on Wednesday morning whether he had any upcoming out of state travel scheduled he responded "a lot" but declined to specify. When asked for specifics he said "I'm not going to be your PAC scheduler."
Today, he's hosting a fundraiser, in Mpls, for US Senate candidate Marco Rubio (R-FL). Here's recent analysis of the Florida race, which corporate media is treating as a certain demonstration of the power of America's most vital political movement in decades, the brilliant and reality-based teabagger right, via a thundering Rubio victory.
Anyone who doubts Gutshot has become a full-blown teabagger, at least for as long as it suits him politically, check this out. And that he's seriously screwed up Minnesota, this.
MN Governor Tim Pawlenty is not on the road right now, that I know of, but there's enough stuff for a post. He is scheduled to be 
There's a scene from the movie Patton where the title character stops briefly to encourage some U.S. infantrymen. As he roars off in his jeep, one sarcastically comments to another, "There he goes, Old Blood and Guts."
Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty is spending a few days in Colorado. The agenda:
Today, MN Governor Tim Pawlenty is scheduled to speak at the Strafford County Republican Committee 
While denying any plans to seek the presidency herself in 2012, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) has 
MN Gov. Tim Pawlenty 
MN Governor Tim Pawlenty is 
Today, MN Gov. Tim Pawlenty 
MN Governor Tim Pawlenty will be in or near New York City for some days. He's scheduled to appear on The Daily Show on Thursday, and Good Morning, America on Friday. Of more moment, for political purposes, are the meetings he'll be having with fat-cat Republican donors, but those won't be so well-publicized.
MN Governor Tim Pawlenty 
