No Runny Eggs

Over the past couple of weeks there has been increased postulating about who McCain will pick for VP. On the short list and getting more press as of late, is Tim Pawlenty, Governor of Minnesota.

If you’re not from Minnesota you’re probably asking “who the heck is Tim Pawlenty” and “Should I be happy or scared?” I feel a little bit like Yenta when I say “You could do worse!”

You can see a bit more of Pawlenty’s history here. Of particluar note is that Pawlenty has come out of the southern ‘burbs. This area of Minnesota is known for being conservative’s conservative territory. We’ve elected John Kline (kicking out a longterm, embedded Democrat) for the past 2 terms and likely again this, and supported Bush 55%/45% in ’04 (don’t snicker, remember, this is Minnesota!).

Pawlenty’s political claim to fame includes:

• Being the House Majority Leader that led tax cuts while surviving Jesse Ventura’s hubris.
• Being a solid party person as he has twice stepped out of campaigns that he would have been a significant contender, if not winner in, because the Republican party preferred someone else. The most recent of these gave us Norm Coleman as Senator.

So where’s the downside? First, Pawlenty has been completely sucked in by Gorebal Warming. He established the Minnesota Climate Change Advisory Group. These folks have come up with all kinds of good ideas like: basing insurance on the number of miles you drive and adopting the California emmission standards (yeah, the standards that even California can’t adopt). Fortunately, Pawlenty has tossed most of this to the side but the fact that he is even dabbling here tells me that he just can’t avoid looking at the polls.

Second, taxes. Pawlenty has been OK on taxes. As I mentioned, he led the charge to reduce income taxes back when he was Speaker of the House. However, while he has thus far held the line on “no new taxes,” every time an issue of taxes comes up he appears to waffle. Following the collapse of the 1-35W bridge last fall, all people politic were scrambling to figure out how they were going to pay not only for this one but for replacing all a ridiculous number of bridges in the state as “don’t cha know, they’re all falling down.” As the Democrats looked to use the event as an opportunity to raise every tax they could get their hands on i.e. gas tax, sales tax, motor vehicle fees, Pawlenty “reached across the aisle” and intimated that he would be open to an increase in the gas tax. Fast forward to the current session and yes, the Democrats have it all on the board. Because the Democrats control both houses, the increases will pass. The question will be whether a: Pawlenty will veto them and b: whether he will actually rally the Republicans to sustain the veto. My thinking is that “A” will definitely happen and if he really wants to be McCain’s VP “B” had better happen. I don’t think McCain is going to pick someone who is questionable in an area where he is already considered mushy.

Summary, like I said, you could do worse. I view Pawlenty as very McCainesque; he’s a conservative but gee, I wish he was an unquestionable conservative.

Update: Yet another article about Tim Pawlenty.

The gubmint or the gubmint?

 The “Law of Unintended Consequences” is the only law that seems to be universally enforced. It has no party affiliation!

Mike Huckabee thinks he may be killing his political career.   But Huckabee tries to argue that his continuing candidacy is no different than those in history that were decided at the convention.

Huckabee tries to compare his action to Regan’s push against Ford in ’76. Only problem with that is that Ford wasn’t able to get a decisive delegate commitment prior to the convention. Also, Ford won that nomination  ultimately because he was the incumbent. I don’t remember Huckabee being incumbent of the Presidency.

Some of the “Nutcakes for Paul” want to draw an analogy to Lincoln’s ability to win the nomination as a dark horse. No prize their either. The convention of 1860 had no less than 4 viable candidates. Going into the convention the delegates were split along extreme geographical and ideological lines. I suppose Huckabee could claim a sort of a geographical mandate in the south except that McCain has won Florida, Virginia and South Carolina. As to ideology, it’s really hard to see any mandated difference between he and McCain on that front.

Maybe killing your political career? Mike, listen carefully here…

If you’re hope was to be VP, that’s dead. If McCain is consistent on anything it’s that he doesn’t suffer fools gladly. Nor does he suffer those that oppose him gladly. Yes I know you were there to help him in West Virgina but don’t take that as fondness. McCain used you just like he uses conservatives to get what he wants and than toss them aside.

If you’re hope is to take a run a Pres. in ’12 you can forget about that too. You’ve shown you have no more conservative credentials than McCain so you can get the true conservatives. You stand on a psuedo theocratical perspective which tosses the moderates out. The only folks who find you attractive are people who believe the “Baptist Pastor” part of your resume is important.   While it is important for some occupations and many avocations, becoming President isn’t among them.   You don’t have a big enough group to work from.

Finally, here’s the real problem with your future political career. The Rats are eating their own young. Even if one of their candidates gets a majority of delegates prior to their convention there will be a continuing split among them that should allow a unified Republican candidate to drive through. You’re dangerously close to becoming the person viewed as gumming the works for a party unification prior to the Republican convention. If the Republicans remain split going into the convention and lose the general election you will be remembered as key reason for that. People have long memories for folks they think are in it only for their own selfish purposes. If you want to be remembered along side Tonya Harding, as a person who kneecaps their rival because you couldn’t win straight up, keep at it. The only future you will have will be as the answer to a trivia question!