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With an Eye on 2012, Pawlenty Heads to New Hampshire
November 11, 2009 2:36 PM
Having checked the Iowa box last week, Pawlenty puts the Granite State on his 2009 calendar.
My colleague, ABC News' Teddy Davis, has the story:
Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) is heading to New Hampshire next month to raise money for Republican state senate candidates, the latest sign that he is laying the groundwork for a 2012 White House run.
“Tim Pawlenty was really tops on their list to be the first person this cycle to raise money for them because he is a new, fresh face, he just started a political committee, and he has been traveling around to different states,” said Mike Dennehy, a former McCain adviser who is now a political consultant to New Hampshire state Senate Republicans.
Pawlenty’s first trip to the Granite State as a potential presidential candidate will take place in Concord, N.H., on Dec. 16. He has agreed to headline a $50 per person fundraiser for the Republican Senate Majority Committee, a group which raises money for GOP state senate candidates.
Pawlenty, who is not seeking reelection in 2010, has come under increased press scrutiny in recent days.
Dan Balz, the veteran political reporter for the Washington Post, penned a column earlier today comparing the Minnesota governor’s moves in recent months to the way in which former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) “lurched to the right” in preparation for his 2008 presidential bid.
“[T]here is something Romneyesque in all this,” wrote Balz.
A Pawlenty advisor responded to the criticism from Balz by saying: “As the governor told Dan, he is a conservative. He ran as a conservative. It should surprise nobody that he is continuing to act like a conservative.”
“The three incidents that Dan picked out, the governor addressed in the story,” the Pawlenty adviser continued. “On the school one, he was repeating what a nonpartisan group of Minnesota educators had said. In the case of Olympia Snowe, he was quick to concede that that was an inartful thing to say and he called her up and made sure that she understood that as far as he is concerned, she is welcome in the party. On NY-23, the governor and his team think that (endorsing Doug Hoffman, the Conservative Party candidate, over Dede Scozzafava, the Republican Party candidate) was the right thing to do given the way that (Scozzafava) was picked by a small group of people and how much she disagreed with the (Republican) Party on core issues like taxes and spending.”
As for Politifact.com’s contention that Pawlenty has changed course on climate change legislation, another item raised by Balz, Pawlenty’s adviser referred to a recent interview with Human Events, a conservative publication, in which the governor addressed his stance on cap-and-trade legislation.
“Look, where it makes sense to cut pollution, it makes sense to do that, but not at the expense of wrecking the economy,” said the Pawlenty adviser. “He came out against the cap-and-trade bill in the House and Senate.”
The decision to accept an invitation to speak in New Hampshire, the state which holds the first presidential primary, comes on the heels of Pawlenty’s Nov. 8th appearance at a Republican Party dinner in Iowa, home of the first-in-the-nation caucuses.
Pawlenty’s 2009 travel has not been confined to states which hold early nominating contests.
He has also traveled to several other states in recent months including Ohio, Michigan, South Dakota, Florida, Virginia, New Jersey, and California. In addition to his trip to New Hampshire, Pawlenty also has upcoming trips to Texas for a meeting of the Republican Governors Association, and Florida, to speak to the non-partisan Forum Club of Southwest Florida.
Pawlenty has his work cut out for him in New Hampshire.
Dennehy, the Republican strategist who advised McCain’s 2000 and 2008 wins in New Hampshire and is unaffiliated in 2012, said that Romney is a big favorite to win the state’s primary next time.
“Gov. Romney is clearly the frontrunner in New Hampshire,” Dennehy told ABC News. “Gov. Romney has run once before. He has a very solid ground team in New Hampshire. He knows how to run. He knows what the voters want.”
November 11, 2009 in Republicans | Permalink | Share | User Comments (24)
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Pawlenty would be a good VP pick, that's about it. Palin will most likely be the conservative/repub nominee.
It was she who attracted crowds almost comparable to BO's. And this was after only campaigning for several months, with HORRIFFIC coverage by the media.
BO on the other hand, campaigned for YEARS, with lavish praise from the media.
Bottom line, is that nothing that BO and the rest of liberal socialists in power are doing is going to help the economy. It is going to be sad day for the left when Palin overtakes him in 2012. You betcha!
Posted by: Dave | Nov 11, 2009 4:00:51 PM
If Palin overtakes Mr. Obama in 2012, it will only prove the rapid decline of mental acuity in Americans in general. Manson attracts crowds too!
Pawlenty? Same thing. None of these neo-con candidates even look or behave reasonably intelligent. Jindal? O'God!
Posted by: Ivan | Nov 11, 2009 4:11:34 PM
In a perfect world, we wouldn't hear about any news about potential presidential candidates until 2011.
Posted by: Frank | Nov 11, 2009 4:11:49 PM
Ivan
Manson didn't draw crowds, he drew liberal hippies with too much time on their hands. Funny you mention manson though, bernadine dorhn (wife of bill ayers) held BO's political "coming out" party in chicago in 2000 in her living room, and she was a big fan of manson. She actually modeled the weatherunder salute after the fork stuck in sharon tate's stomach. Just an FYI.
Posted by: Dave | Nov 11, 2009 4:26:16 PM
Ivan
And what did the election of an anti-American socialist with corrupt political ties prove about the American people- that they can be fooled into governmental control. Just as people have been fooled in the USSR, germany, china, cambodia, vietnam, italy....
Socialism/communism doesn't work,it never has and it never will. The only thing the 2 systems have produced is the murders of 250,000,000 in the last 100 years.
Limited gov't and empowerment of the people are the foundations of our democracy. It's sad that so many "intellectuals" in this country have never studied econ 101, and are convinced that socialism is far superior to capitalism. My college professors were some of the most anti-American people I had ever met.
Posted by: Dave | Nov 11, 2009 4:28:18 PM
Nobody with a name like "Pawlenty" will ever be elected POTUS
Posted by: Tom | Nov 11, 2009 4:31:26 PM
Pawlenty as President in 2012? Look what he's done to Minnesota. If he has what it takes, why didn't Mc Cain pick him as VP running mate in 2008? He was Mc Cain's right hand man wasn't he?
Posted by: Theresa | Nov 11, 2009 4:35:51 PM
He has too much work to do in MN to be galavanting all over the country promoting his presidential aspirations. He was elected to do a job he is neglecting - probably do the same in any other office. Besides, he is terribly dull, and not only in his mental facilities.
If he is the best the Repubs have, go for it.
Posted by: Troy A | Nov 11, 2009 4:41:09 PM
I'm afraid of Dave and all the other people who are certain that only their political perspective and preferences are American. Taking econ 101, which was somehow enough to convince Dave unfettered corporate action was the end-all for economic growth, is not a substitute for sound political or economic policy.
Doing what Dave says just further empowers corporations at the expense of society, to pillage the environment and externalize the costs, and to perpetuate more and more frauds reminiscent of Enron, Worldcom etc. But go ahead and trust Dave, because otherwise you're un-American.
Posted by: Rob | Nov 11, 2009 4:43:06 PM
I don't know that much about Pawlenty, from what I've seen he's very likeable. As a governor of Minnesota, Pawlenty already has much more experience than Obama did; plus he's intelligent, calm,
has common sense. Sounds good to me.
Posted by: paul | Nov 11, 2009 4:43:27 PM
Socialism has worked, and just needs reform here in the United States of America. It's called medical coverage for the elderly (Medicare), Veterans (VA), and one other group... Oh yeah, politicians. If Palin gets elected, the whole country deservers what it gets. I am a moderate democrat from MN, who might actually vote for Palenty if he gets an actual shot. Fiscal conservatives unite, social conservatives, go burn more witches but stay out of the way of what's best for this country.
Posted by: DavesCrazy | Nov 11, 2009 4:53:27 PM
Congratulations Rob, you named several corporations out of 10's of thousands of others who run ethically everyday. I am so sick of hearing liberal socialists bash "evil corporations", and yet never once acknowledge the incredible quality of life, not to mention jobs, that these companies provide us with.
90% of all life-saving drugs have been created here in the USA. The best hosptials, schools, and healthcare system in the world are all here in the USA. But somehow liberals speak of this great country as if it were ethiopia.
And yes, I am sticking to my orginal point that you are UN-American if you expect the gov't to take care of you and somehow provide you with a better quality of life then you can provide for yourself. I think the Founding Fathers would agree with me on that one.
Posted by: Dave | Nov 11, 2009 5:47:25 PM
LOL..
Posted by: sara | Nov 11, 2009 5:57:35 PM
Mitt Romney
Posted by: bobp | Nov 11, 2009 6:28:13 PM
Very funny, if you look that the last two elections our governor didn't win, you notice he did get the majority of the vote. He won by plurality. He doesn't raise taxes he raises fees. He is a nice enough guy but... president material? NOT.
Wait... Wait... Republicans, sure pick him... he will do great! GO TIM!
Posted by: Bill Hendricks | Nov 11, 2009 7:07:26 PM
Palin, Pawlenty, Romney, it makes no difference, they all will follow the orders of the current Repub leadership; Limbaugh, Hannity, Beck, O'Reilly and the rest of the talking Foxheads. They are all as wierd as Aunt Wynona's pet Squid.
Posted by: 23bigdon1 | Nov 11, 2009 10:44:17 PM
Dave is right,all you liberal bleeding hearts that want to sponge on the government needs to wake up.Tax and Spend and Borrow is the Democrats platform.
Posted by: Johnny L | Nov 12, 2009 7:59:09 AM
Pawlenty............. chuckle
Posted by: zane | Nov 12, 2009 11:33:50 AM
Hey Dave and Johnny L: I expect you will deny Medicare benefits when your time comes??
Posted by: jks | Nov 12, 2009 11:36:35 AM
Please run Palin in 2012!!! PLEASEPLEASEPLEASE!!!!
Posted by: Tracy | Nov 12, 2009 11:37:59 AM
Hey Frank, I agree with you. One election cycle ends and another begins! It gets tiring after a while. One endless loop of sarcasm, lies, put downs, gotchas, betrayals, polls, spin, media drama......... the list goes on and on!!!
Posted by: Jan | Nov 12, 2009 11:43:06 AM
It's feeling a lot like 1993.
Health care 'reform' floudering
Democrats in total power and in disarray
Republicans wondering why they thought being 'Democrat-lite' was such a good idea last year
Posted by: Joe White | Nov 12, 2009 1:22:42 PM
i'm from minn. and Pawlenty promised no taxes. Instead he slapped a bunch of "fees" on every thing we do or buy. Wait till he gets to go federal!
Posted by: patty boy | Nov 12, 2009 2:55:55 PM
Better face from Minnesota, than that crackpot trash Franken!
Posted by: JV | Nov 14, 2009 2:29:07 AM
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