Considering Pawlenty Thought Obama Was on a European 'Pub Crawl'

Considering Tim Pawlenty (don't feel bad if you don't know who that is. It's just another republican who thinks he can beat Obama) thought Obama was on a "European pub crawl" this past week... His tweet:

@BarackObama sorry to interrupt the European pub crawl, but what was your Medicare plan?

...We can rest assured that he won't be president any time soon.

Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty announced his candidacy for president on Monday, just a week after fellow presidential contender Newt Gingrich managed to torpedo his own nascent campaign within a matter of days. Could Pawlenty avoid the same fate? Here’s a breakdown of how his first week fared. Here you go

Obama's Schedule Oct. 23

The Uptake will live stream Obama's speech in Minnesota today.

Tim Pawlenty's (I want to be president) asinine and infantile video making Minnesotans sound like a bunch of wackos.

Most Minnesotans Wouldn't Vote for Pawlenty

Gov. Tim Pawlenty issued an executive order to restrict Minnesota's participation in the new healthcare law:

The Kaiser Family Foundation has calculated that about 250,000 Minnesotans would join the Medicaid rolls under the expansion. Pawlenty has said it would cost the state $430 million in the first three years. The Hill

He's being political, uh, I mean, choosy:

In fact, he's signaling that he could end up accepting other health care money from the federal government -- just not health care funds from that particular law. TPM

What a twit.
Meanwhile, Minnesotans don't seem to think much of Pawlenty:

According to the new poll, 54 percent of likely Minnesota voters disapprove of Pawlenty's numerous campaign swings outside of Minnesota.

And when it comes to whether Minnesotans would vote for Pawlenty for president, a majority, or 53 percent, consider that unlikely. Even nearly one in four Republicans, or 23 percent, say they've be unlikely to vote for him. MPR

Pawlenty Says Economic Recovery Phony

I think most economists would disagree with presidential wannabe Gov. of Minnesota Tim Pawlenty. Given all the positive economic signs out there, he's really going out on a limb.

Pawlenty chatted with David Gregory in Minnesota.
Pawlenty conveniently says the economy will erode again in 2011, post midterm elections.

On the oil disaster, Pawlenty says he wished that Obama assumed accountability earlier. What an absurd statement.

It's also highly ironic that Pawlenty is slamming the Obama administration for not having the technology or the plan to stop the BP oil spill, as if republicans, the party of drill baby drill, in bed with oil for decades, would've overhauled MMS or cracked down on oil companies. Ugh. I hate politics. I don't know how anything gets done in the realm of politics, where everything is phony.
This is the full video:

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Here is the clip where Pawlenty calls the economic recovery phony:

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David Petraeus on Meet the Press Feb. 21 Video

Wannabe president Tim Pawlenty is also on the show. Pawlenty says republicans are reformed and ready to govern. Anyone who falls for that is out of their mind.

Pawlenty criticizes the stimulus, saying government doesn't grow the economy. Well, he and Obama agree. Obama never says government grows the economy. He ALWAYS says it's small business, the private sector that grows the economy. Obama says government can help create an environment where business grows.

Pawlenty will never win the republican nomination. He's too much of a follower. That can be gleaned from his answers about climate change and god being in charge.

Mike Pence is part of the roundtable. He's just a liar. Peggy Noonan is a fine writer, but please, get her off the roundtable.

Interesting point by E. J. Dionne: Ron Paul won CPAC straw poll but who got the most press?

This is the full episdode:

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Pawlenty Says Ponzi on the Potomac

I used to think Tim Pawlenty was one of the smarter republicans. But he's proven himself to be more of the same. I can't stand this sort of gassy rhetoric. I guess I'm all wingnutted out.

Pawlenty Revives Manure in a Windstorm in Iowa

Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty, getting started on his presidential bid early, has used this manure line before.

“They should be focused like a laser on jobs, not acting like a manure-spreader in a wind storm,” Pawlenty told Iowa Republicans gathered in an exhibition hall at the state fairgrounds, criticizing Democrats for their efforts on healthcare and energy.

Noting that unemployment in October crested 10 percent, he mocked the Obama administration officials who earlier said that threshold would be breached only if Congress didn’t agree to the stimulus the White House called for, and received.

“As a senior aide to President Clinton once said: It’s the economy, stupid,” Pawlenty quipped, channeling the 1992 James Carville line. He proposed making some of the Bush-era tax cuts permanent and cutting the payroll tax and rates on small business and research and development to help bolster the economy. Politico

Pawlenty tried to be a regular guy by talking about his deer killing expedition. Ick:

Plainly hoping to offer himself up as regular guy, Pawlenty took the stage to Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Fortunate Son,” (even though potential 2012 rival Mitt Romney is in fact a “governor’s son”), recalled his deer-hunting expedition into northern Minnesota earlier in the day (where he said he pioneered a new hunting technique, “shoot and release”), decried the bailouts and made sure the audience knew that he was essentially from the neighborhood.

Pawlenty Doesn't Want Olympia Snowe in the Big Tent

It's actually a small tent.
Tim Pawlenty, who's part of the movement to shift the republican party to the right, is not a fan of moderate republicans:

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Newt Gingrich on Running for President

Newt Gingrich didn't turn Catholic for nothing.
That's very cynical of me. But Newt suggests if there is a mission for him (if republicans still aren't offering any ideas), he might sign up as a presidential contender.
Newt confirms that Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty is running for president in 2012. He also says Sarah Palin is a contender if her book tour does well and if she does well on Oprah on Nov. 16.
Is Oprah that much of a barometer on presidential politics? Not sure book sales account for a lot either. Obama did well on Oprah and sold a lot of books but that was because he's Obama, a well-qualified, intelligent leader. Palin is Palin.

Pawlenty Says Healthcare Bill a Manure Spreader in a Windstorm

Tim Pawlenty, who wants to be president, says the healthcare bill is a "manure spreader in a windstorm." That's pretty funny. At least Pawlenty speaks in a quiet voice.

Fox Talk Show Host Huckabee Wins Values Voter 2012 Vote

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee won the Values Voter Summit's 2012 presidential straw poll Saturday, grabbing nearly 29 percent of the vote in a crowded field.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and Indiana Rep. Mike Pence each won roughly 12 percent of the 597 votes cast. CNN

Southern cook Paula Deen talks to Mike Huckabee about her battle with agoraphobia.

Obama Health Reform Rally in Minneapolis Sept. 12

Update 9-12: Watch the rally video here.

Update: The rally is being live streamed at cnn.com
Obama heads to the Twin Cities, home of Governor (and possible presidential candidate) Tim Pawlenty, Sen. Al Franken and crazy woman Michele Bachmann.

President Obama will bring his campaign to overhaul the nation's health care system to the Twin Cities on Saturday with what's being billed as a "health care reform rally" at Target Center.

The event will begin at 12:30 p.m. Doors open at 9:30 a.m. with airport-style security, and seating will be on a first-come, first-seated basis. Star Trib

Pawlenty Says Trigger a Bad Idea

Tim Pawlenty says the trigger idea is a bad idea.
The trigger (would trigger a government run insurance option at some point in time if the insurance companies don't cut enough costs) is Olympia Snowe's idea and the trigger wasn't invented to win over the republicans, who would rather see Obama fail altogether. So it doesn't matter what the governor of Minnesota, wannabe president, thinks. We all know by now that the bulk of the republican party is going for Waterloo. Republicans are irrelevant at this point.

The trigger is to get just a few moderate republican votes and a few more democratic votes so that some form of health care can be enacted.

Even as members of President Obama’s fractured party appeared to warm to the notion of putting a so-called “trigger” on any public health insurance option in health care reform legislation, Minnesota’s Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty said the approach was a bad idea. He said it would not help create the bipartisanship the White House and some Congressional Democrats – particularly those in the Senate – are looking for in order to pass a health care reform bill by the end of the year.

“There’s lots of things we could agree to on a bipartisan basis,” Pawlenty said Sunday on CNN’s State of the Union, “the public option isn’t one of them. The trigger option simply kicks the can down the road.” CNN

Tim Pawlenty Gives Republican Address

What's his point? More of the usual, blah, blah, blah. But Pawlenty is a much better representative for the republican party, relative to the others they've got out there.

Stimulus Opposer Tim Pawlenty Will Take the Money

Actually, this is an intelligent response by Pawlenty -- it's the law and he's going to do his best. See who's not going to take the money.

WaPo: Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) criticized the bill as "a meandering spending buffet," but said his state is "going to accept the money."

"This is a bill that missed the mark in terms of being focused and targeted," Pawlenty said. "For many Republicans, it's not our bill. But it is now the law, so we have an opportunity and responsibility to try to implement it as best as possible."

The National Association of Governors is holding a meeting in Washington this weekend. One of the things they'll be looking at is infrastructure.
Sunday, they will dine with the Obamas:

The nation's governors will have dinner with President Obama and Mrs. Obama Sunday evening at the White House. The governors are also scheduled to meet a final time with the President on Monday before departing for their respective states. CNN

McCain's Dirty Secret: Joe the Plumber Bashes Obama

McCain has been keeping a secret -- Joe the plumber. Joe is now dogging Obama on Katie's webcast. What a sneaky ploy. 

McCain must've known who Joe the Plumber was voting for (after all, the video of Joe and Obama hashing it out is on youtube) and built his talking points around Joe. 
After the debate, Joe the Plumber said Obama taps dances almost as good as Sammy Davis Jr. 

Expect to see Morning Joe -- he says he has three news trucks outside his house. 

Tim Pawlenty said on Katie's webcast that Joe the Plumber means people prefer John McCain. Everyone will be talking about Joe and Joe will be saying Obama is a smooth talker. 

Here's the video of Joe the Plumber on Katie's webcast.

Watch CBS Videos Online
Conclusion from MSNBC that Joe didn't matter much and post debate analysis

Case for Tim Kaine

Tim Kaine is a communicator. 

I'm officially for the Obama Kaine team. But I'd be happy if Obama chose Hillary or someone else. It's his choice. 

Check out what Virginia Governor Tim Kaine said about the Iraq war. I've never seen it put better. Simple and dead on.

CNN: McCain and Obama have different views on how to handle the situation in Iraq. McCain has said troop withdrawal should be based on conditions on the ground, while Obama has advocated removing all combat brigades within 16 months of taking office.

"The problem with [McCain's] position, he says do it my way, no timeline, let's just have victory. He hasn't defined victory ... I think that's something that the American people, and especially men and women in service, are entitled to," Kaine said.

Tim Kaine and Obama seem like a team. They're both communicators and Kaine's fluent in Spanish. Bonus.
Here's some of Kaine's assets.

Kaine and Obama agree on issues such as capital punishment and abortion. They personally aren't For either but approach these social issues pragmatically. 

Kaine comes across as genuine and has always supported Obama. Kaine plays harmonica. Plus. He was a missionary. Plus. Kaine's bio. 

The wingnuts call a Kaine selection: putting "lipstick on the oinker" so you that's another plus for Kaine.

People have argued that he's too much like Obama. Well, Obama said that's exactly what he wanted, someone who shared his vision. Obama seems inclined to choose someone he can work with, as opposed to someone who can only help him win a state or win over voters. Obama has to do that on his own. If he can't win on his own, he probably shouldn't win. The same logic applies to choosing Hillary to appease some supporters.

The only perceived negative is that Kaine doesn't have military experience. But I think Obama can take care of that with cabinet positions. 

If Kaine is Obama's choice, it won't be announced next week. Obama's on vaca and Kaine is attending the 2008 Annual Meeting of the Southern Governors’ Association from August 8–11 in West Virginia. After vacation, the convention is in 2 weeks. 

I think Obama will wait until the convention to make his announcement. People say there will already be enough excitement at the convention without the announcement of a vice president and politically, Obama might want to have two moments. eh. 

An announcement at the convention would kick the campaign into high gear. The convention would be a great place to capture and build on the excitement. 

It's also good to make the media wait until the convention. That way, they'll have double duty after the convention-- spinning the vice president announcement and talking about the convention. That will keep them busy until McCain chooses his veep (or someone chooses his vice president for him).

Here's Tim Kaine

Thousands to Protest at Republican Convention

Minnesota Latinos for Obama

The republicans picked Minnesota to hold their convention, thinking that it's a toss-up state. 

Tim Pawlenty may be governor and he may be McCain's vice president, but Minnesotans are progressive as a whole and no way will Minnesota vote for McCain. No way. 

CNN: 

Tens of thousands -- from anarchists and immigrants to advocates for the poor -- plan to use the streets outside the Xcel Center as a national podium, transforming downtown St. Paul into a marketplace of ideas.

"There are some groups that are going to be here just because this is a big stage," said Chuck Samuelson, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota. "But I think the majority of groups are here because they really want to demonstrate to the delegates that they want to see some sort of changes in the party platform."

Protesters and police expect the opening day of next month's four-day convention to be the biggest -- with a huge anti-war march.

Three Debates for Obama and McCain

3 for Obama and McCain and 1 vice presidential debate for Tim Kaine, governor of Virginia, and Tim Pawlenty, governor of Minnesota (I'm just guessing here).

These debates will likely seal the deal. Side by side, the differences will be crystal clear.

Schedule: 

The first debate planned by the commission is set for September 26 in Oxford, Mississippi, three weeks after the Republican National Convention concludes September 4. The other presidential debates are set for October 7 and October 15 and the vice presidential debate for October 2.

Swamp: Sen. Barack Obama's campaign released a letter today to the Commission on Presidential Debates that accepts their framework for three presidential debates and one vice presidential debate.

Campaign manager David Plouffe's language in the letter also seems to suggests it is unlikely Obama will take Sen. John McCain up on his challenge for additional town-hall-style debates.

Obama's Big Lead in New State Polls

Obama leads double digits in Wisconsin and Minnesota; Michigan by 6 and Colorado by 5.

Wallop would be the appropriate word in Minnesota. Republicans think they have a chance in Minnesota and are holding their convention there. They think that Minnesotans like Gov. Tim Pawlenty.  

It should be noted that polls can be misleading and that polls are virtually meaningless at this point, except for one aspect -- they influence and give the idea that Obama is ahead, a psychological advantage.

WSJ:
Women, younger voters and minorities, who typically trend Democratic, favor Sen. Obama in all four states. But the Illinois senator's support also seems solid among independents and among some groups that Republicans have been able to count on the in past.

Sen. Obama leads Sen. McCain among all age groups, including voters over 55. He trails among whites in Colorado and Michigan, but leads Sen. McCain handily among whites in Minnesota and Wisconsin. No Democrat since Lyndon Johnson in 1964 has carried a majority of the white voters nationally, which suggests that "if he can stay this close, he's going to become president," said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the poll.