Pawlenty's team shaken by missing out on the final roster

[True_Blue]

Source: MinnPost

Despite Gov. Tim Pawlenty's good public front, it is clear through his actions and conversations with people close to him, including staff, that he went to bed last Thursday fairly confident that he was the vice-presidential choice of Sen. John McCain. It's also clear that despite putting on a good front, the governor and his staff are shaken by not being chosen.

After personally seeing Pawlenty Sunday morning, it was evident that it is not easy to handle everyone expressing their regret. Equate it to having to relive or recognize the death of a family member over and over. Pawlenty didn't tear up, but the sense of loss was apparent. Despite that, he performed well on "Meet the Press" and "At Issue," and showed he is ultimately a disciplined team player.

Losing the big game
Media and the chattering class noted Pawlenty's absence from higher-profile RNC events — notably the media party Saturday evening on the riverfront in Minneapolis and the Minnesota delegation party Sunday evening at the James J. Hill House in St. Paul. These are two places that the governor of the host state would likely want to be.


Read more: http://www.minnpost.com/bloisolson/2008/09/01/3259/pawlentys_team_clearly_shaken_by_missing_out_on_the_final_roster

[BrklynLiberal]

1. So McSame does not have any qualms about screwing even his own supporters..

[JerseygirlCT]

7. Anyone who thinks the man has any qualms about anything

is delusional.

He has sold any pretense of integrity or loyalty to pay for his ambition habit.

[roguevalley]

14. is this the guy who said that the pick reveals something about the chooser

it was strained and pointed.

[thunder rising]

2. Fuck that GOP POS. Pawlenty hates it win the game isn't tilted in his favor?

[Olney Blue]

3. Pawlenty was played like a violin.

[TwilightGardener]

4. Mittens, Holy Joe and Pawlenty learned just what sort of bastard McLoon really is.

The rest of us figured it out, though.

[EC]

5. I wonder if there will be some changing of parties soon

with some of these Republicans that were discarded?

[Zambero]

6. Please, let's just keep them in the GOP

One big (hee-hee) happy family!

[ryanmuegge]

8. What exactly is going on here? Why do they feel so wronged by McCain?

Other than him not choosing them and taking somebody who was not as well-known (or as experienced)?

[Thor_MN]

9. Timmy as VP would leave Molnau to "Bridge" out his term

There isn't the slightest chance that Timmy could have delivered Minnesota's electoraol votes. He was a non-starter from the get-go.

[jimshoes]

10. No offense but Pawlenty just doesn't

look very good in a skirt.

[Shiver]

11. Something I've been wondering now...

... is, if Palin withdraws like many seem to be expecting her to, would Pawlenty or Romney even accept the offer of the VP slot on the GOP ticket? Sources have said the two feel like they were strung along and used, and combine that with McCain's recent showing of incredibly poor judgment - hilarious as it is - the two might think it more politically expedient to gracefully turn him down.

Then again... they are Republicans...


~Shiver

[nichomachus]

13. Of course they would

You're offering someone a chance to be the next president of the US -- with 70 percent probability -- in the next four years. No politician would turn that down. At the very least, if elected, they'd be an incumbent and could run for the top spot in 2012.

However, it will sting to be first runner-up to a cipher.

[Shiver]

15. It was a random musing, I admit...

...and I think there are some would turn it down, but you're likely right in this case. Personally, though, I think the number of people who would have said "yes" may have dwindled in the past three days after this fiasco.

And technically, Palin herself is the first runner-up; the one McNugget wanted was Lieberman. It has to sting even more to be picked third. I'd feel like that guy in gym class, not good enough for the first or second round of choosing teams, but feeling slightly better than the fat kid or the kid with thick glasses and a runny nose...


~Shiver

[pokercat999]

16. 70% probability? Where does that come from. Or do you mean

there is a 70% probablity that they (the rethugs) will lose????

Right now given the electorial college stats I've seen, I'd say that Obama/Biden has a 90+ chaNCE of winning......maybe higher, without fraud. Throw in the fraud that's sure to take place and it's 55-45 McSame and whoever.


EDIT:MISSED WORD/SPELLING

[Thor_MN]

25. I think they meant 70%, if elected, of becoming Pres. by McBush kicking the bucket.

Or becoming incapacitated to the point of having to resign.


I don't think there is much chance of the GOP holding the White House - they have the exact opposite of incumbency. They have the White House, but the majority of the nation actively hate the current administration. It was amazing to watch most of the "librul" media hyping a hurricane, inflating its scale to help get * and Chenney from having to show up at the convention. CNN and Fox were showing 4 and 5 and tossing the word major around like it was the only adjective they knew, while the weather channel and NOAA were saying 3.

[pokercat999]

28. OK my misread, I guess.

[True_Blue]

34. More like 95%. He hasn't been looking very well lately.

He looks like he's about to keel over in this pic...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=6838877&mesg_id=6838877

He's clutching his chest in this one.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=6858385&mesg_id=6858385

I think he's getting run down from all the campaigning.

[nichomachus]

29. I made it up

First rule of political prognosticating -- make shit up. The more specific the number, the more people take you seriously. Nobody is going to remember what you said if you're wrong. If you're right, you bring it up endlessly to prove how smart you are.

For example, never say "A lot of women won't vote for Palin." Say, "Some 86.5 percent of women have said they won't vote for Palin." See, it sounds so much more believable.

[pokercat999]

32. lol ok I'll start using it but won't I sound like Rush, Hannity,

O'Lielly, Beck and the rest?.......maybe not

[calimary]

19. They'd fall in line like good little sheep. But I doubt she's gonna give up.

Seriously doubt it. I wouldn't if I were she. History and opportunism, y'know.

[CK_John]

12. Maybe McCain told him Thur but forgot who he told on Fri. n/t

[Octafish]

17. Turd's puhlenty happy not to be chosen.

BushGOP is a sinking ship and Cap'n McCain is taking everybody down with him.

[Stellabella]

18. HA ha!

Think 'The Simpson's' Nelson Muntz.

couldn't happen to a nicer guy.

I hate him. Timmy the tool, that is.

[Edgewater_Joe]

20. Hey, He Should Sit Tight For A Few More Days

The way Palin is imploding, it wouldn't surprise me to see a vacancy for McSame's other sidekick.

[dflprincess]

21. LTTE in today's Star Tribune about what Pawlenty's ambitions have cost Minnesota

http://www.startribune.com/opinion/letters/27677834.html?elr=KArksc8P:Pc:UHDaaDyiUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aULPQL7PQLanchO7DiU

For years Minnesota has sacrificed for Gov. Tim Pawlenty. When our roads and bridges decayed, it was so GOP leaders would know Pawlenty was a good conservative foot-soldier. When state funds to cities were cut, it was so Pawlenty could demonstrate his conservative bona fides to Beltway Republicans. When education funds were slashed, it was so that Pawlenty could prove he was ready to be a vice presidential candidate. Now Pawlenty is not John McCain's vice presidential pick! So why has Minnesota sacrificed so much on behalf of Tim Pawlenty's failed ambitions?

[dysfunctional press]

22. pawlenty on the ticket might have been really bad news for al franken

in a close race, it might have been enough to help norm coleman down ticket.

[Thor_MN]

26. No one in Minnesota would vote for Timmy. He sucks, but his Lt. Governor, Transporation Commisioner

Carol Molnau, couldn't handle the two hats of Lt. Gov and Transporation Commissioner, how's she going to be able to be Governor? The 35W bridge isn't finished being rebuilt yet and people will remember the old one going down for a long time...

[zehnkatzen]

23. Poor Fella. Someone call out the Waaahmbulance for him, neh? K/R

The very definition of schadenfreude is the feeling one gets when one looks at the dismay of a republican getting screwed over by another republican.

[NJCher]

24. ah but

It also shows the desperation revealed in McCain's decision to go with Palin. Apparently Pawlenty felt all along he was getting a fair shot, which indicates he may have been seriously considered. But in a moment of desperation, McCain's advisers decided Palin would add what they needed for the ticket.

I think this says more about McCain's perceived needs than it does about Pawlenty's qualifications for the ticket.



Cher

[Doctor_J]

27. They should be more shaken about a corrupt, inexperienced winger

being a heartbeat away from having to face Putin, Kim, Chavez, and a billion Chinese.

[LibDemAlways]

30. Internal polling no doubt showed a McCain/Pawlenty ticket to

be a sure loser. McCain was like a guy in the produce department who had been told to buy a banana but found them all bruised and unappealing. He went with the one he thought looked the best at the time, only to discover it was the worst of the bunch. Tough ass, John.

[EndElectoral]

31. Wonder what it does for the ego to be told Palin is the most qualified candidate for the job?

I wonder what Romney, Ridge, Pawlenty, Hutchison, Thompson, Guliani, Huckabee, and Leiberman feel like to be told essentially they are LESS qualified than a 20 month Gov. of Alaska?

You got to beleive they shake their heads in disgust privately when MCcain';s spokespeople say this despite putting on the mask publicly.

A lot of people want her to drop out. I sure don't. This works wonderfully in our favor. Frankly, this soap opera is evern going to get better as we find out what books she wanted banned from the Wassila public library. Too good to be true. THanks John.

[yardwork]

33. I have no sympathy for Republicans. Lie down with dogs, wake up with fleas.

If Pawlenty were a decent person he would not be a Republican. It's as simple as that.

[4lbs]

35. Pawlenty is the wrong gender for Johnny boy

Maybe if Tim Pawlenty was Tina Pawlenty and looked like Heidi Montag or Elizabeth Hasselbeck he, ahem, SHE, would have stood a chance.