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Jewish World Review Dec. 21, 2010 / 14 Teves, 5771 He's colorless but competent --- and he may yet be president By Jack Kelly
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
When Tim Pawlenty became governor of Minnesota in 2003, the state faced a budget shortfall of more than $4 billion. Mr. Pawlenty balanced the budget without raising taxes, despite fierce opposition from the Democrat-controlled legislature.
This is comparable to what Mitch Daniels has accomplished in Indiana, better than what Bobby Jindal and Chris Christie have so far been able to do in Louisiana and New Jersey, respectively.
On national issues, Gov. Pawlenty has taken solidly conservative, but frequently imaginative positions. His political career and personal life have been scandal free.
A candidate with more pizzazz who had a record like Mr. Pawlenty's would be prominent in the buzz about the GOP presidential nomination in 2012. But Mr. Pawlenty is dull, deadly dishwater dull. He's a Republican Scoop Jackson. (It was said of the honest, earnest, industrious Democrat from Washington state that if he gave a fireside chat, the fire would go out.)
Mr. Pawlenty's dullness is the reason why he should be given more consideration, thinks law professor William Jacobson.
"One of my theories is that the best chance to defeat (President Barack) Obama in 2012 is to make the election about Obama, not about the Republican candidate," Mr. Jacobson wrote on his blog (Legal Insurrection).
The midterm elections support Prof. Jacobson's theory. In those races where the focus was on the Obama administration, Republicans did very well. But in those races where the focus was on the Republican candidate (e.g., Sharron Angle in Nevada, Christine O'Donnell in Delaware), the Republican usually lost.
Prof. Jacobson is an admirer of Sarah Palin, but notes nominating her "would be like sticking a red hot branding iron in the face of the Washington establishment...Palin v. Obama would be like WWIII. Maybe that's a battle which needs to be fought, but I don't think anyone can say it keeps the focus on Obama."
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney would be considered the front runner if Ms. Palin doesn't run. But Gov. Romney has two major, and one minor problem.
Republicans want to make repeal of Obamacare the central issue in 2012. This would be difficult to do if the author of Romneycare in Massachusetts is the Republican candidate.
Mr. Romney's strong background in finance may make him the person best qualified to lead us out of our current economic troubles. But the key swing vote in 2010 were working class whites. The only people they dislike as much as big government liberals are Wall Street bankers. Pat Toomey, a strong candidate, nearly lost the senate race in Pennsylvania because Democrats harped on his work on Wall Street more than a decade before.
Mr. Romney's religion shouldn't be an issue. But being a Mormon, alas, is more controversial than being a Catholic or a Presbyterian.
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has some wonderful ideas, but more baggage than Samsonite.
Fiscal conservatives and national security hawks distrust former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. And, Prof. Jacobson predicts, "Democrats will try to turn Huckabee into a caricature of an evangelical."
There isn't much in Tim Pawlenty's eight year record of boring competence in Minnesota for Democrats and their allies in the news media to distort. After "all drama Obama," Americans might find boring refreshing. They certainly would find competence a welcome change.
Mr. Pawlenty isn't the only potential candidate who fits the bill. Indiana Gov. Daniels has an equally impressive record of accomplishment, is more colorful (he rides a Harley), and is a better speaker. Gov. Jindal actually is as smart as Barack Obama imagines himself to be, and has attracted attention as the first Indian-American to be elected to so lofty a position. Gov. Christie is a YouTube sensation.
But Gov. Daniels gratuitously has offended social conservatives and alarmed national security hawks. Govs. Jindal and Christie have only recently assumed their offices (Jindal in 2008, Christie in January), and have said they will not run for president.
Compared to the other potential candidates,Tim Pawlenty is vanilla. But vanilla is the most popular ice cream flavor in America. In 2012, it might be the most popular flavor in presidential candidates.
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JWR contributor Jack Kelly, a former Marine and Green Beret, was a deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force in the Reagan administration.
© 2009, Jack Kelly |
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