NY Times:
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It is an uncertain gambit for Mr. Pawlenty, who rose through the ranks of state politics over nearly two decades and now faces the tumult of a Republican presidential primary in which the path to the nomination is far from clear. And seeking to keep a foot in all Republican camps, rather than concentrating on a more targeted slice of voters, could leave the impression that he is trying too hard.
His record as a fiscally conservative governor in a politically divided state is solid, but he still faces stiff competition winning over Tea Party supporters. An evangelical Christian, Mr. Pawlenty has yet to build a loyal following among religious conservatives. He lacks a deep fund-raising network and his name recognition is low, but he was among the finalists Senator John McCain was considering for his running mate in 2008.
Yet in a prospective field whose most prominent members have some heavy baggage as well as higher profiles, one of Mr. Pawlenty’s strongest assets could be the opportunity to sell himself on his own terms — in policy and personal style.
Unlike Newt Gingrich, he does not have the political scars that come with a long career under intense scrutiny. He does not enjoy the intensity of support directed at Sarah Palin, nor does he generate the passion of her detractors. And Mitt Romney’s efforts to remake himself as more of a social conservative provide an object lesson in handling questions about authenticity.
“I think the people who get tossed around in this process are people who don’t have their compass set, who don’t have their feet firmly planted on the ground,” Mr. Pawlenty said in an interview. “And then they start to just grab for the wind and they flop around. That’s not me.”
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I think he can be a contender. Perhaps his biggest advantage is that no one passionately dislikes him. The downside is that no one passionately likes him that much beyond his immediate family. While he seems charisma challenged, my reaction to him is that he would be OK, and would be an upgrade over Obama.
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