Pawlenty Running for President

T Paw 2: Let's be honest, it's difficult to keep a big announcement secret in politics today. Usually some "source close to" the candidate lets some reporter know what's about to happen. Tim Pawlenty's announcement was a bit different. He pre-announced his own announcement. Aides let it out late last week that Pawlenty would announce his candidacy in Des Moines Monday. Well, not all aides. Eric Woolson, who signed on to lead Pawlenty's Iowa communications efforts still kept his lips mostly sealed to me on Sunday during our interview (and I wasn't even trying to get him to say what the announcement would be!) Woolson mentioned a few times the "major announcement" that was coming Monday. No leaks from him, gov.

Pawlenty provided his own leak, I guess you could say. He sent out a message on Facebook Sunday announcing what he would announce Monday. O.K., so much for the drama.

Pawlenty's campaign picked a picturesque setting for his Des Moines announcement Monday (by the way, how do Minnesotans feel about their former governor making his big announcement in Iowa rather than his home state?) using the roof/deck of the State Historical Building in downtown's East Village (yes, New Yorkers, Iowa has one, too). The golden dome of the capitol provided the backdrop and temperatures around 80 offered about the best weather one could hope this time of year. I doubt it will be difficult Tuesday to figure out whether your co-workers snuck off Monday to listen to the speech in person. Just look for the sunburn. If the campaign wanted to win over Iowans, maybe it could have offered some SPF protection (even the crotchety media-types would have had to accept that offer).

About 200 people came to hear the speech. Here's the verbatim of it. The crowd several times offered standing ovations, but this wasn't the loud rah-rah kind of announcement Iowans have seen in the past from some other candidates (Barack Obama to name one). Again and again, Pawlenty talked of the need to tell the truth to Americans. We'll see if this is the theme he uses during his Iowa campaign. If it is, expect to hear the Democrats offer their version of his truth, too. Democrats have made Pawlenty the prime target the past week. I counted 8 news releases from the party involving Pawlenty in the past 4 days. Is he the candidate they most fear right now? At least for now?

Pawlenty Returns to Iowa

It's T-Paw, II. Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, and likely 2012 presidential candidate (can I call him that yet?), is returning to Iowa in April. He will headline an event with the Iowans for Tax Relief. Four candidates for governor are also scheduled to appear. All 3 Repubs and Democratic former Des Moines school board member Jonathan Narcisse confirmed to be there. ITR said Governor Chet Culver's campaign never responded. Pawlenty is looking more and more like he is interested in Iowa (and running for president, of course).

Pawlenty last came to the metro for Republicans' Leadership for Iowa event November 7th at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. Although, his visit did get overshadowed a bit. The Republican candidates for governor also spoke that night and much of the attention focused on how former Governor Terry Branstad did in his debut (would it be re-debut?) before some Polk County Republicans. You might remember, I reported that weekend the reviews weren't all that impressive from him from the majority of people who talked to me about it.

Speaking of Governor Chet Culver... I first reported Wednesday that Culver's deputy campaign manager, Jesse Harris, was leaving the campaign to go work for Secretary of State Michael Mauro. It looks like I only had 1/2 of the departures though. Tom Beaumont of the Des Moines Register reports Grace Van Cleave, Culver's finance director, is also taking off. Culver's previous campaign manager, Andrew Roos, had already left the campaign.

This all happens as Culver deals with a recession, continuing downward poll numbers, talk that Democrats may not want him to run again and other talk that he could face a primary opponent (Narcisse? Someone else?)

More Pawlenty for President

Here's a roundup of the stories of Tim Pawlenty's first visit to Des Moines as a possible presidential contender for 2012:

Jonathan Martin for Politico wrote about how T-Paw came after President Obama.

Radio Iowa's O. Kay Henderson wrote about T-Paw borrowing (with a twist) Obama's campaign line

The Des Moines Register's Kathie Obradovich wrote about T-Paw's "smokin' hot wife". (Kathie also wasn't too impressed with Terry Branstad's speech later that night).

Lee Enterprises's Charlotte Eby wrote about how T-Paw said Dems should focus on jobs.
gave T-Paw a positive write-up.

theiowarepublican.com gave T-Paw a positive write-up.

The Associated Press's Mike Glover wrote how T-Paw wants Iowans to focus their anger.

The Iowa Independent's Jason Hancock wrote about how T-Paw urged Iowa Republicans to stick together.

Pawlenty for President

Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty had his "coming out" before more than 500 Iowa Republicans Saturday night at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines. He has been here before, of course. But in 2008, he was here as John McCain's sidekick and cheerleader in McCain's ill-fated presidential run, both in Iowa and in the U.S. This was his first Iowa visit as the main attraction. He told Iowans he is also from the heartland, he shares their values and he won't be afraid to use the word, God. He also went out of his way to praise his wife, and in doing so, became, I presume, the first possible presidential candidate to come to Iowa and quote Ricky Bobby from "Talladega Nights" (I'm told from a Minneapolis reporter, this is a line he has used often...what? A politician recycles an applause line from audience to audience?) This morning Pawlenty's Twitter account tweeted a behind-the-scenes-look at the event last night, which includes the joke about his wife. Watch it below, along with original. Can anyone really deliver it as well as Ricky Bobby?

One clip you won't see is what can happen when an out-of-state politician comes to town to do the obligatory praise of that state's politicians. Pawlenty mistakenly called Iowa Sec. of Ag Bill Northey, "Dave", and called State Auditor Dave Vaudt, Dave "Voyt". Oops. He did correct Vaudt's name. I bet Pawlenty will get another chance to get it right:)