What, exactly, is Pawlenty’s new GOP message? At Aspen, he said that Republicans should be hopeful and optimistic, that voters “don’t want to follow cranks.”
A fiscal and social conservative, Pawlenty said that Republican rhetoric has run too hot and angry in recent years, alienating potential new voters and so-called Reagan Democrats looking for a more positive message.
That all sounds well and good. But in his new post as the vice-chairman of the RGA, will he really be able to put those words into action? I seriously doubt it. Let’s take a look at Pawlenty’s job description with the RGA:
Governor Pawlenty will work closely with RGA Chairman Haley Barbour to ensure that Republicans running in the 39 upcoming governor elections will have the resources and support they need to win.
Dusty Trice, putting on his Haley Barbour decoder ring, says this means raising money for negative attack ads. There’s no doubt about that; Pawlenty may also be called on to unleash negative attacks himself. Here’s the thing — 3rd-party advertisers like the RGA just don’t do “hopeful and optimistic.” Their job is to fling mud so the candidate doesn’t have to. Don’t expect Pawlenty to treat the job any differently. I think we’ll find that, while Pawlenty says he wants a more positive message, he’ll get soon be down in the mud just like the rest of the GOP.
So Pawlenty’s got another “new” job.
Anyone remember this criticism directed at Governors who do not seek re-election ?
“And so, as I thought about this announcement, that I wouldn’t run for re-election and what that means for Alaska, I thought about, well, how much fun some governors have as lame ducks. They maybe travel around their state, travel to other states, maybe take their overseas international trade missions. So many politicians do that. And then I thought, that’s what wrong. Many just accept that lame duck status and they hit the road, they draw a paycheck, they kind of milk it, and I’m not going to put Alaskans through that.”
Although Palin may be an “odd duck”, Pawlenty is a shrewd strategist that will not leave his power position even if others call it a “lame duck” period. Pawlenty realizes that he can “hit the road” visiting other states political infrastructure (shaking hands and getting to know the county party leaders and the big donors) while still using the title Governor of Minnesota.
Does anyone else remember during the Penny-Moe-Pawlenty-Pentel the questioning and criticism of Ventura’s travels and “other jobs”, Pawlenty promised that being Governor would be his only job … that lasted as long as it took for WCCO to offer air time.
The fact that RGA group has such a weak bench that they have a lame duck chairman and lame duck vice-chairman should tell voters that even Republican Governors do not think much of Bobby Jindhl, Mitch Daniels, Mike Rounds, etc.