Politics & Government
Eagan's Tim Pawlenty Hangs Up Bid For President
Former Minnesota governor garnered fewer than half the votes received by Michele Bachmann, who won the mini-election Saturday in Ames, Iowa.
Timmy, we hardly knew ye. Tim Pawlenty hung up his bid for president after finishing a distant third in Iowa’s straw poll Saturday. Pawlenty garnered fewer than half the votes received by Michele Bachmann, who won the mini-election Saturday in Ames, Iowa. The former governor seemed to be running uphill during the duration of his campaign; when he tried to look tough, he looked desperate, and when he tried to be charitable he looked weak. Meanwhile, his Minnesota rival Bachmann keep swinging for the fences and connecting.
Fellow Republican Rick Santorum, who makes Pawlenty look like a commie pinko liberal when it comes to social issues, used the occasion to ramp up his campaign. Sunday found Santorum en route to Waterloo, Iowa, where he presumably will prepare to fight for space in the hearts and minds of Hawkeyes along with Bachmann, Ron Paul, Mitt Romney and Rick Perry.
…All of whom will now scramble for the pockets of support Pawlenty had picked up in Iowa, New Hampshire, and other sites of crucial early primaries. On CNN’s “State of the Union,” Bachmann jockeyed for a bit of extra exposure, telling Candy Crowley that back in her home state of Minnesota, Michele had support from Independents and Democrats along with Republicans. We’d be curious to hear from all those Democrats who love Bachmann.
Politico’s Maggie Haberman writes that Pawlenty’s attacks on Bachmann never did much (if any) damage. As an example, she points out that when Pawlenty wondered out loud if Bachmann’s migraine headaches might hamper her ability to lead, the comments backfired, causing some to brand T-Paw as sexist.
Pawlenty’s exit also creates a vacuum that will be filled quickly with fundraisers and supporters. Pawlenty had lined up some big-name backers in Florida -- including former Jeb Bush campaign chairman Phil Handy as his Florida chairman and former Bush speechwriter and Internet aggregator Justin Sayfie as a Florida co-chairman -- who will now need to hitch their wagon to what they see as the next-brightest star.
