So you may have already heard, but Gov. Tim Pawlenty was just announced as a Co-Chair of the McCain Presidential exploratory committee.

ALEXANDRIA, VA – U.S. Senator John McCain’s presidential exploratory committee today announced that Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty will serve as National Co-Chair of Senator John McCain’s presidential campaign should he decide to run.

In his role as National Co-Chair, Pawlenty would help lead Senator McCain’s presidential campaign and provide strategic guidance on its direction.

“Senator McCain has been a strong leader and common sense conservative in the U.S. Senate and will continue to be in the White House,” Pawlenty said. “As our country pursues the War on Terror, we need a seasoned leader with international affairs and national security experience. I’m honored and excited to help Senator McCain’s efforts to become our next President.”

Senator McCain stated that he deeply appreciated the support of Pawlenty. “Tim is a good friend and a great leader. He has implemented a reform agenda that has moved Minnesota forward and has done so with character and integrity. If I decide to run for president, Tim’s help and advice will be something my campaign will look forward to and rely on.”

Get a room you two.

Well, I can’t say I am surprised, but I am worried. Pawlenty’s internal-Minnesota organization for McCain has already created waves through the back channels of the Minnesota Republicans, and many of us are flat offended of even being asked if we’d support the guy. More and more leaders of the Party, seem to be caving to the Pawlenty pressure to back McCain. And that will be the final downfall of the conservative movement in Minnesota.

McCain is the anti-conservative in the GOP. He’s far from principled, and long on populism, neither are the traits skeptical conservatives looking at the post Bush GOP are willing to deal with. The notion ‘but he can beat Hillary’ means nothing to the rank and file conservatives. If Pawlenty is successful in twisting enough arms so McCain gets the nod, he will be rewarded handsomely with an new address to put on his letterhead.

McCain is going to pick Pawlenty for his Veep spot folks. McPlenty©! That’s it. Even if it isn’t McCain, Pawlenty is the only name even being bantered about for that position. I think he is the front runner for number two.

Meanwhile, Minnesota conservatives will see their one glimmer, albeit a dim one, hope of fending off the DFL agenda which includes massive tax increases, Universal (near single payer) health care by 2010, and oppressive increases in government interventions into every day life; pack up and head for the White House, despite all we have sacrificed for him. Be it issues or majorities, I think Pawlenty owes Minnesota Republicans far more than we owe him. Sure he has made advances in some conservative areas, but too few in the broader conservative area to leave a conservative legacy.

That will leave Minnesota in the hands of Lt. Gov. Carol Molnau, and I am sorry, I am not too impressed so far. She’s been playing duo roles as the token Lt. Guv and MNDOT head. Well, MNDOT seems to be running even worse than usual. In fact, the department seems to have been completely transformed into the Department of TRANSIT. (not transportation) The fact that there are more plans for LRT than major highway improvements is a failure to Republican principles if you ask me.

But the writing is on the wall folks, or rather uHauls are being warmed up. The one time rumored ‘next Governor’ Pat Anderson(former State Auditor), is now moving into the Pawlenty administration. This puts her in place to replace Molnau as Lt. Gov once Pawlenty is measuring the drapes in DC. I’m telling you folks, the man doesn’t just do things. He’s very calculating.

But I digress. The time is now to put an end to this notion that populist, centrist, opportunists are what best represents the Republican party. We’re at a breaking point in the GOP both in Minnesota and nationally. Minnesota conservatives like myself are having to not only convince the State Party that moderation is far from the key to rebounding from the 2006 elections, but nationally there is a leadership vacuum that the opportune McCain seems all to willing to fill, despite his shortfalls in the area.

Unfortunately Pawlenty has decided to take yet another position that many many in his own party will be praying he fails on, to push McCain upon us and tell us to like it. In fact, there will be very many powerful people with in the Republican party, and in the market place for ideas, fighting against Pawlenty/McCain on this latest mission. I worry it will be the final straw with the varying conservative wings of the MNGOP, and Pawlenty will be damaged goods for Minnesota legislative negotiations.

Time will tell just how big a mistake this will be for Pawlenty, but I am far too worried that he is taking the conservatives for granted, again. This would be an excellent time for the Republican Party of Minnesota to put out some type of statement saying that this new role Pawlenty has taken on, does not in any way express the sentiment of the Republican Party or its members as a whole. The party should also remind people that there are many other people considering a run and it is far too early to lock in with McPlenty© since we still don’t have the full field in front of us.

But I am worried that the MNGOP will just follow Pawlenty where ever he goes. Heck there are some people I have talked to with in the upper ranks of the GOP circles, or close to them, who have already fallen prey to the media mantra of McCain can beat Hillary. I haven’t lost complete respect for the McCain backers. Many look at his military service and that alone. How can you argue against it? (I am not BTW)

I encourage everyone to take a long hard critical look at Senator McCain’s record. It is Senator McCain who we will be voting for, not the war hero.

McCain-Feingold

The Gang of 14

Senate Immigration Bills (otherwise known as amnesty bills)

Those are my 3 main hang ups off the top of my head.

So in summation, I am one Republican who opposes John McCain for President. He is the worst person to have lead our party in these dark and dire days for us. We do not need someone trying to redefine what we stand for to meet their needs and aspirations. That seems to be what Pawlenty and McCain have in common most. Simply defeating the Democrats should not be our only desire in these times. Getting America and its government back on a limited track should be, and McCain is the worst possible choice for that. He aligns more with our political opponents on many issues regarding Government’s role in our lives.

Sadly it is just far too easy to see bith Pawlenty or McCain willing to be mavericks when the party needs them most. On votes and issues, McCain and Pawlenty play the polls not the principles. That is not the sign of a reliable leader. We had 8 years of that, it didn’t work out too well, and oh yeah, it was a Democrat. Team McPlenty© may be gathering strength, but not my support. If the Republican party needs to change everything it stands for in order to suit the top of the ticket, just what the heck are we supposed to do with the rest of it?

Now that team McPlenty© seems like much more than a pipedream, it is high time for the MNGOP to decide just what the heck its role is. Is our party organization nothing more than a cheerleading squad for Pawlenty, a mere GOTV and 3 month campaign organization which merely attacks Democrats, or where conservatives can come to make a difference and affect public policy and get good solid conservatives elected to office?

Quite frankly I know where I think Ron Carey’s MNGOP is going, I hope to god he has the courage to prove me wrong. Now is the time to prove you have the fortitude Mr. Carey. Prove to your detractors like me, that you are not Tim Pawlenty’s lapdog. Where he’s going, most conservative Minnesota Republicans, and others in across the nation, aren’t willing to go. Draw the line of just how far Pawlenty can go, before he drags what little hope is left in our party, over the cliff with him.

Now is the time to show that you are more than a follower. You’re the Republican Party chair. Your job is not to defend Pawlenty and the other (on the ballot) Republicans who are changing their tunes now that the heat is on. That will not attract voters too us, in fact the opposite. When what we stand for is ‘too risky’ for election times, how the heck are we going to convince voters it is good the rest of the time.

Closed Circuit to RNC: Does anyone know if Bob Dole is free? How about Ross Perot? )

I’m sure some of you may not be happy with things I have said above. I’m more than willing to listen, but only if it is constructive debate.

Closed Circuit to Newt: Next September will be far too late! Now is the time.

This entry was posted on Monday, January 15th, 2007 at 7:57 pm and is filed under 2008, A.R.O.R.A., MN Governor, McPlenty, National, Politics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.