Godfather of no?

Posted at 8:21 AM on July 31, 2008 by Tom Scheck

The New York Sun has an interesting story on how the parties are gearing up to rip the VP picks for John McCain and Barack Obama. Here's the dossier on Pawlenty:

The perception battle would take hold in earnest if Mr. McCain choose one of several lesser-known senators and governors reportedly under serious consideration. Governor Pawlenty of Minnesota, a 47-year-old in his second term, could help Mr. McCain carry the Gopher State, which has voted blue in recent elections. Democrats are likely to argue that the selection of Mr. Pawlenty, an ally of the Christian right, indicates that Mr. McCain is worried about his standing with conservatives. Democrats may also point to Mr. Pawlenty's frequent vetoes of bills passed by the state legislature, which caused the Minnesota Star-Tribune to label him the "Godfather of No" in a headline. The governor has also attracted the ire of fiscal conservatives, who accuse him of reneging on a pledge not to raise taxes. Mr. Pawlenty and his supporters say taxes were not raised, merely fees -- an argument that mirrors one made by Mr. Romney against criticism by Mr. McCain and others to defend his efforts to close a budget gap in Massachusetts.

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