Why it wasn't Pawlenty...

Posted at 6:25 PM on August 29, 2008 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)

ABC News has a backgrounder on how McCain came to pick Palin. It offers this nugget on Pawlenty:

Pawlenty had been the youthful pick advisers believed would represent a fresh direction -- and one they could use to argue the Republican VP pick was more experienced than the Democratic presidential nominee. But Pawlenty's flaw -- what cost him the VP -- was that he would not have stirred things up. He was safe, and McCain was not inclined to take the safe route.

The campaign secretly flew Palin into Dayton last night. She and McCain met privately for a couple of hours. McCain concluded she would "shake up the system" and was "a maverick," qualities he believed Lieberman would have brought to the ticket. But she also would appeal to conservatives -- which Lieberman most certainly would not have done.

After their meeting, McCain concluded he was comfortable with his choice. He notified Pawlenty this morning that he was going in a different direction.

Question of the Day: How much of this had to do with "Shaking up the ticket?" rather than going after the undecided or disgruntled Hillary Clinton voters and shoring up the Christian conservative base?

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Comments (3)

The sad part, for Tim, is that he would have been just as acceptable in terms of shoring up the Christian conservative base.

He doesn't wear it on his sleeve, but he's been there for them--speaking at Bachmann's "no gay marriage" rally in St. Paul, courting votes on local evangelical radio, stuff like that.

Palin will get the endorsement of the evangelical right--Dobson of Focus on the Family was all ready with a "wonderful choice" sound byte today when the decision was announced.

That means millions of votes to McCain, because the evangelicals have a fine GOTV organization on the ground, and all that media airtime to push the McCain candidacy up to election day.

Posted by Bill Prendergast | August 29, 2008 11:31 PM

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McCain had to pick a nobody, because his other options wouldn't work. Romney is too rich and Mormon, and Lieberman is pro-choice (as is Tom Ridge). That left nobody Pawlenty. But if he had to pick a nobody, why not pick one with ovaries? Thus, Palin.

It is hardly an exaggeration to say this is how he chose her. I'm sure of it.

Posted by Doctor Gonzo | August 30, 2008 12:07 PM

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I hope at some point a reporter will ask Senator McCain if prior to asking Governor Palin he had asked others but they turned him down.

I still find it disengenous of Mr. Pawlenty that he did not remove himself from consideration and speculation based on his pledge to serve his full term. I think this speaks volumes about the lack of integrity.

Posted by TickDAd | August 31, 2008 8:59 PM

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