T-Paw drops out of the GOP Race

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nageov3t

Lifer
Feb 18, 2004
42,808
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Former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty dropped out of the race for the Republican presidential nomination on Sunday, hours after finishing a disappointing third in the Iowa straw poll.

"I wish it would have been different, but obviously the pathway forward for me doesn't exist so we are going to end the campaign," Pawlenty said on ABC's This Week programme...

Pawlenty, 50, had seemed to have all the right ingredients as a candidate. His blue-collar upbringing offered him a natural rapport with middle-class America. He governed as a fiscal hardliner in a left-leaning state, winning his second term in a year when Republicans elsewhere got drubbed. He made inroads with the right crowds and assembled an all-star cast of advisers with plenty of presidential campaign experience.

But he struggled to connect. He came off as bland and rehearsed next to more dynamic contenders, and languished in the polls. Rick Perry's announcement of his candidacy on Saturday pushed Pawlenty further to the side.
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http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/aug/14/tim-pawlenty-quits-republican-race

he's in a bad place... he can't out-fund raise Romney (or probably Perry) and he can't out-crazy/populist Bachmann.

the Huntsman campaign seems DOA too, but at least he's a billionaire and can just cut himself checks until his ego runs out.
 
Schadenfroh

Schadenfroh

Elite Member
Mar 8, 2003
38,416
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This is going to be a showdown between Perry and Romney. Bachmann's supporters will eventually rally behind Perry. Romney has the best chance of defeating Obama, Perry has the best chance at winning the GOP Primary.
 
Lemon law

Lemon law

Lifer
Nov 6, 2005
20,984
3
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I thought Pawlenty would do better, as he was one of the few 2012 GOP POTUS contenders that I thought could appeal the the rational mainstream GOP voter.

But I also wonder if Pawlenty will seek a political future, Which might require running for other offices or finding some position where he stays in the public eye.
 
Thump553

Thump553

Lifer
Jun 2, 2000
12,839
2,625
136
Lemon law said:
I thought Pawlenty would do better, as he was one of the few 2012 GOP POTUS contenders that I thought could appeal the the rational mainstream GOP voter.
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The rational portion of the GOP is a tiny minority of the primary activists and it looks like Romney has them all locked up. Look for the former ambassador to China (name escapes me at the moment) to also fade away.

Pawlenty also pretty much killed any chance he had when he wouldn't go after Romeny face to face in the debate about a month before, when he was bad mouthing Romney (Obamaromney care or some such label he used) just the day before. He ended up looking like a total spineless wuss.

Pawlenty could be back as a VP nominee if one of the wingbats gets the nomination. Its a natural role for him anyway.
 
Lemon law

Lemon law

Lifer
Nov 6, 2005
20,984
3
0
CaptnKirk said:
At least T-Paw realized he had been beaten by a Fruit Bat.
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But look at it this way, fruit bats go into hibernation in early November.
 
R

Rainsford

Lifer
Apr 25, 2001
17,515
0
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Thump553 said:
The rational portion of the GOP is a tiny minority of the primary activists and it looks like Romney has them all locked up. Look for the former ambassador to China (name escapes me at the moment) to also fade away.
...
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That's kind of the problem with all this primary stuff. The media needs something to cover, so they cover it. But the PEOPLE who get deeply involved this early represent the most dedicated political activists..."dedicated" in this context meaning "radical".
 
R

Rainsford

Lifer
Apr 25, 2001
17,515
0
0
Schadenfroh said:
This is going to be a showdown between Perry and Romney. Bachmann's supporters will eventually rally behind Perry. Romney has the best chance of defeating Obama, Perry has the best chance at winning the GOP Primary.
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I wonder if Romney could even pull some liberal voters away from Obama? I don't think liberals are super happy with Obama at the moment, and while they might not like all Romney's policies, they could see him as just an alternative to try. At least as long as he's not too tarred by the crazy brush from Bachmann and the Tea Party in general.

I suspect you're right though; Perry will probably end up with the nomination. The problem with Romney might be that he's TOO middle of the road and Republicans might fear he'll be unable to attract the Tea Party demographic to the polls at all.
 
C

Craig234

Lifer
May 1, 2006
38,548
350
126
Rainsford said:
That's kind of the problem with all this primary stuff. The media needs something to cover, so they cover it. But the PEOPLE who get deeply involved this early represent the most dedicated political activists..."dedicated" in this context meaning "radical".
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It's worse than that when you look at it - paying voters basically for one thing reportedly.

In 2008, McCain came in tenth.

It's a harmful thing - it takes one very small radical group and makes them important in the race simply, as you say, be the media treating them as important as 'the first election'.

It gives a ton of free media and a boost to the radical candidate who is THEIR choice.
 
M

matt0611

Golden Member
Oct 22, 2010
1,879
0
0
Good, Pawlenty sucks, just another fucking worthless big government warmongering neo-con.

Good riddance.
 
Generator

Generator

Senior member
Mar 4, 2005
793
0
0
He's the VP for Romney. But Perry got the Kochs in his corner. Romney gonna run out of money.
 
glenn1

glenn1

Lifer
Sep 6, 2000
25,383
1,013
126
Generator said:
He's the VP for Romney. But Perry got the Kochs in his corner. Romney gonna run out of money.
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Possibly, although IMHO Mark Rubio (freshman Florida Senator) is more likely; he brings more to the table than Pawlenty.
 
ProfJohn

ProfJohn

Lifer
Jul 28, 2006
18,161
7
0
Generator said:
He's the VP for Romney. But Perry got the Kochs in his corner. Romney gonna run out of money.
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Romney is worth $200 million. Last time he spent a few million of his own money and will do the same this time if need be.

He won't run out of money unless he runs out of supporters first. Then it becomes all about the ego, like Cain a guy who can't win but will spend his own money so he can stick around and get some attention.
 
Engineer

Engineer

Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
39,230
701
126
ProfJohn said:
Romney is worth $200 million. Last time he spent a few million of his own money and will do the same this time if need be.

He won't run out of money unless he runs out of supporters first. Then it becomes all about the ego, like Cain a guy who can't win but will spend his own money so he can stick around and get some attention.
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Romney's net worth was estimated yesterday to be "up to" $250 million. What's a few million here and there. Might even stimulate the economy a tad, lol! :p
 
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