GOP Veep Signals?

This from the Evans-Novak Political Report:

Republicans: Republicans have set up camp about a mile down the road from the Pepsi Center, hoping to distract from the convention and spread the theme that Obama is not ready to be President.

1. This theme flows, in part, from primary—season assertions by Biden and Clinton that Obama is unprepared to be President, and would require "on—the—job training." It is also flexible enough to be applied to almost any critique, and it resounds with undecided voters.
   
   
2. The lineup of McCain surrogates coming to Denver is interesting—including four possible VP picks. Former Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina on Monday will be part of a Democrats and independents for McCain squad, while former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney will highlight the GOP push—back on Tuesday and Wednesday. Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty is the anchor leg, responding to Obama on Thursday.

This made me wonder if McCain is telegraphing his VP choice.  Tim Pawlenty's name has been going around and around for weeks, and I am surprised.  I am not familiar with Gov. Pawlenty except for the voice he raised in the immigration debates, in which he, as the executive of his state, took enforcement matters seriously and did the job that the Federal Government didn't want to do.

I'm also happy to see that the McCain team is getting into the fray with a strategy and a theme.

Comments

[Ted]

Despite the Dems and the allied main stream media’s desperation to see Romney as McCain’s Veep, Mitt is clearly out, with (1) Obama doubling down on the class warfare theme (McCain’s 7 houses) and (2) McCain doubling down with ads showing the hypocrisy of Biden attacking Obama in the primaries — Romney did way more than that contra McCain.

This leaves only Govs Sarah Palin and Tim Pawlenty. Pro-abortion Ridge and Dem-Lieberman were never real considerations, despite relentless media goading. Pawlenty’s lackluster TV performances, coupled with Palin pizzazz, the primacy of oil drilling and the ticked off women/Hillary voters, does now portend a McCain/Palin checkmate on the Dems. This is so albeit the Dems and liberal media dare not mention Palin’s name, that is, everyone but…..

And if there’s any question as to Palin being uniquely positioned and able to more than nullify Biden in debate, see the excellent discussion at palinforvp.blogspot.com

Team McCain, well done!!!

[MJSamuelson]

I could support Tim Pawlenty or Sarah Palin, or even Romney if it came down to it. So long as Tom Ridge is totally out of the running.

[defender]

Alaska politics rarely trickle down to lower latitudes. I don't think I've yet seen wide circulation of news of the current Alaska drama .

Although she nearly made a career of cleaning up Republican politics in the Last Frontier, Palin is currently under fire for an alleged gross misuse of power. Just the noise about this issue may be enough to knock her out of VP consideration. If the accusations are found to be true, there is a pretty good chance of impeachment proceedings in Alaska.

Sorry, no good news here:

http://www.adn.com/monegan/story/499248.html

[bbmoe]

I have very mixed feelings about a Palin nomination, but they have nothing to do with politics. And I note, she isn't in the "Mess With The Convention" lineup this week.

I'm glad the Jindal talk has died down. He doesn't have his chops, although the amount and kind of experience he's getting already puts Obama in the shade. Jindal is really, really! community organizing. He will be an amazing candidate 8 years down the road if things go well for him in LA.

Tom Ridge- ugh!

I want McCain to have a VP pick who isn't a Senator. Wouldn't that be a nice change?

[Rachel]

I like Eric Cantor. But would settle for Pawlenty. He does tend to have the -deer in the headlights- look. That makes me nervous.
No way on Palin and if it's Ridge, well color me code red with anger.
McCain called Romney a pig during the primaries. No way will he pick him. And frankly Romney comes off as a guy who will say anything to get elected. I really can't see why so many are promoting him. I don't get it.