Blogs and Stories
Governor Cool
Minnesota’s Tim Pawlenty talks about his plans for a new, hipper GOP—and why it might have for the best that he didn’t get the veep nomination.
Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty is super nice, which may be why, in the end, John McCain skipped over this stalwart surrogate for the somewhat folksier Sarah Palin. But he may yet finish first. His low-key charm and successful record on key issues (primarily energy and education) have propelled him to the top tier of possible Republican nominees for 2012.
Pawlenty governs his mostly blue state as a pragmatic conservative, not just working with Democrats but establishing relationships with them, creating an atmosphere of respect that the governor recently had to explain to a baffled Sean Hannity. Discussing the ongoing Minnesota Senate recount, Hannity implied that the Democratic secretary of state, Mark Ritchie, might have his finger on the scale, and that "cheating" was "going on." Pawlenty refused to take the bait: "I want to be clear about this. I know Mark Ritchie. He is a partisan on the other side of the aisle as I am as governor. He is trying his best to conduct this fairly."
“‘Drill, baby, drill’ is, not by itself, a comprehensive, contemporary energy strategy.”
Recently, I tried to throw Pawlenty off his Minnesota nice routine, as well. And I also failed.
Q: Under what circumstances would you go hunting with Sarah Palin?
A: [Laughs] Under any circumstances. I understand she's a good hunter, so it's all good.
Q: What does the phrase "lost in the wilderness" mean to you?
A: You know, I use a different phrase, I use the phrase, "a Dr. Phil moment of self-analysis." You know there's going to be an inevitable internal debate about where the Republican Party is and where it's headed. I think it boils down to two things; those who are gonna say it's gotta be more conservative and go back to its roots [he pronounces this word as "ruts"]. Others who say it's gotta be more modern, not to be confused with "moderate." But I think those two things can be harmonized. They can be fused together in a way that allows us to be both a conservative and a contemporary, or fresh, party.
And so like a computer screen, I think the screen has kind of gone black and we need to hit the "refresh button" for the Republican party.
Q: Hit "restart?
A: Well maybe not "restart" but at least "refresh."
Stars Celebrate the Super Bowl
The Daily Beast is dedicated to news and commentary, culture, and entertainment. We carefully curate the web’s most essential stories and bring you original must-reads from our talented contributors.
How Rich People Smoke Pot
Paul Schrodt is a writer living in New York City. He has contributed to New York magazine, Radar, and Esquire.com.
Chicago Dodged a Bullet
Wonkette emerita, political junkie, self-hating journalist, and author of Dog Days. She has worked for Time, Mother Jones, Suck, and most recently, Radar. Follow her on Twitter.
God Loves Obama
Wonkette emerita, political junkie, self-hating journalist, and author of Dog Days. She has worked for Time, Mother Jones, Suck, and most recently, Radar. Follow her on Twitter.
John McCain Discovers Technology a Year Too Late
Wonkette emerita, political junkie, self-hating journalist, and author of Dog Days. She has worked for Time, Mother Jones, Suck, and most recently, Radar. Follow her on Twitter.
JeepRover
Interesting interview. It's like you said, "I'm not scared of him." Which in and of itself is very weird right now. I think I need a drink.
Thank you.
As a first time user, your comment has been submitted for review. It can take anywhere from a few hours to a day or two for your comment to be reviewed, depending on the time of week and the volume of comments we receive.