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PORTAGE, Mich. -- It's possible that Tim Pawlenty is days from stepping onto a stage before thousands of cheering supporters as Mitt Romney's newly-minted running mate. But you wouldn't know it from his swing through central Michigan on Wednesday, where the former governor appeared at nondescript campaign offices and addressed just dozens of supporters as they snacked on cookies and lemonade.
"Mitt Romney didn't spend his entire life in government," Pawlenty said to a small group of GOP devotees in Jackson. "He knows how to get jobs going."
Who will Mitt Romney pick as his running mate? NBC's Claire Leka reports.
Even after dutifully delivering laugh lines – like calling the president "all foam and no beer" – Pawlenty didn't escape "veep" speculation from his audience, with one supporter in Jackson asking him if he'll return to the state as vice president.
"I've been back to Michigan a fair amount," he demurred. "But as to the vice presidential thing, we'll know soon enough."
Devoid of the camera platforms and elaborate sound systems typically on hand for political celebrities' events, Pawlenty's appearances showed him to be anything but a campaign diva. When the fold-up table he was supposed to sit behind in Portage was in the wrong place, he helped to carry it to a more suitable spot. When a portable microphone in Jackson proved too loud for backers' ears, he ditched it over the complaints of reporters eager to record his every word.
"We don't want them to get the sound!" he joked to the crowd.
The trip, which involved an early morning flight to the Great Lake State and several hours of trekking in an SUV driven by an aide, showed Pawlenty's talents as an approachable and disciplined pol even as national reporters dogged him with questions about the vice presidential selection process.
Is he stopping by Romney's Boston headquarters on his way to his scheduled New Hampshire events this weekend?
"I'm flying into Boston and then traveling immediately up to New Hampshire to start [my] schedule."
Will he be meeting VP selection guru Beth Myers?
"We have a policy, the campaign just doesn't talk about the vice presidential vetting process."
How's the process going?
He rattled off the names of GOP up-and-comers, scattering in other possible Romney running mates including women and minorities breathing new life into the GOP: Susanna Martinez, Bobby Jindal, Marco Rubio, Nikki Haley, Bob McDonnell, Chris Christie, Rob Portman and Paul Ryan.
"And David Petraeus," he added, perhaps a sly nod to a flurry of speculation that surrounded a now-debunked story on the Drudge Report that the CIA director was in the running for the job.
Jim Cole / AP
Widely regarded as one of the Romney campaign's most loyal surrogates, Pawlenty insisted Wednesday that there's no job title that motivates his determined campaigning on behalf of a man he once fought against for the GOP nod.
"The objective here isn't about a position or about some title for any of the candidates or the people trying to help. We are trying to get the country back on the right track," he said. "For me that's meant doing things like this as a volunteer where I can go out and speak on Gov. Romney's behalf in places where he can't be."
And many of those places aren't glitzy, politically or economically. In past years, Jackson has suffered a poverty rate twice that of Michigan as a whole. The Kalamazoo area clocked in for an Obama win of 20 points in 2008.
As Pawlenty wrapped up a brief stop at a strip-mall campaign office in Portage, his possible second-in-command competitor Sen. Rob Portman was wrapping up an (albeit smaller) event outside of Mile High Stadium in hotly-contested Colorado.
Still, the former governor of Minnesota has one psychological advantage that possible running mates Portman and Paul Ryan lack -- the experience of going through the lengthy vetting process only to be greeted with a "thanks but no thanks."
"In 2008, I was on some speculators' list as John McCain's selection for VP," he told reporters. "It's an honor to be considered. It's an honor for anyone to be considered, but also it has some deja vu qualities since I've been through it before."
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Tim Pawlenty is a RHINO and the furthest thing from being a conservative. When throwing his hat in the ring for president he showed us that what he supported while governor in Minnesota was far from what he was preaching from the podium such as his position on farm subsidies, ethanol, global warming, wind farms, etc. Mitt would assure Obama of a win in selecting Pawlenty.
Pqwlenty? ZZZZzzzzzzzz He ran Minnesota into the ground. Go ahead, GOP, put him on your ticket.
as opposed to obozo? who has run america into the ground??
No, that was Bush
Sh!t GOP put anybody on your ticket, it wouldn't be worth the wet fart sitting in my undies. POOOP! Ooops you are running down my butt cheek
As a Minnesotan, Pawlenty would be a terrific pick for VP. That is a pun. He ran our state to the ground and was never around to clean up any messes. He vetoed anything that involved the environment, middle class, health care, etc. He left this state in debt! Now, our present governor has to work with the GOP and not much is accomplished. Oh, we are getting a new football stadium. Too bad that the middle class/poor won't be able to attend. I don't want to think what he would do this whole country!
how could there be any poor? Minn. has been a liberal state for 50 years, other than a repub gov every so often
I would only ask this of you Minnesotans, so...
What if Mitt chose Jesse Ventura for his VP running-mate?
Would that be a better choice than Pawlenty?
After Joe Biden even Dracula would look good as VP!!
That was easily one of the stupidest comments I have seen on these blogs!
I don't take much stock in a guy named, " Bruce." LOL
Bruce Springsteen?
Bruce Willis
Bruce Lee
Bruce Banner (aka The Hulk!)
Bruce Jenner
Lenny Bruce
Robert The Bruce
Bruce Wayne (Batman)
Bruce Almighty (that would be ME! So you better watch it, or I may just smite thee!)
Too bad you all are discussing this speculation of a VP pick instead of the REAL story of that lying, disgusting ad the dems put out there. Of course the cowards at that porta-potty that passes for the MSNBC building won't go near it. But like the cockroaches that ALL liberals are they scurry into the sewers during the daylight hours to dine on the fecal matter they spew back out later.
Click on the link below for an unOfficial photo of Mitt Romney's running mate, Paris Hilton, with a Special campaign message just for YOU!!!
http://www.oneangryman.com/ken/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Paris-Eat-the-Rich.jpg
You lib morons still think that Mitt's taxes are goingt to help this country if elected. Well if that is all it is going to take. You need shock treatment to have your thinking process re-arranged. He pays more taxes than all you libs put together. So shut the f up about Mitt's taxes. let's get to the real issues, shall we.
Issue: Obama is planning to forgive student loans. Great huhh? Wrong. the IRS is talking on ways to collect that debt. Taking 15% from pension checks, ss refund checks, or ss checks. Obama didn't mention that did he?!!
Issue: There was a confrence call from Joe Sophit in May to the White House on the Romney killed my wife ad. Of course the W.H. Carney and Gibbs are denying this fact and saying that Obama's super pack was and is in complete control of the ads that are put out. Seems that Obama has broken the law...doesn't it.?!!
Issue: Whoever Romney picks for his V.P. will not make any difference to the voting public, it is the man who is running for the presidency-so you libs can spout off all you want who might be picked. Look at Biden. LMAO.
Issue: The Tea Party is becoming the darlings of the public at the moment. Kanas just had elections. The state house and senate has now changed from Rep. rhinos. to TP candidates. and look what happened in Texas. better watch what happens to the house and senate. Bye-bye dems. And the Rep rhinos better change their tune or they are gone as well.
Issue: Romney wil be coming out swinging after the rep Convention. Obama is gonna have one hell of a true fight on his hands-so he better find and come up with more lies about Romney. When he does, he will be caught for those lies.
Issue: You libs take polls so seriously. The true poll will be in Nov.
Issue. You dems say that there is no voter fraud. Well, well well. seems that in Minn they have found out that 1000 convicted felons voted for Al Fraklen 250 have been proscuted and there will be more to follow. Franlen won by voter fraud and might be recalled. So stop blowing hot air as to help global warming, with no voter fraud.
Issue: You libs talk about Fox news, yet when it comes to true news from the main stream. you don't or didn't hear about the above. The only one that came out with the Romney killed my wife ad was CNN-amazing isn't it!
Issue: new campagne yell for Obama. this is on the house..."Vote for me and you get things for free!" But who is going to pay for it? you libs who work. Should get excited next year as to look at your paychecki. You'll cry for that free slogan-won't you. or do you want lower taxes naturally with Romney???
Issue: Obama has no experience in foreign policy, no experience in domestic policy, he has no experience period. And as for C'n'C. he hates the miltary-look what the dems are doing in Ohio.
Issue: The only thing Obama is good at is (1) lying (2) class warfare (3) lying (4) class warfare. Gee, can't think of anything else this man knows. Oh yeah (5) promising freebies, but who is gonna to pay--answer-you and me for those who got the freebies.
Bye
Show us his taxes then because I don't believe a word you are saying.
Flip Myth Omney Noddle show me you taxes.
Republicans agree that Romney should release more tax returns...
“If you have things to hide, then maybe you’re doing things wrong. I think you ought to be willing to release everything to the American people.“
~ Republican Alabama Governor Robert Bentley, calling for Romney to release more years of tax returns, AP, July 14, 2012
“He should release the tax returns tomorrow. It’s crazy. You’ve got to release six, eight, ten years back tax returns. Take the hit for a day or two. He has to give a big speech in defense of capitalism, and that will elevate, I think, this race above this tactical back and forth, which I do think he’s on the margin of losing.”
~Bill Kristol, criticizing Romney’s refusal to release tax returns on Fox News, July 15, 2012
“Mitt Romney’s losing at this point in a big way. If something’s going to come out, get it out in a hurry. I do not know why — given that Mr. Romney knew the day that [Sen. John] McCain lost in 2008 that he was going to run for president again — that he didn’t get all of this out and tidy up some of his offshore accounts and all the rest.”
~George Will, criticizing Romney for not releasing more tax returns, ABC, July 15, 2012
“The fact is, there are a couple of years he may not have paid any taxes. Maybe he’s concerned about that. But if it’s going to come out, he needs to get it out now so he has a couple of months to explain it.”
~Former Republican Congressman Joe Scarborough, “Morning Joe,” MSNBC, July 16, 2012
Please cite your sources for the few actual "facts" you listed. Your comment about the student loans fails to detail the program, which can very easily be found online if anyone is interested.
Your comment about the fraud in Minnesota is blown out of proportion. The conservative group Minnesota Majority complied a list of thousands of names of potential felons registered to vote. They claim the number of confirmed felons was near 350. Most of those were due to people not intending to commit fraud, but not being notified that they were not eligible to do so, and therefore cannot be charged with a crime. When the state's attorneys did their own investigation using matches of full names and birthdates, that number dropped. 31 people have actually been charged with fraud. Interestingly enough, Minnesota Majority only compiled these lists for the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. Apparently they don't worry too much about any felons voting in rural areas.
Oh, and before you claim I read this on MSNBC, or Huffington Post, I didn't. I read it on FOX.com.
Breaking News right from the source...... Romney defies all odds and selects Sarah Palin as his running mate for 2012. Sarah Palin can now see the White House from her Out House in Alaska???? What a choice Mitt the Twitt the best of the best only for you! Hope you win the election now for sure? LOL
Good post doc but you know when it comes to talking issues and sense to liberals it's pretty much a waste of time. I just prefer to insult them and let it go at that. But being brain dead turds they fail to comprehend the fact that they're being insulted. Guess we'll just have to settle on keeping the House, winning the Senate, and throwing the Chicago Thug-In-Chief out on his azz. With any luck they'll be so despondent it will make the Jim Jones compound look like a Boy Scout Jamboree. Drink up libs.
Your way is not the highway. No one should choose between death and a bumpy road.
And when it comes to talking issue wit Mitt Romney, its.. well,,, read this Republican's view...
“If you’re not sure about whether to support Mitt Romney, whether you’re liberal, or whether you’re very conservative, you ought to be excited, because he’s been on your side at one time or another. So I’m not completely misunderstood. I’m not as excited as I am desperate.”
~Louie Gohmert, Republican conference commenting of Romney the Flip Flopper, April 2012
If a Republican doesn't like guns, he doesn't buy one.
If a Democrat doesn't like guns, he wants all guns outlawed.
If a Republican is a vegetarian, he doesn't eat meat.
If a Democrat is a vegetarian, he wants all meat products banned for everyone.
If a Republican is homosexual, he quietly leads his life.
If a Democrat is homosexual, he demands legislated respect.
If a Republican is down-and-out, he thinks about how to better his situation.
A Democrat wonders who is going to take care of him.
If a Republican doesn't like a talk show host, he switches channels.
Democrats demand that those they don't like be shut down.
If a Republican is a non-believer, he doesn't go to church.
A Democrat non-believer wants any mention of God and religion silenced.
If a Republican decides he needs health care, he goes about shopping for it, or may choose a job that provides it.
A Democrat demands that the rest of us pay for his.
You forgot that Republicans like Dumfux-generated lists and Democrats, when they do rarely provide lists, create them from research done on their own.
Put another way...
Democrats think, while Republicans dink (as in: just dink around).
Great posts weathermike and hot daddy. The libs don't know the truth even of their own existence. They believe that they are born to get freebies are brough up for freebies and die for that free funeral. they have no reality, only live in la-la land. Look at Obama, he has lived in la-la for 50 years and wants a following of la-la fansaty freaks. he sure is getting them LMAO. Wait till they come to and see ythe true reality. Reminds me of an espoide of Married with Children, when Al gets a pair of glasses. Saw his true world. Couldn't comprehend and broke the glasses. He was staisified with a bannana as the channel changer. that is the lib. using a piece of fruit to change channels.
Hey there! Here is some Republican TRUTH for you...
“He changed his position on virtually everything. I’m a moderate Republican, that’s what I am, so I’d be inclined to support someone like Mitt Romney. But all those changes give me pause.”
~Rudy Giuliani, February 2012
Funny, but I can actually picture liberals pointing a banana at the TV, trying to figure out which end is which. Perhaps we should buy them all handguns.
Yeah,
Everyone should have a gun. Back to the days of the wild wild west. Boy was them the good old boys days. YEEEWHAWWW
While you are at it why don't we go back to slavery days.
Gawd. libs are stupid. i got the meaning from weathermike. HA-HA-Ha lmao.
weathermike says...
So tell us mikey, on a banana, Which end is which? Do YOU know? (You might want to take YOUR hand off YOUR banana to figure it out.)
another real high IQ remark by a dem. better go and canvas for your la-la candidate.
I would bet the farm and not only is Tim Pawlenty the choice, he was picked six to eight weeks ago, knows it and is of course playing coy.
Romney's real persona is starting to be unveiled and my take is, neither Christie or Rubio or Rice were ever, ever on the short list. Romney does not want anyone with a personality to overshadow him. Thus, Time Pawlenty not only fits the bill, is the only one who fits the bill.
Pawlenty can make watching grass grow an exciting alternative. As Gov of Minn he left a debt of 2 billion. Solved some of it by creating fee's. Didn't raise taxes but created these fee's on everything that by another name is a tax.
Presumptive Republican candidate for President Mitt Romney has today announced his choice for his Vice Presidential running-mate....
The 2012 Republican ticket will be....
When asked how he justified naming a business entity, rather than a real live person as his Vice Presidential running-mate, candidate Romney replied...
"Corporations are people, my friend… of course they are. Everything corporations earn ultimately goes to the people. Where do you think it goes? Whose pockets do corporations pick? Whose pick-pockets? People's pockets are picked by corporations. Human beings, my friend." — Willard Mitt Romney
Guess my statement that libs can't even realize when they're being insulted was verified by Solutions539 comment. Can't recognize sarcasm either. Zipped right over his pointy little head. These idiots couldn't spark an original comment if they rubbed their 2 remaining brain cells together.
You figure out that banana thing yet mikey? Or did it go right over your little head?
I told you, you should take your hand off your banana to figure it out.
hey stupid dem..maybe you need some help especially with a great IQ as yours. he means...no that wouldn't be fun to tell ya. maybe someday you will figure it out.
YOU DON'T KNOW do you Doc!
Moron!
This move will push Mitt Romney up to a solid 29% chance to win!!! lolololoololololo
“Romney, supposedly the Republican most electable next November, is a recidivist reviser of his principles who is not only becoming less electable; he might damage GOP chances of capturing the Senate…
~George Will, blasting Romney’s flip flopping, Washington Post, October 2011
I predict that Twitt's "choice" for VP will, in fact, be Pawlenty. No one else will be willing to sully their future chances by running with the Twittster, but Pawlenty has nothing to lose, as he has no real "career" anyway.........
Not even Palin?
Gawd no. Not Palin. Twitt's probably scared @!$%#less of her. She's smarter than he is.
I love it Peaches! "Twitts". That's better than my "Gaseous Old Pharts"
The right wing is suffering from collective insanity. They seem to have a bad case of PTSD as well, from playing arm-chair chickenhawk- "soldiers" for too many years........
“I do not yet know if I will find a Romney presidency more acceptable on foreign policy. But I do know that I must oppose the most recent statements made by Mitt Romney in which he says he, as president, could take us to war unilaterally with Iran, without any approval from Congress.”
~Rand Paul, National Review, June 2012
I can't wait for November to get here. Every time I see Robme's shifty eyes, I'm reminded of that dancing horse of his that I had to pay for.......after November he can go back to tootling around in his mansions, out of public view.
Tread carefully when it comes to Rafalca, peaches. That horse doesn't have a choice. Don't make me call PETA on you. She's stuck with the Romney's whether she likes it or not. Unlike Rafalca, WE DON'T HAVE TO GET STUCK WITH ROMNEY!
I'm not advocating getting rid of the horse. I'm advocating getting rid of the tax codes that gave ROBME a $67,000 tax credit for the privilege of owning the horse. Also, forcing horses to do the kind of hoof-work that that horse has to endure is probably a form of animal abuse anyway. Not at all a "sport."
That's okay then. Carry on!
What a Hoot! Pawlenty made it all of about 3 weeks into the GOP primaries and he still thinks he has a voice in that pittiful misguided party.
Well, Romney has to pick somebody who will not cause the party faithful to think ...
Given the poor quality of candidates in The GOP today, that should open up a large field of candidates, except that even as lame as the rest of them are Mitt Romney is damn near at the bottom of the pile, so just about any Republican looks better than he does.
I still say it's going to be Good Ol' Virginia Governor Bob "Vaginal Probe" McDonnell.
You want to bet TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS ON THAT?
I'm from Minnesota and here's the thing about Mr. Pawlenty. In order to balance the budget, he CUT many many government jobs and raised the fees on some things such as licensing, etc. as much as 45%. That is not the actions of someone who is trying to get people back on their feet. He is very personable and a smooth talker but that's about it for assets.
I do know. But not gonna help some dem that can;t think for themselves. Always need a Rep to get you libs on the RIGHT tract So, no freebie today. You will have to figure out what weathermike said about the gun. It is fuuny too. lmao.
BTW do you remember...the willy horton eposide? That was a Waterloo for Dukasus. that Waterloo will be for Obama as well and his grand stupidity of allowing 1.2 mil iligeals into this country and not allowing any to be arrested for crimes committed. Obama all ready has committed one crime with fast and furious. What other crimes is this guy gonna get away with?
The Tea Party GOP are weeds in the garden of democracy.
Well, that was a great monalouge by 117. Now. let's look at the true facts shall we.
Fact. That poll was taken in 2008. gee, we are living in 2012. four years later. minds change as do the situations. And the situation is rock bottom with this president. unemploymnet at 120 mil. debt of 20 trillion. 1.5 mil iligals in this country, no border control. Lies every day from the W.H. Laws broken from the president. Yeah. You dem sure like to live in the past.
Fact: about religion. obama is doing a damn good job with that. saying that catholic companies have to make sure that the workers, especially women has to have birth control pills or and going against the catholic bishops and rome. Or they are going to pay a fine. Don't get into religion especially with the catholics.
Fact: greedy snobs want to shield themselves in gated mansions. Question the Movie stars who have mansions that are gated. they don't want to be bothered, Would you, and some are snobs as well. in fact more so.
Fact: NRA. If it comes time to defend this country, obama will make sure that won't happen. The NRA is ready to protect your rights. Better thank them when the shooting starts.
Fact: Obama is racist. Have no doubt about that.
Fact: libs can't think for themselves. Just watch C-span and the Dem/libs. The Rep come up with ideas and then the libs take over. It is a hoot.
Fact: Again, the addage, what is good for the goose, is good for the gander. And that is what obama is playing here. The miltary should have an extra three days to vote. why should the rest of ohioians? they are there, they can get to the polls. whereas those over seas are at a disadvantage. The mail is slow as we all know. BTW-it is the dems that have a time line on over seas voting. It depends on the time stamp on the return letter with the casting vote.The dems know that the miltary is Conser. and that is one way to stop that vote. and also, the total of thrown out ballets from the miltary, was 300,000 in the 2000 election and that was not being disfranchised? And you talk about iligals and voting!
Let's get back to obama fairness doctrine. with the miltary. Open all VA hospitals and clinics to anyone that wants to see a doctor and might as well apply for miltary disability benefits, since SSDI will be broke with the applications coming in. Why not. Obama says we all have to be equal. So why should the vet get something i am not getting? Talking foolish...Not according to Obama and his doctrine.
Let us also look more about obama equality. I am lazy. I have two good arms and hands but because of my laziness, i can't pick up food to eat, so feed me. I have two good legs and feet, but i am too lazy to walk, so put me into a wheel chair to get around. I have no money and going to apply for welfare, but obama has changed the requirements that I don't have to look for a job. But I want those millionaires to pay for my welfare and might as well get a nurse for long term care, they are paying for it anyways. Get real!!!
Fact:The main stream could say. new math.1+1=3 and the lib would take it for face value and fight to the death that 3 is the answer. you say that to a Rep/conser. they would say the answer is two. but to the lib, nope, it is three. So don't say they think for themselves.
Now for post 126. Did you ever have your own company. If not, you have know idea what you speak. The government destroys jobs, and not create jobs. probably didn't hear of the non unions that lost their pension funds by Obama and company. Talk to those people. Or what about those great green companies that went bankrupt by obama and company talk to those workers. Go ahead and start a company, get an IPO and make all the money you want. I bet that greed would come in damn quickly and you would pay the least amount of taxes possible and probaly open a bank account over in the caymens. can't do the swiss bank any more. and believe me the IRS knows how much money there is in that bank just as like having a 401k just waiting for you to begin to use it. taxes up the arse.
Don't confuse conservative farts with facts.
that's good
Christians for Mammon: Romney is God's promise for prosperity and salvation from a black president.
Jesus, the liberal Jewish alternative to the social conservative Christians who believe that capitalism is God's word from the Bible.
This election is a choice between two visions for the future of America: One vision is for continuation of the progressive vision of a balance between equality and freedom as the moral foundation of justice, and a more recent conservative vision of an entitlement due the wealthy and the equivalence of corporations to the rights and protections of natural persons under the Constitution.
A progressive future is one in which government is a custodian of the public trust and advocates for justice; where justice is a balance between equality and freedom. Government as a custodian of the public trust means that everyone plays by the same rules and that everyone is equal before the law. Public trust means the rights of the people to preserve and protect the common property of the United States is not severable to the interests of privatization. Public trust means that a corporation has no rights except those given to it by law and does not have equal standing with a natural born person under the Constitution.
The conservative future is one of a hostile corporate takeover with privatization of government functions. The corporate takeover means that having wealth is an effective barrier to others participating in the process of government. It means that government would no longer serve the interests of the community but collaborate with the wealthy corporate owners to establish a separate set of laws that entitle them to preferential treatment while creating barriers to competition by eliminating opportunities for others.
The free market is a myth: if it isn't regulated by government to prevent fraud, it is regulated by the corporate oligarchy to prevent competition. Free means not having to go to jail for fraud and theft.
Freedom of speech for corporations is a political myth: the right to free speech is a right of the natural born person, not an artifact of legal convention.
The conservative options for health care are no birth control, no abortion and no health insurance unapproved by a corporate CEO. The progressive option is universal health care and the right of women to make their own health decisions.
This election is about protecting the American value of living according to one's conscience, as opposed to having a religious elite create intrusive bureaucratic regulations supporting their sectarian religious doctrine.
This election is about education for citizenship, not choice for a privileged elite who don't want to associate with the classes below them.
This election is about living in fear, or finding a means to reducing the violence that haunts personal security.
This election is about who gets to rewrite the tax laws: a privileged elite who personally benefits from tax entitlements to the wealthy, or one who advocates for tax fairness.
This election is about who gets to nominate justices to the Supreme Court: pack a court with conservative judicial activists who want to roll back human rights, or one who advocates for judicial competence.
This election is a moral choice between affiliation or aggression, empathy or egotism, service or selfishness, cooperation or competitiveness.
The tale of two visions is the difference between a government of the people, by the people and for the people, and a government run by a plutocracy of wealth and corporate power.
NEW Romney Song!!!
(Mitt Romney's Supporter's Song)
(Sung to the tune of "Cecilia" written by Paul Simon)