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In The Know: What If Pawlenty Is A VP Candidate?

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Jan 26, 2008 11:38 am US/Central

In The Know: What If Pawlenty Is A VP Candidate?

Reporting
Don Shelby
(WCCO) Gov. Tim Pawlenty has done a lot of campaigning for Republican presidential candidate John McCain.  That has led to wide speculation that Pawlenty may become a vice presidential nominee if McCain emerges as the GOP's candidate. Don Shelby wonders what if that really happens.

If McCain gets the nod and if McCain chooses him, Pawlenty could become the running mate.

If that happens, the governor's office will be open.  And if that happens, Carol Molnau, the current lieutenant governor, would become the head of the state of Minnesota until the 2010 election. 

If that happens, the Democrats in the state legislature who have already announced their intention of firing her from her post as the transportation commissioner, have a dilemma on their hands. 

They would be firing, in effect, the next governor. That would make her angry.  Having the transportation commissioner angry is one thing, but having the governor angry at you is a whole other thing. 

If McCain is the candidate, and if he chooses Pawlenty as a running mate, and if Pawlenty says yes, and if Carol Molnau is fired and if she is then the next governor, two things occur to me.  

First, that pretty much ends the idea of hands across the aisle congeniality, and two -- and most important -- there are just way too many "ifs" in this story for my taste.

(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.