Aug 22, 2008 1:10 pm US/Central
Pawlenty Gets Encouragement, Gives Few Clues On VP
FALCON HEIGHTS, Minn. (AP) ―
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Pawlenty had kind words for a possible rival for the post. He says Massachusetts's Mitt Romney "brings a lot of strengths to the political discussion."
Alex Wong/Getty Images
Minnesota's No. 1 politician received plenty of encouragement Friday from his constituents about the possibility of being Republican John McCain's No. 2, but Gov. Tim Pawlenty offered few clues about his prospects in return.
Pawlenty maneuvered through the Minnesota State Fair, chowing down on fried food and getting an upclose look at some giant snakes.
Like the python, rattlesnake and bull snake that appeared as guests on his weekly radio show, the governor squirmed his way around the question that seemed to be on a lot of minds: Will he uproot for a chance to be vice president?
One curious teenager tried to sneak an answer out of him by asking if he saw himself becoming president one day, skipping past the speculation that he could be second-in-command if McCain takes the White House.
Pawlenty paused, laughed then and sidestepped the question with a joke. "I'm going to be president," he told her, "but I think it's going to be something like the Eagan rotary someday."
Pawlenty, 47, lives in Eagan and started his climb in politics there, first as a city councilman and later as a state legislator. He became governor in 2002 and is midway through a second term he once pledged he'd serve out in full.
But some state voters urged him to set his sights higher. Walking between events, he was often stopped by people eager to weigh in on the vice presidential sweepstakes.
"What a treat to see the top dog here. We're pulling for you," said fair worker Frederick Stearns.
Before a fairgrounds ceremony honoring firefighters, Pawlenty shook hands with fairgoers from the northern suburb of Andover who also wished him luck.
"He's feisty and I like that. He's not afraid to say what's on his mind," Ken Kern said. He and wife, Deanna, said they appreciate Pawlenty's conservative stances on social issues.
She said she's rooting for him even though she would miss him as governor. She said she's been following recent reports that McCain is considering picking a presidential partner who supports abortion rights.
"It makes me nervous, but I'd still support him," she said of McCain.
Pawlenty broadcast his weekly radio show from the WCCO-AM fairgrounds booth and closed by telling his live audience he'd be back in the same spot next Friday -- the same day McCain is expected to name his running mate in battleground Ohio.
Pawlenty dodged reporters' questions about whether that meant he was out of the running, giving his standard refusal to address questions about his vice presidential chances.
But Pawlenty did offer kind words for a possible rival for the post. He said Massachusetts's Mitt Romney "brings a lot of strengths to the political discussion for his own campaign he did and he'd bring that to any other campaign as well."
Pawlenty heads East on Saturday for a two-day swing through eastern Pennsylvania and a Monday visit to Ohio. He is tentatively scheduled to travel to Denver next week as a McCain surrogate during the Democratic National Convention.
(© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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