Problems for Pawlenty

[Keystone Phil]

"Willy Horton" type problems, too. Ouch - http://politicalwire.com/archives/2010/12/01/pawlentys_willie_horton.html

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

I don't know why any Governor who has higher political aspirations would pardon anyone.

[Holmes]

He raped an underage girl... then molested the daughter she had? ffs.

[Bull Moose Base]

I don't think so.  It's a sad story but the guy was already out of jail.  It's not as if Pawlenty taking a harder line would have protected the next victim.  Which kind of is the case for Huckabee.

[albaleman]

Pawlenty wasn't going to win anyway. His poll numbers were horrible.

[Keystone Phil]

His poll numbers were horrible.

Do we really need to again go over the fact that poll numbers right now aren't the be all and end all especially for less well known candidates?

[Mr. Morden]

I don't think so.  It's a sad story but the guy was already out of jail.  It's not as if Pawlenty taking a harder line would have protected the next victim.  Which kind of is the case for Huckabee.

I agree.  This is small potatoes compared to the pardon/clemency problems faced by both Huckabee and Barbour.  I'd be surprised if this really goes anywhere.

[albaleman]

His poll numbers were horrible.

Do we really need to again go over the fact that poll numbers right now aren't the be all and end all especially for less well known candidates?

When you're polling at 5% or less, that's horrible. Not impossible to overcome, but very difficult especially considering he doesn't have an extremely enthusiastic base (like Huckabee did in 2008).

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Meh... T-Paw wasn't going anywhere.

Come on, unknown Governor with crappy approvals, who never broke 50% and is getting killed in polls, including his home state.

I don't understand why is anyone even talking about T-Paw?

[Keystone Phil]

His poll numbers were horrible.

Do we really need to again go over the fact that poll numbers right now aren't the be all and end all especially for less well known candidates?

When you're polling at 5% or less, that's horrible. Not impossible to overcome, but very difficult especially considering he doesn't have an extremely enthusiastic base (like Huckabee did in 2008).

McCain polled below 5%, Kerry polled below 5%...

[Landslide Lyndon]

I don't understand why is anyone even talking about T-Paw?

Because he has cozied up with the right persons from the DC press corps.

[Fuzzybigfoot]

Meh... T-Paw wasn't going anywhere.

Come on, unknown Governor with crappy approvals, who never broke 50% and is getting killed in polls, including his home state.

I don't understand why is anyone even talking about T-Paw?

This

[Mr. Morden]

People are putting waaaay too much stock in what the polls currently say.  Polls don't mean anything this early for the candidates who are still unknown.

Primaries are chaotic.  The polls will turn completely upside down several times between now and January 2012.  There's a long way to go.

Now, you can obviously make a judgment call on candidates for reasons independent of polls.  For example, I think Pawlenty and Thune are potential 1st tier candidates, whereas Pataki and Bolton are likely to be the second coming of Jim Gilmore and Tommy Thompson from the 2008 race.

[J. J.]

"Willy Horton" type problems, too. Ouch - http://politicalwire.com/archives/2010/12/01/pawlentys_willie_horton.html

He pardoned a person that had already been released from prison and was, subsequently, married to the victim.

More like Hortons on Days of Our Lives than Willy.

[Landslide Lyndon]

People are putting waaaay too much stock in what the polls currently say.  Polls don't mean anything this early for the candidates who are still unknown.

Primaries are chaotic.  The polls will turn completely upside down several times between now and January 2012.  There's a long way to go.

Now, you can obviously make a judgment call on candidates for reasons independent of polls.  For example, I think Pawlenty and Thune are potential 1st tier candidates, whereas Pataki and Bolton are likely to be the second coming of Jim Gilmore and Tommy Thompson from the 2008 race.

Agree about polls but disagree that Pawlenty is a potential first tier candidate.
If Pataki and Bolton are the second coming of Jim Gilmore and Tommy Thompson then Pawlenty is this cycle's Sam Brownback.

[Bull Moose Base]

Pawlenty's bigger problem is that he looks way too much like he could be a European Prime Minister for the GOP electorate's taste.  It undermines American exceptionalism.  I predict that in debates Palin will talk slowly and loudly to him to imply to viewers he can't understand the language.  Not that anyone can understand Palin's language.  Seriously, though, maybe this is a big edge for Thune.

Did everyone see Nate Silver's analysis of why he thinks Pawlenty won't go anywhere?  Part of it was that the field is too crowded with better known candidates- or likely to be.  So if they're scared off Palin, they're more likely to go Gingrich, then an unknown.  You could argue Huckabee was an unknown who picked up voters over 3 better known alternatives (or 2 and one who became better known because he was so loaded).  But Huckabee fit a very specific opening for a social con in Iowa and is very charismatic.  Separately, Silver assessed Pawlenty as just an average politician.  I think he's a bit underrated just by being the least flawed governor.

[Keystone Phil]

Pawlenty's bigger problem is that he looks way too much like he could be a European Prime Minister for the GOP electorate's taste.  It undermines American exceptionalism.  I predict that in debates Palin will talk slowly and loudly to him to imply to viewers he can't understand the language.  Not that anyone can understand Palin's language.  Seriously, though, maybe this is a big edge for Thune.

Uh, what?

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

Pawlenty never had a chance at the nomination, he was a non-starter with the GOP base.  He simply is too boring with nothing to help him stand out.  If Pawlenty was a puppy in a litter of puppies, he would never be held and cuddled.

(obviously, our new bloodhound has lodged puppies into my brain)

[feeblepizza]

This once again proofs that Pawlenty is an utter and complete idiot. He would never, ever get my vote. Ever.

[dmmidmi]

Pawlenty's real problem is that he isn't Presidential material.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

this is really sad. I don't think you could expect that a 19 yo man who had had sex with a 14 yo and got married to her afterward would be still be a child molester years later - in most cases I don't think that happens.

[Bull Moose Base]

Actually, this is way more damaging than I thought on first glance.

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http://blogs.citypages.com/blotter/2010/12/pawlenty_on_sex.php

[Yelnoc]

Does molesting your wife and daughter qualify you for the death penalty?  It sure as hell should....

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Ha. I'd take schadenfreude in this if it wasn't for the fact that this resulted in such a vile scumbag being allowed to wreak his damage.

But local media has picked up on this a bit. Pawlenty's excuses are pretty weak.