tim pawlenty in 2004

[WalterMitty]

bush shocks the nation and decides not to run for reelection.

vice president cheney is uninterested in the nomination.

john mccain also declines to run.

young governor tim pawlenty narrowly wins the gop nomination, beating back a crowded field including, rick santorum,  bill owens, sam brownback and tommy thompson.

pawlenty selects outgoing illinois senator peter fitzgerald as his running mate.

how does the pawlenty/fitzgerald vs. kerry/edwards race shape up?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

How does a Governor who's only been in office for two years and didn't even get 45% of the vote in his first election win the nomination, and why would he pick his running mate as a guy so unpopular he didn't run for reelection because he would certainly lose?

[WalterMitty]

How does a Governor who's only been in office for two years and didn't even get 45% of the vote in his first election win the nomination, and why would he pick his running mate as a guy so unpopular he didn't run for reelection because he would certainly lose?

fitzgerald wasnt terribly unpopular in illinois...the republican party was (and is).

[AndrewTX]

Kerry/Edwards win

Kerry- 305
Pawlenty- 233


 I also think that's being kind.

[WalterMitty]

Kerry/Edwards win

Kerry- 305
Pawlenty- 233


 I also think that's being kind.

explain your reasoning.

[AndrewTX]

Kerry/Edwards win

Kerry- 305
Pawlenty- 233


 I also think that's being kind.

explain your reasoning.

 Certainly..

 John Kerry, as bad as a candidate as he was, is able to capitalize on the fact that a sitting President, in the middle of war, has decided not to run for re-election.
Iowa and New Mexico give the slight tilt to the democrats again. Kerry is also able to persuade the state of Missouri, and Ohio that his nearly 20 years in Senate
experience is needed in our time, versus a 2 year Governor. I forgot to change the percentages, but Ohio, Missouri, and Nevada are all within a 1 to 2 point margin.
  Kerry also brings out the fact that Tim has only spent 2 years as a Governor, and his running mate, has served only 1 term as a U.S. Senator. While Edwards also
only spent 1 term in the Senate, it is overlooked by the years Kerry spent in elected office.

 Kerry beats out Pawlenty.

[DownWithTheLeft]

If we teek the scenario a bit it could be very interesting:

Young, up and coming Governor Tim Pawlenty announces he will run for president.  He beats out a crowded field including Republican elites and is seen as the future.  Perennial Sen John Kerry of Massachusetts win a tough Democratic primary and selects NC Senator John Edwards to try and energize his ticket.  Pawlenty makes a surprising pick for VP choosing Fmr. Gen. Tommy Franks as his running mate to try and bring experience to the ticket.  Pawlenty runs a non-stop campaign and the election is not even close:

[Boris]

Pawlenty runs a non-stop campaign and the election is not even close:

What the hell is a "non-stop" campaign?

[CPT MikeyMike]

Kerry was (and is more now) a donwright idiot. I have no clue why this moron even got the nomination to begin with.  Without the sitting president, the election would be about the candidates ideas and their style which goes solidly to Pawlenty and showing more of the joke John Kerry really is.

It would make very little difference with the running mate. See Kerry's. Edwards was a good selection (for style, but not substance) and did nothing to help Kerry anywhere in the electoral college.

Pawlenty wins but not as crazy as DWTL.

Pawlenty: 326 51%
Kerry: 212 47%

[DownWithTheLeft]

Pawlenty runs a non-stop campaign and the election is not even close:

What the hell is a "non-stop" campaign?

I was basically saying he campaigns non-stop or as close to possible as that is

[True Democrat]

Pawlenty runs a non-stop campaign and the election is not even close:

What the hell is a "non-stop" campaign?

I was basically saying he campaigns non-stop or as close to possible as that is

I'm prettu sure every candidate in the last 10 years has done that.

[adam]

Kerry only did as well as he did because he was running against Bush, against a fresh face it wouldn't have been pretty.

[SPQR]

If we teek the scenario a bit it could be very interesting:

Young, up and coming Governor Tim Pawlenty announces he will run for president.  He beats out a crowded field including Republican elites and is seen as the future.  Perennial Sen John Kerry of Massachusetts win a tough Democratic primary and selects NC Senator John Edwards to try and energize his ticket.  Pawlenty makes a surprising pick for VP choosing Fmr. Gen. Tommy Franks as his running mate to try and bring experience to the ticket.  Pawlenty runs a non-stop campaign and the election is not even close:

LMAO
PLEASE take notes on what AndrewCT wrote,and understand that there are times when Republicans can actually LOSE ELECTIONS.
For the rest,I agree on most of the stuff AndrewCT said,Bush leaves in the middle of the war and his place is taken by some unexperienced governor...no way he is going to win.