Tim Pawlenty: Generic Republican

Tim Pawlenty’s Presidential campaign may be stranger than any of his rivals’. For some candidates – Gingrich, Cain – running for the Republican nomination is an outlet for excess egomania. For others – Johnson, Paul – it’s an opportunity to raise issues and a style of conservatism that’s notably unfashionable. Others – Bachmann, Palin, Huntsman – fly a standard for sectional interests within the broader conservative movement. And Romney, of course, is interested in winning.

But Pawlenty? What’s he about? Quite. There’s no interesting reason for Pawlenty to run at all. His starting ambition appears to be the “Oh God, I suppose he’ll have to do” candidate. His appeal – to abuse the word – lies in being the compromise candidate still standing once all the others have been rejected. His ceiling is limited. Selecting Pawlenty will be like one of those disappointing Booker Prize panels when the bauble is awarded to everyone’s third-choice novel.