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Home | Politically Connected | State Politics

Coleman warmly endorses Pawlenty

"I think he'd make a great president," said the former senator of a potential Pawlenty run for the White House.

By ERIC ROPER , Star Tribune

Last update: October 15, 2009 - 9:51 AM

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WASHINGTON - Former Sen. Norm Coleman strongly suggested on Wednesday that he is in Gov. Tim Pawlenty's camp if Pawlenty chooses to run for president.

"I'm a strong supporter of Tim. Yeah, if that's what he chooses to do," Coleman said when asked whether he supported a Pawlenty run in 2012, later adding, "I think he'd make a great president."

The former senator offered the warm endorsement Wednesday as he left a luncheon hosted by the Republican Jewish Coalition, where he now serves as a board member. Until recently, Coleman was a consultant for the Washington-based advocacy group.

Coleman's ambitions have sometimes intersected with Pawlenty's over the years, most notably in 2001, when both men intended to run for Senate and the White House asked Pawlenty to bow out to clear a path for Coleman.

Since losing the U.S. Senate race to Democrat Al Franken, Coleman has largely remained out of the spotlight. Earlier this week, however, he praised Pawlenty in an article published in the New York Jewish Week newspaper, titled "Coleman Backing Minnesota Gov. for President."

"[Pawlenty] is thoughtful and smart, he understands that our party has to unite and reach out rather than divide," Coleman told the newspaper. "He knows how to get things done. The qualities he has, I wish more in our party had."

Pawlenty has not said whether he will run, but has criss-crossed the country speaking and is widely considered a top Republican prospect.

Exiting the luncheon, Coleman said that apart from the RJC, he is developing a "center-right" think tank that was first announced this summer.

He was soon followed out of the main ballroom at the St. Regis Hotel by Pawlenty , who had given a closed-press speech to the crowd inside.

Pawlenty said in an interview that he talked about health care, education, energy, national security and foreign policy, finally offering "a call to work together as a team."

Attendees using Twitter got more specific, however. One noted that Pawlenty said the security of Americans must take priority over popularity. Another wrote that Pawlenty pushed for education reform, favoring school choice.

The governor is spending the majority of this week out of Minnesota, and the DFL didn't pass up the opportunity to attack him for "going from part-time governor to stereotypical mother-in-law."

"Well, they criticize everything I do," Pawlenty responded, noting that he will be attending several events in Minnesota this weekend. "So it doesn't matter what I do, their comments are always critical."

Rachel E. Stassen-Berger contributed to this report.

Eric Roper • 202-408-2723

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Governor: Tim Pawlenty
One of only a few prominent Republicans to win a competitive re-election contest in the Democratic sweep of 2006, Tim Pawlenty is widely seen as politically shrewd and naturally likable.

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