By Eric Roper
WASHINGTON -- Walking out of a Republican Jewish Coalition luncheon this afternoon, former Senator Norm Coleman strongly suggested that he's in Tim Pawlenty's camp if the governor chooses to run for president in 2012.
"I'm a strong supporter of Tim, yea" Coleman said when asked whether he supports a 2012 Pawlenty run. "If that's what he chooses to do."
He later added, "I think he'd make a great president."
Coleman's political ambitions have sometimes intersected with Pawlenty's over the years, notably in 2001 when both men intended to run for Senate and the White House asked Pawlenty to bow out.
The former senator made the remarks outside of an RJC luncheon at the St. Regis Hotel where Pawlenty had just delivered a closed-press speech.
Coleman, who became a consultant at the RJC this winter, said he is now on the group's board of directors. He noted that he is also developing his latest endeavor, a "center-right" policy institute.
"So I'm spending as much [time in Washington] as a Senator," Coleman said. "Three, four days a week here and weekends back home."
