Update: john in comments says he was at the event and disputes the AP's account.
Like the pun? But seriously, this news today that Pawlenty is seemingly sort of endorsing Obama and seemingly attacking McCain throws me for a loop.
My first thoughts were that it was confirmation that Pawlenty was on the ticket. Because if the campaign gets ugly, he can innoculate himself by saying something to the effect that "I have only praised Obama for what he's acheived even before I was on the ticket, but that's not the issue, the issue is whether he is ready to lead..." Or some such nonsense.
However, if you really look at the quotes, it seems to me that he is telling McCain publicly that he wants no part of his campaign. Of course, he caveats his statement by saying that McCain has run a positive campaign (huh?). But then he takes a turn. Here are the quotes.
Nothing but fond praise for him as a person, his message and his campaign.
Say what you will about Barack Obama,people gravitate when you have something positive to say.
He actually had some ideas
Next he delivers the setup (is he talking about McCain?),
People want to follow hopeful, optimistic, civil, decent leaders, they don't want to follow some negative, scornful person.
Finally, the kill shot,
Pawlenty, 47, said he came of age during President Reagan's tenure in the 1980s, but acknowledged the Republican icon is ancient history to young people.
"If you're under 40, that was a long time ago, man," he said to laughter.
Is anyone else just as confused as I am? Is scornful a reference to McCain? What about saying that Reagan and the 80's were ancient history, irrelevant? Didn't Reagan give McCain his start in politics in the 80's? Wow, I just don't know what to think here.
Update: in an odd twist, this is the second day in a row that a Republican Governor has had something good to say about Obama. Yesterday it was AK Gov. Palin. Does this strike anyone as suspicious? Am I paranoid?
© Jed Lewison