This is quite impressive:

Pawlenty, under the radar of D.C.’s political community, has locked up some of the key operatives who engineered then-President George W. Bush’s reelection campaign — a significant feat for a little-known Midwestern politician.

These political operatives are impressive:

Nelson initially ran Sen. John McCain’s presidential campaign in 2007 and was the national political director on the Bush-Cheney reelection campaign in 2004. Taylor was also a senior official on the Bush campaign and did a stint as White House political director at the start of his second term. Musser ran the Republican Governors Association in 2006 and advised Romney at the outset of his 2008 White House run. Fabrizio and Mueller have also worked on GOP presidential campaigns.

Strong was a Ranger, or top Bush fundraising bundler, in 2004 and for McCain. He’s joined by a group of Minnesotans, including former Target CEO Bob Ulrich, GOP strategist Jeff Larson and TCF Financial Corp. CEO Bill Cooper.

There’s more of interest, including a new PAC:

And in formally opening his political action committee, Freedom First, Thursday, Pawlenty will also announce two co-chairmen, William Strong, a Morgan Stanley vice chairman, and former Rep. Vin Weber (R-Minn.), both of whom are heavyweight GOP figures, along with a list of prominent Minnesota donors.

Finally, an interesting discussion of Pawlenty’s weaknesses.

Yet Pawlenty lacks a few important strengths that some of his possible opponents enjoy. He doesn’t have the ability to finance his own campaign as Romney does, nor does he maintain anything close to the former presidential hopeful’s donor and grass-roots base. He lacks Huckabee’s natural hold on social conservatives. And he’s never going to enjoy a fervent following like the one Palin can point to.

It’s also not entirely clear what Pawlenty’s signature issues will be, since there is no overarching accomplishment in St. Paul that he could clearly run on.

My take on this is that Jonathan Martin is right.  However, being governor of a blue state for eight years, no major scandal that I know of, and working with the other party, will help Pawlenty.  The fact he has been in St. Paul for eight years is an overarching accomplishment.  Minnesotans are among the most savvy voters and political activists in the country.  Pawlenty could conceivably carry Minnesota for the GOP (the 2000 and 2004 elections were reasonably close and I think a few local pride votes could be enough) and may have an impact on neighboring Wisconsin (also has been close, too in 2000 and 2004) and maybe even Iowa.

One more thing:  Pawlenty has been to Virginia to help our next Governor, Bob McDonnell!  (So has Governor Jindal – twice)  You can’t  be a serious contender if you haven’t helped Bob yet!  Look at this list (thanks to GOP 12):

With Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour scheduled to stop in Virginia Beach and Richmond to rally VA Gov candidate, Bob McDonnell, The Richmond Report asks the question: When’s Sarah Palin going to show up?

After all, the list of Stumpers for Bob, so far includes Jindal, Rudy, Steele, Fred Thompson, Romney, Huckabee, and McCain.

I’ll watch for Gov. Palin.

“At this point, it is not a committed run for President and Pawlenty’s stated goal appears to be to provide a fresh face for the GOP.  Black suggests that what Pawlenty may do is a 501(c)4 organization.

According to Black and his source, the 501(c)4 can raise money, advocate issues and even limited polling related to those issues.  They cannot donate to candidates or give the funds raised (not tax deductible donations but it is a tax-exempt organization) to a campaign.  Pawlenty cannot be an announced candidate.  But he can travel around the country and speak on these issues. 

I respect Gov. Pawlenty.  He is from a clean state – Minnesota has very little public corruption and encourages public participation.  Minnesotans have even voted for third parties from time to time – ask former Governor Jesse Ventura.  He also has a great personal story – son of a truck driver, ordinary origins, etc.  He also is a proven vote getter in a blue state.  He was vetted by the press in 2008.  (By the way, if you are looking for negative stuff here – forget it!  We can disagree but not be disagreeable!)  He appears to be a fairly steady conservative.

I still submit that the new face for the GOP is Governor Jindal.  He has as good a story as Pawlenty.  Son of recent immigrants, Indian-American, graduate of high school at 16, Rhodes Scholar, holding several offices including Congress and Governor by the tender age of 37.  I suggest that Jindal will play better than Pawlenty due to his ethnic background with independents and some liberals. 

The infamous response speech in February does not show Jindal as his best.  I submit that he should have had an audience (Remember how exciting the speech Christie Todd Whitman gave as the response to one of President Clinton’s SOTW speeches – she spoke before the New Jersey Legislature in the state capitol.  There was electric excitement.) and he should have a short hard hitting speech after a brfief introduction of himself. 

Perhaps Governor Jindal should consider the same 501(c)4 entity – to promote ideas such as ethics in government, health care, or other issues the governor is interested in.  He can then talk to groups, advocate issues, raise his standing among voters with solid ideas and he can say with perfect truth that he is not running for President.  But, he is not ruling it out, either…

It’s a long way off until 2012…