The delightfully benevolent Darod of Qo’nos writes with his thoughts on Tim Pawlenty, and his perpetual challenge for name recognition. The Czar thought this essay was really good, and puts it here in its entirety:

I think the name recognition thing won’t be unique to Pawlenty, anybody beyond Palin and previous candidates like Huck or Mitt with 2 Ts will have the same problem. Daniels, Perry, Barbour, Bolton, all pretty much ciphers at this point to regular folks. It can be overcome: Obama was a nobody until he started campaigning and the anti-war press took up his cause as a ‘pure’ alternative to Clinton. I think any opponent would have to be brain dead not to drag up the overpass collapse in Minneapolis though; that could hurt Pawlenty. Even if he was blameless, it will be painted with a broad brush as “this is what happens when Republicans don’t ‘invest’ in America.”

I do think he’s got the chops to gain the nomination and perhaps even win. His stint as governor was pretty successful as I understand, and that despite a legislature controlled by a far left party, Minnesota isn’t in a giant mess like some other places. At least from what I’ve read. He does seem to have all the bases covered. He’s an evangelical, but doesn’t campaign on it, giving him far right flank cover without it being his only card to play like perhaps with Huck. Held the line on taxes, has the executive experience card as well. Gaining the nomination in either party usually comes down to making sure your flanks are covered with the base, then moving to the center after the general campaign starts. GWB did this pretty successfully, as did Obama. McCain didn’t, he started in the center, then tried to move right to cover his flanks. It always comes down to a coalition, especially for the GOP. Social+fiscal+foreign policy is always the trick.

I do think we’ve got talent for this time around, and even more coming online for 2016 and beyond (Christie, Rubio, Kasich). I don’t think 2012 is a lost cause and we need to put the sacrificial lamb like Bob Dole. I’m open to listening to everybody that’s considering running, but we need somebody with more than 1 card to play. Daniels is very solid, except he’s short, bald and terrible on TV. Maybe this time around that won’t matter. Especially if gas is 4.50 a gallon and the administration refuses to budge on drilling. Then I think I could beat Obama. I still think that is what really ran GWB into the ground, not Iraq or the housing bubble or his reputation for obtuseness. Filling up at the pump hits us all, we all have to drive, and when folks are pumping 100 bucks into their tanks, they take that out on somebody. It drains money from the economy. Cheap energy=growing GDP.

The Czar of Muscovy

Божію Поспѣшествующею Милостію Мы, Дима Грозный Императоръ и Самодержецъ Всероссiйскiй, цѣсарь Московскiй. The Czar was born in the steppes of Russia in 1267, and was cheated out of total control of all Russia upon the death of Boris Mikhailovich, who replaced Alexander Yaroslav Nevsky in 1263. However, in 1283, our Czar was passed over due to a clerical error and the rule of all Russia went to his second cousin Daniil (Даниил Александрович), whom Czar still resents. As a half-hearted apology, the Czar was awarded control over Muscovy, inconveniently located 5,000 miles away just outside Chicago. He now spends his time seething about this and writing about other stuff that bothers him.