VP or not VP: Pawlenty raises his national profile

Publicly Gov. Tim Pawlenty always demurs when asked about whether he is seeking the VP slot on the Republican ticket. But the Washington Post’s Chris Cillizza points out that Pawlenty has quietly been making all the right moves to build buzz for his prospects.

Last week T-Paw was in North Carolina to raise money for U.S. Reps. Robin Hayes and Patrick McHenry. Yesterday he keynoted a Republican Governors Association event, helping the organization raise $700,000.

Later this month Pawlenty will travel to Connecticut to headline the Prescott Bush Awards Dinner, an annual event that attracts many Republican bigwigs. Previous speakers at the fundraiser: John McCain, Jeb Bush, Mitt Romney, Bob Dole, Karl Rove, and Dick Cheney. Cillizza is duly impressed by the Governor’s political acumen:

Pawlenty’s biggest problem in the veepstakes is that he remains something of a regional figure, not widely known even in Republican circles outside of his home state. His activities over the last few weeks is a recognition by Pawlenty that he needs to raise his profile with major donors and grassroots party activists.

Buzz is not the only factor on which a presidential candidate chooses a running-mate, but it surely matters. Picking the “hot” guy or gal who has the grassroots and/or donor world buzzing helps drive excitement and, as importantly, money to the national ticket.

Making the finals of the veepstakes means playing the game on any number of different levels — both in terms of policy and political calculations. Pawlenty is showing he knows how to play the three-dimensional chess game that is the vice presidential picking process.