pawlentyvp1Tim Pawlenty got the national-star treatment in a long interview and companion story today at Politico, as good a venue as any for T-Paw to switch personae from Governor No to party sage. But it’s still jarring to see the shape-shifting take place in print, as his focus broadens beyond Minnesota’s borders:

POLITICO: Since [Sarah Palin] is one of the potential 2012 candidates, are you any closer to making a decision on that?

PAWLENTY: No. I’m going to finish up my term as governor both in Minnesota and around the country.

Chris Good at the Atlantic’s Politics blog finds something to admire in the passive-aggresssive, Minnesota Nice bomblets that Pawlenty tosses in the direction of potential GOP political rivals Sarah Palin and Mitt Romney. Pawlenty’s appreciation for a good arm seems to extend to his own as well as Brett Favre’s:

POLITICO: Do you think that Sarah Palin is driving the conversation on health care?

PAWLENTY: Well I think she was focused on one aspect of it, I think that the debate is much broader than that. But I think that the concern that she raised got a lot of attention, and of course people responded to it.

POLITICO: A lot of the national Republicans, whether it’s her or Gingrich or a lot of the guys in Congress are throwing bombs every day.

PAWLENTY: Well, I’ve been throwing my share of bombs also. (laughter)

The interview, Politico’s Andy Barr tells the Minnesota Independent, took place last Friday, Aug. 14, in Chicago, where Pawlenty gave a speech to GOPAC.