Today’s I-35W bridge collapse commemorations have Gov. Tim Pawlenty stopping at home between out-of-state trips. He’s continuing a pattern of cross-country shuttling that has raised his national profile if also necessarily lessening his local presence.  No let-up now, at what appears to be veepstakes crunch time.

In the last two days, Pawlenty was in Chicago to speak before the conservative American Legislative Exchange Council and in Washington, D.C. for the release of an Achieve, Inc. report, and tomorrow he’ll be in Iowa for that state’s Republican Party open house. 

Then, on the heels of keynoting a home-state event, Farmfest, in Redwood County on Tuesday, he’ll have a big day back in D.C. on Aug. 6, with appearances at the National Press Club and the GOPAC summit.

A week later it’s off to Aspen, Colorado for a McCain donor recognition event.