Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty expressed amusement at Michigan reporters Thursday when they tried to link him with a possible position on presumptive GOP candidate Mitt Romney s team.
Mr. Pawlenty laughed off lame questions about whether he d be interested in a cabinet position in a Mitt Romney administration if he isn t selected as the GOP s vice presidential candidate.
It would be presumptuous and premature for people to be talking about positions down the road, he told reporters at a cabinetry store outside of Detroit, poking fun at the press for their unintended pun on cabinets, according to NBC News .
And for me I m just happy to help as a volunteer. I m happy to be working in the private sector and on other projects, so beyond that I don t have any plans, he added.
Tim Pawlenty is rumored to be on Mr. Romney s short list for Vice Presidential candidates. Like Mr. Romney, Mr. Pawlenty is a businessman. After leaving his governorship, he entered the private sector and is now on several business boards.
This week Mr. Pawlenty joined former Massachusetts Gov. Romney on the campaign trail in the swing state of Michigan. At a Romney campaign office opening in Jackson, Michigan, a woman asked Mr. Pawlenty if he d return to the state when he s vice president.
According to CNN, Mr. Pawlenty responded that he s been to Michigan a fair amount, adding, as to the vice presidential thing, we ll know soon enough.
Weighing in further, Mr. Pawlenty said Mr. Romney has a crop of unbelievably talented wonderful people to choose from for his vice presidential nominee.
You ve got this tremendous new governor in Nevada- Brian Sandoval. If you haven t heard of him, you will. He s terrific. Susanna Martinez in New Mexico, the first Hispanic Republican woman governor in the history of the country. Bobby Jindal in Louisiana, tremendous reformer, outstanding governor and leader. Marco Rubio, the rising star and senator from Florida, Mr. Pawlenty said.
He also listed South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Ohio Sen. Rob Portman and House Budget Committee Chair Paul Ryan as possible VP picks.
When asked about a new ad that links President Obama s contraception coverage policy with a war on religion, Mr. Pawlenty pointed to Mr. Romney s past comment that available contraceptives are working just fine.
I think Gov. Romney said it best in one of the televised debates when he said contraceptives are working fine and we should leave them alone, he said, referencing the January debate in New Hampshire. And to his point on religious liberties he was referring to the fact that the Obama administration has imposed new limitations on the exercise of religion and has offended the many leaders of the Catholic Church and other faith leaders in that regard.
Mitt Romney is expected to release the name for his VP pick as early as the end of this week. Mr. Pawlenty is expected to fly into New Hampshire this Friday for a full slate of public events on Saturday.
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