Andrew Sullivan Predicts Pawlenty As McCain Veep: 'I Think He's Already Made That Decision'

Atlantic's Andrew Sullivan drew praise on this morning's Chris Matthews Show for having called the nomination races for John McCain and Barack Obama early, and for prescient reasons. Matthews gave Sullivan a chance to issue another pronouncement on the 2008 Veepstakes, and the Daily Dish scribe didn't disappoint, not just predicting that Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty would be McCain's pick for vice president, but insisting that the decision to do so had been "already made."

Oh, and then Chris Matthews tells one of the worst puns you've ever heard. And yes, a small piece of you will die when you hear it.

[WATCH.]

MATTHEWS: Welcome back. Andrew, let me tell you something you already know. Some of your predictions are right on the money. More than a year ago, you sat in that chair and predicted Obama. Let's watch.

SULLIVAN (taped): I think most people want to move on. I think that's Obama's fundamental strength. If you look at the polling this week, 72%, wrong track. The highest ever reported. Who is the candidate that most represents change? Obama.

MATTHEWS: Score, Andrew. And then, well before Iowa, when McCain was running fourth, you predicted McCain would be the winner.

SULLIVAN (taped): There will be a moment probably in New Hampshire when John McCain emerges as the John Kerry of this cycle when the Republican party panics with all the people they have and swoop back to the old war horse.

MATTHEWS: There are going to be some horseraces in Washington next week. So Andrew, tell me something again I don't know.

SULLIVAN: I think the vice-presidential picks are both going to be boring and underwhelming. We hope for a big moment, but actually...neither candidate wants to mix their brand up with another strong brand. I think that Pawlenty will probably be McCain's number two - I think he's already made that decision, actually - and I think Obama has yet to pick, but he doesn't want someone that will outshine him.

MATTHEWS: So that ticket is going to be known as good and Pawlenty.

Comments

[mamacat]

Mr. Sullivan is pretty astute, so he may be correct again.
Chris could really put Andrew's prognostigative powers to the test, and ask him things like "when will we stop occupying Iraq?" "Will Bush Bomb Iran?" "Will Rove be prosecuted?"

[Robespierre]

This would be a great move if only to get this moron out of Minnesota for the campaign season. Of course, it might be a 'bridge too far' for McSame to bring this bozo onto the ticket. Either way, they're both major losers! It's Obama's race to lose and it doesn't look like that's going to happen any time soon!

[darthdarcy]

This guy is a total drip..whit­e bread with stale mayo..

[vinny]

mccain should pick an albino running mate, so that he doesn't seem so pasty...

[Ajita]

Albinos everywhere are furious over your comment.

[LawSource]

**********­**********­********BR­EAKING NEWS Flash.....­.......

The: KARATE-KID Said It Best:

IT WONT MAKE ANY difference. John McCain is this year's Sacrificial Lamb, and the Republicans know they are going to take it in the backside this November in most of the Congressional elections as well. So, why not add one of these three? It will make the Republican party seem more inclusive, which it is not. In light of the past eight years in the executive wing, and in light of the performance of the Republican dominated Congress from 1994-2006, it is amazing to me that anyone could want to be a defender of this party's shabby performance and money grubbing controversies.

Particularly puzzling are all these African American so called "strategists" (whatever the hell that is) who they send out there front and center, fervently defending Bush and McCain. They are a laughing stock.

AGAIN, From 1994 to 2006 Repuglican had the Majority in Congress, SHOW ME WHAT Have THEY DONE, Where is The Success Story? These Jokers WILL BE SOUP come November!!
----------­----------­----------

[vickic]

The Governor of "Falling Bridges Minnesota"?

Does McCain want to loose this election?

I live in Minnesota and he is not that popular anymore.

[Phylmom]

Let's hope you're right. I never even heard of him.

[VOTER]

He will be in the news during the GOP Convention and remembered as the

man who renamed all of the Men's Rooms in the state as Craig Rooms.

[kenbomc]

He barely won his re-election here -only because there wasn't a good Democrat opponent.

[RoboA2008]

I have some VP suggestions for McCain. Rocky the Flying Squirrel, Charo, Tweety Bird, and Boo Boo the Fool. They all reflect the views of McCain and his followers. Rove would also be good. The need for another liar will balance the ticket.

[Daly]

Funny! I vote for Boo Boo

[Tommygun264]

Who better to symbolize the GOP than the Governor who allowed his people to suffer and die for lack of infrastructure while he touted "tax cuts, tax cuts".

[Myshkin57]

Did I just have the worst case of deja vu or was this morning's Chris Matthews Show a repeat? I watched about five minutes this morning and I had already seen it, so why is anything from it making headlines?

[TakeSake]

Tim Pawlenty has provided Dim Aplwenty for Minnesota, and would do the same for McCain.

He's all concerned about a 2 cent gas tax increase while completely ignoring the 200% increase since he became governor, ignores infrastructure problems while turning down big matching funds for light rail, and generally decides based on whether it fits with McCain or some other Republican talking point.

Let him be on that ticket. Either way, it's his ticket out of Minnesota.

[Tom95134]

Maybe Jesse Ventura wasn't available for the VeeP slot.

[nativeeyes]

Some Republicans like McCain are way to dumbfounded to lead a Cub Scout Troop let alone lead outr Country...­..


Get Bush out of office and let's get Obama in office..

McCain didn't do squat in 20+ yers but be a puppet and only follows whom ever wanted to take OUR COUNTRY down the wrong road......

Thanks McCain.. You are at fault too for all these WARS and for my family and friends getting killed in IRAQ!~~

They wanted to serve our Country, not serve Iraq's Country...

[obamanation31]

Well Michigan should be interesting

[laurie91020]

WOW!!! TWO WHITE GUYS on the Republican ticket.... Who would have thought that would be possible??? I'm SHOCKED!!!

[hillaryj]

I, too, am totally shocked!!!!!

[RoboA2008]

There are no blacks in the republican party. The two or three they have never hold white republicans feet to the fire. In fact in order to be a black republican you have to be a white republican. It is written in their charter. The republican party could vote to reintroduce slavery and the black republicans would vote unanimously for it.

[situationcritical]

"The republican part could vote to reintroduce slavery, and the black republicans would vote unanimously for it."

WORTH REPEATING.

[walk0nwalls]

PUN-DIT HELL

[coolrepublica]

Chris Matthews never had a shot at moderator of Meet the Press. The man is so despicable I wonder if he knows how obnoxious he is. I bet in the morning when he gets to work Olberman and Matthews make a pact to see who will be the worst jack-person that day.

[LillianB]

Don't you think there's a certain chance McCain would have to pick a VP Candidate that shines, if only a little bit? Yes, one votes for the top of the ticket. And yes, nondescript white men are the norm for VP. But in McCs case, a VP would be of greater importance than a VP normally is - as all of us know, McC is 72 years old, and even IF he should be elected this autumn, he could hardly expect to be reelected at 76. Asides from public opinion & appearance, the Presidency of the United States is probably one of the toughest and most ageing jobs in the world... McC's VP Candiate would very likely be the republican nominee in 2012 - whether he is running for "a second term" after a President McCain or as an opponent against a President Obama. (I say he. I don't think he would be a she. Though that would be strategically smart at the moment, to nick some of Clintons most devoted fans, I hardly think GOP is broadminded enough to want a woman to be their next nominee... If McC really wants to screw up Obamas base by nicking HRC-fans and the black vote alike, he'd choose Condi Rice as a running mate... Strategically smart. But possibly not what the GOP - or C. Rice herself/McC himself - wants??)

[coolrepublica]

Black people hate Condi for some reason. They can't appreciate her achievement. All the see is the woman who works with Bush. As for as 90% of African americans are concern, Obama is the only smart black person in existence and there won't be another one for 100 years and they have to vote for him or they will miss out on whatever.

[speakingtruth2power]

I know personal insults are not acceptable but it's probably OK if you do it yourself.

[ImmanuelGoldstein]

"All they see is a woman who works with Bush".

THAT isn't enough reason to hate her guts? And her accomplishments consist of being the worst Secretary of State in history for the worse administration in history. Some 'accomplishments'!

[NCYvonne]

And I supposed you've talked to black people about this, heh? That's why you know what they're thinking.

Black people don't like Rice because she's (a) a butt kisser to the dumbest president in history, (b) she is the worst secretary of state in history and (c) while others in AL were marching for integration and civil rights, Rice and her family stayed out of it and said famously "that has nothing to do with me"

[AdamND]

picking Rice would only tie him more to Bush. It doesnt matter how smart she is but picking her isnt a good idea.

[GuyFawkes]

Or maybe she's been a gutless enabler to the worst prez in modern U.S. history?

Never forget the image of her shoe shopping while New Orleans drowned.

[theone718]

I have to agree with Sullivan, I think McCain made his decision already but is just going through the rounds of picking a VP.

[gopherinjoburg]

As Howard Fineman is prone to say, the selection of Pawlenty would be too cute by half ... the Republicans are trying to overplay a week hand by fully committing to their gambit of overturning a blueish-purple state into the Republican column. It's not bad tactics, but McCain would really have to believe that Minnesotans would be completely starstruck with hosting a political convention and that a very provincial population would take pride in having one of their own on the ticket. After all, Mondale did win Minnesota while losing the rest of the country.

However, the selection of a relative unknown would be pretty uninspiring and as they lose the state to soaring gas prices, failing mortgages, a collapsing bridge and broken Iowa levees, Minnesotans are unlikely to be bought off by such an appeal to their local pride. Now, if McCain put a Gopher or North Stars player on the ticket, that might be different ... hopefully Obama will pick Biden as his running mate and give him the credibility and foreign policy experience that would outweigh and of McCain's geopolitical pandering.

[PorkBelly]

I did die a little inside when Chris Matthews made that pun.