Tim Pawlenty: he's not an exciting presidential candidate, but he plays one on TV:
Yglesias sees Mitch Daniels decision not to run as a benefit to Pawlenty:
Intrade bettors continue to think that Mitt Romney’s odds are better than Pawlenty’s but I don’t see how that could possibly be right. I don’t think it’s appropriate for guys who write about politics for a living to bet on those markets, but I’d say is a huge buy opportunity priced at around 20%. I’d rate 50% as a fair market value.
In an op-ed, Pawlenty says he's "I’m in Iowa to speak truthfully about farm subsidies." Ed Morrissey holds his breath:
If Pawlenty goes to Iowa to oppose farm subsidies, that’s about as honest as a Midwestern politician can get. Will Iowans support that kind of long-overdue honesty, or will they punish Pawlenty for it?
P.M. Carpenter, meanwhile, sees Pawlenty as a better anti-Romney candidate than Huntsman:
I can't see how Pawlenty fails to gain the advantage here. He's been on the hoodwinking campaign trail for months, polishing his evasions to reporters' question, while Huntsman is so politically rusty, he actually answers them.
For my part, Pawlenty seems to me like a re-run of Bob Kerrey. On paper, he's perfect. In reality, he drains the energy out of the room. But he may become the last man running.
The Dish 