by Zack Beauchamp
In the polls, sure, but also morally:
Some have suggested Pawlenty is carrying the McCain foreign policy mantle in this race. To the extent this suggests a robust approach to Iran, Afghanistan, Libya and Syria, Pawlenty says, “I embrace that label.” But he points out that he and McCain have differences — especially when it comes to handling captured terrorists. “He supports closing down Guantanamo; I don’t. He’s against enhanced interrogation techniques; I’m in favor of them under limited and controlled circumstances,” Pawlenty tells me. As for trying captured terrorists, Pawlenty says that “the proper place for [an enemy combatant] to be processed and questioned and prosecuted is not our civilian courts.” That sounds a lot more like Dick Cheney than John McCain.
Larison thinks this shows the oft-made comparison between McCain and Pawlenty to be unfair to McCain. I'm still dumbfounded that torture became normalized in America partly as a consequence of a TV show.
The Dish 