Former Minnesota governor and one-time presidential candidate, Tim Pawlenty, said on Friday he has removed himself from consideration as a potential vice presidential candidate.
"The answer is I’m not going to be considering that and I’ve taken myself off the list," Pawlenty said when asked on Fox News's Fox & Friends about whether he would agree to take the job. Regarding Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, who he has endorsed, Pawlenty said, "He’s going to have a lot of great people to pick from. I was down that road before with Senator (John) McCain. I’m honored to help Governor Romney as a volunteer and help him in any way I can."
Pawlenty said he is still firmly supporting Romney as the GOP nominee. "He’s a spectacular, successful leader," he said. "His heart and his head are connected."
And he said Romney would win Michigan, pointing to polls showing him narrowing the gap with rival Rick Santorum in the state, but even if he did not, it would not be “devastating.”
Later, on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, Pawlenty dismissed recent complaints that Romney and Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, were colluding to attack Santorum and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. “Probably the last person to, quote-unquote, cut a back-room deal in American politics would be Ron Paul: “'You do this and I'll give you a favor,’” Pawlenty said. “He wouldn't do it.”
Matt Vasilogambros contributed
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