According to a report posted online this morning, John McCain plans to name his running mate on Aug. 29, which happens to be his 72nd birthday — and, not coincidentally, the day after Barack Obama accepts the Democratic nomination.

The report, attributed to unnamed Republican sources by the Politico, emphasized the fact that McCain has kept virtually everyone in the dark about his choice, but referred to Gov. Tim Pawlenty and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney as “prime contenders.”

The report goes on to say:

The campaign has begun building a crowd of 10,000 for Dayton, Ohio, according to an organizer. McCain is scheduled to appear with his running mate at a large-scale event in Pennsylvania shortly thereafter.

Senior Republicans are in the dark about who he’ll name, although they say former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty are prime contenders after a trial balloon by McCain gave him very negative feedback about the idea of picking an abortion-rights running mate such as Tom Ridge, the former governor of Pennsylvania and the first secretary of homeland security.

Sources close to McCain say he has wrestled with the choice, torn between a high-stakes, high-reward pick like Ridge or Connecticut Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman — the Democratic vice presidential nominee in 2000 — or a safer and more conventional selection such as Romney or Pawlenty….

The announcement strategy — provided McCain doesn’t change it — calls for naming the pick early Friday morning to try to suppress Obama’s bounce coming out of his convention.

“You’re going to own the weekend,” a McCain official said.

The Republican convention begins the following Monday — Labor Day — in St. Paul, Minn.

Update: More tea-leaf reading on the veepstakes, courtesy of MSNBC’s Chuck Todd:

“The growing Republican CW is twofold. One, Pawlenty appears to be the safest pick, given that one no one is vetoing him. And two, McCain is more likely than Obama to upend the CW with his decision.”

Later update: The Associated Press is reporting that Pawlenty is heading back on the road to stump for McCain.

Prospective vice presidential candidate Tim Pawlenty is gearing up for a weekend campaign swing in Ohio and Pennsylvania on behalf of Republican John McCain.

Minnesota’s GOP governor says he’s heading to the two important battleground states to give speeches and rally McCain supporters. Pawlenty has been on the road for McCain much of the summer, including Monday in Wisconsin.

He refuses to answer questions about his possible place on McCain’s ticket. Pawlenty says he might travel to Denver next week as a McCain surrogate during the Democratic National Convention. No details on that trip have been firmed up.

While the breathless speculation about Vice President Tim Pawlenty has largely quieted as the week has wound down considerably, his immediate travel plans have kept the veep buzz alive.

On Saturday, he’ll be campaigning in Iowa, at the invitation of the state GOP. Come Monday, he’ll be in Ft. Sill, Oklahoma, for a send-off for Minnesota National Guard troops who are headed for Iraq (great photo op, guv!). Then, apparently after a day back in Minnesota, he’s headlining at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday.

Also, the Strib archives show that before there was vice-presidential buzz about Pawlenty, there was presidential buzz about him.

In early 2005, in the wake of President Bush’s re-election, his name was already in play, bigtime:

His national name recognition probably doesn’t exceed 5 percent,
but in recent conversations about possible 2008 presidential candidates, Gov. Tim Pawlenty was mentioned more favorably by top conservative Republican leaders meeting in Florida than such household names as Rudolph Giuliani and John McCain.

Just Friday, the New York Times named him “a popular conservative considered a rising star.”

Grover Norquist, another top GOP architect who heads the group Americans for Tax Reform, said Pawlenty has caught the eye of elite conservative decision makers. “A successful governor who doesn’t raise taxes, passes concealed carry, reins in spending and who comes from a blue state that’s trending Republican is an attractive candidate for president or vice president.”

“Of the guys in the top 12 for `08, he’s right up there,” Norquist said.

(…snip)

“There’s an undercurrent of talk all the time about Pawlenty,” said Vin Weber, a former congressman, a top Republican strategist and a Washington lobbyist.

During presidential inauguration week in January, Pawlenty was one of the most sought-after interviewees by conservative opinion leaders from George Will to Charles Krauthammer, says GOP Chairman Ron Eibensteiner. He’s constantly getting requests from all over the country to speak at political and public policy events.

Paul Weyrich, an influential conservative who founded the Heritage Foundation and has strong ties to the White House, said that of the candidates who appeal to the Republican base, “I would rank Tim Pawlenty fairly high - in the top three or four nationally.”

Not much new to report, but a couple of nuggets are worth passing along.

The Las Vegas Sun reports that, in the eyes of offshore bettors, the odds are looking good for our governor:

The so-called “steam” — slang for a rush of betting action — indicates plenty of recent support for Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty as the Republican vice presidential nominee.

Pawlenty has emerged as a co-favorite with Mitt Romney to be McCain’s running mate. Odds are about 2-1.

On the Democratic side, Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine and Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh are the betting co-favorites at similar odds in the 2-1 range to serve as Obama’s running mate in the November election.

You can read the whole thing here.

Meanwhile, ABC News is reporting, per “sources,” that everybody ginning up the vice-presidential speculation should take a few deep breaths:

The frenzied speculation last week that a McCain pick was “imminent” has proven to be nothing more than that. Sources say McCain has not made up his mind and is unlikely to announce his selection until later next month–with the caveat that the independent McCain, who will make this decision on his own, could, of course, always make up his mind and announce next week.

The report goes on to say that the conundrum facing John McCain is that there’s no sure-fire conservative pick on his short list; “Each candidate on his short list–his former opponent, Mitt Romney, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, and former Ohio Rep. Rob Portman–has drawbacks.”

And Pawlenty gets this less-than-flattering assessment:

Pawlenty has an established relationship with McCain and has been a visible surrogate for him on the political talk shows. He’s spoken powerfully about changing the Republican Party from the Country Club to Sam’s Club–which, if he could do, would help in those key states like Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania. But nothing suggests at this point that Pawlenty could actually deliver those states, so what does he add? And can you really say, “President Pawlenty?”

In the absence of anything resembling real news (much less fresh facts) about John McCain’s decision about a running mate, here’s some fresh entrail-reading, courtesy of the Rasmussen Reports polling firm.

In what amounts to little more than a national name-recognition pop quiz of the 1,000 likely voters the company surveyed, it turns out that Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s north of zero, but just barely.

As Rasmussen puts it:

The names most frequently in circulation these days are former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, who challenged McCain for the GOP presidential nomination, and two sitting governors, Charlie Crist of Florida and Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota.

But a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that the two possible Republican running mates with the highest favorable ratings among voters – Mike Huckabee and Joseph Lieberman — are not even on most of the short lists currently being discussed.

What the numbers also suggest, given the high percentages of “not sure” responses, is that many voters are not even aware of most of the possible vice presidential candidates. Fifty-eight percent (58%) of voters, for example, were unsure what their view of Pawlenty is; 47% say the same of Crist.

(…snip)

In the new survey, Huckabee, a former Arkansas governor, rates highest, with nearly half of voters (47%) saying they view him at least somewhat favorably. Fifteen percent (15%) rate their opinion of him as Very Favorable. Huckabee is seen at least somewhat unfavorably by 39%. Huckabee, like Romney, ran against McCain in the spring GOP primaries.

Lieberman, a sitting “independent” Democratic senator who was Al Gore’s running mate in 2000, is seen at least somewhat favorably by 46%, with 10% rating their view of him Very Favorable. Again, 39% have at least a somewhat unfavorable view of Lieberman.

But all is not lost for the guv’s prospects. A futures market operated separately by Rasmussen finds that he’s still in the thick of things: “On Monday morning, Pawlenty is doing better in the Rasmussen Markets and is given a 34.9% chance of being McCain’s choice. But Romney is still slightly ahead at 36.5% and Crist and Palin tied for third with 13%.”

Well, Gov. Tim Pawlenty may have quit talking about the veepstakes, but the buzz surrounding him made its way into Jay Leno’s Tonight Show monologue Thursday night.

No video yet, but here’s the transcript, via The Politico:

“Well, it was leaked … John McCain could be leaning towards [Minnesota governor] Tim Pawlenty. I know what you’re thinking — THE Tim Pawlenty? [Laughter] Apparently, McCain wants to lower his profile even more. [Laughter] I’m not even sure who Pawlenty was. And so I Googled him and it said, ‘Who?’ [Laughter, rim shot] … Pawlenty, doesn’t it sound like a dish at the Olive Garden?”

It was billed as a press conference to tout John McCain’s energy policy, starring Gov. Tim Pawlenty at a suburban service station, but — surprise — alll the gathered press wanted to talk about was the veepstakes.

Pawlenty wasn’t biting this afternoon — any more than he has all week, as speculation has continued to mount that he may well become McCain’s running mate. Besides, the back-and-forth between the campaigns over gas tax holidays and offshore drilling was old stuff.

So the questioners tried their best to trip Pawlenty up, but he’s got his answer down pat: “I’m honored to have my name mentioned, but I’ve stopped engaging in speculation,” he said, the first of several variations on that theme he tried out.”

“I’ve said all I can say on it,” he said. “It doesn’t advance anything — it just leads to more speculation,” he said as he headed for his car.

Don’t be surprised if the dance resumes Friday morning, either during his weekly radio show, or afterward, as reporters try to squeeze something more out of him.

In a week when John McCain’s aides have been mocking Barack Obama as The One, it’s worth asking if Gov. Tim Pawlenty might just be The One McCain has decided to choose as his running mate.

The GOP veepstakes speculation cranked into high gear Monday amid speculation that McCain might go public with his choice this week, in part to wrestle the media spotlight away from Obama’s globetrotting tour. (Columnist Robert Novak, who has impeccable Republican sources broke the news, which he later walked back saying he believed it was just a ploy by McCain’s people intended to, you guessed it, gin up media attention.)

In any case, the frenzy inevitably tossed Pawlenty’s name into the mix, compounded this morning by CNN, which reported that McCain privately told a group of New Hampshire Republicans that he thinks they are “really going to like” Pawlenty. The unnamed GOP source said McCain’s endorsement came “out of the blue.”

For his part, Pawlenty is zipping his lip. He told both MSNBC and Minnesota Public Radio that he’s done commenting about the whole thing. Per MPR:

“I just have stopped engaging in the discussion because there’s just so much speculation and comments back and forth and things. I just have taken the position that I’m just not going to engage in the speculation any further.”

Meanwhile, Pawlenty’s political spokeswoman said Monday she’s no longer responding to questions about the veepstakes, referring all future queries to the McCain campaign. McCain spokesman Tom Steward confirmed that, saying campaign officials “certainly are not going to be talking about the selection process publicly.”

Pawlenty’s on the road again this week, attending a meeting in Washington, D.C. Monday (and, according to CNN, meeting with McCain aides at campaign headquarters). Today, he’s scheduled to appear at a GOP Lincoln Day dinner in Michigan.

Update: On this morning’s Chris Mathews Show, conservative pundit (and Obama acolyte) Andrew Sullivan flatly predicted that not only is Pawlenty The One, but that McCain’s already made the decision. The transcript, via the Huffington Post:

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.

It’s either an amazing coincidence, or the talking points have been going out to some of the presumptive short-listers being considered by John McCain as his vice-presidential running mate.

Over the weekend, Rob Portman, a former member of Congress from Ohio, said flatly of his prospects, “I don’t expect to be asked, honestly.”

Back on June 18, Gov. Tim Pawlenty, offered his own version of the demurral: “The fact is, I haven’t been asked, and I don’t expect to be asked.”

And Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, asked about his vice-presidential prospects in May, offered up “Let me be clear — I do not think the senator is going to ask.”

Beating all three to the punch was former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who made many of the initial short lists, but whose name has since faded. Back in April, after he had dropped his presidential bid, Huckabee called the vice presidential position a job that no one could refuse but also one he does not expect to be offered.

Perhaps notably (or not), Google and Nexis searches don’t turn up any such modest statements by former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who remains fully in the mix of vice-presidential speculation. In fact, one report published Monday placed Romney at the top of McCain’s list.
The nutgraf:

“Romney as favorite” is the hot buzz in Republican circles, and top party advisers said the case is compelling.

Meanwhile, Pawlenty’s prospects simultaneously took a whack in the New York Observer, concluding that Pawlenty wouldn’t be all that much help to the Republican ticket.

The Washington Post’s political blogger, Chris Cillizza, has been one of the most persistent of the Great Mentioners, placing Gov. Tim Pawlenty on John McCain’s short list of vice-presidential running mates. (Never mind the fact that McCain said Thursday after his plane landed in Minnesota that he really doesn’t have a short list.)

Anyway, Cillizza laid out the pros and cons of a Pawlenty candidacy in a couple of posts this week. Here’s the case for picking him. Here’s the case against him.

Thoughts?

Gov. Tim Pawlenty showed more leg than he ever has before Sunday on the persistent speculation that he’s near (or even at) the top of John McCain’s short list for vice-presidential running mates.

He appeared on “Fox News Sunday” with Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, with host Chris Wallace describing them as “the governors of two swing states who are both contenders in the “veepstakes.”

Asked directly about the vice presidency, Pawlenty opened the door a tiny crack after saying for months only that he’s concentrating on his day job at the state capitol:

I have a fond and deep respect for Senator McCain and his leadership. I want to help him become the president because I think he’d be a great president. But I don’t have any designs on being vice president.

If somebody came to me and said that, of course, it would be an honor to be mentioned, honor to be asked. It would be difficult to turn that down. But I don’t have any designs, and it’s not why I’m such a great and strong promoter of Senator McCain.

That said, Pawlenty spent most of the program assuming the role a vice-presidential candidate usually does, beating up on the opposition while leaving the high road to the top of the ticket.
Some excerpts:

PAWLENTY: Well, I was just going to say on that issue of the perception or the message that Senator Obama is going to have everybody working together, that defies the facts in the record.

He is somebody who’s been out of the mainstream not just of America but of his party. He’s somebody who has taken positions that have regularly ranked lockstep, almost robotically, with the Democratic caucus and liberal interest groups.

You look at Senator McCain’s voting record — he has consistently and regularly reached across the aisle to get things done in a big way. The change really has been from Senator McCain, somebody who’s willing to take risks, take on big issues and get things done for the country
I think once [McCain’s] message resonates or gets out with people as compared to Senator Obama’s — Senator McCain wants to cut taxes. He does not want to raise taxes on Social Security like Senator Obama does.

Senator McCain wants to relieve tax burdens on businesses so the entrepreneurial spirit can be unleashed and people will invest and grow jobs, as opposed to adding tax burdens to businesses in this country like Senator Obama wants to do.

But judgment is a derivative of a number of things, including experience and wisdom. Senator McCain has got actual national security and military experience.

And this isn’t limited to a slip on Jerusalem in the case of Senator Obama. First he was going to meet with tyrants without precondition. Now he’s modified that.

He was in favor of lifting the embargo against Cuba. Now he’s modified his comments on that.

He first said the Iranian revolution guard wasn’t a terrorist organization. Now he says maybe it is.

Wonder if he passed the audition? (If, indeed it was that. As Wallace said when he introduced the two governors, “as I welcome you both back, consider this something of an “American Idol” audition, because I’m sure they’re watching back at campaign headquarters.”