Mr. Vice President? Monday Morning Clacker Interviews Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty

About 70 supporters turned out for U.S. Senator John McCain's "official" campaign office opening in Manchester, New Hampshire this morning.

Although Senator McCain was not present for the office opening Tim Pawlenty, Minnesota Governor and co-chair of McCain's national campaign, acted as a surrogate.

Noted: 70 supporters for an office opening less than 3 days after Senator McCain himself did a campaign event in Manchester? Willingly inside on a beautiful Saturday morning? Even though the main roadway to the campaign office was closed due to a Manchester marathon? Not bad at all.

Governor Pawlenty is one of a few Republicans to win a statewide re-election campaign in a "purple" state in 2006.

Which means that even though the Governor is a "good" Republican (believe it), he isn't afraid to talk honestly about the problems currently plaguing the GOP.

Which is probably why he and John McCain get along so well.

GreenMountainPolitics1 caught up with Governor Pawlenty at McCain's office opening and asked him several questions including why he is a Republican, what the Republican Party can do to win back young people and Independents and why he is so fond of John McCain.

Editor's Note: We apologize in advance for the (somewhat) poor lighting as well as Monday Morning Clacker's tendency to rush when asking the questions. We're still getting used to this.


You can read the New Hampshire Presidential Watch write-up of the McCain's office opening here.

And you can hear Governor Pawlenty's radio interview with Granite Grok here.