Pawlenty Praises Obama's Positive Message

post from TalkLeft on 07 August 2008 12:36:00 AM. © TalkLeft

Didn't Gov. Tim Pawlenty get the memo? Republicans aren't supposed to praise Barack Obama. They're supposed to mock him while misleading people about his positions.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, often mentioned as a possible running mate for Republican presidential candidate John McCain, said Wednesday GOP candidates would do well to adopt a positive tone like that of McCain's Democratic rival, Barack Obama.
"Say what you will about Barack Obama," the Minnesota Republican told a conservative group, "people gravitate when you have something positive to say."

Why has Pawlenty gone off-message? Did John McCain tell him he won't be the VP candidate? Was he referring to McCain when he followed up with "They don't want to follow some negative, scornful person"?