I F T B Q P ::

Mr. Pawlenty is one of the more intriguing names for the Republican ticket in the past few years. At the 2004 GOP convention, he was one of a handful of rising stars having sit-down meetings with the conservative press, cultivating the seeds of "Hey, this guy might make a good president someday" columns. During his first term, Mr. Pawlenty made trips to Bosnia, Kosovo, Poland, Iraq, and the Czech Republic; visited soldiers from Minnesota, and led a delegation to China in 2005, encouraging investment in his state. He also welcomed President Fox of Mexico in 2004, and a year later, Mexico opened a new consulate in St. Paul.