TRYING TO AVOID PALIN-CIDE

Curious -- as I type this, the #1 story at Fox Nation isn't the health care vote, the Fort Hood shooting, or even the raid on ACORN headquarters in New Orleans (though they're all in the top 5). The #1 story is this:

Pawlenty: Setting the Stage for 2012 in Iowa?

That takes us to a discussion thread with this header:

Pawlenty: Setting the Stage for 2012 in Iowa?

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Republican Tim Pawlenty is off on his first trip to Iowa as a probable but not-yet-declared presidential candidate.

The Minnesota governor was lined up for a keynote speech Saturday at the GOP's annual "Leadership for Iowa" dinner.

Pawlenty has been making all the moves of a presidential candidate. He's raising money to distribute to other Republicans, stumping for candidates far from Minnesota and appearing frequently on cable news programs.

ALSO:

Pawlenty to Present Image of Common-Sense Conservative

Experts: Pawlenty Needs to Hone Image

Pawlenty Among Other Key Republicans Looking at Iowa

Interesting to see Murdoch's people running this less than two weeks before Murdoch's book publishing operation unleashes Sarah Palin's book. But this is what I've been expecting from a guy who's both a GOP operative and the #1 tea party profiteer: Murdoch still wants (and, for his business, needs) to stoke this anger, but he knows that the triumph of hardcore tea-partyism would probably lead to Sarah Palin winning the 2012 GOP nomination, which would mean a big win for Obama, probably with lengthy coattails. So he'd love to give the crazies in his audience a gentle nudge toward someone who seems tea party-esque (Pawlenty has been tacking to the right lately) but isn't a pariah outside the GOP base. I've called it looking for a "New Wave" rather than a "punk" candidate; you could also say looking for Pat Boone and Ricky Nelson rather than Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis.

Alas, the discussion thread makes clear that, while a few people are open to the notion of a Pawlenty candidacy, many of the crazies aren't having it:

If Pawlenty runs for the GOP I'd like to be the first to congradulate Obama on his second term.

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Palins new book, not even on the shelves yet, Already listed as number one best seller. People LOVE this woman !!!!

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THE GOP HERO OF THE DAY: PAWLENTLY!! WHO WILL BE THE HERO OF TOMORROW??
NO TO THESE RINO SHOWS!! WE NEED REAL AMERICANS LIKE PALIN!! PALIN 2012!!!!

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She really worked wonders up there in the NY 23 race...keep her coming.

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My question is why didn't we hear anything from this guy during the last election for the senate, you know, the one Franken and Acorn stole? Why wasn't he raising hell and demanding an investigation? Why hasn't he been heard about health care reform, or Cap and Trade? I still want someone with some balls, Sarah Palin sure isn't afraid to go head to head with these idiots.

Now, don't get me wrong -- the Pawlenty skeptics aren't all pro-Palin. There is this one:

Minn. has a person we should be encouraging to run and it's Bachman.

From your lips to God's ears, pal.