Tim Pawlenty, Presented in 3-D

That's 3Ds - Dull, Daring and Decisive.

Today, former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty formally threw his hat in the ring for the 2012 Republican nomination and the chance to upend President Obama.

Sure, the press politely clapped; then they yawned and looked over their collective shoulders to see what Mitt Romney was doing today.

Yeah, Tim Pawlenty is kinda dull. Given the shellackings the Republicans took in 2006 and agin with the 2008 pairing of overripe John McCain and just under-ripe (and Not Ready for Prime Time)Scotch Bonnet Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska.

It made many conservatives wistful for the days of Ronald Reagan. President Reagan was many things; among them he was verbose and charismatic; he looked you square in the eye and called you out for the fool your were. He went to West Berlin, looked at that concrete wall that symbolically divided East from West and dared the Soviets to tear it down. It wasn't political grandstanding - he MEANT it.

Then came Scott Brown of Massachusetts. He rolled up his sleeves, drove his pickup truck to every corner of the Commonwealth and upended one of the ultimate political gimmees: a Democrat representing Massachusetts.

He's since been followed by a series of brash, Reaganesque leaders (where positive results = leadership)such as New Jersey's Chris Christie, Texas' Rick Perry and Minnesota's Michelle Bachmann. These people are brash, abrasive, loud and confrontational. They don't suffer liberal fools gladly. And they attract attention to themselves and their accomplishments.

And then we return to quiet, dull Tim Pawlenty. But, y'know what, gentle readers? While Santorum and Cain, Paul and Gingrich and the rest of the pack are pontificating on their platforms of the way they want conservative ideals to prevail, Tim Pawlenty became to the first elected official since Congressman Joe Wilson to look Obama square in the eye and call him a failure to his face.

Maybe I prefer dull to loud. If it gets us out of this political quagmire, I'll gladly yawn and pull the lever for Pawlenty!

**THAT'S MY OPINION AND YOU'RE ENTITLED TO IT!**