Then there is the question of Pawlenty’s conservatism. As governor, Pawlenty has trimmed state spending and fought tax increases, yet he has whipsawed from backing a regional cap-and-trade proposal in 2007 and pressing for major public spending on reducing carbon emissions to criticizing congressional Democrats for taking the same steps at the federal level. In fairness, there are important differences between the two approaches, and Pawlenty’s position is defensible on the merits. But it certainly looks like a flip-flop, and that will prove a liability in the Republican primaries to come. This year, after deciding against running for a third term, Pawlenty pressed for steep spending reductions, forcing a major confrontation with Democrats in the state that has led to a lawsuit over the budget. He’s also used tough language to oppose the Democratic health reform proposals and backed innovative, small-scale measures designed to reduce costs over time, winning praise from conservatives. Whatever you think of this move on the merits—it strikes me as both substantively right and politically shrewd—this hasn’t won Pawlenty many friends in his home state. It seems very clear that Pawlenty is keeping an eye on his right flank. One wonders if he is repeating the mistake Mitt Romney made in 2008 by trading in his hard-won reputation as a pragmatic problem-solver in exchange for tissue-thin conservative credibility.