Pawlenty takes first step toward a 2012 run

Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty announced the formation of a presidential exploratory committee on Monday, taking the first concrete step toward a 2012 run. He made the announcement on Facebook, posting a video with the dramatic camera angles and crescendoing music that we have come to expect from the former governor. Pawlenty made a post on his Facebook wall this morning telling visitors to return at 3 p.m. for a special announcement. In keeping with the theatrics of the video, a countdown clock ticked down the seconds until the announcement. See Pawlenty’s announcement here: