Where’s Tim?

U.S. News and World Report’s James Pethokoukis has posted today a single-sourced report that former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee is at the top of a short list of potential VP candidates. The article, which appears to be based on the anonymous comments of “a top McCain fundraiser and longtime Republican moneyman who has spoken to McCain’s inner circle,” says the logic for Governor Huckabee’s pole position is based on three factors:

1) He is a great campaigner and communicator who could both shore up support in the South among social conservatives (Huckabee is a former Baptist minister) and appeal to working-class voters in the critical “Big 10″ states of Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Ohio.

2) As any pollster knows, voters search for candidates who “care about people like me,” and Huckabee would probably score a lot higher on that quality than millionaire investor Mitt Romney. Plus, given all the turmoil on Wall Street, 2008 would seem to be a bad year to pick a former investment banker for veep.

3) Economic conservatives and supply-siders may balk, but the threat of four years of Obamanomics and higher investment, income, and corporate taxes might be enough to keep them on board.

Leaks are dangerous things, of course. Is this a McCain trial balloon to test Huckabee’s acceptability? An anti-Huckabee leak to rouse opposition? An anti-McCain leak to make moderates and independents nervous about voting for a ticket with such strong ties to the social conservative wing? A guy trying to impress USNWR with his insider knowledge?

Regardless, the most interesting thing to me about the leak is, “Where’s Tim?” As in Governor Tim Pawlenty, the man many think is McCain’s true favorite choice? Nowhere in the article, that’s for sure. Where’s his bid for a shot at the ticket? Only McCain knows for sure.