***UPDATE*** AUG 28, 8:34 PM Pawlenty will be on "Meet the Press" this Sunday.
AUG 28, 4:30 PM -- Pawlenty Clears His Schedule For The Weekend
Several sources have reported that Tim Pawlenty has cancelled his media appearances for the weekend, suggesting that he may be McCain's VP pick, to be announced either tonight or tomorrow. It's possible that McCain has asked this of all his potential vice presidential candidates and that we've only heard about Pawlenty at this point. More details as they become available...
AUG 6 -- Pawlenty Praises Obama: The potential McCain VP says Republicans should adopt Obama's positive tone.
"Say what you will about Barack Obama," the Minnesota Republican told a conservative group, "people gravitate when you have something positive to say." He added that McCain has been positive as well.
"People want to follow hopeful, optimistic, civil, decent leaders," Pawlenty said in a speech to GOPAC, which helps recruit Republican candidates. "They don't want to follow some negative, scornful person."
JULY 29 -- Pawlenty Remains A Veep Contender, But He's Not Talking: Speculation about Pawlenty rises, but he won't say anything in response.
The GOP guessing game picked up steam Monday when one of National Review magazine's political blogs stated that "Pawlenty is John McCain's choice and that the announcement is coming very soon." The assertion was attributed to "a source."
The backtracking began promptly, and in less than 24 hours, was amended to "McCain's list is down to Pawlenty or Mitt Romney." Asked about the report, a McCain spokesman had no comment ...
Once again Tuesday, [Pawlenty] adamantly refused to talk about his future job prospects. "I stopped talking about the vice-presidential issue ... for all the reasons we talked about last week and earlier today, but I really appreciate you asking," he said during a news conference.
JULY 25 -- McCain May Make His Pick Soon: McCain won't answer questions about his VP, but he lists Palwenty's qualifications.
Asked this week about Pawlenty, McCain again declined to comment on the governor's standing in the search but quickly ticked off a list of attributes that would argue for his selection.
"He's a great, fine person," McCain said. "Reelected in one of the toughest reelection years in the history of the Republican Party. His father, I am pretty sure, drove a truck. He has been pretty successfully . . . able to work across the aisle in Minnesota with the Democrats."
Pawlenty was in Washington this week, conducting media interviews on behalf of McCain and attending what the campaign described as "meetings" at McCain's national headquarters in Arlington. Portman accompanied McCain to a fundraiser in Columbus, Ohio, yesterday.
JULY 11 -- McCain Thanks His Troops In Visit To St. Paul: McCain praises Pawlenty on a trip to his state.
McCain was accompanied by Gov. Tim Pawlenty, whose presence at the Arizona senator's side once again fanned speculation that he is high on the short list of GOP vice-presidential possibilities. Once again, though, both McCain and Pawlenty declined to address the speculation.
McCain introduced Pawlenty as "one of the great governors of this United States of America, a great friend and a great leader. ... How proud I am of his leadership of this great progressive state."