Former Gov. Jeb Bush Twitter-Praises Tim Pawlenty's Presidential Run

By Matthew Hendley Tue., May 24 2011 at 11:34 AM

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Former Gov. Jeb Bush, already making pet names for Tim Pawlenty.

As soft-spoken former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty is in South Florida today to court GOP voters for his 2012 presidential run, he got some Twitter love this morning from former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.

"I admire truth telling and t-paw sure did it to open his campaign," Bush Tweets, including a link to a Wall Street Journal editorial on the opening of Pawlenty's presidential bid.

That "truth telling" Bush is talking about is in reference to Pawlenty's wish to phase out federal ethanol subsidies -- ya know, a week after the Senate voted to continue the $12 billion in subsidies to the five largest oil companies.

It was a ballsy move for Pawlenty to talk about potentially killing King Corn in Des Moines, Iowa, but Jeb's Tweet praising him could have been more of a strategic move.

Just two days after Bush said he certainly isn't running for president in 2012, it makes you wonder if he's sucking up to Pawlenty for a vice presidential spot in the event that the Minnesotan garners the Republican nomination for president.

Bush may have Tweeted a bit too soon, though, as Pawlenty's repeated promise of "truth telling" falls a little short, according to a report by the Associated Press.

Reporters say Pawlenty used the word "truth" more than a dozen times in yesterday's speech, but at least seven of his claims were "not the whole truth," according to AP.

Regardless, Jeb's Tweet may have also become the first unofficial endorsement of a 2012 presidential candidate from the Bush family -- a much-sought-after endorsement in national GOP politics.

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