Tim Pawlenty leaving the Romney campaign

Talk about a top rat leaving a sinking SS Romney ship:

Tim Pawlenty, the former governor of Minnesota, is resigning as a national co-chairman of Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign to take a job in Washington as a top lobbyist for a group representing banks and financial companies.

Mr. Palwenty’s new role as President and chief executive of the Financial Services Roundtable was announced by the organization Thursday morning. In a statement, the group said that Mr. Pawlenty would step down from his role at Mr. Romney’s campaign because the organization is bipartisan.

“My time in public service was rewarding and focused on achieving results,” Mr. Pawlenty said in the statement. “I am grateful to have had the opportunity to serve, but I am now moving on and committed to focusing fully on this new opportunity.”

In a statement issued by Mr. Romney’s campaign, Mr. Pawlenty added: “My work with Mitt has been a privilege. Mitt Romney is a truly good man and great leader. As the campaign moves into the home stretch, he has my full support and continued faith in his vision and his policies.”

Mr. Palwenty was a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination last year but dropped out of the race early after a disappointing performance at the Iowa straw poll. He endorsed Mr. Romney early in the fall of 2011 and campaigned for him during the height of the primaries.

He was also on the short list to be Mr. Romney’s vice-presidential running mate. But despite an aggressive campaigning effort by Mr. Pawlenty earlier this year, Mr. Romney passed him over in favor of Representative Paul D. Ryan of Wisconsin.

In a brief interview at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., last month, Mr. Pawlenty played down his role on Mr. Romney’s behalf.

“I’m just a volunteer,” he told The Caucus, “so I’ve got other stuff I’ve got to do. So as my schedule allows, I’ll go out and do surrogate speaking.”

Pawlenty was a general conservative, and a third-tier presidential candidate for the 2012 GOP primaries.  He, with possibly every other GOP presidential candidate has-been, were probably all on Romney's short-list for VP candidates that could inspire any type of enthusiasm among the fanatics and Tea Party voters. T-Paw threw his hat into the Romney ring, campaigned for him, and probably dreamed of a strong cabinet position within the future Romney administration.  But with the disaster of Romney's unplugged video, I'm guessing T-Paw has decided that the grass is greener with the bank lobbying industry.  Look at the timing--Pawlenty leaves a top, Romney campaign position two days after the video disaster story.  Top rat leaving a sinking ship!  Again, this is not going to be good for the Romney campaign trying to reboot their floundering campaign with having to perform more damage control spin.