Can someone explain to mewhy Tim Pawlenty is considered Presidential material?

[The Duke]

Tim Pawlenty is on every Vice Presidential short list.  He has been talked about as a candidate for 2012.  Does anyone know why?  My dad asked me about potential VPs for Republican candidates, and I said a lot of people are talking about Pawlenty, but I didn't know many details about him.  So I looked him up.

And I have just one question: What the hell does anyone see in this guy?

Yes, I get it.  He passes conservative litmus tests, he's Governor of a swing state, he's an ethanol nut from a state that neighbors Iowa.  I know all the reasons he makes sense in consultant-land.  What I want to know is what the hell do normal peple see in him?  He couldn't get elected to my hometown city council for goodness sake!  He has no charisma, no presenece, an annoying little smirk, and his views on issues are nothing more than conservative boilerplate with some midwest farm state pork thrown in.  Further, his youthful appearance is more John Kasich than John F. Kennedy.

Seriously, I feel like somebody owes me an explaination on this one.

[The Duke]

I'm pretty sure the position as an elected republican in a Dem leaning state bordering IA and WI, is the reason.

That was all I could think of, and its a pretty stupid reason.  These people have seen him speak right?  Because he sounds like a high school guidance counselor.