Tim Pawlenty

ST. PAUL, Minn. - Recruiting speakers for breakfast receptions can be a hectic activity for the chair of the Maryland delegation to the Republican National Convention, but the man with the job said he has it down to a science.

"We didn't have Governor Pawlenty until 45 minutes - maybe an hour ago," said Don Murphy, just moments after Pawlenty (R- Minn.) spoke at Wednesday's breakfast.

Murphy and a small group of delegates headed over to watch Morning Joe - MSNBC's morning show which is being shot in St. Paul - at about 4:45am. While there, they ran into Pawlenty. "We invited him to come on over," said Murphy, and the governor did.

ST. PAUL, Minn. - For Republicans living in heavily blue states, crafting the right message is the key to success, Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R- Minn.) told the Maryland delegation Wednesday morning.

"Please don't quit," Pawlenty said during a breakfast at the at the Embassy Suites hotel. "Persistence matters. Ideals matter. Character matters. We have the best ideas. We just need to make sure we communicate them in ways that are effective."

Pawlenty said he knows a thing or two about being a Republican in a state that sways heavily Democratic.

Who does former Lt. Gov. Michael Steele think will be John McCain's running mate?

Over in Arlington, Virginia at the inaugural GOPAC state and local summit, former Lt. Gov (and the organization's current chairman) Michael Steele hosted Minnesota Gov. and vice presidential prospect Tim Pawlenty for breakfast. Steele, as usual, was effusive with the praise, saying Pawlenty "represents, in my view, the new face of the Republican Party, certainly the leadership of our party."

In other Marylanders, Queen Anne's County very own Andrew Langer will be on a panel there a little later.