For Pawlenty and others with White House dreams, keeping a limber passport helps foreign cred

Pawlenty, other aspirants travel for foreign cred

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Gov. Tim Pawlenty can’t see Russia from his house.

Neither could former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, of course, but her suggestion that Russia’s proximity to her home state made for foreign policy chops was spoofed endlessly during the 2008 campaign.

The Minnesota Republican won’t be such an easy target — he’s a globe-trotter whose trade missions, troop visits and stops at exclusive international conferences have taken him to Baghdad to Beijing.

Pawlenty is quick to dismisses the suggestion that his overseas travel has been meant to serve anything but Minnesota’s interests.

Still, one of the first tests for him and other White House hopefuls will be whether they have what it takes to steer the U.S. through wars, diplomacy and other global issues.