Eric Magnuson is going from selecting judges to becoming the most important judge in the state. Magnuson chaired the Minnesota Commission on Judicial Selection since 2003. He didn't select himself for the job. Gov. Pawlenty didn't interview any other candidates. It's unusual for a chief justice to come from outside the Supreme Court, but Pawlenty said Magnuson is "so intimately familiar" with the high court.
After getting battered in the press last week, Pawlenty was jovial, amiable and hilarious today. When a reporter asked why the governor didn't select Magnuson before he said "we had better picks!" The room roared with laughter. In detailing all of Magnuson's accomplishments, Pawlenty mentioned the book "Minnesota Practice: Appellate Rules Annotated" and sarcastically called it good reading. Again more laughter. Being bitter and defensive is never the best way to weather tough times; today the governor turned on the charm and continued to prove personality is an essential part of his success.