To be fair, it is not like she was first. She waited until it was safe to do so. If she was really gutsy, she would have stated her support one week prior and not wait for that first guy who did (name escapes me).
I think Pawlenty is angling for Palin’s VP pick. Personally, I think if Palin is the nominee, she will go with a VP that is out of the box, a non-career politician, or a retired military man.