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If Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty embarks on a 2012 White House bid, his speech today in Washington D.C. could provide a framework for the message he would deliver to primary state voters later this year.
Kicking off his book tour for his new memoir “Courage to Stand” with remarks at the National Press Club, Pawlenty offered a pitch that was two parts biography, one part contrast, and one part vision.
The former Minnesota governor spoke at length about his humble upbringing in a scrappy suburb outside St. Paul, MN, the blue-collar tableau that gave rise to his theory of “Sam’s Club Republicanism.”
When he was growing up in the 1960s in Minnesota, he recounted, someone who didn’t finish high school had options -- a “fallback” or “safety net” -- by working a blue-collar job. “But as we all painfully know, times have changed,” he said. “Those strong-back jobs have faded away.”
Pawlenty also leveled measured cases against the Obama administration on everything from health care and the economy to foreign policy, and he outlined a way forward for the country based on “commonsense values that can get us back on track.”
The generally mild-mannered former governor seemed energized by a largely friendly audience and a press section full of national political reporters, testing out applause lines and appearing pleased with the results.
“Just because we followed Greece into democracy, doesn’t mean we need to follow it into bankruptcy,” he told the crowd.
Touting his tenure as governor of Minnesota, Pawlenty laid the baseline for why he believes he could do a better job to grow the economy than President Obama. He noted that in the “state of McCarthy, Mondale, Ventura, and Al Franken,” he reduced spending.
“If you can do it there,” he said, echoing Frank Sinatra, “you can do it anywhere.”
The unemployment rate in the state is about 7 percent, below the national average of 9.4 percent.
Pawlenty laid out what he sees as “common-sense values”:
- Money: He proposed increasing job growth by talking to private sector business owners and considering what can be done for their taxes, regulations, permits, worker-compensation and energy costs to encourage hiring.
- ‘Can’t spend more than we have’: He criticized President Obama on health care for failing to deliver on his pledge to make the health care overhaul bipartisan and focused on cost containment. “He broke that promise,” Pawlenty said. “That is not what he delivered. It is not going to work.” He said state workers need more “skin in the game,” so they will migrate to lower-cost providers.
- The U.S. needs to be ‘smarter’: He said that if the U.S. isn’t the biggest or cheapest country, “then we better darn well be the smartest. … You cannot have a successful society and have a third” of students not completing high school. He laid out his vision for education, higher teacher standards, for example, but then went on to lionize former DC Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee. “Everyone’s waiting for Superman,” he said, referring to the documentary on school reform. “We had a Superwoman. And her name was Michelle Rhee,” who he described as “dismissed.” (Rhee not keeping her job, however, is more nuanced than that simple explanation. The incoming Mayor Vincent Gray retained her deputy, Kaya Henderson, but Rhee was criticized for her approach, described by some as a “bull in a china shop.”
- “Bullies respect strength not weakness,” said the "Minnesota Nice" former governor on national security, adding, “We need to do it with voices of strength.” He criticized the Obama administration, charging that there was a “troubling trend” developing on issues of foreign policy, including missile defense.
Pawlenty, who was on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart yesterday in New York, said he missed President Obama’s Tucson address because he was on a plane to Washington. But from the “excerpts” he read, he said, “From what I could see, he did a fine job.”
And he defended Sarah Palin, saying that some unfairly placed blame upon her politics in the aftermath of the shootings.
“In those early hours and early days, she was falsely accused,” he said.
Pawlenty was considered a front-runner to be John McCain’s vice-presidential nominee before he picked Sarah Palin. He reiterated today that he believes McCain’s choice of running mate didn’t especially impact the race. “I didn’t think it was going to matter who he picked as his vice president,” Pawlenty said. “Once the economy cratered, he or whoever the GOP candidate was, we would have ended up in the same spot.”
Pawlenty is thought to decide on a run sometime this spring, likely by around March. He said again today that he’s “seriously considering” a run.
Msnbc.com’s Carrie Dann contributed.
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T-Paw? Seriously?
Y------A--------W--------N !!!
I live in Minnesota...Most folks honestly didn't like him. There is absolutely no way I would consider him for a higher office. Pawlenty needs to return to the private sector.
If most folks didn't like him, why was he elected twice to the governor's office?
This guy will NEVER hold another elected office.
There were three people on the ballot (as was also the case in the most recent gubernatorial election). One doesn't need to get 50% of all votes cast to win.
No one has yet to dispute this fact -- how can a man be a serious presidentail candidate when he NEVER gained a majority vote in his elections? This "he balanced the budget" claim is a hoax -- he threw the responsibility on the legislature and took all of the credit. He opposed the building of the Twins stadium, refused to do anything to move the process, but who was there on Opening Day? Really.
He's an empty suit. His no-taxes pledge signals a truth about today's economics -- sure, low-tax states attract jobs -- low-wage jobs. Good jobs go to states who invest in infrastructure, education, police/fire protection, and helping out the less-fortunate. Minnesota did not see that in Pawlenty's day -- Mark Dayton will do better.
Pawlenty for president? Huckabee? You are not serious.
HERE, HERE, WELL SPOKEN!
rcm we live in a world where we rely on others.Doctors when sick.government to build bridges to cross a river.government to protect this country.we rely on farmers for food.we rely on police for protection.we rely on wives and husbands to be good to kids.people with severe disabilities rely on others to help them.we rely on a higher power to keep the forces of unity stronger than anarchy.we rely on electricity and gas to to heat homes ,flush our toilets.we rely on the mutual trust that my nabors not out to hurt me and likewise me not to hurt my nabor.we cant survive without others.We that own a business rely on customers,and employees Having an educational system that gives them skills that can perform the tasks handed to them...you are right spelling is important and I am guilty as charged.Self sufficency is important!What is just as important is we are all connected.
Tim "ZzzzzzZZZzzZZZZ" Pawlenty has the personality of a pillow. That's an insult to pillows since they're actually useful.
Joseph; Well put we are brothers or there is no father hood of God. America is being run by banks, wall street and big corporations. All three love outsourcing for slave labor and they own our government. We the people will come together and check this insane greed or it will destroy our country. Running a nation for 1 or 2% of its citizens is a sure formula for depression. Best regards.
Pawlenty did OK in Minnesota! I think he will make Obama think about where he needs to be in 2012. This type of competition and debate has made this country great. Bring it on America!
Manipulator and Opportunist! What a load of crap! Teabagger Boy needs to stay home. Fix your Bridge!
You crossed the line when that bridge went down with people on it. It was YOUR responsibility to make sure your highways and bridges are safe. Instead, you stiffled money for reconstruction. Shame on you!!!
Go away Pawlenty! Paw-lenty of BULL!! Teaparty crap!!
Signed, A Responsible Republican
Untill Mr. Pawlenty can articulate the difference between when an action is right and when it is wrong like the map with the crosshairs then I don’t believe Americans should listen to him or even vote for him because that means he is incapable of taking a stance or simply doing or saying what is right. He has no depth and cannot critically dissect an action or a policy. He cannot make individual decisions but instead stick to party politics and division. As far as I am concerned he functions as part of a collective without individual thought so he can run back to Sam’s Club and buy his own book in bulk.
No Republican will get the nod for President unless approved behind closed doors by Wall Street, corporate America. the NRA and other power brokers. Pawlenty is a nice guy-too nice to be a Republican politician who the GOP base will embrace. I wish him luck.
I'm from Minnesota. We're facing a 6 billion dollar shortfall because our budget issues weren't handled. Taxes weren't raised during the Pawlenty administration but everything else was. Property taxes, court fees (you can get justice if you can afford it), schools weren't paid - before you make statements about how wonderful the State is doing - take a good hard look at what we're left with and how it got to be that way. We knew he was going to use those arguments to establish a run for presidency and are hoping someone will delve deeper into it than a soundbite.
The Education budget from Minnesota's general fund is 47.1% of the total budget. The Health and Human Services budget is 28.6%. These two budgets combined are 75.7% and combine for nearly $22 billion out of a $30 billion budget.
Why does spending need to increase when these budgets are already astronomical?
It's not the spending, it's the cutting of pivital money that is truely needed for things. You have to remember that Health and Education are two of the high end spots of budgets in all states. You have to help people not hinder them. Pawlenty didnt want to raise taxes, still my property taxes went up every year because local politicians needed money so they raised them. He didnt do very good with that.
Do not buy into the hype of good ol TPaw!! He is a fraud and a liar and will take everything away from your children!! He was in bed with the woman that was in charge of the DOT, Carol Molnau. He made her his Lieutenant Governor then they proceeded to let bridges fall out of the sky - took money away for mass transit projects and jobs away from the people of MN. He cut projects, took medical and food help away from the elderly and children. Cut money for schools and education and then he "balanced" the budget before he left and gee what do you know the first week the new governor is in office the defict baloons to 6 billion. I pray that he won't get far in the presidential ring!!
Pawlenty rising to the top of the pool is PROOF that the GOP has no one worth even considering
Didn't Pawlenty balance his budgets by not paying for things and letting things like road and bridge maintenance lapse?
I always wonder why it is when politicians want to cut something it is never anything his supporters use? That's why teabaggers are not serious when they reserve 83% of the budget for their goodies and want to make it all up on the other 17%...we should get rid of social security, medciare,and medicaid for teabaggers first to let them show the way to fiscal sanity...you betcha
Pawlenty cut EVERYTHING in Minnesota and he still left us 6.2 billion in the hole. This guy was horrible for Minnesota and would be worse for the country. He will never make it tho, he will be one of the first ones out if he runs, he'll never get the cash he needs either. The guy is a total jackwagon to talk to also i have heard, very full of himself.
We are not $6.2 billion in the whole. That is a projected deficit with a percentage increase in the budget factored into it. If the budget remains the same, decreases or does not go up by the percentage the finance department statutorily figures in, it will not be $6.2 billion.
Sure , then it will be more than 6.2 bill.
Mocking a Nation: Pawlenty's pitch in D.C.: Governor Plenty is too much, it is patently offensive, to be a sitting Governor, to starting a faux 2012 Presidential Campaign years ahead of time. There has to something wrong with voters of Minnesota, to tolerate a Governor who cannot stay focused on the important problems of that state. Surely there are important issues to demonstrate his innate and gifted talents of running a state, and if in doing so well, could seek higher office. So why wear the training wheels? Perhaps because he feels that he is so qualified that he should quit and run full time. After all if Minnesota runs itself so well, why does Minnesota need have a Governor? Send the savings back to the state coffers, if the states needs funding as most do, Minnesota they could auction off the Governor’s title to the highest bidder or the most qualified person. From a citizens point of view a governor needs to be governor while in office, and not anything else. At the very least and he should either return his salary, or have his campaign reimburse the state for his absence from duty. Imagine the futility of having 50 state Governors all more or less running for a different office and then wondering why the states are paying their salaries. Those states are already struggle with sending the 100 Senators to Washington; the Governor should be willing to have those state Senators support the business of their state at the national level. This seems right, except when you recognize those are not really Governors but Presidential Campaigners in-waiting like the next concubine hoping to be selected to kiss the Emperors ring. Of course you may have also noticed that at the wedding party the Senators also have the same Presidential political ambitions, all performing the bums rush to capture the magic garter? Again the citizens view cannot but be disappointed at having to put up with a hundred and half wantabes, not doing the original Job they were elected to do and not feeling the slightest discomfort in perpetrating this ruse.
Surely this exaggeration rambles onward, so no doubt the reader would have missed the point that running a political campaign for one, two, three, four years, hell why do any governing at all, just campaign, is not good government, we have plenty of government, but Good and Pawlenty, is so sweet tasting.
The Pawlenty Framework, a book called "Courage to Stand", and a vision? That title "Courage to Stand", it a follow up from "___— or get off the pot", yes, true, to getting off the pot in some circumstances does required courage, just do not sit next to the fan.
What does Pawlenty know about Missile Defense? Ok lets fall for that one?
I think Tim Pawlenty would be a good candidate and better than most of the ones we have had. I believe he may even care about getting more jobs. He may actually care more than people who are out of work. Are there more poor or struggling people living in this country than people who are well off and making a comfortable living? I would have thought so before the last election. If you followed that huge debate about extending the Bush tax cuts than wasn't it apparent that the democrats were more concerned about extending unemployment benefits and the republicans were more than willing to vote no unless it also covered people making more than one million dollars? So do those people that don't have a job or are living from pay check to pay check ever bother to vote? I would have expected all those that don't have a job or health insurance to really turn out and vote for democrats. There's no protesters demanding some kind of FDR type stimulus to get everybody working again. If they have given up all hope and have decided to just wait for something to happen then there's nothing that anyone can do for them. My conclusion would be that the low earners are working long hours and sometimes at two jobs just to make ends meet and don't have time to get to the polls while those getting unemployment benefits are very happy sitting at home doing nothing. I don't believe that that there are more upper income earners than two years ago and most news reports say that the middle class is shrinking. People running for office are only interested in representing people that vote. That's how they get elected and stay in office. I may be an independent but I can't blame republicans for their political actions that favor big business and the rich because their supporters turn out to vote.
"You can't spend what we don't have." "State and Federal workers need to have more stake in what the private sector already experiences." Yup, works for me.
I always hope that we could get our political info from someone other than comedians.
That said ,I think our economic problems were manifest destiny. After WWII we had the world markets. Need something? Get it from the good old USA! Even with 90% taxes we were very productive since demand was worldwide.
Then Japan, China, Europe and the Pacific Rim rebuilt and modernized and became competition(much cheaper competition). Saying that we lack education to compete with other countries needs some qualifiers. Other countries channel their younger students into college material or labor. We don't do that as much, thinking everyone should go to college. Probably because our politicians have allowed the outsourcing of labor(both parties!!).
Look up and report back after investigating Brenton Woods II agreement. I think it took place 40 years ago. We as a nation agreed to be THE BUYER, AND OTHER UNDERDEVELOPED COUNTRIES THE PRODUCERS. Managed by the central banks, UN and IMF. I even read a book about this and the crazy math that spelled it out. It has its basis in J Maynard Keys, but not entirely. That is we can spend our way to wealth. Huh?
The jig was up a long time ago. I have no solutions nor suggestions. However, being a knowledge economy will not feed the family. We are importing "so called" foreign knowledge workers because they are cheaper! Not because they are better educated, although it is harder for Americans to get graduate science funding from National Science Foundation. We are killing our own.
Nobody--repeat Nobody on the right can be President Obama in two years.things will get better and the the party of no will not get the credit for it and they should not not..A 100% disable combat veteran
Any body would be better than Obama.
He said that labor (back jobs) are fading for ever. So, is the Repubicans finally admitting that jobs are gone for good? No bringing them back?
And he also said that Obama never tried for a bipartisan force on the health plan. I seem to remember that he did reach out to the other side on almost everything. It is the Republicans who, since coming into power, are saying they will not reach out for anything.
Who are these people clamoring to run for President in 2012? We just started 2011. Isn't any one going to participate in issues this year? No one knows what this country will be like at the end of the year. This crap starts way too early.