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ERIC BLACK INK

Gov. Pawlenty on how far a Republican can stray

By Eric Black | Published Tue, Nov 3 2009 9:19 am

Gov. Pawlenty got grilled pretty hard on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" program about his decision to spurn Republican nominee Dede Scozzafava and back Conservative Party nominee Doug Hoffman in that upstate New York special election for the U.S. House. (As you may know, Scozzafava has since withdrawn from the race and endorsed the Democrat, Bill Owens, a pretty weird/wild development.)

Anyway, Pawlenty was one of several Repubs who endorsed the Conservative when there was still a Repub in the race, which has led to a lot of analysis about whether Republicans can tolerate diversity of views. That was the subject of the Morning Joe interrogation of Pawlenty by several (mostly liberal) panel members. Pawlenty attempted to sketch out a view that you don't have to agree with the Republican mainstream on everything, but that Scozzafava, who has favored tax increases, supported card check for union certifications, supported the Obama stimulus bill, and has also taken liberal positions on abortion and gay marriage, was outside what Pawlenty called the "guardrails" that define a Republican.

"She didn't meet even the minimum standard" to deserve Republican support, Pawlenty said. He also faulted the process by which Scozzafava received the Republican nomination. NBC political guru Chuck Todd pressed Pawlenty to define the "minimum standard." Scarborough pressed TPaw on whether Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) belonged in the Republican big tent.

Pawlenty stood his ground, although he was notably unwilling to say anything friendly on Snowe nor to clarify whether she was inside or outside the guardrails. He won't win any straight talk points for his answers about Sen. Snowe.

Here's the video:

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The Morning Joe crowd was pretty amazed by Pawlenty's answers on Snowe, and took it as evidence that Pawlenty was pandering to the conservative base with the Iowa caucuses in mind. They seemed to have only just figured out that Pawlenty is not currently positioning himself as the moderate in the 2012 Repub field. They were so amazed by Tpaw on Snowe that they did a whole second segment analyzing his word choices. For the truly Pawlenty obsessed, here's that clip:

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| Tue, Nov 3 2009 9:19 am | 15 Comments

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(#1) On November 3, 2009, Laurie Zelesnikar says:

Thank you Eric. Can those who are supposed to be expert in electoral politics please begin to revise their reflexive characterization of Pawlenty as a "moderate" who has succeeded in governing a blue/purple state? He's been Minnesota's prime minister, head of its Republican party, for the entirety of his reign. Objectively, his approach to "governance" has failed. Increasing attention on these facts will not hurt him if he's seeking far-right credibility, but would at least lend a bit more realism to the coverage of his experience.

(#2) On November 3, 2009, Thomas Swift says:

Scozzafava's reaction after having been weighed, measured and found wanting by conservatives revealed traits even more unsuitable than liberalism: Pettiness and petulance.

Sen. Snowe isn't my ideal of a Republican, but she isn't of Scozzafava's ilk by a long shot.

(#3) On November 3, 2009, Thomas Swift says:

On the contrary, a truly objective analysis of Pawlenty's tenure (two terms, BTW) can only conclude he has been tremendously effective.

Tim balanced the budget without raising taxes, just as promised. Further, he did it by outwitting and out maneuvering a solidly Democrat legislature at their own game.

Whether they saw the trap their colleagues had set for themselves, or believed that they really meant to follow through with the plan to tax the bejeezus out of every Tom Dick and Mary in the state is open to debate, but the fact remains that that 18 Democrat representatives voted against the House tax bill, and 11 Democrat Senators voted against the Senate tax bill.

Good luck sorting through that one at campaign time.

At the same time, he burnished his "moderate" credentials by signing the "health impact fee" and a smoking ban into law, which angered conservatives without leaving us any choice but throwing him under the bus. Further, he staved off cuts to k-12 education which the Democrats were actually pushing for.

Good luck with that one too, come campaign time.

Love him or not, Tim Pawlenty has proved that he has the savvy to be a key player on the national stage.

(#4) On November 3, 2009, Richard Schulze says:

http://www.calculatedriskblog.com

Yea! Litmus tests...

Pawlenty is speaking to the conservative base.
If he intends to be on the ticket in one form (VP) or another he will need the delegates (the base) that attend the caucus' to remember his outreach towards them. It is simply the marketing of himself to the base. No different than the Democrats doing same with their base on a national level. Retail politics, its that simple.

(#5) On November 3, 2009, John E Iacono says:

What I got from this post was that Pawlenty is able to go one-on-one with a pack of journalists out to make him make a fool of himself and come out smiling.

Not a bad performance.

(#6) On November 3, 2009, David Galitz says:

"On the contrary, a truly objective analysis of Pawlenty's tenure (two terms, BTW) can only conclude he has been tremendously effective."

Effective at what exactly? Politics? Sure. Governing? That's a much more open question.

He'll be leaving the state in far worse fiscal condition as a result of the accounting gimmicks he's used over the years (yes, often with DFL assistance).

In measure after measure, the state has slipped in regional and national rankings over his tenure as well.

(#7) On November 3, 2009, Ginny Martin says:

Tim did not really balance the budget. He just delayed payments to schools and shifted some other things around. The next fiscal year is going rise up and hit the state in the face, and the budget balancing problem will be even worse. It's a shell game, but Tim won't be around to deal with it.
What did he say? A "truly objective" analysis of his tenure?
Tim just hacked off the parts of the budget he didn't like and any of liberals and moderates and others who don't like it--who cares? He's busy running for president. He doesn't care what happens here.

(#8) On November 3, 2009, Richard Schulze says:

http://www.calculatedriskblog.com

@ Ginny, You do have a very good point that you make about the budget. The governor did in fact enter office with a projected 4.5 billion dollar deficit. As the governor leaves office he will leave what the state department of Management and Budget, reports, that the two-year budget starting in July of 2011, is projected to come up $4.4 billion short.

As you point out there will be some very hard budget cuts to make in the future. Cuts that politically will be very uncomfortable to make. As former Governor Arne Carlson has stated more than a few times, 'Governor Pawlenty when faced with politically difficult choices regarding budget cuts, chose instead to defer them to the next governor instead of exhibiting the kind of leadership required as governor'.

So yeah there is that. But I have no doubt the the governor's mastery of politics will trump any blow back from the budget issue.

(#9) On November 3, 2009, Paul Scott says:

I think we are all going to get a better appreciation of how the right thinking people of Wasilla must have felt, right about 15 months ago.

(#10) On November 3, 2009, joe musich says:

Hey

I disagree with Grease paw holding his own. His feet were held to the fire and the blisters are showing. This was no softball CNN test ! I'd like to know exactly what his brothers think about his politics ? There's been more then one story about what So St Paul thinks of his affect on their city through loss of lga and unallotment. Essential he looked like a fool.

(#11) On November 4, 2009, Bernice Vetsch says:

I hope Pawlenty's "Morning Joe" experience is the first of many proofs that the national media are FINALLY beginning to see that the last thing he is is "moderate." (It probably helps that he has been pandering to the furthest right of the right wing.)

Perhaps they'll notice next that his Minnesota-nice facade has a mile-wide streak of meanness running underneath and begin reporting on the results of his cuts to all the programs and services that strive to make life bearable for our poorest, often both homeless and mentally ill citizens.

(#12) On November 4, 2009, John E Iacono says:

I get a little impatient with Pawlenty critics who declaim about his cutting of favored programs to balance the budget.

The budget was in need of repair when the last legislative session began, and everyone knew it. Pawlenty told legislators early on that he would not support tax increases to fix it.

The legislature dawdled for months, as usual, and at the last minute sent Pawlenty bills they knew he would not approve. They expected, I believe, a special session with the chance to drink at the public well for months. But they were disappointed, then outraged, that Pawlenty refused to call one.

Instead, he unallotted funds -- mostly in the second year of the biennium -- that would leave the legislators to wrestle with how to fix it in the coming election year session. This puts the dem legislature in a fix: raise taxes and pay the price in November or cut spending and deal with the ire of their base beneficiaries. And he is still there to veto tax increases with no political price to pay.

As a political move, this one was brilliant in my opinion, and left those of us groaning under the present tax burden with one more year of safety.

As for the claim that he "raised" property taxes, those of us suffering under dem local and county moves to jack up our property taxes (instead of tightening the belt as all the rest of us have had to do) we know very well who raised the taxes, and who did not.

In cities, school districts, counties, and states we never HAVE to increase taxes. We only HAVE to balance the budget, which can be done as any person with limited means has to do: by adjusting what we spend to take care of priorities. Government units CAN brown bag their lunches. The question is WILL they.

(#13) On November 4, 2009, Jill Trescott says:

http://www.mississippiswim.blogspot.com

The voters in NY-23 have indicated how awestruck they were with Tim Pawlenty and his involvement in their district's politics. I just hope he can do the same for conservative candidates across the nation.

(#14) On November 4, 2009, Tony Spors says:

Of course, Tim Pawlenty is just a shill for corrupt ex-CEO of United Health, William McGuire, just like Michelle Bachmann. They both do McGuire's bidding to make sure the money all of us pay for health insurance doesn't actually go for our medical care. That is why Minnesota is pretty much a bottom feeder in the world of national politics.

(#15) On November 4, 2009, Bernice Vetsch says:

John I: Pawlenty may have inherited a deficit but he didn't need to make it worse by tax cuts for the wealthiest among us that meant losing a billion dollars per year for each year of his tenure. Bad, bad boy.

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Eric Black is a former reporter for the Star Tribune and Twin Cities blogger. He writes about politics and government of Minnesota and the United States, the historical background of topics and other issues. Click here to view Eric's previous postings at former blog, Eric Black Ink. He can be reached at eblack [at] minnpost [dot] com.

ERIC BLACK INK

Gov. Pawlenty on how far a Republican can stray

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