Congresswoman Michele Bachmann has come out loud and strong against the debt ceiling deal reached Sunday in Washington, but so far Tim Pawlenty hasn’t had too much to say.
A spokesperson for the former governor sent this emailed statement today:
“This deal is nothing to celebrate. Only in Washington would the political class think it’s a victory when the government narrowly avoids default, agrees to go further into debt, and does little to reform a spending system that cannot be sustained by our children and grandchildren. While no further evidence was needed, this entire debt ceiling fiasco demonstrates that President Obama must be replaced.”
That fits with what we’re seeing from many of the other 2012 Republican hopefuls, says the Washington Post‘s The Fix:
One group largely avoiding the [debt-ceiling deal] free-for-all? The Republicans running for president in 2012.
Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney waited twelve hours before issuing a statement this morning making clear he opposed the deal.
Former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty’s campaign shipped a quote to reporters asking about his stance on the debt deal — “This deal is nothing to celebrate,” spokesman Alex Conant said — but did little beyond that to publicize his view of the compromise.
And Texas governor Rick Perry, who is expected to join the race in the next few weeks, said nothing at all.
Notes the story:
For the bulk of the 2012 field, there’s little incentive to wade into a debate and a deal that has left the American public with a bad taste in their collective mouths about politics.
Every candidate in the GOP presidential race wants to distance him or herself from Washington, not tie themselves to the nation’s capitol. Getting involved — even rhetorically — in a debate in Washington is a recipe for political trouble for most of the field.
That’s especially true for Romney, Pawlenty and Perry — none of whom have any inability to influence the compromise in any meaningful way. The goal of each of these men is to be the man leading the deal in the future not a cog in the wheel of the legislative process. Putting yourself in the debt debate mix then has the potential to shrink a presidential candidate not embiggen them.
Just maybe he has figured out the public doesn’t want to hear from him. It took over two year for him to figure it out. Slow learner!
Bachmann was given a loud mouth and not much rational. She craves the spot light and will do anything to get it. She needs to figure out what Pawlenty figured out. No on wants to hear from her either! That is a fact she should not get wrong.
What T-Paw REALLY said:
“the government narrowly avoids default, agrees to go further into debt, and does little to reform a spending system…. you know, just like my budget solutions in Minnesota”
Tim Pawlenty was a failure as a Governor, and he’s a failure as a presidential candidate. What could he possibly say that would be of interest to anyone?