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Tim Pawlenty: Bachmann’s ‘Record Of Accomplishment In Congress Is Non-Existent’

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Republican presidential candidate Tim Pawlenty is eager to add some excitement back to his campaign, and this morning on Meet the Press he may have found just the ticket: going on the attack. In Pawlenty’s crosshairs was fellow presidential candidate Michele Bachmann who Pawlenty dismissed as having no successes in Congress that would make her more worthy than him of being elected President.

Pawlenty unleashed (and for him, yes this is unleashed):

“I like Congresswoman Bachmann. I’ve campaigned for her. I respect her. But her record of accomplishment in Congress is non-existent, it’s non-existent. And so we’re not looking for folks who just have speech capabilities. We’re looking for people who can lead a large enterprise in a public setting and drive it to conclusion. I’ve done that, she hasn’t.”

David Gregory also wondered whether Pawlenty thinks some of Bachmann’s extreme statements, like describing President Obama’s administration as a “gangster government,” reflected a “temperament not suitable for the Presidency.” Yet Pawlenty wasn’t willing to throw Bachmann too far under the bus, instead suggesting that some of his own language has been similar, since he too thinks the Obama administration is “incompetent,” “failed” and “out of control.” Although it’s a bit odd that if Pawlenty is now willing to go after some of his Republican competitors, why he wasn’t more eager to take on current top dog Mitt Romney instead?

Watch the clip from NBC below:

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  • mtjade4

    Interesting how when Pawlenty was boasting about his track record as Govenor of Minnesota, David G. didn’t ask him why he left Minnesota with a $5 Billion dollar deficit?

    How will he explain this on the campain trail?

  • purveyor

    Just what we need. Republicans starting to be nasty to each other. We, the Conservatives are not the enemy.

    Delineate your political differences, propose ideas, but don’t insult each other.

  • http://constitutionallibertarian.co.cc DavidKramer

    Hmmmm, she did not pass a bunch of draconian laws down our throats.

    This is supposed to be a bad thing?

  • http://constitutionallibertarian.co.cc DavidKramer

    purveyor said:
    Just what we need. Republicans starting to be nasty to each other. We, the Conservatives are not the enemy.

    Delineate your political differences, propose ideas, but don’t insult each other.

    Reagan’s 11th commandment. See, Bachmann is encroaching on the Mittens RINO lead. They must attack from different places, I always thought Pawlenty was a RINO stalking horse.

  • http://TheDividedStatesBlog.com Publius219

    purveyor said:
    Just what we need. Republicans starting to be nasty to each other. We, the Conservatives are not the enemy.

    Yes, it is only your fellow Americans who disagree with you to a greater extent that are the enemy. (Cue someone citing Obama saying it at a rally). Sure, everyone gets a little hyperbolic sometimes. But this “other side as a genuine enemy of the state” horseshit gets a lot more play on one side than the other.

  • http://constitutionallibertarian.co.cc DavidKramer

    mtjade4 said:
    Interesting how when Pawlenty was boasting about his track record as Govenor of Minnesota, David G. didn’t ask him why he left Minnesota with a $5 Billion dollar deficit?

    How will he explain this on the campain trail?

    There is no deficit. Please give a VALID source for your attribution. Have you read that at Huff and Puff or something?

  • http://constitutionallibertarian.co.cc DavidKramer

    Publius219 said:
    Yes, it is only your fellow Americans who disagree with you to a greater extent that are the enemy. (Cue someone citing Obama saying it at a rally). Sure, everyone gets a little hyperbolic sometimes. But this “other side as a genuine enemy of the state” horseshit gets a lot more play on one side than the other.

    Of course, you provide a statement saying that Obama stated this, then you state the other side does it more. Geez! Age please. I am guessing 6, I know you are but what am I?

  • http://TheDividedStatesBlog.com Publius219

    DavidKramer said:
    Reagan’s 11th commandment. See, Bachmann is encroaching on the Mittens RINO lead. They must attack from different places, I always thought Pawlenty was a RINO stalking horse.

    Were his 8th, 9th and 10th: “Raise taxes multiple times”, “Grant amnesty to illegal immigrants”, and “Deficit spend”? Because he did all those things. More Eisenhower, less “Reagan”. Hell, more Reagan, less “Reagan”. The cool thing about invoking dead people’s opinions is that they can’t tell you they think you’re wrong.

  • skyfet

    Sounds harsh.

  • http://www.facebook.com/AmericanSevereWx JZTess

    He’s trying to raise his profile among the GOP primary voters by launching attacks on Bachmann (who is rapidly eating away at Mitt). He barely registers in many polls (polling under 5% or so). We’re only a few weeks from the Ames Straw Poll, a good indicator of the current mood of Iowans, though not a certain prediction of who wins in IA. If he does will in Ames, he’s OK for the IA Caucus, if not, he’s in trouble

  • purveyor

    Publius219 said:
    Yes, it is only your fellow Americans who disagree with you to a greater extent that are the enemy. (Cue someone citing Obama saying it at a rally). Sure, everyone gets a little hyperbolic sometimes. But this “other side as a genuine enemy of the state” horseshit gets a lot more play on one side than the other.

    I ‘think,’ I understand your point. While I am usually very careful with my choice of words, “enemy” was a “figure of speech.” Yes, my Political “enemies” enjoy making a fuss over non-subtantive issues.

    Moreover, I view the progeny of Marx and and Engels as my enemy, as the core philosophy is not just to make change, but tear down and rebuild. History has proven such is a failure, but, on they come.

  • Nasty Face

    Publius219 said:
    Yes, it is only your fellow Americans who disagree with you to a greater extent that are the enemy. (Cue someone citing Obama saying it at a rally). Sure, everyone gets a little hyperbolic sometimes. But this “other side as a genuine enemy of the state” horseshit gets a lot more play on one side than the other.

    Its about equal.

  • Nasty Face

    What HAS Bachmann done in congress?

  • J Baustian

    Nasty Face said:
    What HAS Bachmann done in congress?

    The minority party in the House is irrelevant. A junior member of the minority party is a nobody. Bachmann was first elected in 2006, so was in the minority until January of this year. That is why she accomplished nothing

    Minority members do not get bills passed. Minority members do not chair committees or sub-committees. Minority members get their one-minute speeches, but only those with seniority get to speak longer.

    Barack Obama was in the majority part of the time he was in the Senate, yet he didn’t accomplish anything whether in the majority or the minority.

  • Republicans Are Liars

    Isn’t it great when the idots are fighting over which one is more stupid then the other. Go Tim, Go!

  • Skippy

    OWWWW!

    RIGHT in the kisser!

  • A.R.

    someone seems to be auditioning for vice-presidency

    attack bachmann, help romney

  • skponggol

    Like Barack Obama back in 2008, both Bachmann and Obama have achieved nothing during their very short stint in the Congress. Both also AWOL from their congressional duty and abandoning their constituents to pursue their Presidential dream while still shamelessly collecting their paychecks.

    Michele Bachmann – The Barack Obama of the Republican Party/

  • LOGICandREASON

    I hope Tim Pawlenty never wins the nomination, his demeanor is too weak for a man, and cannot beat Obama.

    Funny enough this is the second time he got his foot in his mouth for criticizing a fellow Republican; yet when given the opportunity to make his point face-to-face with the Republican candidate he criticized, he chickens out like a little boy or a frightened puppy.

    It was shameful to see him fold-in his tail like a frightened puppy dog during the CNN Republican presidential debate, when he was confronted by John King on a statement he made about Mitt Romney; I was so disappointed that night. I am pretty sure he would do the same thing with Michele Bachmann if the statement he made here is brought up in the next presidential debate. If he was frightened to challenge Mitt Romney back then, he would be even more scared to challenge Michele Bachmann, considering her very strong grass-root support by the Tea Party movement and the Social Conservatives whom she has both stood up for. Romney does not have grass-root support, so challenging Bachmann face-to-face is a bigger task for Pawlenty. Romney might be a wealthy man, but grass-root support by conservatives cannot be bought, it is rather earned! By the way the Demokrats buy theirs with entitlement programs and force like that of Union Leaders.

    Anyone who thinks Michele Bachmann has a non-existent record in congress should as well say that the US congress has no record. Bachmann has a better record as Congresswoman than Pawlenty has as governor of Minnesota, even if their jobs are not similar.

    I would prefer a Manly-Man or perhaps an Iron Lady like Palin or Bachmann to challenge Obama in 2012, but definitely not a vanilla-Man like TPaw. Pawlenty is entitled to his opinion, but he shoud at least have the guts to defent them when confronted face-to-face. I hope this issue is brought up in the next presidential debate with the Iron Lady standing right there in front of him.

  • purveyor

    Republicans Are Liars said:
    Isn’t it great when the idots are fighting over which one is more stupid then the other. Go Tim, Go!

    Point taken, But, I still don’t like you.

  • purveyor

    LOGIC AND REASON

    Well written

  • CAINtheBULL

    She doesn’t really have anything to brag about. Pointing that out doesn’t mean that he’s attacking her. It’s just pointing out the facts.

  • labman57

    Whaddya mean Bachmann has had no accomplishments while serving in the House?
    Thanks to Michele, the public is now aware of all of those progressives in Congress who hold unAmerican views and think unAmerican thoughts. Alas, no one was interested in her legislative proposals whereby she could wish all liberals into the corn field.

  • WildMan

    Timmy boy, both you and your fellow idiot, Newt Gingrich, need to hang it up and drop out now, lest you two morons make complete and total fools of yourself….as if you two haven’t already The more you loser RINO’s try to bash Michele Bachmann, the higher in the polls she goes translating into a whole hell of a lot more votes than you two imbeciles will ever hope to get. You and Newt should just park yo’ asses on Chrissy ‘Tingles & Thrills’ Matthews little Softball show on LSDnbc and bash away at women. Just think of the thrills and tingles you 3 Neanderthal Dunderheads can give each other. Dude, it will be a thrill a minute marathon.

    Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeshhh, the utter stupidity of 99.9999999999% of you crooks in politics is mind numbing.

  • Greg

    T. Paw’s chronic distaste for Michelle is well documented… As a decent man he can’t help but shield his brothers and sisters from the potentially explosive obstacle placed in our path.

  • AmericaSucks

    purveyor said:
    Just what we need. Republicans starting to be nasty to each other. We, the Conservatives are not the enemy.

    Delineate your political differences, propose ideas, but don’t insult each other.

    Have you been paying attention to the political discourse in the USA over the past few years? Conservatives NOT the enemy of Conservatives? Then why the heck are the tea partiers taking down reputable candidates one after the other?

    Most of us expected conservatism to fade away simply because of its paucity of ideas. But seeing that beast consume itself is proving to be quite a treat.

  • Just4thefax

    Fact: I applaud any battle for GOP side to vent candidates before the finals of 2012. Good shots let the people choose not the media.

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  • Just4thefax

    AmericaSucks said:
    Have you been paying attention to the political discourse in the USA over the past few years? Conservatives NOT the enemy of Conservatives? Then why the heck are the tea partiers taking down reputable candidates one after the other? Most of us expected conservatism to fade away simply because of its paucity of ideas. But seeing that beast consume itself is proving to be quite a treat.

    Fact: Republicans are scrappers and can provide safety for our country. Democrats would rather fold tent and hide before a scrap. They are the coward party!

  • Oenolicious

    Poor T-Paw. He can’t even get his messaging right. He could have made a jab at Bachmann a twofer by pointing out that we’ve tried someone with a thin legislative record and how is that working out for us. Maybe the Times was right and he will be first in and first out.

  • jooce81

    Just4thefax said:
    Fact: Republicans are scrappers and can provide safety for our country. Democrats would rather fold tent and hide before a scrap. They are the coward party!

    FACT: the Cowardly Democrat got the guy the “scrapper” before him couldn’t

  • DFW

    Michele Bachmann has accomplished nothing while in Congress.

    Water is wet.

    The latter is the greater surprise.

    (The Republicans provide for our safety? Like they did on 9/11 after being WARNED by the outgoing Clinton team that Al Qaeda was the biggest threat to our security, and not Saddam Hussein? Oh, yeah, they REALLY provided for our safety when it counted. If providing for our safety is what’s most vital, then I’ll take my chances with Democrats any day! Who let bin Laden bomb New York, Obama? Who nailed him, Bush?)

  • http://victoryinamericaday-11210.blogspot.com/ Bob Uda

    Give it up, Tim. Your campaign is inept. Attacking Romney and Bachmann to bring them down to raise yourself up is a losing strategy–just like your losing campaign.

  • Michael_T

    Matt Schneider asks, “Although it’s a bit odd that if Pawlenty is now willing to go after some of his Republican competitors, why he wasn’t more eager to take on current top dog Mitt Romney instead?”

    It seems clear to me that he recognizes that with consistent single-digit poll numbers his best opportunity is to be part of a Romney/Pawlenty ticket.

  • george L

    One advantage Bachmann has over Palin–Bachmann’s voice is not a strident screech. Is that an unfair personal attack? Nope. it is a reality of politics.

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