Pawlenty says GOP needs to be more inclusive
Governor Tim Pawlenty says Republicans should be proud of who they are, but they also need to welcome conservative Democrats and independents to win future elections.
Pawlenty delivered a speech to the Republican National Committee today in San Diego. And at times he sounded like a candidate who was running against President Barack Obama.
Pawlenty has been mentioned as a potential GOP candidate in 2012. During the speech, which CNN streamed on its Web site, Pawlenty said it was time for Republicans to stand up to Obama.
"As Republicans, we've already had our fall," he said. "We need to get over the political post-traumatic stress syndrome of being so apologizing and discouraged about our future. We need to move forward with strength and confidence that our party has the right ideas and the right values moving forward."
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Pawlenty offered specifically harsh criticism of the Obama administration's approach to health care reform, spending and foreign affairs.
"He is in the process of unleashing a flood of federal spending and the greatest expansion of the federal government in the modern history of this country," the governor said. "It is time that we stand up for our principles and it is time that we stand up as a Republican party for the American people and for the taxpayers across this great land."
Minnesota DFL party chair Brian Melendez said Pawlenty has no room to criticize Obama or any other Democratic leaders.
Melendez said that under Pawlenty's watch, fewer Minnesotans are employed, including 112,000 who have lost jobs since June 2008; Minnesota is facing a projected deficit of over $6 billion for the next budget cycle; and more Minnesotans are fighting to stay afloat while the governor kicks more than 35,000 people out of the state health-care programs.
"Gov. Pawlenty has done little in his administration other than side with big business, look out for big insurance, and leave Minnesotans in the dust as he makes his way toward Washington," Melendez said.