Capitol View: February 22, 2009 Archive

Raise your hands!

Posted at 10:08 AM on February 22, 2009 by Tom Scheck

Gov. Pawlenty didn't do that during an appearance on Fox News Sunday. The show's host Chris Wallace asked Pawlenty, South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm and Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell to raise their hands if they were completely ruling out a run for president in 2012.

Pawlenty and Sanford didn't raise their hands. When asked for an explanation, Sanford said a run is unlikely but won't rule it out.

When pressed, Pawlenty reverted to the now familiar talking point that he was running to be president of the Eagan Youth Soccer Association. Wallace pressed him if he was keeping his options open. Pawlenty responded that he is still considering a third run for governor in 2010 and that the voters would expect him to serve a full term. Rendell and Wallace said they would consider that response as a "maybe."

Thoughts?

Update: Here's the transcript from the show.

Hunting land in northern Minnesota? You betcha!

Posted at 11:48 AM on February 22, 2009 by Tom Scheck

Did you even hear the old saying:

"If you believe that, I have a bridge I want to sell you in Brooklyn!"

Well, Gov. Pawlenty tried to localize that phrase during an appearance on Fox News Sunday.

During a debate over whether President Obama could reduce the deficit, Pawlenty said this (transcript):

"I also would concur with what was said earlier. If you believe they're going to take seriously the idea of cutting down the deficit when they are exploding spending at a historic pace, I've got some hunting land for you in northern Minnesota."

Well it just so happens that there is plenty of hunting land available in northern Minnesota. A quick google check prompted 87,200 results. Check here, here, here and here for just a few...

In fact, the Minnesota DNR is even selling land.

Question of the Day: What would have been a better choice of words? Something like"I have some tee times to sell you in January"?

Pawlenty: "Coleman has a good chance to get this turned over in the courts."

Posted at 9:51 PM on February 22, 2009 by Tom Scheck

The National Review interviewed Gov. Pawlenty this weekend. A bulk of the discussion focused on the federal stimulus package. But Pawlenty also provided this comment on the 2008 Senate race:

"I know some people have grown weary of this, but I think Norm Coleman has a good chance to get this turned over in the courts . . . The bulk of the dispute is over absentee ballots and which ones should be in and which ones shouldn't be in, or shouldn't have been in to begin with. Coleman is appealing about 3800 ballots, and Franken allegedly has about 900 ballots they're going through. The universe that they're dealing with is less than 5000 ballots, and Franken leads by 225 or so. So there are still a lot of ballots to sort out. But we may not know for a month, or for several months . . . It puts [Minnesotans] at a disadvantage when you only have one senator, and major legislation is being considered and debated. I would appoint someone temporarily, but the law doesn't allow it, I can only appoint someone for a permanent vacancy."