Capitol View: November 3, 2009 Archive

Pawlenty punts on Olympia Snowe

Posted at 7:23 AM on November 3, 2009 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: Tim Pawlenty

Gov. Pawlenty was on MSNBC's Morning Joe this morning to talk about his endorsement of conservative Doug Hoffman in NY-23. Things got interesting, however, when the interviewers started asking Pawlenty who he would consider a moderate Republican. He said GOP Rep. Erik Paulsen and former GOP Rep. Jim Ramstad were examples.

But the interviewers then asked whether Pawlenty supported Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine. At first he sidestepped the question. On a follow up, he said "We want Olympia Snowe in the big tent but she can't say she's a Republican and vote against the Republican position much of the time."

When pressed further, Pawlenty said "I'd much rather have a Republican than a Democrat in Maine." He didn't say a positive thing about Snowe during the interview.

What makes this interesting is that Pawlenty has repeatedly said on the stump that Republicans need to do a better job of attracting independents and conservative Democrats to the Republican Party.

Update: Here's the video:

Update: NBC's Chuck Todd said any doubt that Pawlenty is running in 2012 should be erased. It's an interesting analysis that does not do Pawlenty any favors.

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Snowe's response to Pawlenty

Posted at 4:56 PM on November 3, 2009 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Tim Pawlenty

Maine Senator Olympia Snowe responded to Gov. Pawlenty's comments on MSNBC this morning about her. Pawlenty was repeatedly questioned on the Morning Joe program on his thoughts about the moderate Republican. Pawlenty said this:

"We want Olympia Snowe in the big tent but she can't say she's a Republican and vote against the Republican position much of the time."

Snowe responded to Pawlenty's comments to Politico:

"I've been a lifelong Republican -- I haven't changed, I don't know what the problem is -- I really don't," said Snowe, speaking to POLITICO at the Capitol. "I know Gov. Pawlenty to be a thoughtful person and i know if he could have rephrased it or re characterized it he would."

But Snowe, who is pro-abortion rights, took serious issue with Pawlenty's underlying argument that some members of the GOP's fast shrinking left flank, including one-time NY-23 candidate Dede Scozzafava, are so far out of the party's anti-abortion, anti-gay rights mainstream they are a "joke."

"All I know is that I've been a life-long Republican, I [spent] 16 years toiling in the minority in the House of Representatives and [was part of] the effort to get us the majority in 1994 -- now were in the minority and I'm still here," she added, with a laugh.

"So, i don't know -- I think they could probably borrow more from me in that sense, in terms of being in touch with your constituents..."

Defending the party's Yankee roots, Snowe went on to deliver an expansive, impassioned defense of Republican moderation, arguing that no central party apparatus -- or any candidate -- has the right to dictate a specific programs to any state party.

"I don't expect the national party organization to be a substitute for the people in Maine," she added.

"We're a states' rights approach party and we should leave it at that... I think we've got to be inclusive in in the model of President Reagan... the Lee Atwater approach, the big tent, I think that's what we have to be all about. I always think that we have to be flexible in accommodating a variety of views if we want to be a majority party in reflecting the spectrum across America."

Pawlenty's star turn

Posted at 7:52 PM on November 3, 2009 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Tim Pawlenty

Gov. Pawlenty will get a little bit of Hollywood at his fundraiser tomorrow night. Actors John Voight and Kelsey Grammer will speak on Pawlenty's behalf. Variety has the story:

"Voight is expected to speak about a simple message about Pawlenty in that the country "is at a clear crossroads." Grammer cannot attend the event, but will call in to address the crowd by speaker phone."