Pawlenty wants in on health care summit

Posted at 10:55 AM on February 17, 2010 by Tom Scheck (5 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Tim Pawlenty, U.S. House, U.S. Senate

Gov. Pawlenty sent a letter today to President Obama asking him to include governors in the White House health care summit. Pawlenty also touted some of the changes to Minnesota's health care system. He also called for medical malpractice reform and for the ability to sell health insurance across state lines (you can read a story by MPR on that issue here).

Pawlenty did not mention in the letter that his budget plan would cut 20,000 people off of state subsidized health insurance coverage in his letter.

You can read the letter here.

Comments (5)

Why is Pawlenty so anxious to participate in a "p.r. stunt" that "is a clear assault on the intelligence of the American people?" That's how Michele Bachmann described Obama's health care summit:

"Why propose a televised, bipartisan meeting on February 25th if the underlying plan has been to pass the Democrats' original health care proposal all along? Well, it's simple. President Obama wants to give the appearance of bipartisan cooperation without really caring at all. It's one PR stunt after another with this White House, and this latest action is a clear assault on the intelligence of the American people."

Posted by Karl | February 17, 2010 11:38 AM

The very LAST thing Pres. Obama and the others on his Health Care Summit need is Palenty! He is a candidate to replace Obama, and is trying to sneak in campaign stuff already. Very distasteful.. Keep him and others like him OUT.

Posted by Marv Spears | February 17, 2010 2:21 PM

If this guy's head were any bigger, he would always have to drive with the top down.

Posted by what? | February 17, 2010 2:25 PM

Now they want IN on the HC Summit after ridiculing it for the past week or so. As far as I know from what I've been reading, the invitations have already been sent. On second thought, having Pawlenty present to demonstrate how he really feels about persons outside of his inner circle of confidants in the corporate world, might not be such a bad idea. His timing sux, though.

Posted by majii | February 17, 2010 5:10 PM

"Republican idea?" The thing about "rewarding doctors for outcomes instead of procedures" has been one of the items Pawlenty's colleagues in DC have been attacking for the last eight months as a "cut in Medicare."

I'll be interested to see if the White House accepts Pawlenty's invitation of himself to the party, and if so, what the format of the "discussion" is at this "summit." I think they're expecting a repeat of the "Question Time" at the House GOP caucus, where someone says something and then Obama lectures them why they're wrong and shows off what he knows. If there's actually some back-and-forth allowed, then it could backfire on the WH, since Pawlenty is pretty good on his feet in these kinds of settings.

I remember reading a newspaper profile of Pawlenty describing him as one of those smart-ass kids in high school who was constantly talking back and deflating his teachers. An exchange between him and Obama, who often assumes the professorial role, -- could be interesting to see who would emerge the PR winner in that duel, or if each style just plays to their side's respective bases.

Posted by Chris | February 17, 2010 6:55 PM

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