Republican U.S. presidential hopeful Tim Pawlenty doesn't mince words, making a list of his best quotes pretty easy to compile. Pawlenty, a former Minnesota governor, is aggressively seeking the 2012 GOP presidential nomination - and several of these quotes come from an August 2011 GOP primary debate in Iowa (yes, just prior to the straw poll). He takes aim at fellow Minnesotan Michele Bachmann several times, slams President Obama and lays out why he's the best candidate for the job. Some of the best Tim Pawlenty quotes deal with broader issues, like tax reform, immigration and the future of Social Security, too.
If you don't see your favorite Tim Pawlenty quote on this list, feel free to add it in the comments. For more political quotes, check out our lists for the best Ron Paul quotes, the most controversial Michele Bachmann quotes, and the biggest Mitt Romney gaffes, to name a few.
The Best Tim Pawlenty Quotes,
Announcing Presidential Bid
"I'm Tim Pawlenty, and I'm running for president of the United States. We live in the greatest country the world has ever known. But as we all know, America's in big trouble, and it won't get fixed if we keep going down the same path. If we want a new and better direction, we're going to need a new and better president."
--May 23, 2011, Des Moines, Iowa
Pawlenty officially threw his hat into the ring in May of 2011, two months after announcing the formation of an exploratory committee. During his speech in Iowa, Pawlenty said that "Washington is broken" and he wants to help fix things. Pawlenty went on to criticize the current administration, saying that "fluffy promises of hope and change" don't "buy our groceries, make our mortgage payments, put gas in our car or pay for our children's school clothes or other needs."
Failed Personal Responsibility
"Children who are victims of failed personal responsibility are not my problem, nor are they the problem for our government."
--April 2001, Interview with the Aitkin Independent Age Newspaper
Controversial quote, to be sure. Pawlenty made this comment long before he decided to seek the GOP presidential nomination - but it could come back to bite him.
On Immigration
"I'm a strong supporter of state rights, but if the federal government won't do its job--in this case, protecting and securing our border--then let the states do it. And they will. When President Bush asked governors to volunteer their National Guard to go to the border to help reinforce our border, through Operation Jump Start, I was one of the few governors who did it. I sent Minnesota National Guard there to reinforce the border, and it works. And that's what we need to do."
--GOP Primary Debate, Manchester, New Hampshire, June 13, 2011
With this quote, Tim Pawlenty clearly sums up his views on immigration: It's up to the states to protect the U.S. borders, if the federal government won't.
Misquoted?
"Well, actually I'm glad you brought that up, Rush, because it gives me a chance to clarify. The other side has pushed that falsely for a number of years. What happened is in the Minnesota Star Tribune -- not exactly a conservative publication -- I made reference to an article that David Brooks wrote which was entitled, "The Era of Small Government is Over." I didn't say those words myself; I was referencing his article."
--Rush Limbaugh Show, May 2011
Tim Pawlenty took the opportunity during an interview with Rush Limbaugh to clarify what he said was Michele Bachmann's misquoting of him. Bachmann told supporters that in 2006, Pawlenty stated that "the era of small government is over." Pawlenty was furious, and in this quote, he sets the record straight.
Wooing Iowa Primary Voters
"Any bobblehead can stand up here and give you the Republican checklist of issues. The tough part is do you have the experience and the leadership and results to be president of the United States."
--Winterset, Iowa, August 10, 2011
Tim Pawlenty continued to try and woo Iowa voters, telling them in no uncertain terms with this quote why he would be the best candidate to try and defeat President Obama in a general election.
More On Obama's Health Care Plan
"President Obama stood in Iowa in 2008 on the night of the Iowa caucuses and he promised the nation that he would do health care reform focused on cost containment, he opposed an individual mandate, and he said he was going to do it with Republicans. He broke that promise..."
--GOP Debate, May 5, 2011
Tim Pawlenty took the opportunity to slam President Obama's 2008 statement on health care during this debate - when he was asked about his views on the Massachusetts health care law.
On Michele Bachmann's Accomplishments
"It’s an indisputable fact that in Congress, her record of accomplishment and results is nonexistent."
--GOP Debate, Ames, Iowa, August 11, 2011
More sparring, more verbal attacks on Michele Bachmann from Tim Pawlenty. In fact, their rivalry pretty much blew up on stage, for all the world (or at least, those who were watching the GOP primary debate) to see.
Pawlenty Rips Michele Bachmann
"She said she's got a titanium spine. It's not your spine we're worried about, it's your record of results. If that's your view of effective results and leadership, then please stop because you're killing us."
--GOP Debate, Ames, Iowa, August 11, 2011
Tim Pawlenty went after rival Michele Bachmann during this debate, not surprisingly. These two have been trading barbs for weeks leading up to the event. Pawlenty at one point even suggested that Bachmann's migraine headaches should pretty much disqualify her from being president (he later took his comment back). Verbal sparring is par for the course, but will Pawlenty's strategy work?
On Obamacare
"Obamacare was patterned after Mitt's plan in Massachusetts. And for Mitt or anyone else to say there aren't substantial similarities or they are not essentially the same plan -- it just isn't credible. So that's why I called it Obamneycare, and I think that's a fair label. I'm happy to call it that again tonight."
--GOP Debate, Ames, Iowa, August 11, 2011
Tim Pawlenty clearly does not support Obamacare, but he also uses this opportunity during the debate to slam Mitt Romney's health care plan.
Cooking You Dinner
"Where's Barack Obama on these issues? You can't find his plans on some of the most pressing financial issues of our country. For example, where's Barack Obama's plan on Social Security reform, Medicare reform, Medicaid reform? In fact, I'll offer a prize tonight to anybody in this auditorium, or anyone watching on television: If you can find Barack Obama's specific plan on any of those items, I will come to your house and cook you dinner."
--GOP Debate, Ames, Iowa, August 11, 2011
Start researching, because you may actually have Tim Pawlenty in your kitchen making you a nice grilled cheese sandwich soon. Pawlenty's strategy in this particular debate was extremely aggressive, not just toward Michele Bachmann, but certainly toward President Obama and the Democrats.