In a statement just released from her presidential campaign, Michele Bachmann delivers a harsh counterattack on her former home-state governor, hitting back at his charge that she lacks the experience to be president and blaming Tim Pawlenty for a "multi-billion-dollar budget mess" back home:
"Executive experience is not an asset if it simply means bigger and more intrusive government.
"Governor Pawlenty said in 2006, 'The era of small government is over... the government has to be more proactive and more aggressive.' That's the same philosophy that, under President Obama, has brought us record deficits, massive unemployment, and an unconstitutional health care plan.
Continue Reading
"Actions speak louder than words. When I was fighting against the unconstitutional individual mandate in healthcare, Governor Pawlenty was praising it. I have fought against irresponsible spending while Governor Pawlenty was leaving a multi-billion-dollar budget mess in Minnesota. I fought cap-and-trade. Governor Pawlenty backed cap-and-trade when he was Governor of Minnesota and put Minnesota into the multi-state Midwest Greenhouse Gas Reduction Accord. While Governor Pawlenty was praising TARP — the $700 billion bailout in 2008 — I worked tirelessly against it and voted against it. I have demonstrated leadership and the courage of my convictions to change Washington, stop wasteful spending, lower taxes, put Americans back to work and turn our economy around. I'm a hard worker who exhibits that courage in the halls of Congress and will take that same conviction to the White House."
Bachmann's decision to engage Pawlenty, instead of shrugging off his criticism as she's done so far, is a sign that the Iowa campaign has moved into a new phase, and that Bachmann is starting to view Pawlenty as a competitor worth fighting.
Read more:
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0711/59770.html#ixzz1T5qQtR9WTiny Tim has been gnawing on her ankles for 2 solid weeks. It's about time she responded.
