Pawlenty Announces Presidential Exploratory Committee in Epic Video
- Posted on March 21, 2011 at 3:36pm by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Tim Pawlenty, the former Minnesota governor largely unknown outside his home state, on Monday became the first major Republican presidential candidate in a slow-to-gel GOP field, launching an exploratory committee for the 2012 race.
In a Hollywood-style web video designed to appeal to tea partyers and establishment Republicans alike, Pawlenty urged GOP backers to join him to “take back our government. This is our country.”
“Today, I’m announcing the formation of an exploratory committee to run for president of the United States,” Pawlenty said.
The move almost certainly will lead to a full-blown candidacy for the Republican nomination.
Pawlenty is taking the most concrete steps toward a White House run, raising money and announcing he will file paperwork with the Federal Election Commission. Earlier in the day, he told allies he would base a presidential campaign in Minnesota.
Even so, he remains an unknown in a field that lacks a front-runner. A Washington Post-ABC News poll conducted earlier this month found roughly six in 10 voters had no opinion of Pawlenty.
In the video, Pawlenty played up his humble roots and the challenges facing the country. He says he knows the pain facing Americans in this tough economy.
“At a young age, I saw up close the face of challenge, the face of hardship and the face of job loss. Over the last year I’ve traveled to nearly every state in the country and I know many Americans are feeling that way today. I know that feeling. I lived it,” Pawlenty said.
“But there is a brighter future for America.”
Pawlenty, a conservative Republican who ran a Democratic-leaning state for two terms, has methodically moved toward a national campaign since announcing in 2009 that he wouldn’t seek a third term. Since then, he stepped up his travel to early contest states of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina, recruited Republican aides with presidential campaign experience, and courted GOP donors.
Pawlenty’s advisers are banking on a strong showing in Iowa to propel him through other critical primary states. He has made near monthly visits to Iowa since last summer and is due there the first two days of April. His next New Hampshire stop is scheduled for April 15, when he’ll take part in a tea party-sponsored tax day rally.
The Republican presidential field has been slow to form compared to past election cycles as familiar names such as Sarah Palin mull bids and other potential hopefuls like Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich work behind the scenes on their candidacies. The harsh media spotlight and the expense of a full-blown campaign operation deterred Republicans from early official announcements in the expected race against President Barack Obama, who is certain to raise hundreds of millions of dollars.
Gingrich has said he is testing the waters, and the FEC makes no distinction between that step and an exploratory committee. However, Pawlenty’s actions move him closer to an official announcement.
A top Pawlenty adviser, Phil Musser, urged supporters during a call earlier in the day to wait until April to make campaign donations so the money shows up in the fundraising report for the April-to-June period and not the one for the first three months of this year, when Pawlenty was on a book tour and not aggressively raising cash.
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Comments (78)
Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 4:32pmI already told Gingrich, in HIS exploratory email, that I didn’t like his commercial with blow-hard Pelosi on global Warming and the fact that he seems to swing with the Elitist RINO’s, instead of the constitutional conservatives.
Report Post »Van Smither
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 4:31pm2012
Report Post »Palin / West or West / PALIN
NoRoomForSocialismHere
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 4:25pmYour income scam has been reported, this is not for adv
Report Post »5410amh
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 4:20pmIf we want to win in 2012 we all have to rally behind Hermain Cain. NO RINO’S ALLOWED!
Report Post »KTSontag
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 4:13pmHerman Cain/Allen West 2012!
Report Post »SavingtheRepublic.com
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 4:11pmHow can I say this….. we the people do not want some household name some guy or gal running in ‘12. We need someone who is new, when they speak they command attention and respect.
Pawlenty, Gingrich, Romney, Huckabee,… Paul etc any of these guys run Im not voting. Its the same old thing year after year with the same old bunch of good ‘ol boys.
Cain, West, Christie Im in, heck even Trump b/c he is THE ONLY ONE is has gone on the attack on foreign policy to get nations to pay up or shut up. The Donald is out there, he is this generations Perot but if you listen to him he makes sense and he knows how to run a business… the US IS a business!
Whats sad is we have no one really to run against the obamination and I fear we will get the same lame bunch that BHO will be able to beat by a hair! Esp is it is Ron Paul, if Paul gets the nomination it is a guarantee of BHO’s 2nd term.
Report Post »eat-more-bacon-USA
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 4:10pmThe video contains lots of dramatic background noise and music – but Mr. Pawlenty comes across as uninspiring – I don’t think that this 1:56 min. opening shot will excite anyone, but it is good that he is trying, even though he is a long-shot – The more, the merrier!
Report Post »smokey888x2
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 4:01pmHe would be fine.
Report Post »calamari12
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 8:46pmI don’t want fine, I want KICK BUTT AWESOME!! Cain still has my vote so far.
Report Post »mrsmileyface
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 4:00pmI pray that Pawlenty throws his hat in. I cant vote for Romney. Romney= Romneycare. Pawlenty need to drive 3 things home. 1 The total deficit from 1783- Jan 2008 10 trillion dollars. Total addded deficit under President Obama from Jan 2008 to current is 4.8 trillion nearly 1/3 of the total deficit from George Washington to George Bush. 2 Cut spending by consolodating agencys and actualy doing something about social security and other 3rd rail benifits. and 3 Jobs Jobs Jobs.
Report Post »takemout
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 3:59pmHe certainly needs to take charisma 101.
Report Post »HoudanChick
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 4:50pmJust remember we have the greatest charisma pusher for Pres and the country is sinking like a rock. I think I will watch carefully for someone who has more deeds than words. I kind of like plain speaking
Report Post »takemout
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 3:57pmWhat has Pawlenty done for Minnesota? It’s a mid-western state that is frozen eight months of the year. What else?
Report Post »SquidVetOhio
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 3:55pmPencil neck geek. No prayer of winning. This doesn’t inspire anyone, except democrats.
Report Post »BetterDays
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 3:54pmDid a quick background on James “ Tim” Pawlenty, and found nothing detrimental ( so far ). He’s clear of the Council on Foreign Relations and in fact a recent op- Ed on the CFR web site ( CFR.org ) is disparaging of him ( my thought if the guy who wrote the op-Ed was against him and for much higher taxes in Minnesota then he ( Pawlenty ) is ok ).
Report Post »Additionally, he doesn’t seem to have anything but the “ usual” baggage when it comes to his campaigns financing in the past. God we should change how we do this process if ever we’ve the opportunity.
And lastly, as Governor he has delivered on his campaign promises, so at least he is a man of his word.
ISeeDanger.com
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 3:54pmLot’s of “drama” for an “exploratory committee”. What’s he gonna do when he actually makes the decision? Mini-series? Just feels like too much “selling”, regardless of his positions.
http://www.ISeeDanger.com
Report Post »hauschild
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 3:52pmHe’s wasting his and our time.
Report Post »moriarty70
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 3:50pmThis ad directed by Michael Bay and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer.
Report Post »teachermitch32
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 3:48pmCan’t wait for the primaries. Anxious to see Herman Caine and a couple of others show their stuff. Would like to see Alan West do or say something and hear who he will back. Hope against hope that he would run as second chair….and then as POTUS in 2016.
Report Post »Tnredneck
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 4:44pmJust imagine if Cain and west ran together ! The left would be jumping off tall buildings in droves!
Report Post »mrmikejohnson
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 3:46pmPawlenty is by far the best presidential candidate from the Republican side. National Review did a nice cover story on him a few weeks back.
Report Post »GORDON SHUMWAY
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 5:14pmI am a MN conservative, TP is a chronic liar. He didn’t raise taxes MUCH, he mostly raised FEE’S, and taxes. He is the typical coward and does not know how too lead anyone or anything. Here in MN he is considered a republican, but remember they also ran Norm Colman as a republican and we got Stewart Smally because most conservatives could not hold their nose that tight. He has all the wrong credentials, he went to liar school. His wife is a liar currantly employed as a judge. The world needs a lot fewer liars, and a lot more engineers.
(OOP‘S I mean lawyer’s) Is there a differance?
Report Post »OrdinaryCitizenForPresident.com
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 3:45pmFollow our Constitution, slash spending, and bring our men and women HOME.
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 3:45pmWhat is the Illinois National Guard going to do when their own planes run out of fuel? Take off their boots?
Report Post »richahlgrim
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 3:44pmIn a word. HOPE.
Report Post »MODEL82A1
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 3:42pmWhy can’t Chris Christie announce and make my day?
Report Post »patriotwoman
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 4:57pmI like Christie, but so far I haven’t seen any accomplishments. So far it’s all been bluster. Unless I’m wrong. Care to fill us in?
Report Post »MODEL82A1
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 5:13pmNo. Do your own homework and form your own opinion. You might actually like it.
Report Post »BP
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 3:42pmI like it. He is solid. Well spoken, and has executive leadership, etc.
Report Post »NoRoomForSocialismHere
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 4:41pmHe is a GOP Progressive RINO enough said
Report Post »VRW Conspirator
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 5:06pmHerman Cain and Allen West on the same ticket spells curtains for the BHO administration and the slide towards socialism…..
Cain/West 2012!!!!!!
Report Post »Marylou7
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 3:42pmI like the ad but will form no opinions until he is researched further, a lot further.
Report Post »midcoastmainepatriot
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 6:50pmBeware of a lot of posters on this web site!!!!! Media “Fecal ”Matter people are everywhere……I’ll take Tim in a minute over B. Hussien ……. hell I’ll take an empty soup can over Obummer …… Trust in divine intervention this time……we will not be saddled with a Rino this time……..the Tea Party will prevail!!!!!
Report Post »WAR PIGS CRAWLING
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 6:19amI voted for him twice because he was the lesser of two evils…he is, by far, a Republican first and a conservative second……of course this is Minnesota and a true conservative would have a “snowballs chance” at getting elected governor….considering its a State that elected Al efin Franken
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 3:41pmHE LIED!!!
Report Post »http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/Ill-Air-National-Guard-Unit-Deployed-to-Libya-118359004.html?dr
BP
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 3:44pmWhat are you talking about?
bp
Report Post »cheezwhiz
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 3:51pm@ Showtime
Report Post »but we will NOT have feet on the ground in Libya, right ?
Showtime
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 4:25pm@cheezwhiz
Report Post »Posted on March 21, 2011 at 3:51pm
@ Showtime
but we will NOT have feet on the ground in Libya, right ?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Roger. Our guys will hover until they run out of fuel. They they take off their boots and jump.
SavingtheRepublic.com
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 4:54pmNot feeling this guy… tied of hearing the same names over and over again as a matter of fact. Pawlenty, Romeny, Huckabee, Gingrich… Paul etc will not get my vote.
If Paul gets the nomination its a guarantee to BHOs 2nd term, the other household names IMO cant beat him either, it will be close but they wont beat the obamination!
Now if its Cain, Christi, West… or even Trump Im in. The Donald is the only one who has spoken up and actually talked the way I want a president to speak. If you have heard him on Cavuto thundering away on how foreign policy should be handled you know what I am talking about. He also has something the JOTUS does not have, legit experience! Also The Donald has failed a few times in life so he knows unlike the overachiever in chief.
Its pretty sad we dont have any solid candidate to get behind NOW b/c whomever is going to go up against BHO needs to come forward now. The socialist party is planning to spend a lot to buy the ‘12 election while the GOP still has no one to take the lead. IMO if BHO makes it to a 2nd term by the hair on his head keeping us on this course we are on, how did ‘John Connor’ put it… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoMhyUkE2Kg yea what he said!!
Report Post »RJGUSA
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 6:46pmChristie has made it clear that he has no plans of running.
@SAVINGTHEREPUBLIC I agree with you.
I believe Pawlenty, Huckabee or Gingrich would be good in office but may not be able to shove MaoBaMao out.
As of right now, a FRESH FACE with a STRONG LOVE & LOYALTY for our current system will move people. Allen West is tops in my mind. In an election run, he would expose Obama for who he really is. You think Obama is a babbling idiot now without a teleprompter? Going head to head with West in a debate, Obama would make Ralph Kramden sound articulate & sure of himself (remember, “humuna humuna humuna,lol”). And West would be successful in garnering many black voters, as most of the black population is more right leaning in the moral arena.
I love Sarah but not yet for the Oval Office. She couldn’t beat the commie now because he has the Anti-Palin press on his side, PLUS the Cementary’s would be overwhelmed with requests from the dead to rise up & vote for Obama…with Acorn & SEIU’s help of course.
So for me it’s ALLAN WEST as first choice.
Report Post »Secret Squirrel
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 7:16pm……….
Report Post »Ho, hum.
I have yet to get excited about anybody.
Some republican better kick it into high gear,
So far, all the conservatives with, ahem, cujones are women.
norway1516
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 8:13pmhttp://www.newsmeat.com/billionaire_political_donations/Donald_Trump.php
Report Post »thats why I’ll never vote for donald trump hes a fake republican saying whatever he has to, if he wins you get to pick between Obama or Nancy Pelosi…which liberal idiot do you prefer?
BearGrassNC
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 8:49pmI hope no one takes this guy serious. He is wasting a whole lot of money and has no chance. We need real leader. Pawlenty is not the one.
Report Post »theCREATORisGOD
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 9:26pmNOOO!! NOT PAWLENTY! He does NOT have my vote….Sharia law cowering spineless candidate!
We NEED to keep him out of the WH or we will be in for ANOTHER rough four years. NO on Pawlenty!
Report Post »Eliasim
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 9:30pmThey have no idea how to react or be active outside the protocol that has filled their templated brains. They can’t handle any other thought process, except that there is going to be a 2012 election when in fact I don’t believe there is- at least not in an American sense.
Report Post »theCREATORisGOD
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 9:41pmWe don’t need another American apologist, Islam sensitive coward in the WH for an additional 4 more years! We need to make sure this guy does not get on the ticket.
Report Post »jzs
Posted on March 21, 2011 at 9:54pmIf the Republicans want to have a chance at President in 2012, they are going to have to go with an obscure politician, some charistmatic person who comes out of nowhere and without a lot of baggage. Palin, Gingrich, Pawlenty, or whomever doesn’t stand a chance.
Report Post »Jackers
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 6:21amYes, and Mr. Pawlenty supported “Climate Change”…
I’m tired of the same old faces! The powers that be “selected” John McCain and Barack Obama for the last Presidential Election. It was rigged, and we were screwed – stuck with the White Devil and the Black Devil for a total lose-lose for us. Now these same old beltway incumbents are lining up again…
We desperately need fresh faces from outside the beltway to run… True Conservatives and American patriots who will honor our Constitution and serve the best interests for America!
Report Post »libsaredumb
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 12:09pmHerman Cain.
Report Post »