DES MOINES, Iowa -- As Congress begins voting on health care reform, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty urged Republican activists on Saturday to use public anger over the issue as the linchpin of their battle to return to power.
Pawlenty singled out President Barack Obama at a big Republican fundraiser at the Iowa State Fairgrounds, his first visit to the state since the 2008 elections.
"On the night that he won the Iowa caucuses, he promised to bring Republicans and Democrats together to pass a health care bill, and now he's decided to ram it down our throats," Pawlenty said in remarks given to The Associated Press shortly before his speech to more than 700 activists at the Republican Party of Iowa fundraiser.
Many see Pawlenty as a potential 2012 presidential candidate. If he decides to seek the nomination he likely will return to Iowa frequently, as his status as a neighboring governor could help his prospects in the state's leadoff caucuses.
"In Minnesota we've slowed down health care costs and improved quality by empowering consumers," said Pawlenty, a two-term governor who decided not to seek re-election. "That's the direction America should go."
ALSO:
Pawlenty Criticizes Health Care Reform Legislation in Iowa
Experts: Pawlenty Needs to Hone Image
Pawlenty Among Other Key Republicans Looking at Iowa
sparker
Anybody with respect for America would be an improvement over Obama. If Obama doesn't improve on the job and continues to leave behind enormous amount of faults, no amount of campaign promises will get him re-elected. His failures as a leader are historical as it is already. He'll have no one to blame but himself. I don't put it past him to be working hard on destroying our constitutional right to even vote by the end of his term. His lack of honor toward America "for which she stands", gets more alarming every day. We can only hope our military will defend America on the homeland, as well as it does anywhere else.
Bill1776
Keep it up Liberals! This is perfect. Ram down The Peoples' throats just about everything you can think of. Hey Obama - appoint another 30 Tzars to tell us how to live. Hey Nancy - increase the stridency of your rhetoric & accuse The People of being Nazi's again. Come on you liberals! Lets enact more taxes! Oh how I can't wait for election day 2010......
-BOSMAN-
Will Al Franken endorse Pawlenty if he runs? HE SHOULD!
ROMNEY / DeMINT in 2012!
-BOSMAN-
GOOD & PAWLENTY in 2020!
Recon
America is sick of corruption in DC.
Don't care if there is a 'R or D' in front of a politician's name.
The people will decide.
Conservatives are driving the political debate.
No more Rinos, Progressives, libs, corruption, enough is enough.
Pawlenty = rino
nipigon1
Pawlenty/Palin 2012.
Wouldn't that be wonderful.
Pee Pee in the Whitehouse.
time_is_very_short
You are getting sleepy ...You will vote for hope and change .....You can't keep your eyes open ....hope and change ...hope and change ....hope...hope...
You will wake up refreshed ...You will be convinced the democrats have your best interest at heart ....at the count of three....one ...two
American Eagle (OathKeeper)
Another sad thing about Louisiana was Rep. Cao, who was the only republican to vote for the healthcare abomination, he will be history in next election and I am proud to say I am not in his district.
Tel...
Cao is in a predominently Demcocrat area in Lousiana. Just as Reid has been wooing Landreau there also. This was a vote for future favors. Cao won't have a job next year.
lpf
If a REPUBLICAN was elected in a DEMOCRATIC area... let's think... they liked the Republican's ideas... and not the Democrat's... but he doesn't get that right? They can vote their own mind, but he can't. He's swayed by the kool-aid crowd! Enjoy the unemployment line...
American Eagle (OathKeeper)
HandleTheTruth
B. Jindal seems like a possibility for either Prez or VP or somewhere in the 2012 Administration.
Monday, November 09, 2009 at 10:31 AM
_________
Jindal is governor of my state, Louisiana, I voted for him and trusted him, sorry to say he didn't live up to his promises and he started his term not keeping his promises, we need someone a little stronger and a little more conservative than this guy.
Arizona Man
Get the list of yes voters and send there worthless a** home.We will fire everyone of them.GET THE LIST!!!
Arizona Man
Get the list of yes voters and send there worthless a** home.We will fire everyone of them.GET THE LIST!!!
ranch hand
I figure, the way this president & his crew of cuthroat pirates work, they will create some sort of national emergency next October/November & they will suspend any elections & then for the presidential race in 2012, Nobama & his pirates will just eliminate (bump-off, take out, assasinate) any opossition!! So, no matter what, we're screwed!!!
jsyl
Calm down my friend. Right now we fear them.......we will teach them to fear us again in November 2010. We hold the power. We must use it.
HandleTheTruth
B. Jindal seems like a possibility for either Prez or VP or somewhere in the 2012 Administration.
HandleTheTruth
,,,along with Palin and Bachman, I'd also like to see L. Cheney on the ticket, or somewhere in the Administration. I think these women are true Patriots and that would be a real Change for the White house.
HandleTheTruth
I'd like to see Michelle Bachmand, Sarah Palin on the ticket for 2012.
HandleTheTruth
Michael Steele spoke out pretty good over the weekend. The GOP needs to put their efforts into the 2010 elections right now.
HArkansan
Pawlenty was governor of the state that elected Al Franken as a Senator
(Sort of ). Pawlenty is yet another career politician that will NEVER get
my vote.
stoptheinsanity
any repub beats this insanity,,,,gop get it together,,ny still hasn't figured out what the dems are doing to destroy America,,,I pray it isn't too late by 10 and 12
Delores CH WV
How else will begin their election campagin?
Sonny
Pawlenty and all the Republicans and Conservatives need to concentrate on campaigning for all the Congressional seats in Nov 2010 election right now.
That's where these far left liberal democrats are extremely vulnerable right now. And that's the next election that could save the country. When the Congress is back in the Republicans hands, then we can start reversing and repealing any legislation that they might pass right now. And if we can get enough seats, we can override any Obama Veto....
That's what we have to concentrate on right now.!!!!!!
cjo12227
Who ever runs for President and wins...will have a HUGE mess to fix. If there is anything left...BO surely is historic so far: historic worst, historic biggest spender, historic corruption, historic commie, historic mafia media hack...God help us.
Ty Webb
no, the huge mess is being fixed right now after 8+ years of conservative rule. The cleanup is underway.
My Mission
You mean---The conversion to fascism is underway!
Angry with DC
You get what you vote for, Odumbo is a Muslim:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCAffMSWSzY
We shouldn't be surprised this is happening. Impeach now!
Ty Webb
another conspiracy nutjob..... what a ridiculous person you are.
cindylou
maxx---btw--whether your a Independent, Democrat or Republican it was either a win or a lose for you and all partys involved. How do you figure it was no win or loss for you? You had no opinion? then why are you on fox if you dont have a passionate opinion one way or the other? You really dont make any sense. Even Independents eithe believe in higher or lower taxes.
cindylou
so Maxx your a INO? Puleeze, you are totally Left. But out of curiosity, what do you believe we should do about health care?
Econ
May the most conservative candidate win!
MCPOVET
May the most conservative candidate win!
Max_deeepSouth
Sorry, I'm an independent. No win or lose for me. Actually, the far right won last n.i.g.h.t. The vote was close, indicating that the l.i.e.s and t.w.i.s.t.s did work pretty well.
catnip
@ Max deep south.. where you go, are you changing your screen name?
cindylou
WCAT--see post numbers going down---someone either said something questionable or the Dems are whining.
cindylou
looks like fox is removing posts on the HC site. The number of posts has gone down below 4000
cindylou
looks like fox is removing posts on the HC site. The number of posts has gone down below 4000
cindylou
maxx-------What a day! A day full of pain, anger, emotion, sorrow and exhaustion. Are you still Fired Up?-----------------The Pain, Anger, Emotion and sorrow started on the day Obama got elected. The firing up started that day for me, and we have continued to collect alot of people who have changed their minds along the way. Too bad the Obama voters really didnt know what they were voting for, but they do now and they dont like it. My sympathy is with you now for 2010 and 2012---but dont give up you can still move to europe if your not happy with the American values.
Max_deeeepSouth
Spare your sympathy, cindylou. I have told you before and want to tell you once again - I'm an independent. So no win or lose for me, but for this country.
cindylou
maxx----fired up more than ever. We will win. You will lose. Fact
catnip
we will win in the end!!!
Max_deeepSouth
What a day! A day full of pain, anger, emotion, sorrow and exhaustion. Are you still Fired Up?
catnip
here's one of them?
cindylou
move to bottom of the page and click having trouble with site---I do it all the time
amielou
we may have overlaoded the system.
cindylou
I cant even reply to comments so it is wierd that they get all their snide remarks in. I want Fox to continue this healthcare blog until it reaches 20,000. They will either hear us now or they will hear us astro-turfers in 2010 and 2012. WE WILL NOT BE SILENCED.
catnip
Is like going to gun fight with a knife!!! Don't know if they have better equipment or what...
WCAT
@catnip, cindylou, amielou....Please see my post below on what is happening with willie. The guy isn't hacking anything. He's just changing the spelling of the handle in a way that looks the same.
amielou
you are right...
amielou
MAYBE THEY HAVE A LIMIT OF 4000 COMMENTS