Gov. Pawlenty signs-off at State Fair
Gov. Tim Pawlenty did his last radio show at the State Fair on Friday, with First Lady Mary Pawlenty sharing the WCCO stage and Arizona U.S. Sen. John McCain calling in.
Although Pawlenty’s fellow Republicans were rallying at the Republican Party State Fair booth a corn dog toss away, Pawlenty after getting off the air said that he wasn’t attending the rally — it was time to pass the torch.
“It’s time for me to step back, Tom step up,” said Pawlenty of Republican gubernatorial candidate, Rep. Tom Emmer, who was working the crowd nearby.
Pawlenty went on to say that it will take another eight, ten years of work by Republicans to “pivot” Minnesota from a liberal state to one more friendly to business and more mainstream.
“That’s why I’m excited about Tom taking the baton,” said Pawlenty.
Pawlenty chided the state media for always taking the Democratic “bait” about the perceived decline of the state, reciting a list of things Minnesota ranks ahead of the pack in.
Asked about the recent Minnesota Chamber of Commerce letter sent to him urging him to apply for a federal grant to study the feasibility of establishing a health care exchange in the state, Pawlenty argued the grant was so much wasted money.
“We did a study,” he said.
Why does the state need to take federal money — funding from a broke federal government — to do another study? Pawlenty asked.
The governor argued the funding was another example of needless federal spending.
