Git-R-Done. That’s the message of Tim Pawlenty’s new campaign ad out Wednesday. The video, “Results, not Rhetoric” highlights Pawlenty’s conservative efforts as Minnesota governor.
First is the state’s 2004 transit strike in which the then-governor “refused to cave into government unions,” along with the 2005 shutdown of the state government. The 30-second spot is set to appear in Iowa, the first battleground for presidential hopefuls. (Pawlenty makes ad buy in Iowa)
“Our belief is that as voters learn more about Gov. Pawlenty’s record of conservative results, they will support him,” Spokesman Alex Conant told CNN. The ad indicates a shift in tone from Pawlenty’s previous videos, the rhetorically broad brush strokes of which painted Pawlenty simply as presidential in the lead-up to his announcement. It now appears the former governor is preparing to pull out a concrete record against the likes of current GOP frontrunner leader Mitt Romney, not to mention Democrats. And there’s always a risk.
Romney knows the danger of getting too specific, as Democrats have attacked him repeated on his message that President Obama’s policies have caused the economic malaise. And just as Pawlenty releases his ad touting his Minnesota record, the Democratic National Committee has put out a “Fact Check on Tim Pawlenty’s New Iowa Ad” suggesting Pawlenty only “waded in” to the transit union fight, and that the then-governor was actually after a tax increase during the Minnesota government shutdown.
At the very least, the DNC attacks indicate Democrats are considering Pawlenty to be a credible threat.
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