Speaking in Iowa on Wednesday, Tim Pawlenty criticized Barack Obama and offered a “prize” to anyone who could find the president’s plan for entitlement reform.
“You can’t find Barack Obama on the most pressing financial issues of the day,” said Pawlenty at a town hall meeting in Story City, Iowa. “Where is his plan on Social Security reform specifically? He doesn’t have one. Where is his plan on Medicare reform specifically? He doesn’t have one. Where is his plan on Medicaid reform specifically? He doesn’t have one.”
“So, look,” Pawlenty continued. “I’m going to offer some kind of prize or reward to somebody who can find Barack Obama’s plan on reforming these programs.”
According to spokesperson Alex Conant, Pawlenty clarified at the next event “that for the winner, he would mow their lawn for a weekend (up to one acre), cook them dinner (menu is his choice), or play hockey with them if they can skate.”
Taking a page out of the president’s playbook, Pawlenty likened Obama to a child playing games. Obama had unfavorably compared Congress to his daughters, who he said do not procrastinate on their homework.
“Remember that game we played when we were kids, ‘Come out, come out, wherever you are’?” Pawlenty asked. “Well it’s time for the nation to start saying to the President on these issues ‘Come out, come out, wherever you are.’ I mean, he’s hiding.”
Pawlenty is currently in the midst of an RV tour through the state of Iowa in an all-out campaign push before the Ames Straw Poll on August 13.