Coach Pawlenty Versus Executive Romney
By Beth Reinhard // February 11, 2011 | 5:21 p.m.
Updated: February 14, 2011 | 10:56 a.m.
Mitt Romney, former governor of Massachusetts, speaks at the 2011 CPAC conference in Washington DC on Friday, February 11, 2011.
(Chet Susslin)
If Mitt Romney is the polished, can-do former executive poised to turn the economy around, a slightly hoarse Tim Pawlenty is the coach who pumps up the team by invoking a winning record, love of country and God.
The two former governors and leading Republican challengers to President Obama gave a preview of their presidential primary contest in contrasting speeches Friday to the Conservative Political Action Conference.
Take, for example, their differing styles on criticizing Obama's foreign policy. Coach Pawlenty: "Mr. President, with bullies, might makes right. Strength makes them submit. We need to get tough with our enemies -- not on our friends.''
And the Power Point version from Romney: ""It is my sincere hope that at some point in the near future, the President will finally be able to construct a foreign policy, any foreign policy. That will be a change."
The biggest difference between them: Pawlenty is running on his record as governor. Romney is not. The reason is obvious: one of Romney's signature achievements in Massachusetts was spearheading a law that requires most people to buy health insurance - just like the much-maligned "Obamacare'' in Washington that the GOP vows to repeal.
Pawlenty didn't mention his likely foe by name, but he took plenty of shots at the so-called individual mandate to purchase insurance.
"The individual mandate reflects completely backwards thinking,'' he said. "They, the bureaucrats, don't tell us what to do. We, the people, tell the government what to do!''
Romney has argued that it's appropriate for individual states, not the federal government, to try to regulate health care, but on Friday he avoided the topic altogether.
Both he and Pawlenty were well-received by the thousands of grassroots activists gathered in Washington. Neither lit the room on fire.
It was hard to immediately measure who could boast of the most supporters in the room. Pawlenty, who gave a lackluster speech last year, exceeded expectations. Romney, widely viewed as the frontrunner, had a higher bar to meet.
Their speeches overlapped in many respects. Both men came ready with anti-Obama zingers.
Romney: "This is the leader of the Free World's answer to the greatest job crisis since the Great Depression? What's next? Let them eat cake? Excuse me. Let them eat organic cake.''
And Pawlenty: "President Obama has done the impossible. He's proven that someone can deserve a Nobel Prize less than Al Gore.''
With rapidly developing events in Egypt, both avoided the topic that has dominated political debate outside of the hotel.
Other common threads: They both defended Ronald Reagan's legacy and bristled at any comparisons with Obama. Both pointed to their dad's hard work and sacrifice as a way to show empathy for Americans struggling in today's economy. Both drew applause for saying that they refused to "apologize'' for America, suggesting that President Obama had jeopardized the nation's position in the world.
"America's rightful place is not lagging behind China. America's place is leading the world!'' Pawlenty said.
The more sober Romney put it this way: "An uncertain world has been made more dangerous by the lack of clear direction from a weak president.''
Where Romney was more cerebral, Pawlenty sought to show his spiritual side.
"We, as a nation, need to turn towards God, not away from Him,'' he said.
While Pawlenty ticked off his accomplishments back home in Minnesota, Romney reminded the audience that he has spent time in corporate boardrooms.
"Let me make this very clear. If I decide to run for President, it won't take me two years to wake up to the job crisis threatening America. And I won't be asking Tim Geithner how the economy works--or Larry Summers how to start a business. "
Leave A Comment