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The Spectacle Blog
Jim notes that Republicans concerned about environmental policy might give Tim Pawlenty a hard time in the upcoming primary. Politico also aired this view today, suggesting that Pawlenty might not be able to overcome his problems in this area, and quoting Ed Morrissey of HotAir, among others, to that effect.
The idea that a candidate would be doomed in the primary for past support of a cap-and-trade scheme seems a little off. Would Pawlenty’s state-level emissions-reduction efforts hurt him more than John McCain’s leadership role in promoting national cap-and-trade did for him 2008?
Furthermore, post-recession, the environment is not as prominent an issue as it once was, especially relative to other concerns. According to Gallup, only 34 percent of Americans worry “a great deal” about the quality of the environment, making it the second-least pressing concern on a list of 14 issues. On the other hand, health care (with 58 percent worrying a great deal) is near the top of people’s concerns. Green issues probably won’t be nearly the obstacle for Pawlenty that health care reform would be for Mitt Romney.
As Jim explains, most people simply don’t have strong feelings about Pawlenty one way or another. That apparently includes Republicans worried about environmental policies. While Pawlenty only has 41 percent name recognition among Republicans and Republican-leaning independents, 0 percent of those who do know who he is have strongly unfavorable opinions of him.
Either Gallup is missing the conservatives irate over Pawlenty’s pro-environmental policies, or those folks are willing to take him at his word that he regards his past cap-and-trade support as a “clunker” and that he’s done with environmental regulations.
That said, this video compiled by Minnesota state representative Joe Atkins isn’t going to make Pawlenty look any more attractive to primary voters:
View all comments (17) | Leave a comment
More Blog Posts by Joseph Lawler
http://spectator.org/blog/2011/03/22/pawlentys-green-past
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Andrew Keirns| 3.22.11 @ 6:07PM
OK, we should trust the process; and it is very early in that process ... BUT, what a waste of money! At this point, Pawlenty just swings reporters around to "What are you candidate Z doing that looks like all the great things Pwalenty has done?" More waste.
If it weren't early in the process, and a guy like Pawlenty had emerged as a front-runner, hello massive defections from the Republican Party.
Occam's Tool| 3.22.11 @ 6:26PM
You know, he did admit to error on the Cap and Trade thing, so that's good. But honestly, no charisma. Nor did he campaign much for Emmer, which would have been helpful.
Jeff| 3.22.11 @ 11:23PM
charisma ? you want someone to out charisma the MSM supported empty suit Obama ? good luck finding someone that won't get hammered by the MSM daily ...
If you think leaders need to be slick talkers then you may as well join the Dems shallow pool ...
Floyd Looney | 3.22.11 @ 6:48PM
He can switch positions faster than lightening, and he can switch them back too.
Jeff| 3.22.11 @ 11:19PM
really, besides his cap n trade flip name another ?
So who are you rooting for ? Ron Paul maybe ?
Misha| 3.22.11 @ 7:03PM
I'm having a hard time with the GOP field so far. I was praying Mike Pence would get into the race. He was the perfect candidate that could win. When he said no, I began searching through the list without much luck, so I listened closely at CPAC and found Pawlenty was able to give a good speech, had right ideas and didnt shy away from faith. He was my new early pick to support, but Cap-n-Trade is an absolute deal breaker for me. I wont vote Romney over healthcare and if any candidate even said they would consider C&T, I'm done with them. Sooo......, back to the search.
Jeff| 3.22.11 @ 11:20PM
he renounced his cap n trade nonsense ... unless you think he's a liar ...
e cowan| 3.22.11 @ 8:42PM
I ask of him as of Daniels - has he renounced his devotion to ethanol and the taxpayer subsidies it receives?
The ethanol Four:
There are four potential mid-western 2012 Republican presidential nominees: Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty, Indiana governor Mitch Daniels, South Dakota senator John Thune, and Indiana congressman Mike Pence. When it comes to doling out favors to the ethanol industry, none of them can credibly claim his attitude was “just say no.”
Nuts to all of them until they prove they have seen the error of their ways.
Jeff| 3.22.11 @ 11:11PM
really, those are the 4 top ethanol states ? really ? Minnesota is a corn state ? who knew ??? I didn't and neither do you ...
Brian Gosper | 3.22.11 @ 9:35PM
Pawlenty is another McCain, Romney RINO and God willing he will be quickly defeated in any primary. Otherwise we run the riskof 4 more of King Barry.
A. Hudak| 3.22.11 @ 10:01PM
Brian, you nailed it!
Jeff| 3.22.11 @ 11:09PM
Please, he's nothing like McCain ... do your homework before throwing the RINO label around ...
Jeff| 3.22.11 @ 11:08PM
Ed Morrissey as the GOP strategist to quote ? Really ? He's a reliable Red on Red blogger and always has been since Capt. Quarters days ... and has never been involved in any campaign as anything other than a blogger ... weak, weak tea folks ...
ggoblue| 3.22.11 @ 11:40PM
it'll hurt him plenty more than it hurt mccain...he will be up against ms drillbabydrill...and he will look like a smurf.
KLSmith| 3.23.11 @ 2:47AM
The comments here make me afraid we'll all be looking at 4 more yrs. of Obama. I'm fearful of too many people staying home because their candidate didn't win the primary. ANYBODY BUT OBAMA is the right one.
Real American| 3.23.11 @ 10:17AM
I'd vote for a bag of rocks over Obama, but in the GOP Primary, it'd be nice to be able to support someone who hasn't proven so gullible (as to fall prey to an obvious hoax) in the past, even if he/she eventually saw the light.
Dai Alanye | 3.23.11 @ 2:43PM
I agree with the bag of rocks, but if more Repubs see this video Tim P is toast.
I've said it before and say it again---Santorum.