Looks like Pawlenty just killed his own campaign

[lazarus]

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/05/pawlenty-in-iowa-phase-out-ethanol-subsidies.php

Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty made a potentially risky move during his campaign launch speech in Iowa: he called for a phaseout of ethanol subsidies.

"The hard truth is that there are no longer any sacred programs," said Pawlenty. "The truth about federal energy subsidies, including federal subsidies for ethanol, is that they have to be phased out. We need to do it gradually. We need to do it fairly. But we need to do it."

While I agree that the corn subsidies need to go, saying so is a good way to lose Iowa badly, getting your campaign off to a very bad start.

[Nye Bevan]

1. Wow. Talk about going against the grain (nt)

[lpbk2713]

2. The crowd was all ears.

:eyes:

[Blue Owl]

6. amidst the corny rhetoric

there is a kernel of truth in T-Paw's statement.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

9. Did he use his husky tone? and wear his tasseled shoes?

Because corn is little more than a hybrid grass, I guess he really mowed them over.

[geardaddy]

14. And when he was asked by local farmer,

Bill Lundegaard, what that would mean for farmers, Pawlenty said, "Aw shucks"

[jberryhill]

18. There's a kernel of truth to be had there

[geardaddy]

22. Yup,

I was just popping at the chance to post that.

[tomm2thumbs]

19. ...

too funny

[damntexdem]

3. There's been pawlenty of that behavior going around among GOP hopefuls.

;-)

[roguevalley]

20. he creamed his corn. (all props to my darling daddy over his fave food)

[ncrainbowgrrl]

4. Head/DESK. Or....

http://excitingthingsabouttimpawlenty.com/

[geardaddy]

11. Excellent.

[Wickerman]

24. LOL, that was the Gov of my state

and I approve!

:hi:

[Botany]

5. Last time I checked they grew corn in Iowa

:rofl:

Although, I do agree w/ dumping the ethanol crack wagon.

[CTyankee]

7. He's playing to the Scarborough crowd. Just you wait, they'll be calling him "courageous" on MOrning

Joe tomorrow a.m. Mika, Barnicle and whoever is their guests tomorrow will nod gravely at this received wisdom.

[Jim Lane]

33. To be fair to Pawlenty, this IS courageous.

As several people here have mentioned, his position is correct as a matter of policy, even though it may cost him some important votes.

[CTyankee]

42. I'm sure, on the face of it, that it is the right thing to do.

But when a Republican does it, I know there's a catch somewhere...

[PatSeg]

43. And as soon as he realizes his mistake,

he'll just change his mind. Oh, those republicans are so, so flexible.

[DCBob]

8. His "field of dreams" will become a nightmare.

[glinda]

10. Seriously. No one should think this a slam dunk. He is slick. Will rely upon

90% of public to not know anything about him as he makes it up.

[Contrary1]

12. Aw, shucks. n/t

[louis-t]

13. I keep saying they will weed out anyone who has a serious chance.

They will be left with the crazies. Bachmann and Paul.

[jeanmarc]

15. He's going to lost the first 3 contests now.

February 6 – Confirmed date of the Iowa caucuses<9>
February 14 – Expected date of New Hampshire primary
February 18 – Confirmed date of the Nevada caucuses

He just threw out Iowa and Romney has the last two. He's finished and just too stupid to lead this country.

[geardaddy]

16. He was too stupid to lead MN. n/t

[rurallib]

27. Isn't South Carolina in there someplace? Not that he has a chance there either.

[JohnnyRingo]

17. That's a gift to the oil companies.

and it's true that Iowans won't like it anymore than Michigan would like to hear him argue against the auto bailout loans. Still, I believe a candidate can bounce back from Iowa, and nurturing at the teat of big oil can help him down the road both in contributions and wack job conservatives who think $1/gal gas is coming back someday.

[Distant Observer]

21. Ethanol subsidies is a give-away to Agribus just like the Oil subsidies to Big Oil

Neither are necessary for a sensible green energy industry strategy that could create new jobs and long-term energy independence.

[dennis4868]

23. no longer any sacred programs?

Sure there is - tax cuts for the wealthy, tax breaks for big oil, etc...

[Motown_Johnny]

25. he was going to lose Iowa anyways, this could be a good move for him

If he is smart enough to develop a plan to phase in Bio-diesel production to replace the corn based ethanol it might even play in Iowa.

[DCBob]

31. Why would he lose Iowa anyway? Who do you think is the favorite?

He has midwest roots being fommer MN Gov and seems a reasonable, likable, and down to earth regular guy that would appeal to Iowanians. BTW, this article says he is the favorite...

http://www.kansascity.com/2011/05/23/2897420/pawlenty-courts-iowa-but-how-does.html

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

36. He may seem like "a reasonable, likable, and down to earth regular guy"

but he's not. He's as mean as a snake, and he would throw his mother into a volcano if it would help him get elected; his ambition is boundless. He is a doctrinaire supply-sider who left Minnesota in shambles, and I'm sure his only regret is that he didn't get the chance to fuck us quite as hard as Walker did to Wisconsin. Watch out for that rat bastard.

[hifiguy]

44. +100

for truth, TVO.

[DCBob]

45. You are probaby right but he is still the GOP favorite to win Iowa..

right?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

46. Not so much. He's against ethanol subsidies.

The Iowa farmers won't like that. Batshit crazy Michele Bachmann might take it because she's from there and she's a big-time fundie. Timmy pretends to be a fundie but he's really just an opportunist. The same wackos who love Palin, love Bachmann.

[Johonny]

26. So Pawlenty's vision of future America is to phase it out?

[Angry Dragon]

28. He must be ashamed of the mess he left in Minnesota

Has he moved to Iowa now??

I hope so

[AndiMer]

29. This assumes his campaign had any life in the first place

;-)

[Enrique]

30. he'll get points for courage

if it works out the way he's hoping, he'll become the candidate that isn't afraid to speak the truth, blah blah blah.

and then he'll flip-flop back to the normal pro-subsidy position later, we can safely assume.

[DCBob]

32. Republicans keep saying that about their candidates that say dumb things..

Not sure thats going to work.

[krispos42]

34. Ooooo, about 9 months premature, there, Timmy n/t

[Odin2005]

35. MORAN!!!

[guruoo]

37. Pawlenty tried this in '03 too...

Saint Paul Pioneer Press - January 17, 2003 - A1 Main

ETHANOL SUBSIDY CUT DRAWS FIRE
Busloads of Minnesota corn farmers traveled to the Capitol Thursday to fight Gov. Tim Pawlenty's plan to wipe out $27 million in ethanol subsidies, and lawmakers handed them a quick victory. A Senate committee rejected Pawlenty's proposal to end a 20-cents-per-gallon subsidy to 12 outstate ethanol plants, agreeing only to cut the subsidy to Gopher State Ethanol, whose smelly emissions have infuriated neighbors in St. Paul's West Seventh Street...

http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PD&s_site=twincities&p_multi=SP&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0F90A121F2C40E55&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

38. Either he will sink his own campaign, or his drunkard workers will do it for him! n/t

[mistertrickster]

39. Pawlenty blew it by speaking. nt

[quiller4]

40. With commodity prices as high as they are now this is much

less risky a position than it was a few years ago. Pawlenty staked out a position that has already been adopted by a number of county GOP organizations in Iowa. I'm sure his campaign was well briefed before he released the statement.

[Raschel]

41. The applause was tepid.