Tim Pawlenty Flops In Foreign Policy Debut

[WhiteTara]

Source: Business Insider

GOP presidential candidate Tim Pawlenty laid out his foreign policy positions today in a speech that primarily focused on mocking President Barack Obama for his "timid, slow" response to the "Arab Spring" uprisings in the Middle East.

Speaking in New York at the Council on Foreign Relations, Pawlenty staked out his place as the hawk of the 2012 Republican presidential field.
snip
Response from the audience — made up mostly of Wall Street managers, think-tank academics and New York media correspondents — was skeptical, to put it mildly.
snip
was actually a little painful to watch the former Minnesota Governor squirm under the supercilious scrutiny of people who make their living by knowing American foreign policy inside out. When someone asked about the worse possibilities that could follow Assad in Syria and Pawlenty responded with "No one ever asked who would follow Hitler," it seemed like half the audience started snickering behind their notebooks.

As the crowd was leaving, we overheard one well-known foreign policy journalist say something to the effect of: 'My impression is that he doesn't know a whole lot about anything."

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/tim-pawlenty-flops-in-foreign-policy-debut-2011-6

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Okay, lots of cutting out of the "specifics" of his plan, but here's the meat...the response.

[livetohike]

1. None of the GOP field is ready - Bachmann will stand there

and make up B.S. with that scary, glazed look in her eye. Herman Cain - no clue to foreign policy issues. Newt would most likely answer the questions with some background knowledge. Probably the weakest field of candidates in my lifetime and I will be 59 next month.

[patrice]

2. They're all place-holders, hence their extremeness, gotta keep the base together

and believing in their "higher purpose" in order to survive until 2016.

[Rambis]

3. Did he flop using his Minnesota accent or his quasi southern drawl?

St. Paul, Minn. — On a trip to Iowa last week, former Gov. Tim Pawlenty attracted attention not for his policy positions, but for the way he was speaking. Many people thought they heard him using a southern accent.

Back in Pawlenty's home state of Minnesota, an MPR News listener said when he heard a report on the Pawlenty speech on the radio, he couldn't believe who it was.

"I didn't understand where the accent came from," said Mike Supina, a St. Paul architect. "He sounded like he was from Arkansas."

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2011/03/16/pawlenty-southern-drawl/

[Drunken Irishman]

4. It's pretty amazing that the more they attack Pres. Obama, the stronger Obama looks.

Maybe it's because people see their attacks and realize more and more what the alternative is - I don't know. Just an interesting observation on my part.

[abq e streeter]

5. 'My impression is that he doesn't know a whole lot about anything."

That should make him an instant front runner.

[Deep13]

6. He also flops in not boring me to tears. nt

[CTyankee]

7. At least he didn't identify Libya as a middle eastern country...

who was the congressman who did that?

[BeyondGeography]

8. Obama has played error-free ball overseas; a GOP Prez would be holding parades for himself

with a similar level of international success.

They should just stay away.

[brooklynite]

9. Hmm, what would be an example of a Middle Eastern nation...

...that replaced an unpopular dictator with something Republicans think is "bad"...



No fair giving him any hints...

[Blue_Tires]

15. Cool...Sean Connery is acting again...

[Enrique]

10. but better than Herm Cain I bet

"right of return? right of return?"

[rurallib]

11. most of his campaign has looked like that bridge in Minneapolis

{crash} <<>> {crash} <<>> {crash}

[kentuck]

12. The only Republican I've heard that makes even a little bit of sense...

is John Huntsman. And he has about as much chance as a snowball in hell.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

13. Tim Pawlenty in a single image:

[WhiteTara]

16. That's the Tim Pawlenty we know and despise.

We would be soooo screwn if he were to steal the election.

[KittyWampus]

14. Doesn't matter. He's the nominee. I'll bet a buck on it!