On this week’s Brody File show, former Minnesota congressman Vin Weber talks about why Tim Pawlenty would be a great choice to take on President Obama in 2012. Watch the segment of the show we call, “Make the Case”. Key transcriptions are below as well.
The Brody File is beginning a series of 30-minute shows called, “The Elephant in the Room” where we profile each likely GOP presidential contender Tim Pawlenty is the focus of this week’s show. We have an exclusive interview with him and his wife along with analysis from The Washington Post’s Chris Cillizza and the Politico’s Jonathan Martin You can watch the whole show here.
You can watch other segments of the show here.
PLEASE VIDEO COURTESY CBN NEWS/THE BRODY FILE. IN ARTICLES, COURTESY: "On CBN's The Brody File Show"
On Pawlenty’s appeal:
Vin Weber/Former Minnesota Governor: “He can appeal to the parts of our coalition that we lost maybe until this last off year election ever since Ronald Reagan came into office successfully. He can make conservatism appealing to non-Republicans.”
On Pawlenty’s lack of name recognition:
Vin Weber/Former Minnesota Governor: “I think the fact that he has lesser name recognition than some of the front runners like Mitt Romney, my friend Newt Gingrich and others is both a challenge and an opportunity because he can define himself and introduce himself to people without having a lot of pre-conceived notions about who he is.”
On Pawlenty’s money haul:
Vin Weber/Former Minnesota Governor: “He’s built a financial base around the country. He’s got an infrastructure but clearly for Tim Pawlenty raising the money is going to be a challenge.”
On Pawlenty’s faith:
Vin Weber/Former Minnesota Governor: “He’s a Minnesota Evangelical. In the south people are a little more expressive about their faith in politics. In the upper Midwest we’re a little bit more reserved. He doesn’t wear it on his sleeve but he’s very comfortable talking about it both publicly and privately and people will find both he and his wife Mary Pawlenty to be very simpatico with Christians involved in the political process and other people of faith involved in the political process.”
On Pawlenty’s challengers:
Vin Weber/Former Minnesota Governor: “Sarah Palin certainly has a grassroots appeal that’s probably unequaled in the Republican Party right now but she’s also got huge negatives according to the polling that she would have to overcome in order to be elected. In a way, she might end up being a little bit like Howard Dean was on the Democratic side a few years ago where she had the hearts and souls of a lot of people in the party but they end up looking at her and saying can she win the election? Bigger question.”
“Mitt Romney is also a front runner but in a different way. He’s probably got the best infrastructure. He’s been building his campaign since the last time around. He’s able to raise a lot of money but you know the last couple of years haven’t been very good to insider candidates, front runners if you will and I think that the party is going to want to see a new face and I don’t say Tim Pawlenty is the only new face but I think when people look at him they’re going to find out you’ve got a solid conservative here with a wonderful wife and family, a man of faith and a person who can appeal across party lines to Independents and conservative democrats and bring us to victory.”
On when Pawlenty should get into the race:
Vin Weber/Former Minnesota Governor: “I think the earlier the better. There are some practical limitations to that. He has a book coming out after the first of the year. He’s got to spend some time going around promoting the book but he has not been shy about trying to build what can sort of be the political infrastructure for a presidential run and I don’t think he should be shy about getting into the race. People are going to find him a very attractive candidate.”