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Tim Pawlenty: Why I'm In

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    White House hopeful explains why he's running for president, defends record as Minnesota governor

  • Duration 8:26
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And governor Tim Pawlenty makes it a -- show he wants to be your president is so here a couple questions does he backed congressman Ryan's budget and right as Minnesota's last Republican governor not support him from a governor and Republican presidential contender contender Tim Pawlenty joins -- first first cable news interview since his announcement -- sect.

Good evening Greta thanks for having me -- Nice to see -- I guess let's turn -- be a little bit of Republican litmus test in the last week or so is whether or not you support that congressman Paul Ryan's budget bill or not.

Well I applaud congressmen -- Ryan's direction and leadership he had the courage to put something on the table when President Obama densities transform the debate.

As a candidate -- my own plan will have some similarities many similarities to -- but also have some additional things.

For example he chose for understandable reasons not to address Social Security my plan well we're talking about that specifically.

We'll have some other supplements as well but in general direction -- -- strongly support what he's doing.

Social security and that's I don't ever in this country loves so -- -- they commented we are realised of the financial cost we like to make sure that our parents are taking care of people who have.

Paid into it for years -- -- expect to get it out.

What are you serving envision I know that this is sort of -- -- No one wants to cut Social Security but many believe we have to do something with a what's your idea.

But -- I'm running for president because we got a deficit debt that's out of control we got to bring that back into control we've got an economy that needs to grow.

And a big part of that is reducing in reforming entitlement programs such as the truth and her.

Theme of our announcement this morning wasn't telling the truth to the American people on Social Security we have to look people only -- and tell on this.

For the new people coming into the workforce in the system.

We have to raise the retirement age gradually over time we're also gonna have to look the American people -- -- -- -- truth if you're wealthy.

You're not gonna get your annual cost of living adjustment but if -- middle income -- lower income you well in a few other changes like that.

We're not going to be able to solve this problem if we just say.

The only people who are going to be affected or somebody else or some other program.

Some looking folks in the act on what's gonna take to get out of this mess that -- and Nortel on the truth and I think America will respond in respect that and together we can fix this country -- get it back on track.

Trying to -- sounds a little bit light straight talk and that didn't work the last go around for the Republican -- -- so how do you sort of how do you now convinced said the American people that dad telling the truth that every no one's gonna wanna hear that -- -- -- wants to hear these cuts.

-- today in Iowa.

Greta we said we're we needed phase out ethanol subsidies a course and -- and I'm in Florida talking about Social Security we're gonna go to Wall Street got tomorrow.

But the day after and tell Wall Street no more bailouts were sick I haven't.

The federal government clean up their mess and around the country.

And this is gonna what the country needs and I'm -- campaign and telling the truth and define the problem in real terms and pretty pretty solutions out there in real terms.

And so it may not be popular.

But I -- the way forward and I believe the American people respond in respect to somebody shoot -- -- straight and tell the truth and I'm gonna do what President Obama won't do it we have four dollar a gallon gas we got a federal government that's out of control Philly got unemployment that's crushing average Americans they can't find work -- worried about their jobs.

And we -- have a president will step forward and solve the problems and provide real solutions and he won't do it.

Aren't you talk about unemployment deficit -- and budget -- Why you're an -- unemployment level in Minnesota went went up 2.2 percent that's not a good statistic.

The deficit when he left to six point five billion dollars something -- hammered by your back.

By the current Minnesota governor was a Democrat -- party politics but the former Republican.

Governor of Minnesota he's slamming you as well so why -- Well as -- relates to the unemployment number actually got -- when I left office it was a little less than 7% it was one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country.

Our job growth rate from the crash until I left office -- -- one of the fastest job growth -- growth rates in the country.

And our income growth of personal income growth rate was one the highest in the country so that's just not accurate as to those measures and asked a former governor Carlson easily.

Republican.

It was a Republican but he became an Obama supporter and John Kerry supporter he's not a neutral observer of any thing.

And -- to the budgets I balanced the budget every time every budget cycle when I was governor of the state of Minnesota the constitution requires that and I did it.

And by the way the last budget a mine ends this summer and it's gonna end in the black.

-- to those in the future they assume massive spending increases that I would've never allowed -- I continued on as governor.

But what what is -- being said is that day and you get some accounting gimmicks -- like you really delay -- spending.

And you would -- accelerate revenues in order to achieve those of balanced budget created a bigger problem down the -- is that not true.

Well one of the things that they focus on in that regard -- to say this school payments which we.

Deferred I guess it would be the word I wanted to make them permanent.

-- wanted to make those referrals permanent reductions in school funding but my Democrat legislature refused to do it by the way now the legislature looks like they are going to do it.

So my positions got to prevail on that as well.

What in the first point I'm -- -- -- -- a democratic let's say an arsonist crossed party is very difficult to get anything done whether it's Republican Democrat Democrat opponent.

But out and president Obama's final a little bit that now that he finds city has a very different House of Representatives.

How how do you tell the American people that you consider cross that divide and with a divided government even be persuasive and achieve step in the face of a gridlock.

Look the Cato Institute gave me an a grade only one -- four governors in the country to get that for financial management there's only three others who got it they're not running for president.

In Minnesota one of the bluest states one of the most liberal states in the country I love my state but let's face it it's got out there on the left of the political continuum I cut taxes net during my time as governor we brought spending down -- historic lows in terms of the levels.

We did school reform that focused on performance pay for teachers.

Market based Health Care Reform I did public employee pension reforms before it was cool and popular welfare reform tort reform.

Everything the country's talking about it needs now I actually did and this is going to be a big point in this race.

Many of the other candidates are going to be same many of the same things on these issues but I actually get him.

-- down.

And they hear their platform today and I realized that -- what you said today's say you're gonna start you're gonna tell the truth the implication when you say that is that the current administration is not telling the truth.

So where are -- quote not telling the truth.

Well first of all President Obama won't even address this the major spending and deficit problems in the country.

He's no plan for reforming Social Security.

He has no plan for reforming Medicare he has no plan for reforming Medicaid to speak out and tell Paul Ryan put his plan on the table.

The sum total of -- Obama's proposed cuts over the next ten years was about forty billion with a B a year.

When in fact he was planning on trillion dollar deficits each year for as far as the eye can see.

He wasn't even in the same orbit.

This is of the need that this country has and so he's ducked and he's Bob and he's -- even.

He's not telling people what's gonna take to really fix the problems he's not even really identifying the problems we need a president that will do better than that America deserves better than that Greta.

What's the best thing pres Obama's done what's the worst thing as president.

Well the best thing he's clearly done is that finding kill Osama bin Laden and I applaud him but I also applaud the Navy SEALs who did that.

I applaud President Bush and all the previous work that was done to.

Do the end interrogations and the other -- some of which appears to have led to Osama bin Laden.

And by the way President Obama when he's a candidate opposed all of that.

And he's done a lot of really bad things but I think one of the worst thing that he's done for the country.

Is to run deficits through the rough.

The federal government takes in 2.2 trillion dollars or so a year.

He spending three point seven trillion this year it's out of control it's reckless it's gonna ruin the country.

And we need somebody who's gonna get this country back on track and that's gonna take fortitude and I did it as a conservative in Minnesota.

If we can do it there we can do it anywhere including in Washington DC.

Governor thank you and good luck -- Hi Greta thanks for having me.

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