Michele Bachmann Team Links Tim Pawlenty's Positions to Obama

With former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlentys camp saying last week that there was little difference between their candidate and GOP rival U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, the congresswomans team came out swinging on Sunday.

"Governor Pawlenty would have us believe that there is 'very little difference' between his positions and those of Michele Bachmann, said Alice Stewart, Bachmanns press secretary. "But in fact, there is very little difference between Governor Pawlenty's past positions and Barack Obama's positions on several critical issues facing Americans. On issues such as unconstitutional health care mandates, climate change regulations, and Wall Street bailouts, there's very little daylight, indeed, between Governor Pawlenty's record and the Obama administration's policies.

"And of course, President Obama would surely applaud Governor Pawlenty's 2006 statement that the 'era of small government is over,' and that the government will have to be 'more proactive and more aggressive.' Governor Pawlenty has changed his positions in recent years, but he can't run from his big government record as governor of Minnesota that left the state's budget in a multibillion-dollar mess. That's not executive experience we need, continued Stewart. "As Michele Bachmann said earlier today, she 'has a lifetime record of success and action in the real world. Real-world actions speak louder than his words as a career politician.' And so the more Republican voters examine Michele Bachmann's record and Governor Pawlenty's record, the more they will see that there is a world of difference between the two."