By being extra high profile this week, Gov. Tim Pawlenty has become a bigger target on a national stage. The DNC went on the attack saying:
Minnesota Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty, after making a series of smart strategic moves over the past few months in advance of an expected run for president in 2012, has struggled on the national stage in the past week.
First, Pawlenty waded into a special election in Upstate New York on behalf of Conservative party nominee Doug Hoffman -- a move that came directly on the heels of former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's decision to endorse Hoffman over state Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava (R).
"We cannot send more politicians to Washington who wear the Republican jersey on the campaign trail, but then votes like Democrats in Congress on issues like card check and taxes," Pawlenty said in a statement announcing his decision.
Then, in an appearance on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" on Monday, Pawlenty seemed to make an unforced error by calling into question whether Maine Sen. Olympia Snowe (R) truly belonged within the Republican party.
Later in announcing a constitutional amendment that would impossibly have to pass through a DFL-controlled legislature, Pawlenty proposed:
In order to limit state government spending, ensure balanced budgets, and force lawmakers to prioritize limited resources, Governor Tim Pawlenty today proposed an amendment to the Minnesota Constitution that would cap the state general fund budget at the level of revenue actually received during the previous budget period.
Under Governor Pawlenty’s proposal, Minnesotans would vote on the proposed “Spending Accountability Amendment” during the general election on November 2, 2010.
“For 40 years prior to my inauguration as Governor, Minnesota government spending increased by an average of more than 10 percent per year,” Governor Pawlenty said. “During my time in office, we slowed that to just over 2 percent per year, and cut spending for the first time in the history of the state. However, limiting government spending growth should not be a once-in-a-century event. We should let Minnesotans decide if government should live within actual revenues collected instead of predictions. Doing so would force government to live within its means and stop the seemingly unending desire for more programs and more spending that put pressure on taxpayers’ wallets.”
But, Democrats quickly countered by producing a chart trying to put egg on the governor's face:
During today's media availability, Sen. Pogemiller and Sen. Bakk noted that the Governor had not submitted a budget proposal that met the requirements of the constitutional amendment he proposed this morning.