Tim Pawlenty Responds To Obama Campaign Launch: 'How Can America Win The Future When We're Losing The Present?' (VIDEO)

WASHINGTON -- Tim Pawlenty was quick to hit back at Barack Obama Monday after the president officially launched his reelection campaign.

And in what is becoming his favorite method of communication, Pawlenty responded by posting a cinematic video on YouTube. The former Minnesota governor and 2012 presidential hopeful mocked the slogan that the White House has used this year to reposition itself for the latter half of Obama's first term.

"How can America win the future when we're losing the present?" Pawlenty asks in the video, crafted by 22-year-old aide Lucas Baiano.

It begins with a "Matrix"-style slow-motion shot of people walking down the street, transitions to a picture of lightning striking over the White House, shows Obama uttering, "Time to win the future," then turns to displays of the country's tough economic situation: for-sale signs in front of homes, the national debt clock, gas prices, closed businesses.

New York Times columnist Paul Krugman gets a cameo too.

"Washington has given up on the jobs picture," Krugman says, in a line clipped from his appearance Sunday on ABC's "This Week."

The 35-second spot closes with Pawlenty saying, "In order for America to take a new direction, it's gonna take a new president."

The Iowa Democratic Party volleyed back at Pawlenty, calling the video "gloomy and pessimistic" and saying that the former governor had a "record of debt and failure in Minnesota."

"'Nighttime in America' is a lousy idea for a bumper sticker and an even worse idea of leadership," said Iowa Democratic Party executive director Norm Sterzenbach.

Watch:

 

 

Comments

[JustABriefThought]

08:56 PM on 04/05/2011

T-Paw/Hee-Haw 2012.
Pawlenty: "How can America win the future when we're losing the present?"
A: Stop blocking everything that makes sense. Oh yeah - find us JOBS like you said the tax break for the "SuperRich" was going to trickle on us. We've been trickled on, all right.

[Greg Petty]

04:40 PM on 04/07/2011

you pocketed 770,000 bucks this year from Well Point, wish I had nothing to worry about

[himaui]

09:29 AM on 04/05/2011

i'd so rather vote for tim calhoun.
http://www.hulu.com/watch/11930/saturday-night-live-update-sen-tim-calhoun

[diversityreport]

07:59 AM on 04/05/2011

Where's the beef on a jobs proposal? Remember? Jobs - that's what you promised, not hot air.

[collinda]

04:21 AM on 04/05/2011

Why did President Obama not do anything the "Liberal Left" wanted done?
1. Democrats were involved in much of what Bush did, so to go after Bush Adm opens Democrats up to being prosecuted (or, tied in knots by Republicans who would have also "crashed" our economy
2. He knew white liberals would've been leading the lynch party of nullification (See: Jim Crow).

[collinda]

04:11 AM on 04/05/2011

I know, white liberals are too busy fighting for the same thing the Tea Party "nut bags" are fighting for: More civil rights for white people. President Obama gets DADT overturned? "Good, but what's his stance on repealing DOMA?" I get it now: America swallows the right-wing scam because they know the left-wing is just as big a scam. Notice how no white democrat gets any blame for anything (they helped thwart) that didn't get done the last two years? Also, the Left "took it up the ass" for the entire eight years of W., who did the "Surge" despite a 30% approval rating, with Democrats running both houses of Congress!

[collinda]

03:55 AM on 04/05/2011

There's more. When Karl Rove had to leave the Bush administration early because he got caught trying to force Justice Department lawyers to create voter fraud cases against ACORN (someone other than a rich white person being subsidized by the government), what did we here from liberals?

[ILoveToPorkSarah]

01:48 AM on 04/05/2011

the gop should start producing horror flicks.

[politicaljunkie41910]

12:55 AM on 04/05/2011

As if the Repugs aren't the cause of us losing the present. Their scorched earth policy to let the country go to hell if they can't be in charge has been astonishing to watch. May they be banished into oblivion in 2012, never to rule again.

[ReservoirDog]

12:32 AM on 04/05/2011

WOW ! following pawlenty's logic----- no coach trailing at half-time would agree to play the second half !

[himaui]

12:28 AM on 04/05/2011

gotta give it to tim, his greatest contribution is curing insomnia.

[marilyn 63]

11:52 PM on 04/04/2011

oh is Tim Pazzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz(snort)mfmg lenty running for something??(yawn)

[Zen0469]

11:48 PM on 04/04/2011

Timmy boy. As you so clearly showed in MN, you are merely a rethuglickan political hack, no more no less. And your opinions are neither compelling nor accurate. Take your leave, while you are still able to slink from the stage.

[drwtsn]

11:46 PM on 04/04/2011

GOP: Back to the Future. 1845, here we come.

[NMLurker]

11:44 PM on 04/04/2011

Hey Bud, you're palenty wrong for this country and can't drag us back to the 13th century.

[Freesia2]

11:42 PM on 04/04/2011

"Faster than a speeding b-llet.
More powerful than a locomotive.
Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound.

Look! Up in the sky!
It's a bird. It's a plane. It's SuperTIM!

Yes, it's SuperTim - strange visitor from another planet who came to Earth with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men. SuperTim - who can change the course of mighty rivers, bend steel with his bare hands, and who, disguised as Tim Pawlenty, mild mannered former governor for a state called Minnesota, fights the never ending battle for Truth, Justice and the American Way."