New Hampshire Debate Is Mitt Romney's 'Best Performance': Tim Pawlenty (VIDEO)

MANCHESTER, N.H. -- Former Minnesota governor and former Republican presidential candidate Tim Pawlenty turned up in the spin room after Saturday night's ABC/Yahoo!/WMUR GOP debate, calling it Mitt Romney's "best performance" in a debate so far.

"He was the most presidential, the most forceful on Obama, the most articulate in presenting a positive vision for America and taking the attacks from the other candidates, absorbing them and rising above them and giving it back," Pawlenty said.

Sunday's debate comes just three days before the New Hampshire primary and just four days after former Massachusetts Gov. Romney won the Iowa caucuses by eight-votes.

Since dropping out of the presidential race in August after losing to Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) in the Ames Straw poll, Pawlenty has become a top supporter for Romney. He officially endorsed him for president in September.

Pawlenty denies any reports of vying to be Romney's vice presidential candidate.

Comments

[ennis438]

10:28 AM on 01/09/2012

It was a great debate for Romney if you like ducking and evading questions. If this is what the former Minnesota governor likes , a flip flopper, then he has selected the right man. However if you oppose the war on terror of the poor and middle class that Republicants have executed over the last three decades to make the useless rich rats richer, then a vote for Romney is a vote against the poor and middle class.

[MNValley]

12:22 PM on 01/08/2012

Pawlenty denies any reports of vying to be Romney's vice presidential candidate.
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Either way Tim, you will not get any good job recommendations from this part of the state!

[Former Icon]

12:20 PM on 01/08/2012

timmah!

[believerinhim]

11:39 AM on 01/08/2012

When did we have to ATTACK our opponents for the GOP presidential nomination? Diane Sawyer was upset that they weren't attacking like she expected. Shame on you Diane, shame, shame, shame! These men are trying to display grown up behavior with class. Let them act like men not wolves and state their cases as presidential material. It shouldn't turn into a dog fight to see who wins. Mitt Romney has been attacked from every direction on occasion and I wonder why any one would even want to run for president, the way they are treated. I applaud the candidates that stick to the issues and give us answers to pressing problems for our country. The press needs to stop ridiculing these men into attacks upon each other--let have a more "civil" country and show some good manners.

[Pd9]

11:07 AM on 01/08/2012

"Pawlenty denies any reports of vying to be Romney's vice presidential candidate."
If that's the case, you're wasting a really good suck-up opportunity there Timmy.

[JoePenn]

10:56 AM on 01/08/2012

pawlenty knew he didn't have a snowball's chance so dropped out early to set himself up for a nice job inside a romney administration. He's really filling out a job application at this time.

[Donkey Party]

10:41 AM on 01/08/2012

Tim Pawlenty can be a cheerleader for Willard Romney all he wants, but neither one of these clowns will ever hold an elected office again.

[rksnj67]

10:39 AM on 01/08/2012

Hey Timmy, where does Mitt put his hand to make your mouth move?

[Donkey Party]

10:45 AM on 01/08/2012

Easy answer, Mitt's hands go to the empty voids. For body movement, he goes to where timid Timmy's guts would be, and for facial movement, he goes to where Timmy's brain would be.

[bluecub]

10:36 AM on 01/08/2012

Pawlenty's wife browbeats him daily for leaving the race to these goobers and the one non-goober, Jon Huntsman.

[jahzilla]

10:32 AM on 01/08/2012

" Tim Pawlenty: New Hampshire Debate Is Romney's 'Best Performance': "

But, nothing of substance was said by Romney.
Remarkably spot on observation by Pawlenty.

I can see the bumper sticker now . . .
" MITTENS AND PAWS 2012
ONE STUFFED INSIDE THE OTHER "

[wallyone]

10:32 AM on 01/08/2012

Even calling how candidates do in debates (or speeches) as "performances" speaks volumes about the current state of political discourse. Performances are what actors do, and we are saddled with a collection of actors.

[dresdengirl]

12:19 PM on 01/08/2012

My thoughts excactly.
f/f

[SanJoaquinValleyGrower]

02:17 AM on 01/09/2012

yep, and, he's brown-nosing for VP choice

[Todd Abrams]

10:05 AM on 01/08/2012

That sounds like an advertisement Mr Pawlenty. Thats like that saying "put your money where your mouth is".

[sdave]

10:04 AM on 01/08/2012

Yeah, whatever, Tim. Keep pandering. You might make a good VP for Romney: you both are vanilla and dull as dishwater...

[tangelan]

10:00 AM on 01/08/2012

Mittens can't even back up without running into TPAW's face. Mittens, make your vp choice so Tim can go get a real job.

[Rosalee Harris]

09:55 AM on 01/08/2012

TP you are NOT going to be VP so stop RUNNING for it.