Tim Pawlenty: Ron Paul 'Shouldn't Be Dismissed' Ahead Of 2012 South Carolina Primary

In an interview Wednesday with CBS News' Bob Schieffer, Tim Pawlenty discussed the challenges Mitt Romney faces following his victory in New Hampshire, particularly coming from second place finisher Ron Paul.

"Well I think Mitt Romney is going to be the nominee, and I hope that he is, I'm working hard to accomplish that," Pawlenty said. "But we have to tip the cap to Ron Paul. Like I said, he doesn't agree with Mitt on everything but he came in second in New Hampshire, he had a respectable showing in Iowa, and he shouldn't be dismissed ... He's doing pretty well in those early states."

The former Minnesota governor endorsed Romney in September, following his decision to end his own presidential campaign.

Paul, who won 22.9 percent of the vote (as opposed to Romney's 39.3 percent), narrowly beat the former Massachusetts governor as the favorite among independent voters. However, Pawlenty expressed doubts that Paul would attempt to run as a third-party candidate. "I believe in the end he's going to be part of a conservative Republican coalition to win the presidency," Pawlenty said.

Paul has not ruled out a third-party candidacy if he does not win the Republican nomination.

When asked about possible threats from Newt Gingrich's deep-pocketed supporters in South Carolina, Pawlenty said that voters wouldn't "fall for glossy TV ads." He also dismissed what many have seen as a lackluster group of candidates: "Among this field, Mitt Romney is really the varsity playing the junior varsity," he said.

 

 

Comments

[xmissalue]

04:43 AM on 01/12/2012

I don't know why anyone would vote for Mitt. He's a notorious flip-flopper. Which is just a nicer word for liar.

[Simler Tuyu]

03:36 AM on 01/12/2012

***Anything less than Paul is more of the same***

[Simler Tuyu]

03:33 AM on 01/12/2012

I see no difference between Romney's policies and the policies of the past 30 years. Romney's top campaign contributions are from banks. Who do you think Romney will be working for? Not you I can guarantee that. I want change, real change, the kind of change to which Ron Paul speaks.
***Anything less than Paul is more of the same***

[djmadmattr]

11:21 PM on 01/11/2012

For if your body is not yours, and right now it is not if they can regulate what goes in it. Trans fats, alcohol, second hand smoke,and drugs prescription and otherwise. Then how can we stop them from regulating weight because they pay for your health care. Typical american who has never read the constitution says..." they came for the drugs yay. they came for my alcohol yay. Then they came for the second hand smoke yay. Then they gave me healthcare yay. Now they tell me fat people are costing society to much money through healthcare costs, and my kids are being taken away by child protective services because they are "morbidly obease".

[tangelan]

10:55 PM on 01/11/2012

I thought this thread was going to be about TPaw's ability to draw a detailed map of Mitt's inner workings. Apparently, Ron Paul's supporters have been released, in mass, in a competition to see how many of them can write the same comment using different words.

[djmadmattr]

11:33 PM on 01/11/2012

I know i was expecting that too! ohh well maybe fox news except the judge can explain to us why the guy who lost to the guy who lost to obama is the only one who can win! hahahahah nice try goldman sachs we see through your spin of the facts. Funny they spent 15 min the other day slobbering over rick santorums vest to distract from his 20 trillion dollar never thought how to fund it prescription drug plan. So much for fair and balanced. Ignorance is strength.....war is peace......debts don't matter.......we gotta spend our way to a cut.

[mrgneiss]

08:45 PM on 01/11/2012

For those who are truly interested in educating yourselves, here is a funny yet important video that looks at an issue close to Ron Paul's heart, the unchecked power of the Federal Reserve:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGk5ioEXlIM&feature=related

For a more serious take, google the youtube video "The creature from Jekyll Island".

[llResults]

08:38 PM on 01/11/2012

South Carolina
"Dum Spiro Spero", meaning While I Breathe I Hope.

See what a Judge says
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3s1d4wWGig&feature=colike

THIS ONE IS SHOCKING
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuoFOmim55Y&feature=colike

[TRUTHHURTS500]

08:32 PM on 01/11/2012

He got that right! The media will not be able to dismiss Ron Paul this time. Keep talking Mr. Paul and I'll continue to debate with brainwashed people because I debate with facts, they debate with fiction.

[l78lancer]

08:23 PM on 01/11/2012

""Well I think Mitt Romney is going to be the nominee, and I hope that he is, I'm working hard to accomplish that," Pawlenty said. "But we have to tip the cap to Ron Paul. Like I said, he doesn't agree with Mitt on everything but he came in second in New Hampshire, he had a respectable showing in Iowa, and he shouldn't be dismissed ... He's doing pretty well in those early states.""
-------------------------------------------------------->

Okay, Tim. Please tell us something that the rest of America hasn't already figured out.

Changing your mind about running was a great decision.

[Benja Sophon Sariwatta]

08:02 PM on 01/11/2012

If Ron Paul gets nominated by the GOP, he will get the votes of the Libertarian Party, Constitution Party, Independent voters, and some democrats backing him. If Romney gets nominated, he will not get the 3rd party votes nor the independent and democrat vote resulting in a second term for Obama. Think about it...

[tangelan]

10:46 PM on 01/11/2012

So, what you're saying is that Obama wins either way?

[delta2345]

11:23 PM on 01/11/2012

No, he is saying the Mittens can't beat Obama, but Ron Paul can.

He will get the independents who think Obama failed or lied or changed his mind about ending foreign wars & closing Gitmo.
He will get the Independents who don't want the Administrative/Police state to grow.
He will get all the families of incarcerated non-violent drug users (millions!).
He will get all the college students who might otherwise vote Democratic but who want to smoke a little weed and are tired of getting hassled by the police .
He will get all the young graduates with no jobs who see that the Feds got nothing for them except higher taxes, less benefits, and less freedom.
He will get all the civil libertarians who would otherwise vote Democratic who are appalled about Obama's insistence on inclusion in NDAA of Indefinite detention of American citizens by the Military on U.S. soil without trial or access to a lawyer.

Get the idea?

[ausscyn]

07:52 PM on 01/11/2012

Oh TPaw, surely you jest!

Ron Paul is ARMED & DANGEROUS with MILLIONS of supporters!

dailypaul.com

[2ctruth]

07:45 PM on 01/11/2012

No More NDAA, No More Fed.

Keeping Us Down, In The Red.

No More Bail-Outs, SOPA's On The Ropes.

Not All Americans Are MSM Dopes.

Give Us Back Our Constitution. Ron Paul Revolution!!!

[greenmoon]

10:16 PM on 01/11/2012

I will campaign for Ron Paul in Virginia because I want him to beat Romney. I want Paul on the ticket since he has no chance of beating Obama. I am really looking forward to the SC bloodbath when the GOPers eat each other.

[Just logic]

09:38 AM on 01/12/2012

I don’t want to discourage your vote but I think the numbers and the issues give Paul more of a chance at beating Obama then Mitt. Paul is different then Obama and Mitt is just his white brother in a better suit.

[yappnmutt]

07:15 PM on 01/11/2012

i love war. i am voting for romney or obama.

[Ron4President]

08:26 PM on 01/11/2012

why do you love it? why do you support it? give us more that just one liners, a ron paul supporter post line after line of information and insight... paragraph after paragraph of intellectual and philosophical understanding... these one liner comments are not saying much for the romney-obama cause! but i understand why you cant, if you try to post something as fact, we 'Paulites' as you like to call us, rip it apart piece by piece, investigate and show you that its not a fact but a misguided opinion or media fed statistic.

RON PAUL 2012! TAKING BACK FREEDOM!
DR. PAUL OR NOTHING!

[Ron4President]

06:48 PM on 01/11/2012

This is for all the people who hit these post with negativity towards Ron Paul, you clearly have not looked into the man, Ron Paul is exactly what this country 'Used' to stand for. all you people calling yourself Dems Reps Libs... last i checked were all americans, if you dont like the constitution then move to another country, when the founding fathers wrote the constitution, there was one line in it that took me awhile to understand... "...to protect us from all foes both foreign and domestic..." and i thought, what does the domestic part mean... it ment the businesses man, he has no country, only his profit. ron paul is not a business man, he is and always will be a countryman! all the other candidates are 'business men' and thus the status qua! and heres a history lesson for ya, why dont you all open a history book and see why we broke away and formed a new country!i am native american and i hate seeing what this country has become!

RON PAUL 2012! TAKING BACK FREEDOM!

[ausscyn]

07:53 PM on 01/11/2012

Hey Ron4, I'm your FIRST Fan!
Welcome aboard!!

[dawntoduskcm]

07:55 PM on 01/11/2012

Great post also true F&F

[Bradley Greig Smith]

06:37 PM on 01/11/2012

"I believe in the end he's going to be part of a conservative Republican coalition to win the presidency," Pawlenty said.

Now that just shows how little Pawlenty knows.

[obeyyourcapner]

06:58 PM on 01/11/2012

Good Call

[SayNotoTyranny]

03:06 PM on 01/12/2012

Yes, win the presidency at all costs. That's the only thing the establishments on both sides understand. More wins mean more power, prestige and money - that's all that counts for them.