DFL tells Pawlenty: Don’t let the door hit you

The Minnesota DFL Party was quick in reacting to Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s official announcement this afternoon that he won’t seek a third term as governor.

"While we thank Gov. Pawlenty for his service to our state, his retirement as governor is an opportunity to move Minnesota forward," a statement from DFL chair Brian Melendez said.

"Gov. Pawlenty’s ‘no new taxes’ ideology plays well to Republican special interests and the dinner circuits from Iowa to New Hampshire, but it has hurt Minnesota and Minnesotans. The divisive politics of ideology and calculation have done enough damage."

The "Iowa to New Hampshire" reference was a dig at Pawlenty’s frequently speculated-upon desire to seek national office in 2012.

"Minnesota faces incredible challenges: a historic multibillion-dollar deficit, disappearing jobs, skyrocketing health care costs and rising property taxes," Melendez went on. "We need a leader who will face these problems with courage and honesty, and won’t hide behind clever word games, accounting shifts and budget tricks. We need a leader who understands Minnesota values: accountability, opportunity, prosperity and fair play.

"Today is a day to thank Gov. Pawlenty for his service. Starting tomorrow, it will be time to bring Minnesota values back to the governor’s mansion. We look forward with hope. We look forward to electing a DFL governor."

2 Responses to “DFL tells Pawlenty: Don’t let the door hit you”

1. Anonymous Says:
   June 3rd, 2009 at 9:20 am

   It’s more than a little ironic that the DFL brings up “Minnesota Values” when it’s convenient, but defers to “diversity” when it is more convenient.

2. Anonymous Says:
   June 3rd, 2009 at 1:39 pm

   I don’t think Gov. Pawlenty wanted to stay behind and take credit for all of the damage he caused to the state.