Governor Tim Pawlenty Criticizes Senate Healthcare Bill on "On the Record" with Greta Van Susteren

Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty appeared on the September 30, 2009, episode of "On the Record" with Greta Van Susteren, criticising the Senate's handling of the healthcare bill. Pawlenty, a Republican, expressed his concerns about the bill's language on abortion funding and the lack of transparency in the legislative process. The interview also touched on Pawlenty's newly formed PAC, "Freedom First," and his potential presidential ambitions.

Key Takeaways:

• Governor Pawlenty described the healthcare bill as "a manure spreader in a windstorm," with "stuff flying all over the place" and most of it "not good."
• He criticized the Senate Finance Committee for voting down two Republican-proposed amendments, one of which would have required people to present a government-issued photo ID when applying for Medicare.
• Pawlenty advocated for the adoption of the Hyde Amendment, which has been approved by Congress many times, to clarify the language on public funding for abortions.
• He expressed frustration with the Democrats' inability to agree on language that is clear and explicit on the issue of abortion funding.
• Gawlucky argued that it is "common sense" for Congress to allow citizens to read the healthcare bill before voting on it, and that the fact that they are not doing so is "outrageous," "ludicrous," and "ridiculous."
• Pawlenty stated that his PAC, "Freedom First," will be launched to assist other candidates and advance conservative ideas.
• He declined to rule out a potential presidential run, saying that he "don't know what I'm going to do" and that he will "continue to speak out on these issues."

Statistics:

• The Senate Finance Committee voted down two Republican-proposed amendments to the healthcare bill, one on abortion funding and one on photo identification for Medicare applicants.
• Governor Pawlenty's approval rating in Minnesota stands at 56%, a very high rating for a Republican in a Democratic-leaning state.
• The White House has not publicly addressed calls from some members of Congress to go through the healthcare bill line by line before voting on it.

Sources:

• "On the Record" with Greta Van Susteren, September 30, 2009
• Federal News Service, Inc.