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Hot Air's Ed Morrissey interviewed Tim Pawlenty and asked him to clarify quotes we've seen in the media about Gov. Palin and the Arizona shootings. Excerpt:
EM: You were asked about the “crosshairs” on Sarah Palin’s website, and you were asked if you would have used that type of symbolism. You said no, that wasn’t really your style. Would you like to talk a little bit more about that and tell us what was it you were intending?More here, including the full podcast segment. The media seems to be trying to start a fight between the two former governors. The only thing about that which surprises us is how they have time to do it, so busy have they been trying to connect her to the shootings. A leftist tool's work is never done, we suppose...
TP: Sure, Ed... What we have here is a mentally deranged individual, who sadly undertook a senseless and irrational act, and to assign blame to anybody — Sarah Palin or anyone else — is not fair and it’s not correct, and I’ve been saying that throughout the day. In these other interviews I got asked about the bullseye or the crosshairs, and I said, you know there is no evidence, no evidence that that contributed to or was a cause or a motivating factor at this point in this incident. And people should quit trying to connect those two. And then unrelated to all that, of course I get asked about whether would I have done it, and I just said it’s not my style. I think in one of the interviews I said I wouldn’t have done it, it’s just not my style. But I didn’t try to connect that to the incident or blame anybody for the incident.
EM: I mean, were you — you weren’t criticizing Sarah Palin’s choice to do this, on her website, then?
TP: In fact, I’ve been using the day to say people shouldn’t try to connect this to Sarah Palin, because there’s no evidence of that and that it’s unfair. In fact, I just got off Cavuto here five minutes ago and said exactly that on the air; I’ve been saying that throughout the day. So to say somehow this is, you know, the reverse of it, that somehow I’ve been criticizing her just isn’t accurate.
EM: Governor Pawlenty, you have the new book out Courage to Stand; it’s just come out today, in fact. And you do talk about Sarah Palin in the book. Why don’t you tell us a little bit about you say about Sarah Palin in the book?
TP: Thank you, Ed. I think Governor Palin is a remarkable leader; I have a lot of respect for her. I think she is really is a dynamic voice for the conservative movement. And I think she has gotten unfairly criticized. I spend a lot of time in the book talking about how much I admire and respect her, in positive terms.
- JP
That's funny how the only question about his book is about what he wrote about Palin. I see that so often, whenever anyone is on TV, wanting to talk about their book, show, or themselves, they always end up talking about Palin.
ReplyDeleteJosh - I wish you would cross post this at C4P. They are only running the short answer and helping gin up controversy. We still haven't learned our side of the lesson if we do that. If we want Sarah respected (and I do) we need to be just respectful and get the full story. Thank you Josh for giving Governor Pawlenty his opportunity.
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