Fox News Channel "Hannity" - Transcript

Interview

Fox News Channel "Hannity" - Transcript

Fox News Channel "Hannity" Interview With Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty (R)

Interviewer: Sean Hannity

Subject: Last Term as Governor; 2012 Presidential Election

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MR. HANNITY: As the party continues to regain its momentum, many people are suggesting that my next guest could be a big part of the GOP's future. He is Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty who announced just last week that he will not seek a third term as governor.

Governor, there's very few people that get out saying what you said, "I have lots of energy and ideas, but governor should not be a permanent position for someone." You don't hear that that often from people in your business. Tell us about it.

GOV. PAWLENTY: Well, Sean, in Minnesota we don't have term limits, but we do have commonsense and good judgment, and we're also good about taking turns. I think these positions are about ideas and principles and energy and leadership, not about just hanging on. And so like with everything else, there's a season in life. And eight years is enough. We had a great record here of putting a lid on spending and reducing it, having a situation where we've reformed our schools, improved our energy outlook, moved to market-based health care and much more. So I think we got a lot done, and now it's time to pass the baton to somebody else.

MR. HANNITY: You said, we're a government of laws and ideas, not of personalities. I don't think Barack Obama would buy into that philosophy, is my observation. But you said, when it comes to how long someone should stay in elected position, a little less is better than too much. Do you think a third term would have been too much?

GOV. PAWLENTY: Well, I've talked to a lot of governors who have served three terms. And without naming names, I think their quieter, private moments, confidentially, they'd say, you know, it wasn't their best effort that last term. And so I learned long ago in the blue- collar town of South St. Paul where I grew up, a meatpacking town, that there's less joy and more trouble in that last slice of pizza or that last glass of beer.

MR. HANNITY: All right, great analogy. All right, let me ask you -- look, you're not going to give me an answer, so I need to circumvent the question. I'm assuming you're not going to tell me that you're going to run for president in 2012 tonight, correct?

GOV. PAWLENTY: (Laughs.) That's right. I don't know what I'm going to be doing three years from now.

MR. HANNITY: All right. But are you thinking, are you contemplating seriously a run for the presidency?

GOV. PAWLENTY: Well, what I'm committed to do is finish out my term as best I can in Minnesota, help get a Republican elected in this left-leaning state. And I am going to go out, Sean, and try to lend voice to the ideas and values of our party, try to promote that, and where that leads, I don't know. But I honestly, genuinely do not have specific plans about what I'm going to be doing three years from now.

MR. HANNITY: Are you contemplating the idea? Is it in your thought process? That is such a serious decision that I don't think you're going to wake up one morning and say, you know what, I think I'll run for president today. So I assume that you're thinking about it right now, that it is a possibility.

GOV. PAWLENTY: I haven't ruled anything in or anything out. I'm just going to see what happens. I'm going to go out and put in my best effort and see what happens.

MR. HANNITY: Do you think Barack Obama needs to be defeated? Do you think he's hurting America with his economic plan, his saving or creating jobs while losing them, his weakening of our national defenses? Is it concerning you where he's taking the country?

GOV. PAWLENTY: When you have Hugo Chavez standing on an airport tarmac a few days ago, mocking President Obama for being to the left of Mr. Chavez and Fidel Castro, that tells you something. We have a country that is witnessing perhaps the largest effort to transform this nation in a liberal direction in the modern history of the country. You've documented it very well. We have runaway spending. It's unsustainable, it's irresponsible, it's reckless. It has to be reined in federally like we've done in Minnesota.

We are watching the total or partial nationalization of mortgage, banking, autos, soon to be health and energy, perhaps federalization of the education establishment or system in this country. That is the absolute wrong direction for the country. It's not going to work, Sean.

MR. HANNITY: Where do you stand on this internal debate within Republican circles? Are we going to be the party of Reagan and conservatism or the Colin Powell philosophies, Americans want bigger government? Because I think the answer for the Republican Party is going back to Reagan conservative principles, you know, limited government, lower taxes, a strong national defense, energy independence, I think that's the winning formula. Where do you stand?

GOV. PAWLENTY: I absolutely agree with that. Anybody who says that the success for the Republican Party is just going to be acting more like Democrats, first of all, doesn't understand the party but, more importantly, doesn't understand our principles and our values. This is going to remain a mainstream conservative party, and it should. But we do need to do a better job of communicating and connecting those values and principles with people so they not only understand what our values are, but they understand how it helps our country and how it relates to them. I think that's where we have fallen down.

MR. HANNITY: All right. I'm taking and interpreting the comments you're making tonight -- and this is my own interpretation, Governor, and I say this all in good fun -- that I think you're seriously considering running for the presidency. And I think you'd be a strong candidate, as would a number of other governors that I know that are considering it. I believe probably Newt Gingrich is probably considering it and some others. Do you have any trips planned to Iowa?

GOV. PAWLENTY: (Laughs.) I do not. I am going to get -- I'm in the business right now of reducing my state's budget. Once I get done with that, I'm going to go out and get on the speaking circuit here and nationally and try to lend voice to the future of the Republican Party and the conservative movement. But I'm going to do that as a volunteer trying to help the cause, and we'll see where that leads. But I don't have any near-term trips to Iowa.

MR. HANNITY: All right. Well, I expect we might see you there. I'm making a prediction, and actually my predictions turn out to be pretty good. Governor, thank you for taking time for being with us. We appreciate it.

GOV. PAWLENTY: Happy to do it. Thanks for having me.

END.

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