Gov. Pawlenty: The Government Is "A Financial Drug Dealer Handing Out Tastes"

Last night on Fox News, Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R-MN) defended his much-publicized executive order rejecting Minnesota's share of federal health care dollars from the Affordable Care Act with a rhetorical flourish that would make Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) proud.

"The federal government's acting increasingly like a financial drug dealer, handing out tastes or free samples, trying to get people addicted," Pawlenty said with a grin. He also noted that "a majority of America doesn't like Obamacare," immediately before dismissing a poll that shows Minnesotans don't much care for their Republican governor's national ambitions. Apparently when a poll doesn't support Pawlenty's case, it's just a "snapshot in time" that doesn't matter.  Watch:

GOV. TIM PAWLENTY (R-MN): The federal government's acting increasingly like a financial drug dealer handing out tastes or free samples trying to get people addicted, further addicted, and we've just had it and we're not taking the bait anymore, we're not taking the free samples anymore...

GRETA VAN SUSTEREN (host): ...Who's with you on this in Minnesota?

PAWLENTY: Well I think there's a lot of people with me on this, not just in Minnesota but nationally. I don't like Obamacare, I think a majority of America doesn't like Obamacare... There's a lot of people. I think a majority of America is saying Obamacare is radical, it's the wrong direction for the country, so I think the country is headed in the same direction.

VAN SUSTEREN: ...let me bring to you to one of the polls that just came out recently in your state. Minnesota voters were— they disapprove of the time that you spend out of the state campaigning, becoming a national figure, 54% of 750 likely voters surveyed, disapprove of your national political activity. So what do you say to 54% of the likely voters in Minnesota who say, you're interested in the nation not about us here in Minnesota? 

PAWLENTY: Well, I don't expect people would like the fact that I'm trying to get around the country and influence the elections in 2010, but I think it's important work Greta. I think the future of the country is at stake, the future of Minnesota is at stake if we don't get a better direction in these elections this fall. So I'm happy to do what I can, and I think it is important work, and I don't measure the value of it what's— by what's important in any snapshot in time. I measure the value of what the value of it's gonna be over the next decade for Minnesota and for the country, and polls come and go, the sentiment of the moments come and go, but I'm gonna do what's right. I think that will stand the test of time.

Pawlenty's silly suggestion that President Obama is a "financial drug dealer" whose end goal is bigger government (it's not) is exactly the sort of cable-friendly sound bite you'd expect from a guy who wants to run for president. The people he works for don't like that very much, but Pawlenty is too busy grandstanding and throwing fundraisers to care.

UPDATE: Gov. Pawlenty's hypocrisy isn't limited to polling; 97 Minnesota businesses are already enrolled in an Affordable Care Act program for early retirees. Turns out Minnesota companies don't mind the pusherman as much as Pawlenty would have us believe. The Wonk Room has more.