Republican presidential candidate is holding a town hall meeting at his Iowa campaign headquarters this afternoon and a man in the crowd just urged Pawlenty to present a “strong demeanor” on the campaign trail.
Pawlenty replied: “Know that I’ve got more than one gear.” Pawlenty talked about setting a record for vetoes as governor of Minnesota and other milestones during his two-term tenure.
“The loudest guy or woman in a bar usually isn’t the toughest…and heck, you know, I’m an old hockey player and I’ve probably been in more fights than all these candidates combined,” Pawlenty said.
He then talked about Ronald Reagan’s style, suggesting he was emulating it. “Courteous, civil, decent, but strong…You can be nice and strong. You don’t have to be a jerk to be strong. You can be nice and strong and that’s the lesson and the style that I have.”
The crowd applauded.
AUDIO: Exchange between Pawlenty and man in crowd
About O.Kay Henderson
Kay is a founding member of the Radio Iowa network newsroom. In 1994, she became the network’s news director. She’s a featured reporter and commentator on Iowa Public Television’s “Iowa Press,” and the 2002 recipient of the Shelley Award.
[…] Pawlenty tells Iowa crowd he can be "nice AND strong." […]