Pawlenty Shoots Himself in the Foot

Tim Pawlenty was on Morning Joe this morning to shill his book and announce that he's probably going to run in 2012 and then he blew it big time.

Joe Scarborough asked him about Sarah Palin's pathetic video this morning and Pawlenty wimped out and missed a huge chance to show some leadership. It was sad to watch. Scarborough even tried to give him a couple more chances to recover and Pawlenty didn't get it. Scarborough and Brzezinski asked him about Palin's map with the targets on the Gabby Gillfords district and Michele Bachmann's "armed and dangerous" comments and Pawlenty caved in and said meekly "it's just not my style". He had such an opportunity to say something important and blew it. How hard would it be to say something like:

My initial response was to defend the fact that I'm sure no one ever condoned such violence, and never would. But the fact is, if we in any way contributed to an unhealthy political climate, we have to be more careful and deliberate in our public language rather than merely sharpen defenses.

Pawlenty could have been a contender and blew it on the easiest TV show outside of Fox News.