Pawlenty speaks in New Hampshire
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Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty spoke in Manchester, N.H. Thursday evening at a house party sponsored by the Granite Oath PAC. He and his wife Mary were warmly received. Pawlenty spoke about domestic and foreign policy issues. He said the U.S. has not shown enough leadership and resolve when it comes to the situation in Libya.
"I think if there's a plausible way to implement a no-fly zone, we should," he said. "If there's a plausible way to help those who are trying to defeat and take out Moammar Gadhafi we should explore those options and the president, I think, is thinking about it. He's thinking about it, but I would be more forward leaning than that, than I think he has been."
Pawlenty also criticized the Obama administration for its reaction to the situation in Eqypt.
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On domestic issues, Pawlenty said the national debt cannot be addressed without reworking entitlement programs. He said it's time to start talking about changing Social Security rules for people who are not yet in the program.
"I think when you have life expectancies going up like they are, it's ok to say for new entrants into the program, the retirement age is going to gradually increase over time and a majority of Americans say, ok. I'm ok with that."
Palwenty left the Manchester house party with a customized University of New Hampshire hockey jersey with "Pawlenty 12" on the back.
Pawlenty is heading to the western part of New Hampshire Friday for a noon-time speech about health care issues at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center.
Rep. Michele Bachmann will arrive in New Hampshire Friday for a series of GOP fundraisers. On Saturday, Bachmann will also help raise money for a political action committee that represents a coalition of New Hampshire tea party groups.