Pawlenty Encourages Republicans To Vote Against Budget Deal

Tim Pawlenty, the Former Minnesota Governor who is also exploring a GOP 2012 presidential bid, has come out against the budget deal negotiated late last week between House Speaker John Boehner, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and President Obama.

"The more we learn about the budget deal the worse it looks," said Pawlenty in a statement released after President Obama's speech on Wednesday afternoon. Pawlenty not only criticized the speech, calling it "window dressing," but the likely presidential candidate went a step further, encouraging Congressional Republicans to vote against the agreement, "it should be rejected. America deserves better."

It is a tack to the conservative right for Mr. Pawlenty that may serve to differentiate him from his would-be presidential rivals. Pawlenty will also be speaking at Tea Party rallies commemorating Tax Day this weekend. One of those rallies is in New Hampshire, home of the ‘First in the Nation' Presidential Primary election.