FORMER Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty spoke at a Christian gathering on Saturday in West Des Moines, telling a crowd of hundreds that hope for America’s floundering economy begins with faith in God.
“We’re gathered here today with a lot of challenges facing our nation, and we need to remember that no matter how much discouragement there may be in the economy or other issues facing our country, let’s remember where our hope and our help really comes from,” he said.
Pawlenty’s appearance at the Spirit Midwest music festival at Jordan Park Camp coincided with the appearance by Texas Gov. Rick Perry, a potential Republican candidate for president, at a prayer rally on Saturday attended by thousands of people in Houston.
Pawlenty is seeking the Republican Party’s nomination for president. He said economic discouragement and other issues of the day included Standard & Poor’s downgrading of the US government’s credit rating on Friday night, as well as the deaths of US soldiers when a helicopter went down in Afghanistan.
“These individuals who gave their lives in service to our country will not be forgotten,” Pawlenty said.
At an earlier stop in Grinnell, Pawlenty made it clear who he blamed for America’s drop from its AAA to AA+ credit rating.
“I think as we’re gathered here this morning what we should be talking about is downgrading Barack Obama from president of the United States,” Pawlenty said. “What he doesn’t understand is all this talk of the full faith and credit in the United States government. He needs to be reminded, and we need to have a president who understands, that we need to put our full faith and credit in the American people.”
A different sort of full faith topped Pawlenty’s list of national priorities.
“No. 1, we need to be a nation that turns toward God, not away from God,” he said.
Grinnell retiree Robert Barnes, a self-described evangelical conservative, has been examining the personal faith of Pawlenty and other candidates. Barnes said he liked Pawlenty’s words on God, “but he didn’t go far enough.”
During Pawlenty’s remarks in West Des Moines, he quoted from memory an Old Testament passage from 2 Chronicles that he said “gives us a great passage for healing this country.”
“If my people, who are called by name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I’ll hear from heaven, forgive their sins and heal their land,” Pawlenty said. Source: Des Moines Register
