Pawlenty: Bachmann Political Record 'Non-Existent'

Tim Pawlenty on Sunday hit his Minnesota rival for the Republican presidential nomination, Michele Bachmann, for having a "non-existent" record in Congress, The Daily Caller reports.

“I like Congresswoman Bachmann. I’ve campaigned for her. I respect her. But her record of accomplishment in Congress is non-existent,” he said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

"We're not looking for folks who just have speech capabilities," he added. "We're looking for who can lead a large enterprise in a public setting and drive it to conclusion. I have done that, she hasn't."

In an interview with The Daily Caller afterward, Pawlenty elaborated on his critiques.

“I think it’s self-explanatory,” he said. “Everybody brings strengths to the table. My strength is I’ve had executive leadership with accomplishments and results as it relates to cutting taxes or reducing spending … as it relates to Congresswoman Bachmann’s record in Congress, the same can’t be said.

“I’ve got the record of toughness better than anyone else in this race,” Pawlenty said. “My goodness: I was the first governor in Minnesota’s history to shut down the government. I set a record for vetoes. I took more money out of the budget using executive authority than all the governors combines in my state.”