Pawlenty: Iowa caucus process valued style over substance (video)

Discussing his departure from the 2012 GOP presidential field, former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty inferred that voters and Iowa caucus-goers were more interested in performance than in substance.

“I was out of money,” Pawlenty told Comedy Central’s Stephen Colbert Tuesday evening when asked why he dropped from the race.

Referencing his third place finish at the Ames Straw Poll, he added, “I came in third place behind Michele Bachmann and Ron Paul. I think that’s enough for any one person to endure.”

Pawlenty said his campaign wasn’t looking “to only survive,” but wanted to win.

“[These races are] taking on more and more of a reality TV show component. You’ve got to have not just money, but you’ve got to have an entertainment component,” he said.

“I thought about shooting sparks out my butt,” Pawlenty said when questioned by Colbert as to what “entertainment component” the campaign could have brought, then admitted the phrase wouldn’t have been one he would have used while still a candidate.

The video clip is embedded below:

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