Pawlenty to Michele Bachmann: "You're killin' us" [VIDEO]

Bachmann and Pawlenty: Minnesota mean.

​Tim Pawlenty snapped back at Michele Bachmann in big way at last night's Republican debate.

All the major candidates for the Republican presidential nomination stood onstage for the first time last night, but everyone's buzzing about the nasty exchange between Pawlenty and  Bachmann.

Fox News moderator Chris Wallace set up the exchange for the former governor and congresswoman, who were conveniently placed right next to each other.

"As you both know," Wallace said, "there is an expression, 'Minneosta nice,' and some people believe that you both have tested it in recent weeks."

If they were testing it before, the back-and-forth that followed probably buried the idea of "Minnesota nice" for good.
Wallace asked Pawlenty if  Bachmann was unqualified, giving T-Paw a chance to revive his criticism that Bachmann's record in congress is "nonexistent." Pawlenty obliged, but only after saying that Bachmann has "done wonderful things in her life," which he chose not to list.

Bachmann came right back twice as hard, comparing Pawlenty's record as governor to Barack Obama's as president, saying she had a "very consistent record of fighting very hard against Barack Obama."

"I introduced the Lightbulb Freedom of Choice Act," Bachmann said, explaining, helpfully, "so people could purchase the lightbulb of their choice."

Pawlenty's response assailed Bachmann's record again, saying everything she fought against passed anyway, eventually building to the line of the night.

"If that's your view of effective leadership with results," Pawlenty said, "please stop, because you're killin' us."


Previously:

• Bachmann first in Rasmussen poll with 22%, Pawlenty gets half that
  
• Tim Pawlenty says Bachmann lied, used false quote to disparage him
  
• Bachmann, Pawlenty throwdown