Like Gingrich, Pawlenty has come out against the Islamic community center near ground zero. Writing at his new blog, Weigel sighs:
So he's in line with Sarah Palin, who wants "peace-seeking Muslims" to understand that the mosque is a "provocation." But Palin put it better, didn't she? The way she has it, there are good Muslims who should understand that mosques close to Ground Zero might offend people. The way Pawlenty has it, the very existence of a mosque would soil the "hallowed ground" of the Burlington Coat Factory-that's-near-Ground Zero. That's got to come as news to the families of Syed Fatha, Salman Hamdani, Sarah Khan, and the dozens of other Muslims who died on 9/11 totally unaware that they were ruining it for the rest of us.
I used to have hopes for Pawlenty. But he is becoming Romneyesque in his eagerness to please the most rancid parts of his base.