Conn Carroll: Energy issues are Pawlenty's Achilles Heel

When Fox News’ Chris Wallace told former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty he was about to play an Environmental Defense Action Fund radio ad during last Thursday’s Republican presidential debate, Pawlenty quipped “Do we have to?” After stoically listening to his own his own voice proclaim, “Cap greenhouse gas pollution, now,” Pawlenty turned to the camera and said: “I’ve said I was wrong. It was a mistake, and I’m sorry.”

If Pawlenty’s energy policy heresy were limited to just his support for cap and trade, a simple “sorry” may have been enough to put the issue to bed. Unfortunately for Pawlenty, his energy record in Minnesota is a bit longer than that.