Pawlenty blasts Obama healthcare reforms

CHICAGO, Aug. 15 (UPI) -- Republicans are making a comeback because of the unpopularity of President Barack Obama's healthcare reform plan, a GOP leader says.

Speaking Friday to the second annual GOPAC conference in Chicago, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, seen as a possible Republican 2012 presidential contender, said unhappiness with Obama's efforts would lead to the country back to the GOP fold, the Washington publication Politico reported.

"It appears that President Obama is making great progress on climate change. He is changing the political climate in the country back to Republican," Pawlenty said. "He went around the country last fall promising 'change we can believe in,' but now we see it's about changing what we believe in."

Pawlenty, who is not seeking another term as Minnesota's governor, called Obama an "extreme left liberal" proposing a healthcare plan "that we don't recognize as supporters of the free market," Politico said.

It noted Pawlenty, who became vice chairman of the Republican Governors Association following South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford's resignation as the group's chairman, predicted GOP gubernatorial wins in Virginia and New Jersey would launch the party to success in 2010.