Washington — Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R., Minn.) was the keynote speaker tonight at the Susan B. Anthony List’s annual gala. The political-action committee’s mission is to elect pro-life candidates to Congress. Pawlenty spoke with NRO following his low-key, Bible-quoting address on the politics of abortion.

In light of Pawlenty’s tone and approach to the issue this evening, I was curious to find out what he thought of Rep. Randy Neugebauer (R., Texas) yelling “baby killer” on the House floor last Sunday. “We need to debate the issues,” Pawlenty says. “We don’t need to get into name calling. I think we’ll all be best served by debating on the merits of the issues. We have strong issues and values, but we need to present them in a way that’s effective, thoughtful, and civil.” Nevertheless, he adds, “there is still a role for protests and the like. Everybody engages in heated rhetoric now and again — I do that myself from time to time — but it’s best to leave personal characteristics out of it.”

Pawlenty also had a few words to offer on the passage of Obamacare. “The Democrats are advancing a bill that’s bad for the country,” he says. “It’s another example of the federal government taking over programs. The federal government is now acting like General Motors in the 1970s — they want to create big, centralized bureaucracies. [The GOP] is offering solutions that are like the Apple iPhone, with the consumers in charge. It’s a very different vision. We didn’t have the votes to advance our vision, but that day is coming. Just look at the special elections in New Jersey, Virginia, and Massachusetts. They all say the same thing to Washington: Enough. Now the people are pushing back and the consequences will reveal themselves very dramatically come November.”

Pawlenty, a possible 2012 presidential contender, will be speaking in New Hampshire tomorrow.