Pawlenty: Romney criticism is 'fair game'

"I don't think contrasting policy differences between the candidates is out of bounds in a debate," Pawlenty told reporters after touring an orthotics and prosthetics company in Manchester. "The American people want to know what you stand for and what do you believe. If you get asked a question about how that differs from other proposals, I think that's fair game."

The former Minnesota governor delivered his most pointed attack to date against Romney over the weekend, claiming that his health care overhaul in Massachusetts inspired President Obama's national health care reform law.