Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty this morning defended his love of Democratic-fundraiser, President Barack Obama-endorser and blue collar anthem singer Bruce Springsteen, and bemoaned the paucity of Republican rockers.

In a trip to the lighter side of politics, Bruce-listener Pawlenty said he's taken some heat from fellow Republicans for his musical taste.

"My Republican friends always say, 'How can you listen to Bruce, you know, he's so, in his political views, so liberal' and I say, 'Well, if you are going to limit your musical views to just Republican rock singers, you're going to have very few selections," Pawlenty said on his Friday WCCO radio show.

"It'll be Jessica Simpson and that's about it," spokesman and radio sidekick Brian McClung pitched in.