During a debate about the size and scope of government, former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty said on the Daily Show last night that there is a "continuum between liberty and tyranny," adding that the march toward the latter happens incrementally.

Pawlenty -- a potential 2012 presidential candidate -- and Stewart spent the better part of 20 minutes discussing the long-bubbling unrest on the right over President Barack Obama's initiatives over the past two years. Not surprisingly, Stewart defended the left's civility, while Pawlenty claimed conservatives' rhetoric is no worse than liberals'.

In the wake of the mass shooting in Arizona that left six dead and Rep. Gabrielle Giffords in critical condition, UFC fighter Jacob Volkmann regrets saying he would like to "knock some sense into that idiot" President Barack Obama.

"I would never make that comment if that shooting happened first," Volkmann told the Huffington Post. "I can't imagine what it's like for the parents. I got a 4-year-old girl and 2-year-old boy."

1||January 13, 2011: To be fair, former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) hasn't declared yet whether he'll run for president in 2012. But he's widely seen as a potential candidate. So in the meantime, let's get to know Pawlenty a bit better.

Pawlenty, in May 2010, returns to his office after speaking to reporters about a budget deal he offered Democrats. ||newscom/ZUMA Press&&

2||October 30, 2010: Pawlenty at Key Air Hanger in Anoka, Minnesota, campaigning for Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer.||newscom/ZUMA Press&&

3||December 9, 2010: Pawlenty with newly elected Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton (D) at a press conference at the capitol.||newscom/ZUMA Press&&

4||April 12, 2008: Pawlenty greets Minnesota National Guard troops in Kosovo.||Wikimedia&&

5||November 5, 2002: Pawlenty and his running mate, Carol Molnau, in Bloomington, Minnesota.||newscom/Richard Marshall&&

6||February 21, 2010: Pawlenty and President Barack Obama at the 2010 Governors' Ball at the White House.||newscom/Ron Sachs/UPI&&

7||Then-Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN) and Pawlenty at the 2004 Republican National Convention in New York City.||newscom/Stormi Greener/Star Tribune/ZUMA Press&&

8||January 22, 2007: Pawlenty unveils his state budget proposal at the Minnesota Department of Revenue Building in St. Paul.||newscom/Richard Sennott/ZUMA Press&&

9||August 5, 2008: Pawlenty prior to giving the keynote address at Farmfest in Morgan, Minnesota.||newscom/ZUMA Press&&

10||March 9, 2006: Pawlenty delivers his state of the state address in St. Paul.||newscom/David Joles/Minneapolis Star Tribune/ZUMA Press&&

11||August 27, 2008: Pawlenty greets kids at the Minnesota State Fair in St. Paul.||newscom/ZUMA Press&&

12||August 25, 2008: Pawlenty with high school football players during a campaign stop for presidential hopeful John McCain in Richfield, Ohio.||newscom/Mike Cardew/MCT&&

13||October 22, 2009: Pawlenty at a "Pretzels and Pints" event for his Freedom First PAC in Washington.||newscom/&&

14||December 16, 2009: Pawlenty autographs a picture of himself for an unidentified supporter at the New Hampshire Republican State Senate PAC Fundraiser in Concord.||newscom/Greg Mironchuk/PDI&&

15||August, 28 2007: Pawlenty and Ron Stillweather, a FEMA community relation employee, after southwestern Minnesota was declared a disaster area due to massive flooding.||newscomPatsy Lynch/&&

16||September 14, 2010: Pawlenty and Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo (R) in Bejing.||newscom/Li Xueren/Xinhua/Photoshot&&

17||August 27, 2008: Pawlenty jumps out of the KTIS booth after giving an interview at the Minnesota State Fair.

See more of our 2012 GOPer slideshows here: Mitt Romney.||newscom/ZUMA Press&&

The publisher of textbooks in which historians found major errors has said it will correct and replace the books at no cost to the Virginia schools they were used in, the Washington Post reports.

Five Ponds Press, a small publisher in Connecticut, is responsible for the books in question, which -- among other errors -- claimed that African Americans fought in large numbers for the south during the Civil War.

Jon Stewart last night celebrated the news that the iPhone will soon be available on Verizon's network, relieved that he'll finally be able to make actual calls with his cell phone.

"For the past three or four years, those of us in the iPhone community have sacrificed one thing for the ability to carry around every photograph we've ever taken, or song we've ever listened to, or home video or compass: the ability to make phone calls," Stewart said. "For years, struggling with the world's most popular almost-phone."

As the debate over the use of violent political rhetoric heats up in the aftermath of the shooting in Arizona that killed six and left Rep. Gabrielle Giffords in critical condition, a South Carolina gun company may find itself in an uncomfortable position.

Corey Hutchins, a reporter for the South Carolina alt weekly Free Times, reports that a South Carolina gun and accessories company is selling semi-automatic rifle components with the words "You Lie" inscribed on them.

Jesus Diaz | Gizmodo

It's confirmed. The iPhone 4 is coming to Verizon. Starting at $200 for the 16GB version, with a new antenna and a hotspot application that would allow you to connect your computer or any other device to the internet.

Stephen Colbert last night started out on a serious note, offering condolences to the families and friends of the victims of Saturday's mass shooting that left Rep. Gabrielle Giffords hospitalized in critical condition.

"We, of course, send our thoughts and prayers," Colbert said. He then added that now is not the time to "lay blame or politicize" the tragedy, only to follow by showing a handful of highly politicized pundits reacting to the shooting.

In the wake of the mass shooting in Arizona over the weekend that left Rep. Gabrielle Giffords hospitalized in critical condition, Jon Stewart last night traded quick quips for a warning: "I would love to say that we've got a great show for you tonight; not sure that's the case."

"How do you make sense of these types of senseless situations?" Stewart asked. Both sides of the political aisle are trying to exonerate themselves from blame, or implicate the other side, he said.

Fox News President Roger Ailes -- who is no stranger to making incendiary comments -- recently told globalgrind.com's Russel Simmons that both the right and the left are wrong in their response to the mass shooting in Arizona.

"This is just bullshit.  This goes on ... both sides are wrong, but they both do it," Ailes said on the media's using maps that target Congressional districts in their coverage. Ailes cited the map former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) used that put targets over Democratic Congressional districts, and also a Democratic Party map that he said put targets over Palin's district.

Ailes also said he gave instructions to Fox employees to dial back their rhetoric: "I told all of our guys, shut up, tone it down, make your argument intellectually. You don't have to do it with bombast. I hope the other side does that."