Michele Bachmann Might Seek GOP Presidential Nomination in 2016

At RCP, "Bachmann Says She Might Seek Presidency in 2016."

Bachmann was my pick in 2012. I'll back her again in 2016, on the condition that she eschews policy positions on the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine Gardasil causing mental retardation, heh.

Congresswoman Michele Bachmann Calls on Secretary of State John Kerry to Resign

Via Israel Matzav.

She's awesome. Remember, Rep. Bachmann lived in Israel. She hits it out of the park with her comments here. Wow.



Previously Kerry "apartheid" blogging here.

Oh My! Michele Bachmann Slams Socialist Bernie Sanders on Obama's 'War on Women'

I was watching this, heh.

Bachmann just destroys the hapless socialist senator from Vermont!

And Mediaite has the full video, "Michele Bachmann vs. Bernie Sanders CNN Debate Goes Completely Off the Rails":

For much of the debate it appeared the Bachmann and Sanders were talking simultaneously, while a seemingly helpless Blitzer sat on the sidelines choosing not to moderate in the traditional sense.

When Sanders said Republicans want to cut Social Security, Bachmann shot back with, “That is absolutely a lie. It’s brought up all the time and it’s a lie. Let’s face it, Senator Sanders. you shouldn’t be lying about what our position is.” When he asked her directly if she supports “chained CPI” and raising the minimum wage, Bachmann would not answer, choosing instead to direct the points she was trying to make straight towards Blitzer. Meanwhile, Bachmann had to pause several times throughout the conversation to tell Sanders to “calm down.”

The @cnn booker who put Michele Bachmann and Bernie Sanders on together should get a raise.

— Karen Tumulty (@ktumulty) January 27, 2014

.@KTumulty VIDEO: Bachman: Obama created war on women: http://t.co/binHhp20nP #TCOT #TGDN

— Donald Douglas (@AmPowerBlog) January 27, 2014

Obligatory Blog Post on Michele Bachmann's 8-Minutes-Plus Congressional Retirement Video

Look, I love Michele Bachmann. She was my candidate for the Republican nomination in 2012. But this retirement clip is a bit much. She could have had as much to say in a couple of minutes. And frankly, the long spin on her congressional accomplishments highlights something of the lack thereof. Her most important impact has been as a media star, and she might have done better in the primaries had she avoided her Human Papilloma Virus gaffe of September 2011. I will say though, I think she's wise not to leave public life altogether. She's a powerful voice of dissent and we need as many of those as we can get.

Ed Morrissey has more, "Video: Michele Bachmann retires."

BONUS: Get a kick out of WaPo's report, which is basically a DLTDHYOTWO screed against the Minnesota Republican, "Rep. Bachmann will not run for reelection in 2014."

Michele Bachmann on Rush Limbaugh Attacks: 'I Have Never Seen This Level of Outrage On the Left'

No, you don't get this bullsh*t when progressive hacks smear conservative women.

Rep. Bachmann hits it out of the park:

And see Dana Loesch, at Big Journalism, "Where's My Presidential Phone Call?"

BONUS: At Michelle Malkin's, "The anti-Rush revival revived — and Barack Obama’s petty presidency."

Michele Bachmann Speech CPAC 2012

She's awesome:

And at Washington Post, "Despite lightheartedness at CPAC gathering, tension within movement can be felt."

Michele Bachmann: 'I Was the Perfect Candidate'

Well, she wasn't quite perfect, but far superior to anyone else in my opinion.

See The Hill, "Rep. Michele Bachmann thinks that America missed its opportunity with 'the perfect candidate'," and CNN, "TRENDING: Bachmann says she was the ‘perfect candidate’." (Via Memeorandum.)

I'm pictured with Congresswoman Bachmann last April at David Horowitz's West Coast Retreat in Palos Verdes. She hadn't announced her candidacy yet, but I was certain she'd be candidate and I backed her from the start. No, she wasn't perfect. But I thought she best represented my interests in the race, and I do agree with her contention that no other candidate was as consistently opposed to President Obama and the ObamaCare debacle as she was.

Explaining Michele Bachmann's Epic Collapse

I'd say two words explain Bachmann's collapse: Rick Perry.

That is, Rick Perry stole her thunder by entering the race the same weekend that Bachmann won the Ames straw poll, and Bachmann torpedoed her own campaign with her attack on Governor Perry on the Gardasil issue. I didn't really understand why she was hammering that issue at the time. It wasn't her best moment and she never recovered. Perhaps there were other campaign problems as well, organization and fundraising, and so forth. But it was Rick Perry who stopped Bachmann's momentum and her attempts to regain it by attacking Perry sunk her ever further.

The Los Angeles Times has more, "Michele Bachmann: What happened to the once-promising candidate?"

Michele Bachmann Quits Presidential Campaign

London's Daily Mail has a video, "Michele Bachmann quits White House race just six months in after disastrous Iowa result and warns U.S. is in 'serious trouble'."

And see ABC News, "Michele Bachmann Drops Out of Presidential Race." (At Memeorandum.)

I'm not surprised at all, although Bachmann was my candidate. She was the clearest, most unambiguous candidate speaking out against the Obama-Dems' progressive socialism.

I'll have more on all of this throughout the day.

Added: Here's the announcement:

Bachmann Crashes in Iowa

I'm going to check for a full clip of her Iowa speech.

Bachmann seemed pretty upbeat to me. But see Weasel Zippers, "Bachmann’s Campaign Manager Says She May Drop Out After Last Place Finish In Iowa…" (Via Memeorandum.)

More at Los Angeles Times, "Michele Bachmann: Iowa caucus system 'worked'," and London's Daily Mail, "Is this the end of Michele Bachmann? 'Queen of Rage' dealt massive a campaign blow after abysmal turnout in Iowa caucus."

Candidates Reach the Finish Line in Iowa

At Des Moines Register, "Romney leads Paul in new Des Moines Register Iowa Poll; Santorum surges." (At Memeorandum.)

And at The Other McCain, "SANTORUM SURGE SUNDAY: Final Poll Makes Front-Page News in Des Moines."

Bachmann Calls 'Occupy' Protesters 'Obama's Advance Team'

You gotta love Bachmann.

At MSNBC:

URBANDALE, Iowa – During remarks to supporters inside her campaign headquarters Saturday, Michele Bachmann linked President Barack Obama to a large protest that had been unfolding outside the building only minutes before.

"You may have seen all over Des Moines the Barack Obama re-election advance team is already out there in the various parking lots of all of the campaigns," Bachmann told about 70 volunteers.

"This tells you that he is nervous," she continued.  "He doesn't want me on the stage. I want you to know, I'm not nervous. I'm fearless."

The rhetoric signifies a heightened effort to paint Obama as out of touch, something the campaign acknowledges is an element of Bachmann's closing argument to voters three days before the Jan. 3 caucuses.

And more coverage at Robert Stacy McCain's, "‘Occupy’ Protesters at Bachmann HQ: Proof That Gardasil Causes Retardation?"

Michele Bachmann's Damage Control

Actually, I believe her. Her top staffer went for the payout, but with the way things are shaken out for her in Iowa, people had a lot of incentive to jump ship. And politicos lie about stuff, so what can you do?

At Washington Post, "Michele Bachmann's Campaign Flameout":

DES MOINES — The rise and fall of Rep. Michele Bachmann (Minn.) may well stand as an allegory of the most turbulent GOP presidential primary in memory, one whose latest turn has been bitter and bizarre.

With just days to go before the Iowa caucuses, where a poor finish would almost certainly mean the end of Bachmann’s presidential hopes, the candidate who only months ago led the field here is being all but counted out.

A CNN/Time poll released Wednesday showed her running last among the six serious contenders in Iowa, garnering support from only 9 percent of likely caucusgoers surveyed.

Her story line went from poignant to poisonous on Wednesday night. Bachmann’s own Iowa chairman, state Sen. Kent Sorenson — who just hours earlier had appeared with her at a campaign event — suddenly turned up onstage at a rally for Rep. Ron Paul (Tex.) and announced that he was ditching her.

She fired back with an accusation that Sorenson “personally told me he was offered a large sum of money to go to work for the Paul campaign.”

Then came another twist: Wes Enos, Bachmann’s political director, contradicted his candidate, saying in a statement that Sorenson’s switch “was in no way financially motivated.”

Sorenson issued a statement saying that he “was never offered money from the Ron Paul campaign or anyone associated with them and certainly would never accept any.”

That Bachmann’s once-promising endeavor should end up in such a surreal place speaks to the larger forces that have defined the primary contest.

More at that top link.

Also at Des Moines Register, "Bachmann reasserts that defector was paid."

And more at Memeorandum.

Michele Bachmann Aide Kent Sorenson Defects to Ron Paul in Iowa Caucuses

At the Des Moines Register, "Breaking: Michele Bachmann campaign co-chairman endorses Ron Paul" (via Memeorandum).

The guy appeared just today at a campaign event for Bachmann in Indianola, his hometown. I guess it's a sign of Bachmann's campaign implosion. Weird that the dude went for Paul, though. If you're going to hop on the bandwagon, at least hop on something good and decent. Ron Paul would be a horrible nominee and even worse president.

UPDATE: Yeah, that late turnabout sounded kind of strange. Allahpundit has one of thos breaking/update posts with the red highlighting, "Drama: Bachmann’s Iowa chairman endorses Ron Paul — three hours after appearing at an event for her; Update: Sorenson “saddened” by how Bachmann’s been treated; Update: Sorenson told us Paul offered him a “large sum,” says Team Bachmann."

Here's the source for the "large sum" claim, on Twitter.

And now here from Alexandra Moe at NBC, on Twitter:

Sorenson DENIES Bachmann statement, calls it "absurd" and that he was not offered money by Paul campaign via @AnthonyNBCNews #iacaucus

Added: More bad news, it looks like, "Bachmann SuperPAC Defects to Romney."

Michele Bachmann Hates Muslims?

Politico reports, "Paul on Bachmann: 'She hates Muslims'."

And lots more at Memeorandum.

Also, on Bachmann attacking the Gingrich campaign for alleged vote-buying in South Carolina? At The Other McCain, "‘Shorter Ace: Bitches Lie’."

National Review Writers Dissent on Editors' Stealth Mitt Romney Endorsement

William Jacobson has this, "One brave soul at National Review stands up for Newt." And from Pundette, "Andy McCarthy dissents." Linked at the latter's is Jonah Goldberg The Editorial — My Take, " and Mark Steyn, "Include Me Out."

 Here's Steyn on Bachmann:

Congresswoman Bachmann has fought a principled, conservative campaign with only one significant misstep — her overreach on the Gardasil business. Again, that shouldn’t be a disqualification. Nor should having more chiefs of staff than she has foster children (I speak as a guy who believes citizen-legislators shouldn’t have chiefs of staff, anyway). To be sexist about it, President Bachmann at her best would be another Thatcher and at her worst another Merkel — and Chancellor Merkel currently presides over the least worst Western economy. What’s not to like? Go, Michele!

I like it!

BONUS: Linkmaster Smith links to my essay from yesterday the state of the race: "Sean Hannity Flummoxed By Michelle Malkin."

The Generic Republican Will Beat Obama

Reliapundit and I are having a friendly exchange on our favorite GOP candidates. He's fully on board for Romney. I like Romney too, especially for the electability argument. I don't care for Newt but I'd obviously vote for him enthusiastically over the Usurper. I think around the time of the Horowitz West Coast Retreat I mentioned that Michele Bachmann was my favorite candidate and I was going to support her so long as Sarah Palin stayed out of the race. And I haven't changed my positions. I'm just not making that big of a deal out of it. I think the generic Republican will beat Obama, with the exception of Ron Paul. And apparently, Rush Limbaugh thinks so too. And Michelle Malkin responds:

Candidates Spar in Last GOP Debate of the Year

The New York Times has a report, "Gingrich Parries With Challengers in Final Debate Before Iowa Caucuses" (via Memeorandum):

From the start, the candidates faced a series of questions on their biggest vulnerabilities, a tough, year-end parting gift from a network that has a lineup of sympathetic opinion hosts, but whose news anchors have pulled no punches on Republican candidates in debates and interviews. The race has played out, to a large degree, on Fox News.

Mr. Gingrich called “laughable” the accusation this week from Mr. Romney that he is an “unreliable conservative.” But, facing some questions about his consistency, he added, “I do change things when conditions change,” adding, however, that beating Mr. Obama is “a very large change.”

Representative Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, whose candidacy depends on a comeback in the Iowa caucuses, did not hold back against Mr. Gingrich. She called it “shocking” that he would accept $1.6 million to advise the government-owned mortgage giant Freddie Mac.

“That is something that our nominee cannot stand for,” Mrs. Bachmann said.

More at that top link.

Also at Los Angeles Times, "Newt Gingrich under fire in final GOP debate before Iowa vote."

Plus, a neat post at Legal Insurrection, "Sioux City Debate Tweets of Night."

RELATED: At National Journal, "Previewing Gingrich's Down Escalator."

Roundup on the GOP Debate in Des Moines

I think Newt Gingrich forcefully consolidated his newfound frontrunner status last night. He's especially vulnerable on his marital history, and that portion of the debate was dicey. But Gingrich handled his response well, and was fairly contrite. For me it's not whether someone divorces but whether they were unfaithful. I don't bother to keep up with the stories of Newt's family life, but he's a bit less straight and narrow on those issues than I'd expect in the presidency. But such is life.

I'll have more on this later.

Check Robert Stacy McCain, "ABC Iowa Debate Reaction Roundup UPDATE: Jennifer Rubin, WTF?"

And at Los Angeles Times, "Gingrich is favorite target at latest GOP debate"; New York Times, "Race Reshaped, Rivals Target Gingrich in G.O.P. Debate"; and Washington Post, "Gingrich comes under attack in GOP debate."

The Case for Michele Bachmann

From Daren Jonescu, at Canada Free Press:

"Michele Bachmann is the clearest conservative voice in the primaries. She is the most legitimate representative of the Tea Party in this process."

Hey, I can dig it.

And yes, it is pretty freakin' sick for a lesbian parent to send her 8 year-old boy up to Congresswomen Bachmann to say "my mommy doesn't need any fixin'." But the gay rights extremists see this as a great chance to get some hate in against the EVIL!!! conservatives: "Watch: Michele Bachmann On Glenn Beck Calls 8 Year Old Boy's Act 'Shameless'."