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Michele Bachmann: the Tea Party Crusader Electrifying The US Right
Guardian (UK) ^ | June 18, 2011

Posted on 06/18/2011 8:41:56 PM PDT by Steelfish

Michele Bachmann: the Tea Party Crusader Electrifying The US Right Congresswoman will come under scrutiny about hardline politics. But will she be able to reach beyond her Tea Party base?

Paul Harris, Stillwater, Minnesota Saturday 18 June 2011

Michele Bachmann addresses an Americans for Prosperity 'Cut Spending Now' rally on Capitol Hil. Photograph: Alex Brandon/AP Mary Cecconi is the only Democrat to have beaten Michele Bachmann, the rising star of the Republican right, in a popular election. "It's my claim to fame!" she laughs.

Her victory came in a race in 1999 for a seat on the school board of Stillwater, Minnesota, a tiny, picturesque river town on the banks of the Mississippi. Bachmann – then known locally as a conservative education activist – had unexpectedly run as part of a slate of rightwing Republicans. The move politicised what had previously been a non-partisan affair. It failed. Cecconi, the incumbent, held her position.

It was a minuscule electoral footnote yet it saw the political birth of a woman who just 12 years later is running for president and electrifying the radical right wing of the party.

Bachmann, who announced her White House run last week, and then shone in the first major Republican debate, is eclipsing Sarah Palin as the new darling of the Tea Party. She is an evangelical whose husband runs a controversial Christian counselling service. She is a Minnesota congresswoman who has vowed to repeal healthcare reform and lambasts Barack Obama as a socialist. Like Palin, she makes political capital of her role as a mother to a large family: five children of her own and more than 20 foster kids. She is also a glamorous woman in a party that is frequently dominated by older white men.

(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: bachmann
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To: Steelfish
AT this point she's not much more than an "opening act"

She's definitely not a "main attraction". No big energy hit either

21 posted on 06/18/2011 10:27:49 PM PDT by VideoDoctor
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To: bigbob

Mrs. Bachmann has been hitting me up for donations via email... no money honey.


22 posted on 06/18/2011 10:29:38 PM PDT by antceecee (Bless us Father.. have mercy on us and protect us from evil.)
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To: antceecee

..must also add... HOW the HECK did I get on her list???? I never ever communicated with her by email... WTH??? Is she using GOP lists? I am on that.


23 posted on 06/18/2011 10:32:19 PM PDT by antceecee (Bless us Father.. have mercy on us and protect us from evil.)
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To: nopardons

They’re very attuned as far as signal to noise, honed it to a fine art since the Clinton era. This can work to advantage or disadvantage, depends upon what you want to cancel out.


24 posted on 06/18/2011 10:32:54 PM PDT by RegulatorCountry
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To: RegulatorCountry
Unlike when Clinton was the "comeback kid", there are now many multiple conservative web sites, loads of right talk shows, and the TEA PARTY. The MSM are fighting a losing battle; especially with the likes of us actually taking it to people in real life and not just talking amongst ourselves here.

These are early days............................ :-)

25 posted on 06/18/2011 10:42:19 PM PDT by nopardons
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To: Steelfish
Michele Bachmann: the Tea Party Crusader Electrifying The US Right

In the true spirit of the Tea Party Michele needs to run against both Obama AND Mitt the RINO.

26 posted on 06/18/2011 10:45:46 PM PDT by FreeReign
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To: nopardons

The key would be identifying a controversial position she’s taken that is simultaneously anathema to ABP’s and in contrast to Palin, then pound it home relentlessly. Snatch her right off those artificial coattails.

Ethanol subsidies?


27 posted on 06/18/2011 10:54:59 PM PDT by RegulatorCountry
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To: RegulatorCountry
I agree and have been doing that.

The funny thing is, when I factually point out something, I'm accused of "marginalizing" MB, or trying to "tear her down", by the very PDSers, here, who post lies and innuendos and lfty talking points re Palin, till the cows come home and twice in Sundays. LOL

28 posted on 06/18/2011 11:05:15 PM PDT by nopardons
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To: antceecee

“..must also add... HOW the HECK did I get on her list????”

She got me fair and square, as I have sent her donations . . . in the past.


29 posted on 06/18/2011 11:26:57 PM PDT by Psalm 144 (Voodoo Republicans: Don't read their lips - watch their hands.)
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To: nopardons

“These are early days............................ :-) “

They are early days. The party machines do not yet realize how antiquated they have become, in only the past decade. That is why I think there will be “bipartisan support” at some point to try to stuff the genie back into the bottle. That too, will backfire on them.


30 posted on 06/18/2011 11:30:55 PM PDT by Psalm 144 (Voodoo Republicans: Don't read their lips - watch their hands.)
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To: Psalm 144

I never did.


31 posted on 06/18/2011 11:39:03 PM PDT by antceecee (Bless us Father.. have mercy on us and protect us from evil.)
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To: Psalm 144
I doubt that many are going to be buffaloed/cowed by the usual suspects ( the GOP,supposed "conservative pundits", magazines, etc. )into doing what they want us to do. That time has passed and the "lesser of two evils"/need a moderate to beat Obama, especially Romney, just won't fly.

I think that most of us stopped donating to a PARTY and instead, send our money to the candidate of our choice now.

These are different times......................

32 posted on 06/18/2011 11:41:50 PM PDT by nopardons
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To: nopardons
I tried going with three major points...

No sponsored legislation has become law
No significant committee assignments
No House leadership positions.

Mostly what I got back was "at least she hasn't quit"

You can't reason with these people.

33 posted on 06/19/2011 12:01:17 AM PDT by gov_bean_ counter (JMO but I reserve the right to be wrong...)
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To: gov_bean_ counter
Oh yes you can ( reason with some of them ); it just takes some work. Ask them WHY she quit. You'll enjoy the reaction and then you can hammer them with the facts. :-)

A rather young man, whom I have known all of his life was shocked and quit confused by my support of Palin. We have had many a political talk, I have sent him many an article, and suggested books for him to read. I explained why I am a Plain supporter, which did make him think, ask me questions, and I plan to completely convince him to my way of thinking, before too long.

34 posted on 06/19/2011 12:08:27 AM PDT by nopardons
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To: Jim Scott

“I fear that, although Michele Bachmann has her good points, the GOP elites are using her candidacy as a way to keep the dreaded (to them) Sarah Palin out of contention for the presidential nomination. I expect this to fail. If and when Palin chooses to run, I believe she’ll truly electrify the entire country and within days, Michele Bachmann’s candidacy will be just a memory. “

You might have a point. Maybe not just the GOP elites, but the MSM as well. I love Michele, she’s a great congresswoman and if Palin was not in the race, she’d be my choice of the remaining field, but I’ve been trying to figure out why she’s been getting such glowing media coverage lately. It just doesn’t make sense.

UNLESS, these people are SO desperate to keep Palin out that they’re even willing to build up another woman candidate who’s just as conservative, but not nearly as charismatic. They are hoping that Sarah will see it and say to herself “okay, Michele has the conservative base covered, so I can stay out an keep making the big bucks and play king/queen maker.” Then, once they are convinced that Palin is safely past the point of no return for getting in the race, they will throw the kitchen sink at Bachmann and try to destroy her too.

This theory seems absolutely crazy, and if we were talking about anyone else but Palin, I’d say this couldn’t be the case. But after the whole email thing, I’m convinced the MSM and GOP elite will do ANYTHING to keep Palin out. Why? If she’s just a joke anyway, why worry about her? The more I see their reactions to her, the more convinced I am that she MUST get in the race.


35 posted on 06/19/2011 12:15:04 AM PDT by lquist1
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To: Steelfish

Get back to me when Michelle Bachmann fires that creep Rollins and decides to “Man-Up” and attack the inherent Socialism in RomneyCare when directly questioned.

Until then, she is not fit to lead.


36 posted on 06/19/2011 12:45:57 AM PDT by SoConPubbie
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To: antceecee
HOW the HECK did I get on her list???? I never ever communicated with her by email... WTH??? Is she using GOP lists?

Same thing happened to me. I suddenly started getting her email newsletter (better described as donation requests) some weeks back, even though I've never made contact with her organization.

Yet another check mark on my WTH? list.

37 posted on 06/19/2011 1:15:31 AM PDT by Windflier (To anger a conservative, tell him a lie. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth.)
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To: FreeReign
In the true spirit of the Tea Party Michele needs to run against both Obama AND Mitt the RINO.

She had a chance on two separate occasions last week to condemn RomneyCare, and failed to do so. That's a MAJOR FAIL for any serious Republican candidate at this time, and has only resulted in many conservatives concluding that something's up between the Romney and Bachmann camps.

38 posted on 06/19/2011 1:18:59 AM PDT by Windflier (To anger a conservative, tell him a lie. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth.)
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To: Slump Tester
I watched her RLC speech. It was OK but I wasn't electrified.

Something didn't connect.

39 posted on 06/19/2011 1:32:25 AM PDT by newzjunkey (Help Jim DeMint: http://www.cutcapbalancepledge.com/)
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To: Steelfish

She is a RINO Backstabber vying to be Ms. Romney II.

Not interested in a backstabbing Poser
who is FOR Romney/RomneyCARE and GLobal Warming.

What a nut. She ought marry Ron Paul, too.


40 posted on 06/19/2011 4:11:09 AM PDT by Diogenesis (Nothing surpasses the complexity of the human mind. - Leto II: Dar-es-Balat)
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