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GOP's New Lightning Rod
Townhall.com ^ | October 25, 2009 | George Will

Posted on 10/25/2009 4:32:54 AM PDT by Kaslin

WASHINGTON -- When Marcus Bachmann came home that Saturday evening in 2000 he checked the telephone answering machine and was mystified by the many messages congratulating his wife for something. "Michele," he said, "do you have something to tell me?" She did.

The state senator from her district in suburban Minneapolis-St. Paul had been in office for 17 years, had stopped being pro-life and started supporting tax increases, so that morning she had skipped washing her hair, put on jeans and a tattered sweatshirt and went to the local Republican nominating caucus to ask him a few pointed questions. There, on the spur of the moment, some similarly disgruntled conservatives suggested that she unseat the incumbent. After she made a five-minute speech "on freedom," the caucus emphatically endorsed her and she handily won the subsequent primary.

After six years in the state Legislature, she ran for Congress and now, in her second term, has become such a burr under Democrats' saddles that recently The New York Times profiled her beneath a Page One headline: "GOP Has a Lightning Rod, And Her Name Is Not Palin." She is, however, a petite pistol that occasionally goes off half-cocked.

For example, appearing on MSNBC's "Hardball" 18 days before last year's election, she made the mistake of taking Chris Matthews' bait and speculating about whether Barack Obama and some other Democrats have "anti-American" views. In the ensuing uproar -- fueled by people who were not comparably scandalized when George W. Bush was sulfurously vilified -- her opponent raised nearly $2 million and her lead shrank from 13 points to her winning margin of 3.

(Excerpt) Read more at townhall.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 111th; bachmann; georgewill
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To: xcamel

The problem with politics is that all too many heros are burned at the stake. Either some muckracking lefty finds out he/she has a unpaid parking ticket or that person will have every part of thier lives taken apart and put under a microsope.The if any part is even the least bit tainted, it is blown up and shown to the slobbering media that will take it and run it into the ground.
The only people that survive that are lefty jerkoffs or weak willed republicans. They can do no wrong and will find safe harbor with the media


41 posted on 10/25/2009 6:55:41 AM PDT by Yorlik803 ( Better to die on your feet than live on your knees.)
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To: PalmettoMason

I was at that convention in 2000. Her tattered jeans were not blue, but off white. :-) In challenging the incumbent Republican, Michele won the nomination on the first round of voting. It was an amazing day.

She does not compromise on her principles. I am so glad I have her to represent me in Minnesota’s 6th Congressional District.


42 posted on 10/25/2009 7:02:18 AM PDT by RDasher ("El Nino is climate, La Nina is weather")
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To: Kaslin

The telling part is that the NRCC stopped funding and supporting her in 2008 election. The NRCC is backing the Schizzo woman in NY 23d

That tells me enough that Bachmann is a good conservative.....the RINOs dont like her


43 posted on 10/25/2009 7:18:08 AM PDT by UCFRoadWarrior (The Return of America)
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To: Kaslin

Michelle Bachmann, Sarah Palin, Liz Cheney - it’s women that are leading the conservatives now. I think Ronald Reagan would be proud.


44 posted on 10/25/2009 7:18:14 AM PDT by alicewonders (Sarah Palin is the face of America's future.)
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To: alicewonders; Kaslin

I doubt RR would be proud. He would be shaking his head wondering who neutered all the men!


45 posted on 10/25/2009 7:20:00 AM PDT by WVKayaker (www.wherezobama.org / Obama's Excellent Adventure ...)
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To: WVKayaker

That’s true.


46 posted on 10/25/2009 7:24:21 AM PDT by alicewonders (Sarah Palin is the face of America's future.)
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To: Kaslin

Thanks for the post.

Sure would have been nice if the Admin. Moderator would have cross referenced to this post from a later one.


47 posted on 10/25/2009 7:28:23 AM PDT by wizr (The Bible is the Truth. We just lie to ourselves when we don't want to believe it.)
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To: MNJohnnie
Women have always lead men, they just let us think we are in charge.

I'll bet you've been married at least 20 years to the same woman. You've obviously learned a few things along the way. Am I right?

48 posted on 10/25/2009 6:48:08 PM PDT by Vigilanteman (Obama: Fake black man. Fake Messiah. Fake American. How many fakes can you fit in one Zer0?)
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To: Upstate NY Guy

Uh, that’s a painting regarding the French revolution, you know. Though it is a personification of Liberty.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marianne


49 posted on 10/25/2009 8:13:39 PM PDT by gogogodzilla (Live free or die!)
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To: Vigilanteman
I'll bet you've been married at least 20 years to the same woman. You've obviously learned a few things along the way. Am I right?

I wish. I got married to Freeper eeevil conservative on July 11th of this year.

I am just a fast learner. :-)

50 posted on 10/26/2009 4:24:34 AM PDT by MNJohnnie (Note to the GOP: Do not count your votes until they are cast.)
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To: gogogodzilla

Thanks. Yes, I know. I realized as soon as I posted, as did some others. Senility I guess.


51 posted on 10/26/2009 6:02:21 AM PDT by Upstate NY Guy
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To: MNJohnnie
You're good. I predict you will still be married to the same woman in 20 years.

It took me the first half of our quarter century of marriage to learn that basic truth.

52 posted on 10/26/2009 7:05:08 AM PDT by Vigilanteman (Obama: Fake black man. Fake Messiah. Fake American. How many fakes can you fit in one Zer0?)
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