Why Can’t I Connect With Michele Bachmann? (Vanity)

June 16, 2011 | Vanity

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Michele Bachmann should have me ringing doorbells and doing conservative flips to get her elected but she isn’t and I don’t know why.

She looks great on paper. She expresses conservatism clearly. She understands the dire situation we’re in and the remedies. She’s energetic and pleasant. She goes after the agent of our destruction. She can debate. She is attractive. She has a compelling life story.

So what’s wrong?

When Michele Bachmann is on TV or radio, or I read her words in print, she has my attention and I agree with her but as soon as she’s off the air or I move to another story, she’s lost to my mind.

I can’t be the only one who has this Michele Bachmann “condition.” This bothers me because TURNOUT will be what decides this election. TURNOUT will bring us a bullet proof Senate. TURNOUT will keep Democrat voter fraud from giving Obama 4 more years. TURNOUT will bring more states under GOP control. We need a standard bearer candidate that Americans will rally behind in earnest -- TURN OUT!

The roster of GOP candidates is varied and I will vote for the one who wins the primary. I don’t think Romney has “it.” I know Newt won’t make the grade, again – can’t. Huntsman – phewt. Ron Paul – keeps our feet to the fire but won’t beat Obama. Santorum – he had me once but now he just seems to be saying his lines. Pawlenty – I keep working on remembering that he’s in the race. Cain – another conservative voice of sanity but won’t beat Obama.

Two candidates not yet on the list – Sarah Palin and Rick Perry – they make me want to campaign for their election! They fire me up! I see them as carrying the flag and rallying the great silent majority of voters. They have “it” in spades. I want to win back the White House! Obama must go!

So what is it? I’ve tried to figure this out logically but I keep hitting an emotional wall.

Does Michele Bachmann’s energy belong in the legislature and not the executive? (Something I see as Newt’s problem (among others) – he played a big part in orchestrating the 1994 takeover, then let it wilt away – he’s not executive material, but rather a good back-bench workhorse).

I’d like your thoughts.

[GlockLady]

I agree with you and your last paragraph pretty-much summed it up:
“Does Michele Bachmann’s energy belong in the legislature and not the executive? (Something I see as Newt’s problem (among others) – he played a big part in orchestrating the 1994 takeover, then let it wilt away – he’s not executive material, but rather a good back-bench workhorse).”

Plus, I sense ‘selfishness’ in her.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

.....Hitler, Stalin and Mussolini had starpower and all were viciously destructive psychopaths and just plain aholes. That magic and hard to define quality that made people pay attention and CARE can lead to disaster or to a glorious victory for good....

Enter Barack Obama.

I enjoyed reading your post (I appreciate your wisdom -- there has been a lot on this thread).

[WhiskeyX]

The Republic needs a tenacious leader ready, willing, and able to protect and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Michelle Bachman already disqualified herself from such a position of leadership when she badmouthed the eligibility issue and demurred on other Constitutional issues.

The next conservative candidate for the Office of the President needs to qualify himself or herself by exercising such leadership qualities as defining the debate around Constitutional questions like the Commerce clause, the War Powers Act, the Presidential eligibility issue, and more. Reagan had his failings, but one of his most notable and successful qualities was his determination and ability to lead against the voices who said it was impolitic to do the right thing and defend the Republic.

[ansel12]

I couldn’t tell if you were supporting Bachmann or not, was that in support of Bachmann?

[Ron H.]

It sounds as if being fiscally conservative is outweighing being socially conservative for you in your choice of who to support. For me I'll go with the first socially and secondly fiscally conservative Rep. Michele Bachmann any day of the week and twice on Sundays as the age old axiom goes.

So when you say "The roster of GOP candidates is varied and I will vote for the one who wins the primary." I hope you mean it. But when it comes to Perry I for one don't know if I can be as generous since I know too much about the guy and he and I have little in common.

I personally put more stock into being socially conservative as I believe the majority of our nations problems today are the result of the breakdown or growing lack of principals and morality in our nation. The bar has nearly hit rock bottom when it comes to what we expect of our political candidates and leaders today.

[Sal]

In the meantime, the other candidates can embarrass themselves by going to debates and diminishing their stature by answering such important questions as "deep dish or regular crust".

I saw those questions as an attempted set up.

I think most of us wanted to hear somebody say, "We're in several wars, only two of which actually concern us, we're broke financially and the @#%&* in WH is giving away money to our enemies; and you're asking deep dish or regular crust?!"

Anyone who did that would immediately be labeled as humorless, harsh and unfriendly at best. Doesn't work and play well with others.

Maybe they could say wars, broke, helping enemies, "...but I guess we do need a little comedic relief from the wreckage of our country" and then give a witty answer and follow up with "Does that help you know me better?". IIRC that was the rationale for the dumb-ass questions.

[Ron H.]

Here we go again. Another thread where the Palin or Nothing crowd endlessly trash Bachmann while Palin has not even decided to run for POTUS. Yawn.

I was just thinking the very same thing.

[restornu]

I just think they are both great in their own way and they are young yet for now I see Bachmann as the Speaker of the House and Palin leading the GOP to victory.

They are both powerful women.

[P-Marlowe]

Do you believe that an Abraham Lincoln or a George Washington would have responded to such silly questions during a presidential debate?

I think Washington would have advised the questioner that his questions reveal that he is not interested in dealing with the issues of the time and removed himself from the debate.

These questions are designed to diminish the character and stature of the candidates. They are not worthy of a response.

If that doesn’t sell well with the public, then the public does not deserve a serious candidate.

[meadsjn]

I'm right there with you. I think too many people get lost in the minutia of candidates who look good on paper and fail to look at them as a "total package" candidate.

Bachmann says the right things. She has the right positions. But she does not convince me that she can deliver on them. With no executive experience, no major legislative accomplishments, no real signs of leading anything... it's hard to see why I should consider her capable of the Presidency.

We look for leadership, vision, inspiration, motivation, from among those who have previous executive experience. Those are rare traits, even in the best of times.

These are not the best of times. We are in a Crisis Era, following an Unraveling Era, the nature of which is that we have suffered about twenty or twenty-five years with a total lack of leaders in leadership positions, in every corner of our society. Liars, cheats, thieves, backstabbers, and frauds are ruling the roost.

We've packed our leadership positions with the PC mindset, affirmative action hires, people with family connections, negotiators, collaborators, capitulators, etc., lackluster leaders at best. In turn, these people foment the destruction of anyone who pops up with the qualities that make someone a natural leader.

Sarah Palin has "it"; none of the others do, on either side.

[BlatherNaut]

“Im like you, I dont feel the passion for Bachmann as I do Palin.”

She lacks Palin’s charisma, dynamism, and leadership abilities, she lacks executive experience, and gaffes like when she declared that Concord, NH was the place where “the shot heard round the world” was fired might lead some to suspect that she’s a lightweight.

[privatedrive]

I haven’t decided yet, but I like her so far. And I think I trust her. Let’s watch see how she does....

[.45 Long Colt]

I feel much the same way about Bachmann. She is far superior to the RINO stooges, so I could certainly vote for her, but there is something about her that keeps me from enthusiastic support. And I know, at least in part, it has to do with her personal manner.

Frankly, I find her manner somewhat annoying. For instance, there was a light moment in the debate Monday night and even though the camera wasn’t on Michele, I heard her loud horselaugh over everyone else. And I know it’s unfair, but her speaking voice grates on me. The more I listen to her, the more I think about her voice. After a time it becomes almost farsical. It’s to the point that whenever I see her I think of the movie “Fargo” and Frances McDormand’s character, Marge Gunderson: “Ah, hon, ya got Arby’s all over me.”

To be clear, I have nothing against Minnesotans. I don’t love Tim Pawlenty, but I don’t notice his accent. I remain friends with my favorite college professor, a Minnesotan, who, now that I think about it, sounds a whole lot like William H. Macy’s Jerry Lundegaard. So it’s not about where she is from.

There is no way Michele can escape comparison to Sarah Palin. On paper they are relatively even, but Michele comes up wanting, at least for me. Neither has been as consistently conservative as I would like, but I know there are certain compromises required in politics. Both women have admirable personal qualities and resumes. Neither resume is perfect. I wish Palin had finished her term as governor and I wish Michele had executive experience. Both women are bold fighters. Each has worked to hold the line against the Marxist onslaught the past few years.

So why do I instinctively prefer Palin? I think much of it has to do with her communication ability. I know she has an accent (heck, I’ve got a Southern accent), but I don’t even notice it because she has an extra measure of charm and grace that Michele seemingly lacks. Those are intangible qualities Sarah Palin was born with and she knows how to employ them to her advantage. Some people just have an innate abilty to connect with others. In the end I think that’s Sarah’s real advantage over Bachmann.

[Ron H.]

I just think they are both great in their own way and they are young yet for now I see Bachmann as the Speaker of the House and Palin leading the GOP to victory.

If Bachmann should not get the the primary nod for her party then I could live with her being Speaker more so than the door prize of a do nothing VP. I am also one of those who believe while Sarah would make a good choice for the party I do not honestly believe she is going to run and give up what she already has. She is poised to become a king maker and that would be better for the party in the end IMO.

[BlatherNaut]

“I’ll accept a “bradley” or even an “eisenhower” as opposed to leaving the stain in place.”

Same here.

We absolutely MUST hose out the Augean Stable, formerly known as the White House.

[Jess79]

Palin has no National Voting Record and has merely stated her opinions. Palin can be anything and everything you want her to be at this point,...

Interesting point, but the Palin email anal exam she just went through pretty much proves she is exactly who she says she is.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

.....Some people just have an innate abilty to connect with others. In the end I think that’s Sarah’s real advantage over Bachmann.

As we know, life isn't fair -- all things and people are not equal (no matter what the LIBS keep telling our kids).

The "connect" gene is strong in Palin (that's what I'm not getting from Bachmann yet) -- it's like watching a movie and the character is sympathetic (you care about them - you connect on an emotional level).

For those ready to tell me I'm investing too much emotionally in a candidate, that is the point of my post. The voters must be invested emotionally in the GOP candidate to VOTE.

[Ditter]

I agree, sadly. With me it's not what Bachman says but how she says it. I don't hear any passion like I hear when Palin speaks. She comes across as whiny and I have to admit it, her accent is a turn off.

Cain's accent is a turn off for me too. I think he is a fantastic business man and a hugely successful person but he doesn't sound like an educated person. Sorry maybe that is just me.

[dagogo redux]

I agree with the poster’s impressions and reactions, and with those who contend that she says the right words but lacks the fire in belly to bring them to fruition in the rough and tumble of a campaign or someday against our enemies - domestic and foreign.

[Sal]

Sadly we no longer live in an Abraham Lincoln or George Washington world. I truly don’t believe such stupid questions would have been asked then—nasty, attacking questions yes, but not droolingly stupid ones.

The dumbing down of students that began in the ‘80s by the teachers unions under the guidance of the Communist Party has resulted in a world where many more people could tell you every contestant in American Idol or Dancing With the Stars than could tell you who is the Speaker of the House.

A large part of the public DOESN’T deserve a serious candidate and those people weren’t watching the debate, but they will hear the MarxStreamMedia ragging on the uptight, nasty Republican who can’t take a little joke. Unfortunately, many of those same people DO vote and do so largely on the free flowing BS from the MSM.

I hate what has been done to us, but it HAS been done and we do have to work within the world we occupy. That doesn’t mean we can’t work to rebuild the world we want.

Maybe in the next debate one of the candidates can be a hero and in the introduction say, “I’m xxxx blah, blah, and I really hope with wars, broke, helping enemies we’re not going to waste time on droolingly stupid questions like deep-dish or regular.”

Head it off at the pass BEFORE they are put on the spot. It’d be extra good if all the other candidates would applaud. Then if the MarxistStream moderator still asks the question, the answer should be, “I’ll take intelligent and pertinent for 400, Alex.” Then if all the others laughed, I think this crap could be finished and the MSModerators would look dopey.

Reagan often deflected crap with humor and wit. It could be done again with good humor but serious impact.