Bachmann Beat: Looking at a Failed Campaign
An aggregated daily roundup of news and commentary about U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann.
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Editor's Note: With Bachmann's presidential campaign ended, the Bachmann Beat will continue to run daily through the end of the week before switching to a Monday-only schedule.
With her campaign ended after a resounding defeat in the Iowa caucuses, sixth-district congresswoman Michele Bachmann is getting the post-mortem treatment from the press, with media outlets analyzing what went wrong and why.
The Fiscal Times wrote that her summer polling lead dwindled due to the entrance of Rick Perry into the race and the September dissipation of her campaign staff.
Her poll numbers dropped from the controversy that arose after she called the HPV vaccine “potentially a very dangerous drug.” She also faced scrutiny for her geographical and foreign policy errors—saying that Libya was not in Africa, mistakenly stating that Lexington and Concord were in New Hampshire, and wrongly implying that the U.S. has an embassy in Iran.
New York Magazine, tongue only partway in cheek, ascribed Bachmann’s difficulties to her husband’s failure to stand by her side during a campaign pit stop because he was shopping for canine accessories.
“Yesterday when we were out on Main Street in Des Moines, he was out buying doggie sunglasses for our dog Boomer, while we were out visiting all of the many business,” Bachmann said in a speech after the caucuses.
Pundits and politicos are now speculating about whether Bachmann will choose to run for re-election.
She is favored to keep her seat, but Kent Kaiser, a GOP operative, said he thinks she’ll decline to run and will look to establishing a wider national platform—similarly to Sarah Palin’s post-Alaska career.
“I don’t think she’ll run for re-election,” Kaiser said. “She must look at Palin and believe she could be even better in the media, as a kingmaker, and as a speaker.”
Susanna Patterson
9:59 am on Friday, January 6, 2012
We would like to see Michele retreat to the contemplative life -- perhaps in a convent; you know, the ones where they take a vow of silence? She has never done anything for the 6th District in all her years in congress -- and her stint on the national stage required her to renounce her Minnesota citizenship, claiming her 100% Iowa corn-fed origins. We'd be delighted if the Patch's "Bachmann Beat" column were to cease and desist, assisting her descent into an obscurity at least as dense as Sarah Palin's. What this country needs is fewer politicians like those two...
DMJ
8:37 am on Monday, January 9, 2012
I agree! She has been a do nothing Rep. for us for the last 6 Months. Time for move on to something else,and get out of the taxpayers pocket!
Markus
4:18 pm on Thursday, January 12, 2012
Susanna,
You state Bachmann has never done anything for the 6th district. I'm curious to know if you had your ideal representative in Congress, what would be considered "doing something"?
If you've read any of my comments you know I tend to lean to libertarian, so less legislative action I generally consider a good thing. The fact that someone in Congress introduces a lot of legislation does not necessarily appeal to me.
Is "doing something" voting yes on Democrat proposals and voting no on Republican proposals, initiating legislation, earmarking money for the district or something else?
Evidently you don't consider her support of a new bridge "doing something".
Paul
11:01 pm on Wednesday, January 11, 2012
I have to agree with most of waht DMJ and Susanna said here. One point of disagreement however............given that her ideas and morals are so totally ridiculous, I think her campaign was actually pretty good.....it had to be, to hide the fact her policies were all, 100%, totally wrong and misguided.
Can I get an Amen?!?!
Linda
10:06 am on Monday, January 30, 2012
After leaving the 6th District and the State of Minnesota for so long and after proclaiming the State of Iowa such a wonder place to be, why would she think Minnesota and the 6th District should be waiting around for her to return to us when
she negledted us and her voting responsibilities. I do not get it. None of us are able tonot do our job for a few months and then return whenever & we want; also, how nice to be able to collect a paycheck for not even showing up for work. I truly hope folks in the 6th have opened up their eyes to this inappropriate responsiblity level Michelle has displayed for the last several months.