I thought Bachmann seemed to have the best potential for sticking by her principles and plowing forward but maybe that's what's getting her into trouble. Good traits also have a flip side that's often hard to control.
Palin has it too I think but if neither of those two woman are in then we'll have the same old thing.
That's just it...by choosing Gardasil (and, ugh, the vaccination myth) as her hill to die on she is effectively abandoning her "principles" (Constitution and Declaration of Independence) and is instead focusing on one little side issue. The question is "why?" Those things were working great for her. She has been boasting about winning the Iowa straw poll and, although she shouldn't be repeatedly blowing her own horn ("Hey, remember me? I won the Iowa straw poll! I'm relevant!), she did win it and that win had zero to do with Gardasil. It was all about standing for the Constitution.
I haven't heard the Limbaugh show yet (but I will via podcast) but
Ed Morrissey sez that Rush was pretty unhappy with Michelle over this. Disappointed is more like it. I am, too. I liked her and wanted her to do well but this throws her whole campaign into serious doubt. Over a minor social issue in a state. Over abortion? Sure. You bet. That's a national issue. Over immigration? Sure...that's a national issue. But Gardasil?! And then to throw in the whole urban myth over vaccinations causing brain damage as your way of doubling down on it?
Maybe she recovers from this, I don't know, but this is a totally worthless and unforced error.