Topic: Bachmann: Looks like she's really gonna do it.

[IronDioPriest]

Thanks, IDP, for the assessment on Pawlenty.
Since you're on the ground there, you're better informed than me
I do know that NumbersUSA has him rated higher than anyone else with a C+ rating

And even there, you gotta understand that our welfare system in Minnesota attracts huge numbers of illegal aliens, and that is a construct of Democrats, not Pawlenty. There are entire cities in the Southern/South-eastern parts of MN that are overrun by illegals.

I don't know what NUSA uses to assess a given politician's rating, but Pawlenty was the governor of Minnesota, which is a de facto sanctuary state, not of his doing.

[charlesoakwood]

His cardinal sin was embracing Global Warming and its bastard-child, Cap-n-Trade. But a lot of good people were swayed by the false scientific claims. He has full-throatedly denounced his embrace of Cap-n-Trade. One must decide whether he genuinely changed his mind, whether he rejects it now because of political opportunism, or whether he embraced it in the first place because of political opportunism. I think he believed what he was being told.

If Pawlenty gets the nomination, he won't be my first choice, and I have little confidence he can win.

That's enough information for me.

I want a president that recognizes that these democrat blood suckers want all I possess and my soul and my country. I want a leader who knows these Democrats instinctively, intuitively, and intellectually; I want leader who will devote everything he has to putting this genie back in the bottle and capping it, nothing less.

  

[Janny]

Regarding Bachmann. I really like her, and I think she's a good Rep. and she should stay where she is, for now. However, I tend to think that throwing her hat in will give her some influence in regard to the eventual choice of a nominee. I also wonder if she's positioning herself for a more serious run at the presidency in 2016 or 2020.

Regarding Palin, I don't know why so many conservatives have convinced themselves that she is "unelectable," based on the constant smear job that's beeing done by the BLM. The fact that she has had as much crap thrown at her as she already has, and is still standing tells makes me conclude exactly the opposite. Any serious candidate that comes from the Republican side is not going to get the same anal exam she has, and few will come out of it as well as she has.

Regarding Pawlenty, he is not someone I am that familiar with, so thank you for the information on him. I could definitely pull the lever FOR him, if he's chosen as the candidate, but he's not my first choice.

[IronDioPriest]

...The fact that she has had as much crap thrown at her as she already has, and is still standing tells makes me conclude exactly the opposite. Any serious candidate that comes from the Republican side is not going to get the same anal exam she has, and few will come out of it as well as she has....

You know, that nails it perfectly. Presidential races hone in on every little thing that can be dragged up about a person. There is nothing about this woman that America doesn't know. She passed the test and got dinged up badly, but no scandal, no ethical lapses, no huge mistakes, no lies... they've accused her of everything, and nothing has stuck EXCEPT that she's somehow not ready for primetime. And in my opinion, that'll be washed away in a few debates if she decides to jump in.

If she's nominated they'll be left with nothing to hit her with but recycled lies that failed the first time around. They'll be able to recycle the Couric/Gibson interviews, but her command of the issues in debate should juxtapose that just fine.

I just don't get the whole "unelectable" thing. If that meant anything, Reagan would have dropped out when he was considered "unelectable" by the establishment.

[Janny]

YES!

If she's nominated they'll be left with nothing to hit her with but recycled lies that failed the first time around.

[rickl]

The word "electable" is not in my vocabulary.  In my opinion the concept was wholly invented by the treasonous leftist media specifically to intimidate real conservatives from running or being nominated.  Electability is determined by the voters on Election Day, not by political pundits.

If I recall correctly, the conventional wisdom held that McCain was the most "electable" of the Republican candidates in 2008.  How did that work out?  He would have lost by 20 points if he hadn't picked Palin as his running mate.

[trapeze]

Ya wanna know what I think is going on? I think she intends to:

a) Make damn sure the Tea Party has the strongest representation possible in the primaries
b) Force the other candidates to address Tea party concerns
c) Energize the Tea Party Base
d) Raise tons of dough
e) Upset the applecart in Iowa
f) Reinforce Tea Party organization & boots on the ground in MN
g) Throw her full support behind Tim Pawlenty at the right time, and bring the Tea Party to him.

My gut tells me she has no honest designs on the Presidency. I may be completely wrong, but it doesn't "feel true" to me for her to be jumping in right now. Pawlenty is a good conservative with a couple blemishes and a great track record of executive experience. They've had a good working relationship at the state level, with Pawlenty in the state House and Bachmann in the state Senate, and then with Pawlenty as Governor while Bachmann was in state Senate leadership.

That's what my gut tells me.

I think you are exactly right on every one of these points.

[charlesoakwood]

... I don't know why so many conservatives have convinced themselves that she is "unelectable," ...

Someone I respect questioning her capability or intellect etc. causes me to reaccess their character. It also cause me to reflect on that person's qualifications to make such statements and his motives.   

[IronDioPriest]

... I don't know why so many conservatives have convinced themselves that she is "unelectable," ...

Someone I respect questioning her capability or intellect etc. causes me to reaccess their character. It also cause me to reflect on that person's qualifications to make such statements and his motives.  

You know, dammit if I didn't have to deal with that from my own father re; Michele Bachmann. We were talking politics several months back and I brought up how impressed I was with her fearlessness and love for the constitution, and he said, "I don't like her." I said, "Why not?" He said, "Because she's stupid." I said, "She's a federal tax attorney and a foster mother to 23 kids, she's not stupid. She's smart, and has a good heart." He said, "I don't like her." I said, "Gimme an example of why you think she's stupid." He said, "She just is." End of f***ing conversation.

I don't question my dad's character, but I sure question his insight and motivation.

[rickl]

I forgot to mention in my previous comment that I would wholeheartedly support Bachmann, although Palin remains my first choice.

I'm not impressed with Pawlenty, though.  Or anyone else, for that matter.  I hope IDP is wrong about point g).

[IronDioPriest]

...I'm not impressed with Pawlenty, though.  Or anyone else, for that matter.  I hope IDP is wrong about point g).

He's not one to impress. And he's a Republican politician trying real hard to come off as regler folk and hitting the mark about 40% of the time, which sucks, because as far as politicians go he IS a regular guy - he's just a frikkin awkward nerd. He's got no cool, no charisma.

All I am saying about him is that if you look at his legislative and gubernatorial records, he's got a pretty darn conservative record - particularly as a state legislator, and throughout most of his two terms as governor, minus a few compromises he was forced into by huge Dem majorities, and which he fought very hard for concessions from them as well - and minus Cap-n-Trade, which he has thoroughly rebuked.

[charlesoakwood]

Re:#28

Yes, it's a shock.  The left hates her because she is a threat to their very existence which is quite understandable. But then comes your Pop or Charles Krauthammer or an old friend whom you know and trust, and you do a double take. Cognitive dissonance.

Maybe one of our lady contributors can offer insight to this quizzical.


Aside: It sure is nice having new folks around here.

[Janny]

The word "electable" is not in my vocabulary.  In my opinion the concept was wholly invented by the treasonous leftist media specifically to intimidate real conservatives from running or being nominated.  Electability is determined by the voters on Election Day, not by political pundits.

If I recall correctly, the conventional wisdom held that McCain was the most "electable" of the Republican candidates in 2008.  How did that work out?  He would have lost by 20 points if he hadn't picked Palin as his running mate.

That is exactly how we got stuck with McCain against Obeyme. He was foisted on us as a media darling who was "electable," and you are exactly right that he would've lost by more if it hadn't been for Palin. We know the media will do everything in their power to destroy whatever candidate we put forth on the Republican ticket! That's why we need one with the balls to stand up to them, even if that one is a woman! Z

[Janny]

Re:#28

Yes, it's a shock.  The left hates her because she is a threat to their very existence which is quite understandable. But then comes your Pop or Charles Krauthammer or an old friend whom you know and trust, and you do a double take. Cognitive dissonance.

Maybe one of our lady contributors can offer insight to this quizzical.


Aside: It sure is nice having new folks around here.

I think with Palin it's the case that they know she went against the Republican "establishment" in Alaska and was successful. They don't like that one bit. It is a threat to their power, and they know it! And Bachmann is part of the Tea Party entourage that the "establishment" Republicans just expect to fall into line behind them, and continue on with "more of the same." They will make a huge mistake if they dismiss the Tea Party in that fashion. Krauty has been a big disappointment to me. I still think he's a smart guy, in a lot of ways, but he has a blind spot when it comes to Palin.


[/quote]

[charlesoakwood]

#33 

And you can forget the 'even if she is a woman'.
Krauthammer, even his intellect has difficulty overcoming, his realpolitic, living in Washington handicap.  But the visceral dislike of her by otherwise normal, and relatively conservative folks is a mystery.

[Janny]

#33 

And you can forget the 'even if she is a woman'.
Krauthammer, even his intellect has difficulty overcoming, his realpolitic, living in Washington handicap.  But the visceral dislike of her by otherwise normal, and relatively conservative folks is a mystery.

Yes. I agree. Seems like some otherwise sane conservatives have swallowed the media characterization of her as a stupid hick and a rube, and have bought the SNL/Tina Fey "I can see Russia from my house" type of baloney as reality. Yet, I have noticed when there are polls on conservative sites, Palin usually blows away the rest of the prospective candidates, which makes me believe that at least some of the professed conservatives who oppose her are not really conservatives.

[Libertas]

"some of the professed conservatives who oppose her are not really conservatives"

This isn't hard to figure out...

Who does Palin threaten?  She threatens the Ruling Class.  Who is the Ruling Class?  Some are RINO's we know well, others, the powerbrokers and fat cats in the party that have a vested interest in keeping the crazies out.  Who are the crazies?  Well, they used to be just those evangelical Christians always butting their noses into politics when they should be just keeping out of sight and only coming out to pull levers in voting booths every couple of years for a preset slate of candidates put up largely by the PTB's.  Today the crazies have been expanded to include any maverick and any Tea Party member and activist.  Who are these Ruling Class powerbrokers?  Well, I put The Butthead and all his little Rovian minions at the top of the list!  The MFM is an obvious Ruling Class contributor, whose complicity in making mischief for those upsetting the unnatural order of things will always be a target!  There are more, but I am blathering on too long already and I think y'all can identify the rest anyway.

Let us now contrast Palin with someone who escapes Ruling Class ire...let's take Romney.  Ever see Romney come under withering attack, anything approaching 1% of the vitriol directed Palin's way?  No?  Me neither.  I wonder why that is?  Oh, I know, he doesn't threaten the Ruling Class!

So my job as a liberty-driven citizen has been made immensely easier, thanks to Ruling Class mischief.  Anyone not being skewered by the Ruling Class is my enemy, period.  With the chaff gone, I can now select from the best grains of wheat remaining!

[charlesoakwood]

So my job as a liberty-driven citizen has been made immensely easier, thanks to Ruling Class mischief.  Anyone not being skewered by the Ruling Class is my enemy, period.  With the chaff gone, I can now select from the best grains of wheat remaining!

 

[LadyVirginia]

You know, dammit if I didn't have to deal with that from my own father re; Michele Bachmann. We were talking politics several months back and I brought up how impressed I was with her fearlessness and love for the constitution, and he said, "I don't like her." I said, "Why not?" He said, "Because she's stupid." I said, "She's a federal tax attorney and a foster mother to 23 kids, she's not stupid. She's smart, and has a good heart." He said, "I don't like her." I said, "Gimme an example of why you think she's stupid." He said, "She just is." End of f***ing conversation.

I don't question my dad's character, but I sure question his insight and motivation.

I have the same with my mom and brother re: Palin.  I haven't brought up Bachmann yet but no doubt will get the same response.

[Glock32]

One of the media's favorite paragons of banality, Megan McCain, broke us off a nugget of her wisdom with the observation: "Michele Bachmann is a Poor Man's Sarah Palin"

My favorite retort to that comes from ThePeoplesCube.com: "Megan McCain is a Rich Man's Snooki"