Proud Member of The Moms Clean Air Force
Print This Post
Oct
22
The only thing I have left to say about this, well, that I will write for now, is: why didn’t MN Republican Congresswoman Michele Bachmann say on Hardball what she is now saying? Why didn’t she repudiate and reject Chris Matthew’s phrases? Someone who really does not believe in calling Americans who dissent “anti-America” would, you know, actually say, “Chris, don’t put words in my mouth. I disagree with Obama’s views, that’s why I’m a Republican and he’s a Democrat, but I would never call him or anyone else anti-America simply because we disagree on the priority of goals for our country or how we should get there. That is your phrase, not mine and there’s no question of patriotism involved in political disagreement.”
The reason Michele Bachmann didn’t say any of that is because either she believes that people who disagree with her POV or the government in fact are anti-America, or she was repeating the talking point of the McCain campaign (given that on the same day last week, Governor Palin and others were using the same pro-America/anti-America lingo). I’m open to other suggestions for logical conclusions as to why Michele Bachmann said what she said, repeatedly, on Hardball last week.
You can view the video here at the Star Tribune.
And P.S. I’m no big fan of Chris Matthews but this scapegoating of him is absolutely absurd. She was on that segment for nearly 10 minutes and had multiple opportunities to clarify herself rather than dig in deeper. Subsequent interviews that she conducted over the weekend and through Monday still reflected that she had no regrets over the substance of what she said, but only that she spoke her mind at all. Only today has she tried to go further in disowning her own ideas, as she expressed them.
P.P.S. Bachmann’s opponent, Democrat El Tinklenberg, now reports receiving more than $1 million in contributions between Friday when Bachmann was on Hardball and yesterday afternoon. This article gives a great review from a crisis management perspective of Bachmann’s behavior:
“I think it’s a disaster,” said Tom Horner, co-founder of Himle Horner, a Minneapolis public relations firm dealing with crisis management and public affairs.
Horner, former press secretary and chief of staff for former Minnesota U.S. Senator David Durenberger, said the political disaster for Bachmann began when she agreed to appear on “Hardball” — a fast-paced, aggressive political show.
“The cardinal rule of political campaigning is don’t lose the lead you’re leading in,” said Horner.
Bachmann was probably ahead in her race, but it’s a tough year for Republicans, he opined. “Anything in a close race makes a difference,” said Horner. “That’s the case here,” he said.
Horner, who found Bachmann’s comments “appalling,” believes her actions since Friday have helped keep the story alive.
“The evidence of how well she’s handling it is $800,000,” he said, speaking before the Tinklenberg campaign announced the new total.
Went into hidingBachmann made a mistake by going into hiding, using staff to handle the situation, and then lastly blaming the media or some other entity for the situation, Horner said.
The public is tired of such reactions, he opined.
Under normal circumstances the initial burst of campaign contributions into the Tinklenberg campaign should have slowed down, Horner opined. “I think by her handling of it she kept them alive and kept the contributions flooding in to Tinklenberg,” Horner said.
What can Bachmann do now?
Sit down with local media and talk, but then Bachmann may believe the things she said on “Hardball,” he explained.
“There is that,” said Horner.
“You can’t dress up a person’s core beliefs and values,” he said.
My emphasis, because that is exactly correct.
And this from her opponent:
Bachmann will have a hard time backing away from her words, Tinklenberg opined. “I certainly think she should have been more careful, but it’s hard to misspeak a word like ‘anti-American,’” he said.
“The fundamental issue here is, is this in character or is this out of character?” said Tinklenberg.
“It’s very much in character,” he said.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 11:47 am October 22nd, 2008 in Barack Obama, Campaigning, Elections, Media, michele bachmann, Politics, WH2008
Comments
3 Responses to “[video] Bachmann clarifies concerns re: Obama; crisis manager says it’s a “disaster””
Voted into Top 25 Political Mom Blogs
Now on sale-WLST essay included!
Posts About Pepper Pike City Council2010 WE Magazine 101 Women Bloggers to Watch
Category Specific RSS
Pepper Pike Cleveland+ Politics Women Ohio Elections Law Jewish
She’s unstable and appears fanatical and OUTRIGHT dangerous!!!!!!!!
Rep. Bachman knew exactly what she was saying. Chris Matthews asked her several times to clarify what she was saying and it is all on tape. I am tired of people blaming the media. How can she say she never watched Hardball before she came on? Come on! If you were going on a show like that, you better have watched episodes of other people on and worked on what you would say. Rep. Bachman has nobody else to blame but herself! Take responsiblilty for your actions instead of blaming everyone else. Just because you don’t agree with the views of others doesn’t mean that you are “unamerican”! That is absolutely insane. Nobody is better than another. I am really sick of everyone thinking that one person is more “American” than another. I hope Rep. Bachman loses her race. She is a pathetic candidate. I hope you in her district see her for what she really is.
She says this kind of stuff because she does, http://dumpbachmann.blogspot.com/ may be a little obsessive but see them for her level of discourse and intelligence.