Sarah Palin, whose powerful platform of 2010 has been reduced to a sideline perch while she contemplates the presidency, is still hiding out at Fox refusing to take any challenging media scrutiny.
In contrast, Rep. Michele Bachmann is everywhere, even as she’s still trying to live down her Lexington and Concord gaffe in New Hampshire. She was on safe ground with Bill O’Reilly last night saying she’s more than ready for the “vicious” campaign on 2012. The irony is that Bachmann and her Tea Party allies have been providing most of that climate. She was scheduled to be on an actual news show, “Daily Rundown” with Chuck Todd and Samantha Guthrie, today. She’s not afraid of the “lamestream media.”
Frankly, I care less about her politics, because she’ll never get my vote. I do, however, care about seeing women running for political office and bearing the gauntlet of the media circuit, instead of doing what Sarah Palin has done for months, which is hide out at Fox or in her bunker studio up in Alaska. If she can’t handle the “lamestream media” then she would be a disaster up against the dictators of the world. Isn’t that how the Right would describe any progressive Democrat using Sarah’s timid tactics?
Palin looks like a wimp compared to Michele Bachmann.
I’d pay for a front row seat to see Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Michele Bachmann debate their political views, because both women would represent their sides well. Sarah would be reduced to rubble by Debbie and it wouldn’t take long for her to do it.
Bachmann’s next stop is standing with Gov. Nikki Haley at a Tea Party rally in South Carolina.
Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minnesota, will extend her upcoming South Carolina trip to speak at a tax day Tea Party rally in Columbia alongside Gov. Nikki Haley, according to a Republican familiar with her plans. The April 18 event on the steps of the South Carolina State House is being organized by the Columbia Tea Party. State Sen. Tom Davis and Treasurer Curtis Loftis, two rising stars in the state’s Republican ranks, are also slated to speak. Bachmann is the first potential GOP presidential candidate to join the rally, expected to be one of the biggest Tea Party events of the year in the state. – Bachmann to appear with Haley at South Carolina Tea Party rally
The reason this is an interesting move is because Bachmann has already moved into Iowa, her home state, securing a place where Mitt Romney can’t participate. South Carolina, which was once thought to be Palin country because of her early endorsement of Nikki Haley, is another critical state for any GOP hopeful.
On the wings of first quarter fundraising that beat Mitt Romney, Rep. Michele Bachmann continues to court the Tea Party faction, which has softened on the queen of 2010, Sarah Palin, because she’s been lying low. But also because Palin’s blood-libel video after Tucson was enough to make anyone ashamed of her.
There’s also the factor of the quiet before the storm, with Sarah Palin and her team betting that if she jumps into the presidential race the spotlight would be hers and anyone near the stage would be quickly forgotten. They’ve also got to know that 2012 is it for Palin. If she doesn’t jump now it’s never.
But Michele Bachmann’s growing prowess has got to be worrying to Palin’s people, if she wants to run. Of course, Palin’s fan club will say Bachmann actually helps Sarah Palin. I’m not buying that anymore. Bachmann’s determined style, coupled with her hard work and House resume, which includes Intelligence and Finance Services committees, are notches Palin doesn’t have.
Rep. Bachmann is gaffe-prone just like Palin, but she’s not stupid. The presidency is still a far reach, but she can cause a lot of indigestion for the establishment types. But if Sarah Palin can reach the vice presidency, Bachmann is obviously betting she can too. At the very least she can have a seat at the Republican Boys’ Club power table.
Love them or hate them, one thing you can say about both Michele Bachmann and Sarah Palin is that at least they have the guts to take on their own political establishment. There’s no woman in Democratic or progressive politics close to having their power or fortitude. However, the power they have is still second tier. But if you’re watching and waiting for more women in power to take the national scene by storm they’re all we’ve got.
This column has been updated.
Personally, I think Michelle Bachmann IS a wimp. Why that would matter, beats me. Since I recoil from COWBOY machoism that the media seems to worship.
Here are some of Bachmann’s latest comments:
“I think that the agenda that we have seen — we know that sixty-three percent of all households have seen a major decline in their personal wealth, a decline in their personal income, and an increase in their debt level. That’s all attributable directly to Barack Obama’s principles.
“I don’t think it’s by accident we’re seeing people struggling and we’re seeing redistribution of wealth. I think Barack Obama is getting exactly the outcome that he hoped for.
“All of us, I think are perhaps giving the President too much credit thinking, well, he probably just doesn’t understand that liberalism actually makes people poorer. I actually think that this is what the President wants. I believe that he wants to see redistribution of wealth because if you ever notice, the President seems to be angry and irritable and sarcastic about people who have succeeded in the United States and job creators. Those seem to be the two sectors that he most wants to punish.”
Sheer projection on Michelle’s part. Conservatism today in America is simply nothing more than Communism. It is conservatism that is destroying the Middle Class and poor in USA, not liberalism.
There is nothing FEMALE about Michelle Bachmann. She is anti-woman in her ideology, so why ANY women would say, that doesn’t matter ’cause at least she’s a female politician, strikes me as self-defeating.
All these women that the GOP have as politicians today are no different than their male counterparts. They shine in their ignorance and projections, which sets back the cause of voting for female politicians in America. Shame on them!
Obama can’t stand for our principles because he is a moderate Republican. Doesn’t make him a wimp. It just means we don’t have a Democratic PROGRESSIVE president. If we did, we would have huge majorities in both Houses, Universal Healthcare and wouldn’t be in Libya or Afghanistan.
The women of the Right are just noise. Ignore them.
“But if you’re watching and waiting for more women in power to take the national scene by storm they’re all we’ve got.”-Taylor
Notice how the only two women in the spotlight going for the big prize are shameless. I think the real reason many women fail to make it further in politics is that we are not willing to put sale our souls or convictions like a male politician.
Have a seat at the Boys’ Club power table maybe nice…but at what price are you willing to do pay for that seat.
Not buying that at all. Women aren’t that high and mighty. They just don’t have the same access.
“Shameless” for the sake of a cause isn’t “shameless” at all.
Now, I don’t agree with either woman, but especially in Bachmann’s case, she didn’t just go for celebrity first. Her politics are awful, but no one can say she hasn’t done the spade work.
Well if Sarah Palin jumps into the race, she won’t have a choice but to go to other media outlets besides FOX. Sarah Palin was the first woman Republican on a national ticket as well as the first woman VP, even if Sarah Palin does not run, she made history and its always a good thing to be a groundbreaker. It could get ugly in the GOP especially if Sarah Palin enters the race, and Rep.Michelle Bachmann is running. This is going to be something to watch.
“I’d pay for a front row seat to see Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Michele Bachmann debate their political views, because both women would represent their sides well. Sarah would be reduced to rubble by Debbie and it wouldn’t take long for her to do it.”
And HOW!!!
It’s not a matter of bachman being a “wimp” It’s the simple fact that she’s to shit house rat crazy and delussional to realize every time she opens her mouth any sane person within hearing cringes and feels a strong urge to vomit.
Bachmann not stupid? Here’s her rationale for running for prez:
“I have a very broad, extensive background.
I’m a student of many years. I’ve studied a number of, a wide berth of topics. I sit currently on the Intelligence Committee. We deal with the classified secrets and with the unrest that’s occurring around the world. I also sit on Financial Services Committee.
But again, I’ve lived life.
Tomorrow, I’ll be celebrating my 55th birthday, and I’ve had a wide, extensive life. And again, my background is a very practical, solution-oriented vision.”
That’s not the statement of a very bright person. It is childspeak reflecting a childish take on the world.
I couldn’t agree with you more. I saw that interview with O’Reilly and Bachman is good. Too bad she had to get where she is with those right wing creds. But she does have balls and brains. Wish she was on the progressive side. Again, what is wrong with liberal and progressive women? Such wimps.
On the other hand, I love Anthony Weiner. And his debate with Bachman was good. Of course few Democrats are as good as Weiner.
Weiner demolished Bachmann and revealed her arguments to be hollow. But there is something to be said about strong women having a better chance in the Republican party than in the Democratic party. The Dems don’t attract assertive women.
I’ll have to disagree on this point, because if you consider the treatment of Palin by the GOP establishment when she was picked as veep it’s not like she got any support or insulation from them at all.
I’m also not convinced that the Republican Boys’ Club will ever allow a woman at the top.
And that’s why with a female speaker of the house, and plenty of women in the House, women’s rights were not protected in the health bill. Nothing describes the situation better than cold hard facts.