Video: Bachmann’s in
posted at 9:49 pm on June 13, 2011 by Allahpundit
Not a formal announcement — that’ll come in Iowa — but the next best thing, and timed of course to coincide with her newsy declaration at the debate that she’s filed the paperwork to be a candidate. She picked a good moment to do it: The consensus on Twitter tonight, from right to left, is that she vastly overperformed expectations, showing a polish at odds with the caricature of her as a wild-eyed ideologue. I’m curious to see what happens in the next round of polling, especially if the talking heads start buzzing about her tomorrow too. Going into the debate, my sense was that Cain had the momentum in Iowa; now I’m thinking Bachmann might have taken it back.
Turns out even Democratic “insiders,” who normally aren’t part of the Bachmann fan club, agree:
Among the 43 Democratic Insiders who responded, 38% of them said that Bachmann had been the most impressive while 28% said Romney was…
Democratic Insiders thought Bachmann was delivering a good performance in the multi-candidate debate format.
“Great energy and personality,” said one Democratic Insider. “Excellent answers that were solidly conservative but sounded very reasonable.” Added another Democrat, “Bachmann is proving to be a strong debater, relaxed, concise and delivering good one-liners.”
Said one Democratic Insider who admitted to being surprised by Bachmann’s showing, “She is coming across as accessible and likeable; she is one of the only candidates up there who has smiled and is trying to connect with the ‘real people’ asking the questions.”
She’s not going to be the nominee but then I’ve never thought that was her chief goal in running. Her goal, presumably, is to make sure the tea-party agenda has a voice at the debates and to get people outside the base to start taking her seriously as a national figure. It’s early, but mission accomplished so far.
Exit question: Who’s the big loser tonight?
Blowback
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Moron says what?
She hired the slime ball Rollins, enough said!
idesign on June 13, 2011 at 11:19 PM
Wasserman-Schultz
Maxine Waters
Schadenfreude on June 13, 2011 at 11:21 PM
The biggest loser is common sense. Someone needs to tell these folks you have to pay your dues before you have the audacity to think you’re ready to play in the big dance.
Plus, Bachmann, though she seems nice and all, comes off as more than a bit crazy with some her answers. She just looks weird too, which doesn’t help. Probably not fair, but I doubt anyone with cat eyes like she had ever gets elected in the modern world of television and 8 gazillion pictures.
TheBlueSite on June 13, 2011 at 11:22 PM
Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan?
See, sexism is easy!
alwaysfiredup on June 13, 2011 at 11:23 PM
Cain and T-Paw.
alwaysfiredup on June 13, 2011 at 11:29 PM
Do you care about anything other than appearances?
alwaysfiredup on June 13, 2011 at 11:31 PM
Bachmann has to run she cant help it, shes been planning this for along time that’s why she befriended Palin. She always dose stuff that is kind of weird and desperate, that’s why she announced her candidacy almost awkwardly at tonight’s debate. CNN wants her to do well the media supports her at the moment because they actually don’t really fear her they think she will really go no where. Her polling is only like at a 4, where as Palin is like a 20, and Romney a 24. Whats sad is think of how much the media would kill Palin if she had only been a congresswoman and then decided to just run for president.
idesign on June 13, 2011 at 11:31 PM
Rollins. Judgment.
eaglesdontflock on June 13, 2011 at 11:33 PM
You mean, does the average person care or not care about appearances, because I can assure you- they do. Try to find a viable candidate for office who has a beard.
Bachmann has crazy eyes. That is going to count against her. It’s the truth, whether it’s fair or not.
TheBlueSite on June 13, 2011 at 11:36 PM
Democratic women are taken seriously and to a one they are ridiculous-looking. Mikulski? Pelosi? Seriously, Kagan? Ok, Huma Abedin is a hottie, but she’s a rarity. And you have the temerity to rag on MB’s looks?
alwaysfiredup on June 13, 2011 at 11:39 PM
I have heard this argument in many contexts lately. It is false. The American people care a great deal about the perception of fairness. It’s why we root for underdogs.
alwaysfiredup on June 13, 2011 at 11:41 PM
Yeah, Obama creeps me out big time!
Emperor Norton on June 13, 2011 at 11:46 PM
Huh? It’s sexist to call someone creepy?
crr6 on June 13, 2011 at 11:57 PM
It’s sexist to focus on the appearance of women, yes. Men aren’t subjected to that.
alwaysfiredup on June 13, 2011 at 11:59 PM
I did not see the whole thing. But what I saw of Bachman she was great. I have seen her look crazy. But tonight she was wonderful. I can’t see her as number 1, she doesn’t even begin to have the experience, but she could get it as number 2! I was very impressed and think she won.
Mitt didn’t embarrass himself and that was all he needed to keep his top spot, but Michelle won.
I like Michelle’s Tea Party. It is inclusive and focused, not hateful, focused on policy and not personalities.
If anyone did better than expected it was Michelle.
Pawlenty had some good moments at the beginning, I didn’t see it all, but most analysts seem to think he faded towards the end. And they expected him to attack Romney, which was dumb I thought he looked like a yappy little dog when he did it last time. It didn’t hurt Romney, only himself. That’s too bad, he needed to do better.
Maybe we do need Perry in the race as a back up to Romney, in case Romney can’t get the evangelical vote and we need some experience. Or if Romney just implodes or something we should have a back up. Sort of an under-study to the nominee.
Right now only Romney and Pawlenty have the qualifications for the job. So adding a third might be a good idea.
I thought it ironic that Cain talked about applying for a job, because he really doesn’t have the resume for this job. Yet there he is. Is he running for VP? He’d be good.
But I think the Romney/Bachman combo would be very hard to beat.
Shallowly–they are both very good looking, right out of a movie casting department.
Michelle Bachman would eat Biden alive in a debate!
I don’t think she would do that well against Obama, somehow.
petunia on June 14, 2011 at 12:00 AM
You’re really going with argument by appearance? Palin’s prettier than Bachmann, are you going to love her more?
alwaysfiredup on June 14, 2011 at 12:02 AM
lol!
hanzblinx on June 14, 2011 at 12:03 AM
“Creepy eyes” must the the leftie talking points on MB.
Schadenfreude on June 14, 2011 at 12:05 AM
Bachmann1880, is one of 435 congresspeople. She has been in congress for 5 years. You need 218 congresspeople to pass law. Therefore, because she has no executive experience, say like a Gov. Palin has, you need to build consensus to pass a build. Bachmann1880′s results, well not only does she have no executive experience she could not build a majority to pass anything. So what have we learned;
*She has no executive experience
*She hasn’t had consensus to build anything
*She’s a stalking horse for Romneycare
*She talks, talks, talks but hasn’t had one achievement
She pulls a stunt about declaring for prez tonite, to take away from issues, so the focus would be on her. We know she’s ambitious, we know in the 2008 nov. elections, McCain/Sarah got more votes than bachmann1880. So we are learning alot about her.
She’s like that little wasp that you just like to swat away!
idesign on June 14, 2011 at 12:06 AM
Umm looks matter to most people. That’s a fact. The way a person looks often effects how a person sees them. Women are, right or wrong, very often judged by their looks.
Ugly women, just like ugly men, are far less successful generally speaking. In politics, optics counts for a lot. Men are held to a standard too, but not as much. Palin wouldn’t have half the fans if she were an ugly slob.
TheBlueSite on June 14, 2011 at 12:06 AM
Or perhaps she simply actually has really weird eyes?
TheBlueSite on June 14, 2011 at 12:08 AM
Then please, please, give me your treatise on why there are so many ugly Democratic women in office.
I will wait.
alwaysfiredup on June 14, 2011 at 12:10 AM
Time for Palin to admit she can just stay up there in Alaska. Bachmann is in and did a very fine job.
csdeven on June 14, 2011 at 12:23 AM
I feel the same way about grammar.
Ronnie on June 14, 2011 at 12:27 AM
Must. Stop. Palin.
No. Fair. Shake.
Must. Stop. Palin. At. Any. Cost.
fossten on June 14, 2011 at 12:27 AM
I guess I should root for Bachmann now…
Gohawgs on June 14, 2011 at 12:29 AM
It can affect how people are viewed.
Schadenfreude on June 14, 2011 at 12:36 AM
There isn’t a single loser tonight. I thought TPaw was kind of timid. Cain was kind of hazy. Romney was his usual smooth snake oil salesman.
MB was good. And compared to rest of the field I guess RP was better. I hate the guy but somehow he never fails to get it right sometimes. And then he gets Kooky. Thankfully he wasn’t kooky today.
antisocial on June 14, 2011 at 12:39 AM
but but but, now she has experience running a campaign!
I wish her the best, but the top spot needs to go to someone with more executive experience than Palin even. Our country needs that.
Fortunately there are several strong GOP candidates this year with that experience.
pedestrian on June 14, 2011 at 12:43 AM
Hillary, Pelosi, Mikulski, Wasserman-Schultz, Stabenow, Boxer, Feinstein, Murkowski, Murray, McCaskill, Napolitano, Sebelius, Snowe, Collins, Klobuchar are all exceptions to your rule. On the male side Carl Levin, Lucy Graham, “Plugs” Biden, Cantor, Spitzer, Nelson, Alexander, Bob Bennett, Chambliss, Schumer, Durbin, Grassley, McConnell, Ben Nelson, Harry Reid, Lautenberg, Conrad, Dorgan, Specter, Leahy, Weiner, Frank, Moonbeam Brown … I could go on for hours. Can you picture an uglier human being on the face of the earth than Henry Waxman?
It’s often said that politics are the theater for the ugly.
I realize you were trying to trash Palin, but that was a pretty moronic statement even by your standards.
bw222 on June 14, 2011 at 12:47 AM
Huma is a dog. Look at pictures of her other than those staged by the fashion magazines.
slickwillie2001 on June 14, 2011 at 12:59 AM
I just woke up. I typed out effect, changed the wording, and forgot to change it affect. If you view me negatively because of that, good for you.
Why do black liberals get to be racist all day long, yet when a black American dares be conservative, they’re called an uncle tom? It’s because a double standard exists.
There are exceptions to every rule, yeah. Men, generally, don’t have to be really attractive to prove they’re good enough- women do. And conservative women will have it worse. Liberals, and almost the entire mainstream media, will make their looks an issue. They’ll do the same for liberal women, but nowhere nearly as much or as intensely.
If a person doesn’t realize people are judged on their looks, that person is living in a cave. In fact, it’s quite natural to judge people on their looks, whether that seems terrible or not.
I can’t tell you how many of the kids I had classes with voted for Obama, proclaiming him to be so sexy…had no idea what he stood for, but by god, he played hoops and had that youthful sexiness. We once had a really terrible president who was weak on defense and accomplished next to nothing. JFK didn’t defeat Nixon on substance.
TheBlueSite on June 14, 2011 at 1:05 AM
Its not cool to causally write her off.
Speakup on June 14, 2011 at 1:16 AM
Heard her keynote address at 2010 RightOnLine in Vegas.
Perfect blend of hard facts and patriotic themes.
LOVE to see her debate the
Law Professorjunior lecturer!fred5678 on June 14, 2011 at 1:57 AM
Her approval ratings tanked in Alaska too.
Predictably, she’s quitting the state and moving to Arizona.
Hollowpoint on June 14, 2011 at 2:15 AM
Bigger loser?
CONSERVATIVES! Just Look at the very weak field of candidates!
TheAlamos on June 14, 2011 at 2:16 AM
Exactly.
profitsbeard on June 14, 2011 at 2:25 AM
I think her greatest value is in her ability to stay on the one message she is best at. Restoring us to constitutional purity.
csdeven on June 14, 2011 at 5:55 AM
Think Michele Bachmann would be dumb enough to wipe out 20% of the power grid of this country, in some expectation that Poli Sci retards can just write some policy, and replace that lost power?
I didn’t either. Bongo’s best friend is truly an unreachable bar, in the stupidity department.
MNHawk on June 14, 2011 at 6:13 AM
The winner last night was PALIN.
She was the only one smart enough to not go to a boring CNN debate
Mitt looks old.
Newt looks tired.
TPaw looks VANILLA.
Santorum looks incompetent.
Bachmann looks like she spent the last 3 days in a salon. Cain looks cool.
Paul looked like he escaped from the home.
Bachmann or Palin? P-A-L-I-N
stenwin77 on June 14, 2011 at 6:47 AM
Big loser after debate?…….easy, Obama
PappyD61 on June 14, 2011 at 7:02 AM
I love how the media, Mitt supporters, and the usual DC know-it-alls can’t get you-know-who out of their collective minds. She hasn’t announced and was not part of the debates and yet… LOL
I concur with TheAlamos @2:16am that the biggest LOSER was Conservatives. The Establishment is pretty happy with the weak slate of Romney, Pawlenty, and even Gingrich. But conservatives on the other hand…
Personally, I tuned out of the debates the first ten minutes and until Palin or Perry step in, I find this field a joke and an easy walkover for the media god, Obama.
TheRightMan on June 14, 2011 at 7:11 AM
And one more thing, Mitt supporters – drop the Bachmann hype. Everyone knows it stems from your fear of you-know-who.
No matter how bright an artificaial light shines, it pales in comparison to the sun.
TheRightMan on June 14, 2011 at 7:15 AM
If this is the best we have, we’re screwed.
wheelgun on June 14, 2011 at 7:42 AM
How does being the anti-Rocky compare to what others look like? I didn’t hear any “shots and bells” botch ups. And none of those candidates have unfavorable numbers like Palin does.
It will be a sad day when a non-candidates refusal to put themselves out there to be challenged is considered the best tactic for winning over Americans. If Palin wants to compete, she needs to get in the race and stand toe-to-toe.
Until then, she was the winner of that debate in the same respect that my neighbors dog won that debate. He wasn’t there either. I know because he was whining all night long.
csdeven on June 14, 2011 at 7:46 AM
You say vacant, I say pale blue.
Good Lt on June 14, 2011 at 7:47 AM
Actually, the winner was Rick Perry.
??
Good Lt on June 14, 2011 at 7:48 AM
She’s soooooo hated by EVERYone. But yet if she were to declare her candidacy tomorrow she’d probably become the instant frontrunner. Weird, I tell ya.
pseudoforce on June 14, 2011 at 8:13 AM
Don’t worry, we know. You’re one of them.
fossten on June 14, 2011 at 8:16 AM
Only one way to be sure…and she has to cancel that Fox contract first.
Good Lt on June 14, 2011 at 8:24 AM
I can’t tell you how many of the kids I had classes with voted for Obama
TheBlueSite on June 14, 2011 at 1:05 AM
Don’t worry, we know. You’re one of them.
fossten on June 14, 2011 at 8:16 AM
Yep. School’s out for summer.
Here’s more about Bachmann, though.
kingsjester on June 14, 2011 at 8:27 AM
When did a CNN endorsement rise to the level of “consequential” to a conservative?
Last night’s sham was embarrassing.
Roy Rogers on June 14, 2011 at 8:29 AM
Women will hate her.
PappyD61 on June 14, 2011 at 8:35 AM
When CNN starts praising Bachmann you know the fix is in.
idesign on June 14, 2011 at 8:39 AM
I get a little wary of Republicans when the Pravda media pays them compliments.
darwin on June 14, 2011 at 8:46 AM
MB’s eyes are ‘creepy’, ‘vacant’, ‘crazy’? Another troll talking point? This one jumps the shark.
Judging from the lefty attacks on her now, Bachmann did well last night.
Libs hate conservative women, especially when they’re good looking. Their attacks against Bachmann and Palin are almost interchangeable.
petefrt on June 14, 2011 at 8:48 AM
Yeah, me too. But the compliments will turn to daggers as soon as MSM realizes her star is rising.
petefrt on June 14, 2011 at 8:51 AM
I guess it’s a good thing the LSM lies about Palin. We wouldn’t want to get nervous if they started praising her.
csdeven on June 14, 2011 at 8:54 AM
Yes, yes, if you don’t adore Palin with a worship-like zeal, you must be a radical leftist who voted for Obama 10 times. We know the routine by now.
TheBlueSite on June 14, 2011 at 9:03 AM
Uh, wrong, liar. You admitted you would vote for Obama over Palin in the general.
fossten on June 14, 2011 at 9:10 AM
that’s a good Iowa girl there. I’d vote for her if she gets nominated.
ted c on June 14, 2011 at 9:12 AM
Hehe, when she said “And I invite you to…” in a snap dark sense of humor for me to file papers to become the next US President. Funny.
Nice turn of events, but it’s not over yet. Not by a long shot.
ProudPalinFan on June 14, 2011 at 9:13 AM
Standard ammo amongst the metrosexual types at MSNBC and women who fancy themselves the next KarmaBites1.
MNHawk on June 14, 2011 at 9:15 AM
You’re an obsessed little nut aren’t you?
darwin on June 14, 2011 at 9:16 AM
And according to what I’ve picked up reading my online media is that what he’s gonna pick up in Puerto Rico is merely the price of a mansion here-or there.
There’s your AF1 jet fuel, and that doesn’t cover it. Sucks that this putz attempts to fool so many people, but it’s not working.
ProudPalinFan on June 14, 2011 at 9:29 AM
EXACTLY!!!
royzer on June 14, 2011 at 9:36 AM
They like macho men like Maddow.
Roy Rogers on June 14, 2011 at 9:58 AM
Jeez, is this “Hot Air” or “daily kos?”
Where did all the deadbeat, welfare queen, vanity laden liberals come from?
BruthaMan on June 14, 2011 at 10:10 AM
They like to hang around here because hanging out with their own kind is suicidally depressing.
Roy Rogers on June 14, 2011 at 11:34 AM
Any candidate the LSM promotes is a RINO squish I have heard. Rock Star Palin will be lucky that they will never tell the truth about her!
csdeven on June 14, 2011 at 3:15 PM
Gee AP, seemed to me I heard the same pap last election when HRC and her followers were planning her coronation and BO was just running to raise his national profile.
chickasaw42 on June 14, 2011 at 4:29 PM
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