Michelle Bachmann Stumbles into the GOP Race

    

Michelle Bachmann (R-MN) announced in Waterloo, Iowa on Monday that she will be running for the Republican nomination. Having already participated in two presidential debates and having campaigned in a handful of states, this was largely a foregone conclusion but it would continue to set the tone and tact of a growing personality in the GOP field. Her speech was largely characterized by vision statements on things like the economy, foreign policy, and social conservative values; and though there was little substantial detail in her comments, she still managed a few half-truths that were subsequently checked. According to The Washington Post, she grossly misquoted the current state of the economy in comparing it to 50 years ago, and misquoted President Obama on his economic policy. This was partially to be expected, given her reputation for playing "fast and loose" with facts and making outlandish remarks in the service of conservative appeal. (A 2008 appeal to news media to find out of Obama and congressional Democrats are pro-American or anti-American, comes to mind.)

     Most newsworthy, however, about Bachmann's entry was her mistaken reference to famous Hollywood actor and conservative, John Wayne. Speaking of her hometown, Waterloo, Iowa, she was quoted as saying, "John Wayne was from Waterloo...that's the kind of spirit that I have, too." However, John Wayne, the Duke, was born 150 miles away. John Wayne Gacy, notorious serial killer, sodomist and clown, lived in Waterloo, Iowa. Though not a terrific blunder, it does further paint her as a detail-disoriented speaker. At least it took some attention away from a previous comment earlier this year in which she said that "the founding fathers worked tirelessly to end slavery", which she later stood by in an interview with ABC's George Stephanopoulos (regardless of the fact that slavery wasn't ended until 70 years later and many of the founding fathers were slaveowners).

     A last bit of entertainment came from a statement by Tom Petty, who asked Michelle Bachmann never again to use his 1977 hit, "American Girl" on her campaign trail. After her announcement Monday, Bachmann exited to the song, whose chorus seemed to uphold her standard Republican "everyman" (everywoman?) status. However, Petty didn't like it and told her campaign to stop. Interestingly enough, Petty allowed Hillary Clinton's use of it in her 2008 bid for the Democratic nomination. Bachmann isn't the first Republican on the campaign trail to have her hand slapped for a song choice: McCain in 2008 by both Foo Fighters and John Mellencamp, Palin in 2008 by Heart for her use of the song "Barracuda", and even Bush in 2000 by Tom Petty again for his use of the song "I Won't Back Down". This according to The Scoop.

     Though Bachmann's numbers increased noticeably after the New Hampshire debate, her eloquence and ability to move people with her hyperbolic speaking are too often undermined by her complete inability to grasp and articulate the details. Coupled with a packed GOP field and a raging case of radical conservatism, Bachmann will have a difficult time making a case for her candidacy to the mainstream voters, particularly if she makes it into the general election. Her best chance is to limit her public appearances, continue to spout the popular rhetoric in debates, and pull a Palin when it comes to the facts: blame the press. However, if there's one important distinction to be made between Palin and Bachmann at this point (other than the fact that one has entered the race and the other just drives around it in a bus) bachmann has shown herself to respond gracefully under criticism, and that's good...because there will be a lot of it.