Michele Bachmann: 'Ready For Prime Time'

An excellent essay at Althouse, comparing Michele Bachmann to Sarah Palin, "A Palin-Bachmann feud?":

By the way, Bachmann was great on "Meet the Press" today. She is excellent at not letting the interviewer control her. She interrupts appropriately and stands her ground. She has planned, neat responses to the stuff that they will use to try to mess her up — like her statements about gay people — and she resists pressure to restate or elaborate those responses. She is ready for prime time.

After Iowa, Republicans Face a New Landscape

At New York Times, "After Iowa, Republicans Face a New Landscape."

WATERLOO, Iowa — The leading Republican presidential candidates scrambled to take command of a new landscape on Sunday after Tim Pawlenty abruptly ended his campaign and a three-way race began taking shape to find a nominee who can emerge as the strongest challenger to President Obama.



While Gov. Rick Perry of Texas had hoped to turn the contest into a two-man duel with Mitt Romney, he starts by facing Representative Michele Bachmann, whose weekend victory in the Iowa straw poll reordered the top tier of candidates. On the second day of his announcement tour, Mr. Perry sent a subtle message: making his first Iowa appearance in her hometown, but not taking her on directly.



While Mrs. Bachmann, Mr. Perry and Mr. Romney each have emphasized cutting attacks on Mr. Obama, they now face the need to begin drawing distinctions with one another and set up what could be a long and hard-edged campaign for the party’s nomination.

More at that top link.



Plus, I suspect Los Angeles Times is straining a bit here, trying to spin a different angle: "Perry overshadows Bachmann's Iowa victory."

Tim Pawlenty Ends Presidential Campaign

I just clicked on The Other McCain and saw this: "Tim Pawlenty Quits!" While the news could probably use a couple of exclamation points!!, I'm not surprised. The GOP field is getting crowded with Rick Perry's entry into the race, and as we saw from the debate the other night, Pawlenty was hoping for the knock out blow against Michele Bachmann and he failed miserably. She held her own and made Pawlenty look a Republican Mario Cuomo. Bachmann went on to win Iowa and that had to be like a right upper-cut landing on Pawlenty's chin. He's down.



See also Legal Insurrection and New York Times (via Memeorandum).

Newsweek Publishes 'Queen of Rage' Hit-Piece Cover Shot of Michele Bachmann

Go check Michelle Malkin's report, "The Conservative Crazy Eyes Cliche & Other Stupid MSM Photo Tricks."

She's got a larger image of this wild --- and wildly inappropriate --- cover photograph of Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann. The key passage:

Rep. Bachmann is unabashedly conservative, willing to take both parties’ leaders to task, passionate about her work, popular with grass-roots activists on the Right, committed to reining in the size, scope, and power of government, and yes, expressive. For all this, she must be destroyed.

Also:

Disseminating unflattering photos of conservatives isn’t journalism. It’s Alinskyite narrative-shaping.

This comes of course as Michele Bachmann has rocketed to frontrunner status in Iowa. See Rasmussen Reports, "Iowa Caucus: Bachmann, Romney and Paul on Top." The poll samples likely causcus participants and has a 4-point margin of error. It's looking good for Bachmann.



RELATED: At the Other McCain, "Liberal Head-Explosion Warning VIDEO: Michele Bachmann Testifies for Jesus."

NewsBusted: 'Bachmann spends about $5000 on hair and makeup'

Via Theo Spark:

Long Knives Out for Michele Bachmann?

Yep, according to Robert Stacy McCain, who's on the ground in Des Moines, "Long Knives in Iowa."

And check this Google link for the click through to Wall Street Journal, "Behind a GOP Contender's Iowa Surge."

MARION, Iowa—To understand why presidential candidate Michele Bachmann has surged in Iowa, watch when she is handed a baby. On a recent stop here, she took off her bracelet, dangled it before the infant and cradled himDuring another campaign appearance, Ms. Bachmann climbed down from the stage to take the hands of a woman who asked a question, holding them as she answered. Meeting a teenager with Down syndrome, the Minnesota congresswoman swept him up in a hug, then signed his T-shirt.

Ms. Bachmann has built a national reputation for hard-line conservative stances—most recently, she bucked her own Republican leaders to oppose the debt-ceiling compromise—and her repeated vow to retire President Barack Obama.

But here in Iowa, the tough rhetoric is sheathed in a soft presentation. Ms. Bachmann hugs, dances and offers girl talk on the campaign trail—"That's a rockin' shirt!"—as if baking her steely conservatism into a warm apple pie. while he teethed on the pearls.

It's true. She's the warmest in person!

Republican Voters Hold Out for Their Dream Candidate

I'm not holding out. I'm backing Bachmann. She's consistently opposed the White House on the budget, and her vote may be a huge asset for next week's Ames straw poll.

But see Los Angeles Times, "GOP voters holding out for dream candidate."

RELATED: Robert Stacy McCain's in Iowa, so check over there for first-hand reports.

Bachmann Scrutiny Rises With Poll Surge

You think?

For the last few days you'd have thought Michele Bachmann was the GOP frontrunner. And what's the big deal about headaches? Yeah, Congresswoman Bachmann's like the rest of us. She's sometimes out of it. Wow. You're disqualified!!

Anyway, that's Brian Ross with Bill O'Reilly. I saw him yucking it up on "The View" yesterday. All fun and games for the intrepid media hounds, I guess.

See Wall Street Journal:

NORWALK, Iowa—Michele Bachmann has captivated conservative activists here as she pushes to establish herself as a leading contender for the Republican presidential nomination.

That fast start comes amid new scrutiny of her background and physical health as she seeks to translate grass-roots enthusiasm for her campaign into votes at a crucial straw poll next month in Ames.

he Minnesota congresswoman returned to Iowa early Wednesday morning as polls show her gaining ground nationally as a top alternative to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, the early front-runner for the GOP nomination. Since formally entering the race last month, she has eclipsed other Republicans in the field, including fellow Minnesotan Tim Pawlenty, who has been actively campaigning all year.

The latest Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll offered a statistical glimpse at their diverging fortunes. In the poll, 16% of the registered Republicans picked Ms. Bachmann as their top choice, putting her second behind Mr. Romney, who remains the first choice of 30% of the Republicans polled. In the same survey, 2% of registered Republicans chose the former Minnesota governor as their top pick, down from 6% in April.

Keep reading.

The Daily Caller gets a mention.

Michele Bachmann: 'Courage'

Doug Ross has the post I meant to write when I first read the migraines story.

At Director Blue, "I'll Give You Three Guesses Who's Behind The Daily Caller's Migraine Hit Piece on Michele Bachmann (Or Should I Call It 'The Daily Cromney'?)."

Michele Bachmann Surges to Second in New WSJ/NBC Poll

At Washington Wire:

Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota has stormed into second place among Republican primary voters in the race for the GOP presidential nomination, but former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney remains the front-runner, according to a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll.

The poll, taken between July 14 and July 17, found continuing turmoil in the Republican race to be the “anti-Romney.” Mr. Romney remained the first choice of 30% of GOP primary voters in July, the same number as June. But beneath him, the stability ends.

Keep reading.

Texas. Gov. Rick Perry's looking pretty good there as well (and Ron Paul, who I ignore), but Tim Pawlenty's gotta be disappointed.

And while Romney remains the frontrunner, Bachmann's getting intense media scrutiny. See New York Times, for example, "Bachmann Says Migraines Won’t Be a Problem if She’s Elected President." That piece links to Daily Caller, "Stress-related condition ‘incapacitates’ Bachmann; heavy pill use Alleged."

And there's more. See Time, "Reporter Accosted After Bachmann Comments on Migraines." And it's ABC News reporter Brian Ross, who's very well-known. Apparently, he was rebuffed upon approaching Bachmann, and:

Ross dashed after Bachmann, repeatedly asking whether she had ever missed a House vote due to a migraine. She ignored him. Ross pursued her into a parking area behind the stage. Her aides grew alarmed. When Ross made a beeline for the white SUV waiting to carry Bachmann away, two Bachmann men pounced on him, grabbing and pushing him multiple times with what looked to me like unusual force. In fact, I have never seen a reporter treated so roughly at a campaign event, especially not a presidential one. Ross was finally able to break away and lob his question at Bachmann one more time, but she continued to ignore him.

Headaches. Wow. And this will be all over the broadcast news tonight.

More at Memeorandum.

ADDED: The full report at Wall Street Journal, "Bachmann Vaults Into Second Place in GOP Race."

Michele Bachmann Makes a Gaffe!!!

Andrew Klavan at PJTV:

Idiot Islamist Keith Ellison Attacks Rep. Michele Bachmann as 'Anti-Women'

I can't believe how bad this sounds, and from a sitting congressman. Fox & Friends' Gretchen Carlson just lays into the dude:

Via Atlas Shrugs, "MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD CONGRESSMAN HAKIM "KEITH ELLISON" MUHAMMAD (D) IN ISLAMIC MISOGYNY ATTACK ON AMERICAN WOMEN, NAMELY MICHELE BACHMANN."

Who'd You Rather? Bill Maher Sexualizes Michelle Bachmann and Sarah Palin as 'MILFs' on 'Piers Morgan Tonight'

After being called a "teabagger" for 2 and a half years, I'm kinda inured to this stuff, but this is pretty crude.

At NewsBusters, "Bill Maher Calls Palin and Bachmann MILFs on CNN."

And Big Hollywood, "‘MILF’: How the MSM Uses Popular Culture To Do Their Dirty Work."