Althouse: Bachmann gives up.

May 29, 2013

Bachmann gives up.

Shocking?

ADDED: "Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) just handed a gift to the House Republicans’ campaign organization."

77 comments:

rhhardin said...: Women are overrated.; 5/29/13, 10:05 AM
Skeptical Voter said...: I don't know. Sometimes a person is entitled to say, "I really don't need this s@#% any more."; 5/29/13, 10:07 AM
Eric the Fruit Bat said...: Bachmann's pretty good-looking which is all I care.

Maybe she she can get a job on TV.; 5/29/13, 10:08 AM
MadisonMan said...: One less incumbent. Bye!; 5/29/13, 10:09 AM
Will Cate said...: Exactly. 5 terms for a US Rep. (10 yrs) should be the max.; 5/29/13, 10:11 AM
SteveR said...: Much easier to go the Sarah Palin route, she's always going to have to campaign hard for congress.; 5/29/13, 10:13 AM
edutcher said...: If it's about not falling into the DC Mindset and keeping her principles, good for her.

And, of course, Politico is overjoyed, "With Bachmann’s departure, the tea party’s voice in Congress will dim".

Actually, Rand Paul and Ted Cruz seem to be getting their message across just fine.; 5/29/13, 10:13 AM
BarrySanders20 said...: What is shocking is that anybody voluntarily leaves the crackhouse called D.C. So many addicted to power, a few escape.

Some are thrown out kicking and drooling, like Weiner, only to reemerge again when the crack gets too tempting.

We;ll see what Bachmann plans. Maybe she'll partner with Turner and Overdrive and form a consulting firm to lobby the crack addicts.; 5/29/13, 10:15 AM
john said...: If she doesnt need this s@#% any more, why did she take 8 minutes to say it?

And no one should ever go on video right after the tanning booth. Those eyes do not look attractive, other than to a racoon.; 5/29/13, 10:17 AM
tiger said...: I'm a little surprised and while I wasn't a fan of her's I had no problem with her public image. And she's not my representative so(shrug).

However her internal polling must have shown that she didn't stand a chance at reelection OR she's been offered a private sector job worth a ton of money.

There are no more 'Harry Truman' types left; people retire from national politics and just get rich(er).; 5/29/13, 10:17 AM
Anonymous said...: When Alinsky rules are played with a lot of money, they can pick off opposition candidates one-by-one.; 5/29/13, 10:20 AM
chickelit said...: With Bachmann’s departure, the tea party’s voice in Congress will dim

Premature expectoration.; 5/29/13, 10:21 AM
MayBee said...: She lost me at Gardasil.; 5/29/13, 10:26 AM
J said...: Just to spike the Dems and Rinos champagne cork popping.Bachmann for Senate.Against Frankenstein she should do well.; 5/29/13, 10:27 AM
Nonapod said...: And no one should ever go on video right after the tanning booth. Those eyes do not look attractive, other than to a racoon.

When it comes to female politicians, it's weird that we fixate on their appearance much more than we do with male ones.; 5/29/13, 10:28 AM
ricpic said...: Bachmann is too good for the cesspool that embraces and is embraced by Boehner, McCain and Graham.; 5/29/13, 10:35 AM
Leland said...: Shocking? Nope. It's inline with the term limit philosophy.

Perhaps shocking to those who embrace candidate positions, vote for them on the issues, and then don't care when the elected politician disregards campaign promises.; 5/29/13, 10:43 AM
Humperdink said...: I read the article until I got to the part of being investigated by the feds.

The feds? The Holder and Owebama feds? What a stunner.; 5/29/13, 10:52 AM
Thorley Winston said...: Good for her, would that we had fewer “public servants” who see holding elected office as a “career” and more that see it as a temporary duty that you do for a while and then return back to private life. I wish her well.; 5/29/13, 10:53 AM
firstHat said...: As Leland said, she believes in term limits for all. It is core to who she is. Many say she would be first go for the Senate nomination. She sustained a full on attack by Pelosi and company during a year when Obama won election. My sense is that she has earned her stripes.; 5/29/13, 11:06 AM
Anonymous said...: What a huge loss she will be, so sad.; 5/29/13, 11:37 AM
TosaGuy said...: Now that they can't kick around Bachmann anymore, perhaps the Minneapolis (Red)Star-Tribune will cover and analyze every single sentence uttered by radical Minneapolis House Rep Keith Ellison?

Not holding my breath on that.; 5/29/13, 11:40 AM
TosaGuy said...: Perhaps the Star-Trib will also find Al Franken and ask him why he requested that the IRS target conservative groups a few years ago?

Franken did state that he only talks to Minnesota Media...should be easy for the S-T to make an appointment....; 5/29/13, 11:42 AM
TosaGuy said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 5/29/13, 11:42 AM
Brennan said...: I don't know if Bachmann can win a US Senate race in Minnesota. She would have won her house race in 2014 had she chose to run. It's now more likely that the GOP will keep that congressional seat now that the state passed a same sex marriage law.; 5/29/13, 11:52 AM
cubanbob said...: A good looking woman and only half as crazy as the average democrat in Congress. She will be missed.; 5/29/13, 12:01 PM
Brennan said...: FWIW: Schumer and Franken's letter to the IRS did not mention "conservative" or "tea party" groups.

Press release with the original letter

A better tactic is to beat up Schumer and Franken for sending that letter in March 2012 since the Citizens United ruling was in 2010. That timing is rather superfluous.; 5/29/13, 12:04 PM
Carl said...: Of course it's not shocking. It was shocking that anyone halfway decent, with real life, would run for Congress -- the one true haven of narcissists and antisocials -- in the first place. It's amazing that she stuck it out for as long as she did.; 5/29/13, 12:04 PM
Brennan said...: I wonder if she's going to run for Governor of Minnesota.; 5/29/13, 12:05 PM
Synova said...: Too bad no one will investigate Obama's campaign finances.; 5/29/13, 12:06 PM
Known Unknown said...: Conservative Bomb Thrower!

Our "neutral" press, in action.; 5/29/13, 12:22 PM
Dave said...: Bachmann and the rest of the extremist bunch (Cruz, Paul, etc.) have transformed the Republican party into the "stupid party."

Bob Dole says Saint Ronald Reagan wouldn't fit in to the party. But the idiots posting here keep calling any Republican with enough experience and intelligence to recognize the truth RINO's. Well, it's probably better to be a RINO than an anti-American idiot.; 5/29/13, 12:30 PM
Kohath said...: Did anti-religious bigotry just claim another victim?

I'd like the people who hate Bachmann to list 5 examples of individuals (people with names) who Bachmann hurt and explain exactly what she did to hurt them. Ditto Sarah Palin.

And if these women didn't hurt anyone, why the hate? Why do people -- people who probably don't think of themselves as bigots or otherwise evil people -- go along with the haters?; 5/29/13, 12:40 PM
Dave said...: “Mark my words, if and when these preachers get control of the {Republican} party, and they are sure trying to do so, it’s doing to be a terrible damn problem. Frankly, these people frighten me. Politics and governing demand compromise. But these Christians believe they are acting in the name of God, so they can’t and won’t compromise. I know, I’ve tried to deal with them.”

Republican Barry Goldwater; 5/29/13, 12:40 PM
Chip S. said...: Rand Paul (MD, Duke), Ted Cruz (BA, Princton; JD, Harvard), "stupid party," "anti-American idiot", blah blah blah.

Thanks for playing, Dave.; 5/29/13, 12:44 PM
Dave said...: "Kohath said...Did anti-religious bigotry just claim another victim?"

It is NOT "anti-religious bigotry" to oppose someone who condemns and slanders other religious people. The arrogance and danger of right wing "religious" politicians is their inability to respect other religious perspectives. Those who believe that their religious beliefs should dominate all other beliefs are the bigots.; 5/29/13, 12:47 PM
Chip S. said...: I would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice.

Republican Barry Goldwater; 5/29/13, 12:49 PM
Dave said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 5/29/13, 12:50 PM
Dave said...: Chip - AuH20 was referring to Communism not tearing down the US government; 5/29/13, 12:53 PM
Chip S. said...: Opposing Obamacare = tearing down the US government?

No wonder Eric Holder sees sedition everywhere.

Oh, and Goldwater was talking about freedom at home as well as abroad:

we see in private property and in economy based upon and fostering private property, the one way to make government a durable ally of the whole man, rather than his determined enemy. We see in the sanctity of private property the only durable foundation for constitutional government in a free society. And—and beyond that, we see, in cherished diversity of ways, diversity of thoughts, of motives and accomplishments. We don't seek to lead anyone's life for him. We only seek—only seek to secure his rights, guarantee him opportunity—guarantee him opportunity to strive, with government performing only those needed and constitutionally sanctioned tasks which cannot otherwise be performed.

Feel free to point out any differences b/w what Goldwater said and what Paul or Cruz are saying.; 5/29/13, 1:02 PM
Dust Bunny Queen said...: their [sic] just obstructionists

The correct word is they're . If you plan to call people stupid you might try to use correct English and grammar.

Some things need to be obstructed. Obama's agenda. The Democrats sending us spinning off into a socialized welfare state. The stupid train to nowhere in California. I could go on. :-); 5/29/13, 1:03 PM
chickelit said...: Dave quotes Goldwater:
Mark my words, if and when these preachers get control of the {Republican} party, and they are sure trying to do so, it’s doing to be a terrible damn problem.

50 years later and it still hasn't happened.; 5/29/13, 1:30 PM
Steve Koch said...: "The stupid train to nowhere in California."

A lot of Mexhispanics live in the Cali central valley which is in a deep recession/depression cuz lefty greens have thottled the water supply to the valley (crippling agriculture there).

After Mexhispanics get a majority in the Cali dem party, it probably won't be long before they revoke the lefty green restrictions and restore free flowing water to the central valley.; 5/29/13, 2:05 PM
Steve Koch said...: It will be interesting to see what Bachmann does next. Not sure that she is "giving up", she may just be gearing up to run for higher office.; 5/29/13, 2:12 PM
Amartel said...: "Bachmann and the rest of the extremist bunch (Cruz, Paul, etc.) have transformed the Republican party into the "stupid party."

"Bob Dole says Saint Ronald Reagan wouldn't fit in to the party. But the idiots posting here keep calling any Republican with enough experience and intelligence to recognize the truth RINO's. Well, it's probably better to be a RINO than an anti-American idiot."

I

Smell

a

CITIZEN.

Republicans should be more like Democrats because otherwise they're stupid extremist anti-American idiots. Plus Bob Dole.; 5/29/13, 2:28 PM
Amartel said...: The California Fraudulence Express is a ruse to extract and move tax dollars around.

It will never be built.; 5/29/13, 2:30 PM
hombre said...: "Bachmann and the rest of the extremist bunch (Cruz, Paul, etc.) have transformed the Republican party into the "stupid party."

Just right, Dave. Opposing the bankrupting of our grandchildren's America, the "droning" of American civilians, arming al Qaeda affiliates in Syria, diminishing the Constitution, etc., is pretty stupid.

Go on to lunch now. The other smart kids in the cafeteria are waiting for you to start the food fight.; 5/29/13, 2:35 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: What's the investigation about I wonder.

Did she send out naked pictures of herself on Twitter?

Politicians don't know how to use twitter. Hillary has it just right.

BTW.. This is good news for Hillary... right?; 5/29/13, 3:02 PM
LakeLevel said...: Kohath: "why the hate?"

Any Republican from one of the Democrat Party co-opted groups who looks like they might get some media traction, will be destroyed. This has been a Democrat strategy for decades. Women, African Americans, Hispanics all get the destruction treatment if they dare become a Republican. Bachmann has been getting a particularly virulent form of this for over 10 years now. Coming soon: destruction of a Gay Republican.; 5/29/13, 3:05 PM
cubanbob said...: Dave said...
Bachmann and the rest of the extremist bunch (Cruz, Paul, etc.) have transformed the Republican party into the "stupid party."

Bob Dole says Saint Ronald Reagan wouldn't fit in to the party. But the idiots posting here keep calling any Republican with enough experience and intelligence to recognize the truth RINO's. Well, it's probably better to be a RINO than an anti-American idiot.

5/29/13, 12:30 PM

As Harry S. Truman once said 'give the voters a choice between a republican and a republican and they will vote for the real republican". There are progressives and there are Americans but there are no progressive Americans. Thanks for dropping by and leaving a turd and have a nice day.; 5/29/13, 3:20 PM
eelpout said...: Who is now going to warn us about creeping Sharia and vaccines that make kids retarded?; 5/29/13, 3:50 PM
Alex said...: It's a principled retirement. She did her 8 years as a citizen legislator. Just like the Founding Fathers envisioned. Only today you're looked at with scorn if you're not into being a 35+ year career politico. How did we end up like this?; 5/29/13, 3:59 PM
Alex said...: Now Bachmann can join the Faux Noize crowd full-time.; 5/29/13, 3:59 PM
Synova said...: "Who is now going to warn us about creeping Sharia and vaccines that make kids retarded?"

Baby in California died of whooping cough.

If we want to weigh out who is the craziest anti-vaccination idiot with the most dead children on her hands it's the "vaccinations cause autism" lady... who is NOT a Republican, or any sort of conservative at all.; 5/29/13, 4:42 PM
Aridog said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 5/29/13, 4:45 PM
Aridog said...: Brennan cited this in Senate Letter...

Federal law defines 501(c)4 groups as groups engaged exclusively in “social welfare” activities. The IRS, however, has allowed these 501(c)4 groups to venture into political activities as long as civic and charitable work remains their “primary purpose.” This loophole has caused a number of organizations heavily engaged in political work to organize themselves as 501(c)4 groups in order to gain tax-exempt status and shield their donors from the disclosure requirements that apply to more traditional political organizations.

Fascinating. How does this or would this apply to the "organizing for Action" 501(C)(4) that is Obama's campaign organization now portraying itself as a "social welfare" organization. Given that the url is still barackobama dot com I'd say it was more political than social. In fact, read the site and all the tabs, and is there a single thing on it that is NOT political?

Do Senators Schumer and Franken want an investigation and a "cap" applied to "OFA" in its current 501(4)(C) identity?; 5/29/13, 4:48 PM
chickelit said...: Dave said...
Who is now going to warn us about creeping Sharia and vaccines that make kids retarded?

5/29/13, 3:50 PM

I think it's interesting that in span of two hours, "Dave" clicked off his profile.

Hmmmm; 5/29/13, 5:01 PM
Kohath said...: LakeLevel said... "destruction treatment"

I understand this as a strategy. Evil people set out to destroy their enemies any way they can. Hate is a tool for these people.

That explains the people running the hate campaigns. It doesn't explain why it works.

I guess it works because the majority of Democrat voters are simply bigots. That answer seems a little too simple, but I can't think of another, more plausible answer.; 5/29/13, 5:01 PM
chickelit said...: Synova wrote: If we want to weigh out who is the craziest anti-vaccination idiot with the most dead children on her hands it's the "vaccinations cause autism" lady... who is NOT a Republican, or any sort of conservative at all.

I'm dreading registering my daughter for high school this summer. Last, year there was a 2-3 hour wait to get my son through--all because any number of parents had failed to show proof of vaccination for whooping cough. The non compliment demographic is predominantly poor and ill-informed--typically not fluent in English--and unwilling or unable to fork out for the vaccination.; 5/29/13, 5:06 PM
Amartel said...: "I think it's interesting that in span of two hours, "Dave" clicked off his profile."

It reeks of citizen in here. I wonder how the campaign to rid the city of unsightly old people housing is going. All those dreadful old people and their hideous accoutrement are ruining the view!

Bachmann's Gardasil moment was OTT but her concern about State Medicine was right on target. Also her concern about State Religions.; 5/29/13, 5:15 PM
sakredkow said...: When Alinsky rules are played with a lot of money, they can pick off opposition candidates one-by-one.

So she was a victim.; 5/29/13, 5:46 PM
eelpout said...: I think it's interesting that in span of two hours, "Dave" clicked off his profile.

That's touching. But I didn't "click" anything.; 5/29/13, 5:49 PM
sakredkow said...: If we want to weigh out who is the craziest anti-vaccination idiot with the most dead children on her hands it's the "vaccinations cause autism" lady... who is NOT a Republican, or any sort of conservative at all.

Nooo, I think we were just weighing out who the crazy anti-vaccination idiots are.; 5/29/13, 5:50 PM
sakredkow said...: I'm dreading registering my daughter for high school this summer. Last, year there was a 2-3 hour wait to get my son through--all because any number of parents had failed to show proof of vaccination for whooping cough. The non compliment demographic is predominantly poor and ill-informed--typically not fluent in English--and unwilling or unable to fork out for the vaccination.

I hear ya. The great unwashed.; 5/29/13, 5:52 PM
sakredkow said...: I think it's interesting that in span of two hours, "Dave" clicked off his profile.

Hmmmm

Why do you always do these reports to everyone about who is doing what with their profiles?

You did that with me when I deleted a post, too. "Wow, good think I get this in subscription everybody so I can see what phx REALLY thinks!"

What is it about being everyone's bitch that appeals to you?; 5/29/13, 5:56 PM
chickelit said...: Why do you always do these reports to everyone about who is doing what with their profiles?

I think people who hide their profiles are prima facie assholes. I've never encountered a "hidden profile" commenter I liked. Pseudonyms are OK--at least build a profile. Otherwise, the suspicion is that the commenter is just someone who has been here before as someone else. Doesn't that routine ever get tiresome?

Does that answer your question?; 5/29/13, 6:06 PM
sakredkow said...: Does that answer your question?

Well yeah. I still don't get it though. Why does anyone care what someone else is doing with their profile?

And I'm not sure what you mean "hiding their profile." Am I hiding mine?; 5/29/13, 6:18 PM
Anonymous said...: Chickie, when commenters here are stalked by other commenters whose real life offline information about them is published here on this blog's comments section, it is safer having a hidden profile. There are some scary people out there.; 5/29/13, 6:20 PM
Dave said...: "Cubanbob said...There are progressives and there are Americans but there are no progressive Americans."

Thanks for illustrating "stupid party" rhetoric.

Bobby - you don't get to decide who is an American anymore than extreme right-wing Christians get to decide who is a "Christian".; 5/29/13, 6:49 PM
Anonymous said...: Dave, exactly right.; 5/29/13, 7:21 PM
Synova said...: "I'm dreading registering my daughter for high school this summer. Last, year there was a 2-3 hour wait to get my son through--all because any number of parents had failed to show proof of vaccination for whooping cough. The non compliment demographic is predominantly poor and ill-informed--typically not fluent in English--and unwilling or unable to fork out for the vaccination."

We always had vaccination clinics at the school. Sure your parents had to sign a form, but no one had to get off work, make sure they had the car that day, locate a clinic that gave free shots and figure out a map or bus route, haul the kids down there, etc.,

Sometimes it's just a matter of relative effort and living on the margin.; 5/29/13, 7:26 PM
hombre said...: Dave: 'Bobby - you don't get to decide who is an American anymore than extreme right-wing Christians get to decide who is a "Christian".'

Let's see, conservatives look to the law to define who is an American and conservatives look to the Bible to tell us who is a Christian. Then we apply the results to the facts and decide.

Progressives look to the left-wing narrative for definitions, if they look at all, because compliance with the narrative is everything while being American or Christian is nothing.

Cubanbob may be right, but Dave is surely wrong.; 5/29/13, 7:43 PM
hombre said...: Oh. I see Igna agrees with Dave. That changes everything!; 5/29/13, 7:44 PM
Chip S. said...: Dave said...
Bobby - you don't get to decide who is an American anymore than extreme right-wing Christians get to decide who is a "Christian".

5/29/13, 6:49 PM

That's right, "Bobby". It's g̶a̶r̶a̶g̶e̶ Dave who gets to decide that.

But the idiots posting here keep calling any Republican with enough experience and intelligence to recognize the truth RINO's. Well, it's probably better to be a RINO than an anti-American idiot.

5/29/13, 12:30 PM; 5/29/13, 7:45 PM
Synova said...: It has to mean something to be either American or Christian. If either thing means anything you want it to mean, then neither means anything at all.

Being American can be your citizenship... you either are or you're not. It could be your loyalty and affinity, your own personal sense of belonging. It could be your adherence to a particular philosophy and culture, what seems to typify the American experience. But if it means nothing, then it means nothing.

Same with Christianity.

A Catholic isn't an Evangelical and we like to fuss at each other, but I can't quite see my way to considering a Unitarian christian in an entirely different way. Catholics are wrong, but Unitarians are wrong *on purpose*. Other denominations seem to fall somewhere in between but there are enough that are outwardly confessing nothing at all. As if confessing nothing at all is the *point*. At that point what does it mean except exactly what they say? It's just a social club and the people aren't Christians.

Christianity's not an ethnicity the way being Jewish is both a religion and an ethnicity. A Jew can be observant or not. A Christian can't. If you're not observant then you're just *not*.; 5/29/13, 7:57 PM
Methadras said...: I'm going to channel Titus for a second.

Bachmann is hot, I would do her in the butt.

Thank you. Tits.; 5/29/13, 9:37 PM
Methadras said...: Inga said...

Dave, exactly right.

Dave, are you sure you want Inga's ringing endorsement? Think hard.; 5/29/13, 9:44 PM