Bachmann addresses her Obama comments

Posted at 10:36 AM on October 19, 2008 by Tom Scheck (25 Comments)

GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann was on WCCO this morning and addressed her recent comments on MSNBC's Hardball. Esme Murphy asked Bachmann what she means when she said Barack Obama has anti-American views.

"It's the associations that Barack Obama has. It's interesting because the national media has had an incredible lack of curiosity about Senator Obama's views, about his relationships and associations and what real change will mean for the average American in terms of dramatic tax increases, in terms of enacting socialized medicine, in terms of enacting a tremendous climate change tax that will cost us $40 trillion. There are tremendous changes that are on the horizon especially one that a lot of people aren't aware of yet which is taking the right of the secret ballot away from the common worker. That's very concerning to a lot of people," Bachmann said.

"So you do feel that his views are Anti-American?" Murphy asked.

"I feel his views are concerning. I'm calling on the media to investigate them. I'm not saying that his views are anti-American. That was a misreading of what I said and so I don't believe that that's my position. I'm calling on the media to take a look at what his views are. I'm calling on the media to take a look at what his views are because I think they show an appalling lack of curiosity," Bachmann said.

You can see what Bachmann said on MSNBC's Hardball here.

Meanwhile...

Bachmann's DFL challenger Elwyn Tinklenberg's is reporting that he's raised $488 thousand since Bachmann made her comments on Friday. The DCCC also sent out a fundraising e-mail this morning saying they will get into the race if they raise an extra $100 thousand.

Note: I'll post the video once it's on WCCO's site. Here's the video.

UPDATE: AP has a story on Bachmann here.

Comments (25)

Unlike McCain/Palin, who whip their supporters into a frenzy with their constant hate speech and then pretend they can't understand why their crowds yell "Terrorist" and "Kill Him", Obama always says, "Don't boo, just vote."

Or, in this case, if you can't vote, then donate money. I live in Florida, and I've sent Bachmann's opponent $10. Everyone can afford $5 or $10 bucks.

Watching Bachman's surreal rant on Hardball was literally the most frightening thing I've EVER seen on TV in my entire lifetime! Are we witnessing a new era of McCarthyism? She actually referred to liberals as "anti-American" and called for an investigation of Congress to search for and root out anti-American elected officials.

Add this to Sarah Palin's incendiary comments that Obama "pals around with terrorists" and the McCain Campaign's new robo calls claiming that Obama "worked closely" with a terrorist whose radical group "killed Americans" and you have a recipe for the next great American witch hunt and a call to violence against Obama and other "leftist" (anti-American) leaders.

This is very dangerous rhetoric!!! Every American should study McCarthyism, read the Crucible, and send $$$$$$ to Bachman's opponent (Tinklenberg) as soon as possible. Seriously, do it now! And, while you're at it, send as much $$$$$$$$$ as you can to Obama to help him fight the smears. I just sent $50

Posted by Mia | October 19, 2008 11:05 AM

For Mr. Tinklenberg 500K and counting

Colorado donates!!!!!!

OUST HER!!!!

Posted by C A Wren | October 19, 2008 11:15 AM

I heard what she said yesterday; and repeated several times in reply to Matthews’s questions. This woman is a dangerous demagogue and does not deserve a seat in Congress.

One 'Joe McCarthy in Congress was enough; we do not need another one.

I donated to Tinkleberg and I recommend all who feel the same as I do the same.

Posted by Frank Venice | October 19, 2008 11:24 AM

Wow after all the outrage and Michele Bachmann is given a chance to clarify and tone down her remarks and all she does is reiterates them on WCCO today.

At least her hate and intolerance is consistent. And now apparently Colin Powell a 5-star general who just endorsed Obama must also be un-American.

Posted by Ed Nelson | October 19, 2008 11:50 AM

Did Esme ask Bachmann about her statement that the media should investigate congress to determine who has anti-american views? That was the most outrageous things she said.

Posted by Eva Young | October 19, 2008 11:52 AM

Being from out-of-state, I looked high and low for some local reporting on this subject all of yesterday. I found very little and most of it wrong. I can now understand how this woman got elected as the local media there does not dig deep into what is going on. The fluff interview on WCCO this morning was awful and did not even address the McCarthy-ism or talk about the half million dollars raised. The report yesterday evening on WCCO was bland and barely scratched the surface and, as well, reported a $100K figure that by the time it was on air was $500K. No mention. You would think one of the biggest MN stories, where the nation is watching, would merit more than a couple of minutes here or there. MN media do your job! It is your local race and we depend on you for the real story, not morning show fluff.

Posted by coryco | October 19, 2008 12:20 PM

God bless Republicans. Now, before you think I am being facetious, hear me out.

My dad used to say grace every night at the dinner table, and it went like this:

Good Lord,
We thank you for our food and our many blessings.
Watch over us through the night
And guide us in our judgement.
In Jesus name we ask,
Amen.

He would often add something relevant to the day before we said amen, something like, "Please be with Aunt Katy on her trip."

If he were alive today, he would most certainly say, "Please help Republicans lose this election with grace and dignity. Help them see that voting against them is not treason or malevolent, but that others feel differently about policy than they do. Please help them have the judgment to act with forethought and reason. During these difficult times Lord, please guide them in their judgment."

It is difficult to lose, especially when you have dedicated your heart and soul to an ideology. But, isn't that why we are called to forgo idol worship?

Today I am praying for my Republican brothers and sisters, that they do not follow in the footsteps of Timothy McVeigh and Eric Rudolph on the path of violence, and that they look at their party's loss as a message that they have wandered far from the concerns of everyday people. We are commanded to love one another, to treat each other as we would be treated. I am an unapologetic liberal--and my prayer is that no more violence accompanies our change of political direction in this country. Ms. Bachmann is misguided, and needs our understanding and careful admonishment, not our hate. I would not vote for her, but I wish her no ill other than getting another day job.

Posted by LiberalTarian | October 19, 2008 12:34 PM

I could not believe what I was hearing on Hardball. M. Bachman certainly made a name for herself. She has been called Joe McCarthy in a dress. This writer believes her hatefulness is more in line with the Third Reich.

In addition, she is really stupid.

Posted by Dan, Long Beach CA | October 19, 2008 12:47 PM

What is anti-American?

Aren't all citizens Americans? If you attack and demonize an American beyond the limit of political issues... if you attack an American on a personal level and in a dishonest way, aren't you being anti that American? Isn't that anti-American?

It's anti-American to attack Americans. It's anti-American for Bachman and McCain to attack Obama in ways that have nothing to do with issues.

McCain/Palin/Bachman -- Anti-American!

Tinklenberg, use my $50 donation in any way you see fit.

Posted by JTS | October 19, 2008 12:57 PM

The first comment by Mia is dead on... I, too, watched open-jawed. I felt I was watching the daughter of Satan.

I donated $5- to Tink and I live in Texas! This "woman" does not deserve to be in our House of Representatives as she only represents evil. Even Colin Powell gave a sound bite in a interview after Meet the Press calling her out.

Then I did a little bit of online lookie-loo and see that she's married to a HUGE closeted nellie queen that "deprograms" Gay people for a living... geesh, like putting a starving man in a pickle barrel. I don't know why these neocons have such dysfunctional sexual problems. "Let's pray the gay away". She THINKS she's a Christian, ya know. She also thinks she has a chance at getting re-elected. NOT.

Hope she rots in HELL.

Posted by Alamosexual | October 19, 2008 1:07 PM

"Dissent is the highest form of patriotism," wrote Thomas Jefferson, Founding Father and author of our
Declaration of Independence. Obviously, Rep. Bachman
would define Jefferson as anti-American. Bachman's
ignorant, anti-democratic, authoritarian mindset and
her repeated suggestion that the media investigate
Senator Obama and others for "un-American" activities
is more than just reprehensible. She has, in essence, stated a willingness to violate her oath of office to protect and defend The Constitution of our great nation.
She must be turned from office and taught a valuable lesson about democracy and freedom in America. All of us need to send a modest donation to her opponent.

Posted by F.A. Kafka | October 19, 2008 1:07 PM

I had no idea that Brack Obama had proposed a $40 trillion Climate Chage Tax. That's news to me.

Maybe while the media is investigating Obama's anti-americanism thety can also delve into some questions about Ms. Bachmann:
1. Where did Ms. Bachmann hear Brack Obama say he was going to propose a $40 Climate Change Tax? Did she just make it up?
2. If yes, are there other things that come out of Ms. Bachmann's mouth that she just makes up?
3. Is Ms. Bachmann a compulsive liar?
4. Why would/should national media outlets provide national exposure and airtime to Ms. Bachmann if in fact she is a compulsive liar?

Perhaps WCCO could begin this process.

Posted by eric | October 19, 2008 1:53 PM

When Polinaut decided to publish this piece as the followup to Bachmann's anti-American charges--your blog decided to print GOP/Bachmann spin of the incident.

You indicate that $488k was raised on the basis of Bachmann's crude remarks about the anti-Americanism of Obama.

That's simply not so.

If Bachmann had stuck to her smears against Obama, she would have been doing what McCain and Palin do every day and not one dime would have been raised for Tinklenberg on the basis of her interview.

The money appeared last night, as if by magic, because Bachmann attacked and called for an investigation of the "anti-Americanism" of her colleagues in Congress, of liberals and Democrats.

Today she is trying to pretend that it was just another case of GOP smearing Obama. It wasn't--it went much further than that, it was a smear on more than half the serving members of Congress and on Bachmann's fellow Americans.

I don't know where Polinaut got its "it's all because of her remarks on Obama" angle on this story. That's absolutely false, a distortion that helps Bachmann because it assumes that what she did is no different than what McCain or Palin did.

Absolutely false. Look at the comment threads here and or the thousands of comments the Daily Kos and elsewhere, if you want to find out why thousands of Americans from all over the country poured about $500k poured in to Bachmann's opponents campaign last night.

They understand what was reprehensible about Bachmann's call for an investigation. The local professional media here in Minnesota apparently still don't have a clue.

Posted by Bill Prendergast | October 19, 2008 2:35 PM

thank god ,I was never a republican; and be so hate
full this bachmann need help ,maybe she can go with sarah and john they make the KKK look good.

Posted by robert mulcahy | October 19, 2008 3:30 PM

NJ for Tinklenberg - sent him $25, do we really need more nimrods like Bach in Congress??

Who elects people like this?!?

Elwyn, Just Win Dude!

Posted by paul | October 19, 2008 3:42 PM

This woman is insane. Where is she getting her "facts"? I was one of the people who responded to the Huffington Post exposure of Bachmann's "Hardball" appearance by instantly sending a contribution to her opponent, Elwyn Tinklenberg. I'm proud to say that people in a small blog community of mine kicked in as well. What a thrill it is to see Americans from all over the country respond in this way. It does my heart good.

Posted by Mara Seaforest | October 19, 2008 5:26 PM

I'm sending $10.00 to Mr. Tinklenberg immediately after finishing this post. I'm sorry its not more -- but our donations are small this year (we have a brand new baby). There is no place in America for another McCarthy. Go Mr. Tinklenberg, go.

Kind thoughts

Posted by Reyn | October 19, 2008 5:50 PM

Joe McCarthy in Lipstick.

Both of them.

Palin for her comments indicating that Republican-dominated areas are where "real" Americans live, and Bachmann for nearly everything she says.

Posted by Gail Smith | October 19, 2008 7:05 PM

bachmann insanity really exposes what is endemic in the republican party's dysfuncionality from fear of impending oblivion.

Posted by divsionary | October 19, 2008 9:32 PM

I personally disagree with Ms.Bachmann comments. Ok, let's say Obama associated with domestic terrorist Mr. Ayer.
let say the most liberal congressmen are Anti-America. Do we wonder why the congress is not doing the job?
Now.....This is what i say?
let's roll the clock back to 1980's. Our "government" associated with Osama Bin Ladin and Talliban to drive Russian out of Afghanistan. During the Iraq/Iran war our "government" associated with Saddam Husieen to over throw the Iranian regime, by the way asked Bush Sr. and Cheny.
If that doesn't make sense, talk to me. I am about to loss my job. I don't have a "health care", our economy is not doing well, people are losing their homes, our education system need some work, we almost lost the respect around the world, immigrations, and MORE.
if that doesn't make sense, In 1800's, our population was 23,191,867 . Today, we are about 305,454,351 people. That means, we need more policing, firefighters,teachers, engineers, and you Ms Bachmann to make these type of questions. In other words, more people=bigger infrastructures+bigger fat "government". God bless America, God bless our troops, and God bless us all.

Posted by Kerman | October 20, 2008 1:32 AM

Bachmann is been offered a seat on McCain's Cabinet.

Posted by Kerman | October 20, 2008 1:46 AM

MPR and other news organizations in Minnesota should be concerned that a new McCarthyism is brewing right under its nose in the 6th District. Get your reporters busy and tell us more about this dangerous woman, please! Don't just recite her press-releases and allow her to lie on television. Look at the MSNBC Hardball tape. She was very clear in what she was saying.

And WCCO needs to give Mr. Tinklenberg equal time to respond, immediately if not sooner!

Posted by Frank | October 20, 2008 7:40 AM

WCCO and MPR must get Mr. Tinklenberg on the air as soon as possible for equal time.

Bachmann is one of the most dangerous loose cannons today. Her words are extremely incendiary and unfortunately it seems as if she's not smart enough to realize what kind of storm she's potentially whipping up.

An in-depth expose' should be done on HER.

Posted by Patricia | October 20, 2008 10:30 AM

Ayers past and Obama's connection was addressed back in February and March by the Press and Clinton earlier this year.

It was hit on again by McCain in the 3rd debate. It's not an issue and is nothing but a miss-information attempt by a loosing group way out of touch with the mainstream voters.

As a Life Long (40+) registered Republican I have already sent money to help "Dump Michele Bachmann" and I am passing the Hat to collect even more. If anyone else in my party joins in defending Bachmann I will do the same thing to them.

I will do whatever it takes to end Her Political carrier because I am " An American " and I get a DAV check on the first of each month to prove it.

WCCO "Puff Piece" and Her spin attempt is proof of her willingness to Flat Out Lie...She Did say on the air that Obama's Views Were Anti-American and even went farther and stated that others in congress needed to be investigated by the Press for their Anti-American as well.... there was no misrepresentation of her words, it's on YouTube, go watch it.

And that Dream of $40 trillion Climate Change Tax statment. That's 4 X the current 10 Trillion Total National Debt, She cant even Lie using believable numbers!

No, whats appalling is her ability to Fool so many Voters. She needs to review her moral standards because thousands of us across America have had a look and we dont like what we see. Almost 1 Million in under 1 week of dislike.

Posted by UBUIBIOK | October 21, 2008 12:03 AM

How refreshing to see true Americans rise up against this ignorant nit-wit. I sent a nice contribution to her opponent. May he blow her out of the water!

Posted by sherwin kroll | October 21, 2008 2:31 PM

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