Is Bachmann hurting the GOP?

Posted at 3:27 PM on September 17, 2009 by Tim Pugmire (6 Comments)

Politico is reporting that House Republican leaders are worried that Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann is damaging the party's reputation.

Bachmann is referenced deep in a report about House Minority Leader John Boehner dealing with the Joe Wilson flap:

Long before the tea parties or Wilson's outburst, Boehner and Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) had struggled to moderate the rhetorical excesses of House conservatives hammering away on Obama's birth certificate, decrying the creation of "death panels" and ferreting out signs of creeping socialism.

Sources say they have been especially wary of the possible damage inflicted on the party's reputation by bomb-throwing Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), who last fall called for an investigation into whether members of Congress are "pro-America or anti-America."

Comments (6)

Short answer. Yes, she is political poison to the Minnesota GOP, but noone in party leadership dares talk to her about the problem.

Posted by Eva Young | September 17, 2009 6:34 PM

Says a lady who has made a career out of demonizing the woman simply because of a single issue.

I am proud of Bachmann and think the national party could learn a thing or two from her.

They have spent the better part of a decade focus grouping and polling what they should stand for and say.

Bachmann speaks from the heart. I am glad to say we share that heart. If the state party or national GOP groups keep this up, they will see their ranks shrink.

Bachmann's not the problem, the people in the party who calculate wiping their nose are the problem.

Posted by AAA | September 17, 2009 8:22 PM

Short Answer : No.

I am no fan of Congresswoman Bachmann, but IMO most voters vote on their Congressman ... not someone who represents the Sixth District in Minnesota.

The leadership has been smart by not giving her limited responsiblities. She sits on only one committee yet there are at least two freshman Republicans (Jason Chaffetz, R-UT and Gregg Harper R-MS) each are assigned to at least three committees.
She can be a vocal fundraiser for the party ... and the party does not need to endorse her statements ... it's a win for them.

Posted by Minnesota Central | September 17, 2009 8:26 PM

The modern day Joseph McCarthy

Posted by Greg B. Carlstrom | September 17, 2009 11:03 PM

Rep Bachmann has faced squarely the issues and consistently acted, spoken and written in best interests of America and her constituents. "Investigation" referred to above was her call for THE MEDIA to do their job which sadly they still refuse to do properly. Again right on target.
Perhaps party leadership will quit checking their depends long enough to see moderation leads directly to failure, ie: John McCain and Norm Coleman. If not they may well be responsible for serious third party assuring further losses.

Posted by Peacenic | September 18, 2009 6:49 AM

Wasn't it Rep. Bachmann who had the guts to call out ACORN for what it really is?

Only after the MSM couldn't protect ACORN's reputation anymore did the rest of the Republicans in Congress chime in.

She is an asset to the Republican party. The RINO's should take heed.

Posted by mp | September 20, 2009 6:12 PM

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