Ms. Understood: Bachmann denies calling Obama anti-American

Today’sheadline on The Fix, the Washington Post’s online political blog,might sum it up best: "Bachmann goes boom!"

Four days after incumbent GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann roiled the waters on national TV by calling for an investigation into anti-American members of Congress, including Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama (and gave her challenger’s campaign a financial boost in the process),her backpedaling was becoming a blur.

(Bachmann’s DFL opponent, Elwyn Tinklenberg, reported late Tuesday afternoon that his campaign had raised $1 million in the 96 hours after Bachmann’sremarks, most of it in online donations of $50 or less from more than 20,000 supporters.)

In an interview on a conservative Washington radio station Monday, Bachmann, a first-term congresswoman from Minnesota’s historically Republican 6th District, flatly denied calling Obama anti-American on CNBC’s "Hardball" on Friday, declaring that accusation "simply a lie."

"It is not true, I did not say that, and this is a case of false accusation," Bachmann told "Inside the Beltway" host John McCaslin. "It is amazing to me how the wind tunnel and spin can go around and around in an echo chamber. And this is simply a lie.

"I did not question Barack Obama’s patriotism; I did not say he was anti-American. And the other accusation is that I was calling for members of Congress to be investigated on their anti-American views. That’s absolutely a lie."

Video of Bachmann’s encounter with Matthews is seemingly everywhere online,within a few mouse clicks of any computer. According to transcripts of the interview, Matthews asked the congresswoman, who was railing against congressional liberals: "If you have liberal views, does that mean you’re anti-American?"

"Anti-American is the point," Bachmann replied. "(These liberals) are over-the-top anti-American."

Matthews then asked Bachmann whether she thinks Obama has "anti-American views."

No Responses to “Ms. Understood: Bachmann denies calling Obama anti-American”

1. Richg Says:
   October 22nd, 2008 at 10:28 am

   Only in District 6 does reality become so ridiculously bent. Stephen Hawking would have a field day studying the phenomenon. I’ll be surprised if it costs Bachmann the race though. She’s spouted off stories from alternate dimensions before and it hasn’t hurt her nearly as much as one might expect. Though she’s managed to land on Esquire’s list of the 10 worst members of Congress, so that’s a fairly impressive accomplishment to add to the indictment:

   http://www.esquire.com/features/esquire-endorsements-2008/10-worst-members-congress-1108?click=main_sr

   Rich Goldsmith
   The Rake
   http://www.rakemag.com/blogs/defenestrator

2. Holly Cairns Says:
   October 22nd, 2008 at 10:47 am

   Michelle Bachman’s comments are embarassing to me as a Minnesotan and as an American.

3. Don Evanson Says:
   October 23rd, 2008 at 1:28 pm

   A hearty thank you to Representative Bachmann for her forthright comments and handling of Chris Matthews on Hardball. The mainstream media has largely misrepresented the dialogue, but that is to be expected of its extreme bias to the left.

   It is right that she raises questions about the views of Obama and of members of Congress. There are too many that blame America first, rather than to celebrate its goodwill.

   Hopefully those that are able are making contributions to her campaign to counter the effect of the reportedly largely online contributions to her opponents campaign. Online contributions to leftist candidates, especially those to the Obama campaign are largely suspect as to their source, many of which are reported to be exceeding legislated contribution limits and many from foreign nationals, both serious illegalities. The left has gone mad with the funds generated through the largese of our system of democratic capitalism that they despise.

4. Holly Cairns Says:
   October 24th, 2008 at 8:11 am

   Don Said: A hearty thank you to Representative Bachmann for her forthright comments and handling of Chris Matthews on Hardball. The mainstream media has largely misrepresented the dialogue, but that is to be expected of its extreme bias to the left.
   

   Hmm, calling Michelle’s comments “forthright” could be evidence of a new trend? Hoods with eyelets, perhaps?

   The mainstream media did NOT misrepresent the dialogue, and Michelle made it WORSE when she tried to clarify what she had said. It makes me mad when she says “I’m Christian” and then goes to spread hatred. It’d be better to spread a little love.