Bachmann: Should She Really Be Taking Credit For That?

Oh, good; another Michele Bachmann story. This time from Dump Bachmann, one of the "other" blogs I’m writing for.

On Congresswoman Bachmann’s website she tells the story of how she called the East Bethel Fire Department and told them they’d be receiving a federal grant of about $240,000 to support the local “first response” effort.

Well that’s nice. Congresswoman Bachmann supporting the local firefighters, right? Uh—no, not exactly. In fact, uh…she doesn’t seem to have had anything to do with the federal award of $240,000. A guy wrote in to the St. Cloud Times and noted that the money was a fiscal year 2006 grant from Homeland Security--so it was earmarked for that fire department before Bachmann was even elected.

But why would Bachmann take the trouble to announce the award of this taxpayer money to the fire department on her website? It might give the fire department and the public the *false* impression that she had something to do with obtaining the funds--

Oh. That’s the reason. I see. Without delivering a dime to the firefighters, she can create the impression that she did--by calling them and telling them that they’re getting $240,000 dollars.

Bachmann badly needs good public relations right now. It was revealed to the press that her office was trying to organize what is called an “Astroturf” campaign; a phony “grass roots support” campaign on her behalf. Bachmann’s press secretary was caught emailing supporters and begging them to write letters to the editors of local newspapers to support Bachmann.

The “Astroturf” email included a list of specific “nice things” that people should include in letters to the editor about Bachmann: “talk about Michele as a mother (5 biological, 23 foster kids),” “her strong fiscal conservative roots,” etc. etc.

So it not surprising that we find her attempting to get credit for firefighter funding she didn’t work for. This is nothing new; she pulled the same kind of stunts before she became a Congresswoman. Just look at these excerpts from previous Bachmann press releases:

Michele Bachmann recently called the American Medical Association to inform them that they would soon have access to an antibiotic that will cure bacterial infection. Bachmann calls the miracle drug “penicillin.”

“I am pleased to announce this discovery and to share it with the American medical community,” said Michele Bachmann. If you could take just a moment of your time to write 50 -100 words in to your local newspaper about why you support Michele, that would be fantastic. We know how much she would appreciate seeing that in the paper. You might also mention that Michele is a mother (5 biological, 23 foster kids) and wife.

Pretty nervy, eh? Or how about this one:

Michele Bachmann announced today that her recent efforts to end the Cold War have finally paid off, and that the fifty year old geopolitical struggle between the United States and the Soviet Union has ended. “The threat of nuclear confrontation between America and Russia is finally over, and I am pleased to declare America the victor,” Bachmann added, smiling. “You may all return to your homes now.”

Speaking from her home in Stillwater, Minnesota, Bachmann said that she intended to turn her attention to the tearing down of the Berlin Wall and the liberation of Eastern Europe. As you may know Michele has received a lot of attention in the press lately, much of it unfavorable. If you could take just a moment of your time to write 50 -100 words in to your local newspaper about why you support Michele, that would be fantastic. We know how much she would appreciate seeing that in the paper. You might also mention that Michele is a fiscal conservative and is the mother of 5 biological and 23 foster kids.

But for brass balls, this really takes the cake:

Michele Bachmann announced today that “cute little puppies” will now be made available to American families. “Cute little puppies” are sweet, endearing young things barely out of their infancy. They are lovable and warm and all they want is to play and to be hugged and give out kisses. “Our work has paid off,” Bachmann explained, “And I am very pleased indeed to announce we are making these sweet little critters available to good homes where they will love and be loved, instead of letting them be kicked by mean old men at dog pounds who vote for higher taxes and kick cute little puppies and won’t give them blankets and they just sit around shivering and lonely all night in the cold, those poor cute little puppies.”

As you may have seen, Michele has been the focus of lots of media lately and most of it not friendly. If you appreciate Michele and her stand on “cute little puppies,” could you take just a moment of your time to write 50 -100 words about why you support Michele that would be fantastic and I know how much she would appreciate seeing that in the paper. It’s probably best not to mention the “cute little puppies” thing in your letter to the editor, it would be better to mention how she’s not playing politics in the war on terrorism, like the Democrats, and to mention that Michele is a mother (5 biological, 23 foster kids) and wife. Be sure to get that in there.