From Reuters
Michele Bachmann, a Tea Party firebrand and 2012 presidential contender, announced on Wednesday she will not seek re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives but said her surprise decision had nothing to do with multiple investigations into her campaign finances.
. . . Bachmann also said the decision was "not impacted in any way by the recent inquiries" into her 2012 White House campaign, which is the subject of at least five federal and state investigations into potential campaign finance violations.
The Federal Election Commission, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Office of Congressional Ethics, the Iowa Senate Ethics Committee and a local Iowa police department are looking into allegations about the campaign.
"Be assured, my decision was not in any way influenced by any concerns about my being reelected to Congress. I've always in the past defeated candidates who are capable, qualified, and well-funded. And I have every confidence that if I ran, I would defeat the individual who I defeated last year, who recently announced that he is once again running. And rest assured, this decision was not impacted in any way by the recent inquiries into the activities of my former presidential campaign or my former presidential staff. It was clearly understood that compliance with all rules and regulations was an absolute necessity for my presidential campaign, and I have no reason to believe that that was not the case."
I think she's going to the Elephant's Graveyard.
~ Chris Matthews on Hardball
. . . she never really explains her head-snapping decision to step down. She starts with a confusing numerology about her length of service in various political offices. Bachmann says she figured eight years was enough time in office. Strange, because just Friday she sent out an email asking for money for her re-election.
~ John Dickerson on Slate
Bob Dole must be some kind of prophet.
Not 72 hours after Fox News Channel aired the former Republican leader’s suggestion that the GOP put out a “closed for repairs” sign, Michele Bachmann announced that she’s going out of business. Just like that, the Republican conglomerate got an unexpected chance to shutter one of the balkiest shops in its supply chain.
. . . Soft, slow music, with a sound not unlike a church bell tolling, played as she began her announcement. . . . The bell tolled a final time as the video faded to black — and so, too, did the career of a lawmaker unlike any other this country has seen since the shot heard around the world was fired in New Hampshire.
~ Dana Milbank on Washington Post
The announcement that Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) is not seeking reelection will leave the Capitol a much less interesting place to fact check. As one of our colleagues put it, “The entire fact checking industry may have to hold a national day of mourning.”
Bachmann is not just fast and loose with the facts; she is consistently and unapologetically so. No other lawmaker earned as high a percentage of Four-Pinocchio ratings as Bachmann — and she earned an average of more than Three Pinocchios as a presidential candidate.
~ Glenn Kessler on Washington Post
There is, inevitably, a rambling quality to an eight-and-a-half-minute monologue. This is Bachmann's hostage video to reality. The staff decision to back her vocal track with faint Springsteenesque music was a tell—the video would have seemed ever odder without it. Bachmann was at turns defensive and defiant and bucket-list ticking, talking about her excitement at taking a plane to London to attend Margaret Thatcher’s funeral, her co-sponsorship of the 37th attempt to overturn Obamacare (“which passed in the House”), and her philosophically contradictory commitment to bring federal tax dollars to her district to build a regional airport and rebuild a bridge. Note to Bachmann: you didn’t build that.
~ John Avlon on Daily Beast
Bachmann retires in longest retirement video ever.atr.rollcall.com/michele-bachma…
— Shira Toeplitz (@shiratoeplitz) May 29, 2013
BREAKING: Michele Bachmann says she won't run for another term in the U.S. House, as she was unable to pray the federal investigations away.
— Gabby Birkman (@GabbyBirkman) May 29, 2013
Bachmann retirement video is...interesting. The closest thing I can compare it to is Delta’s in-flight safety video. dailycaller.com/2013/05/29/bac…
— Matt Lewis (@mattklewis) May 29, 2013
Michelle Bachmann announces she won't seek re-election the same week that Stewart and Colbert are on break. Well played, crazy eyes.
— Michael Darling (@FutureHasbeen) May 29, 2013
Maybe @thedailycurrant was right about Bachmann... dailycurrant.com/2013/05/13/bac…
— James Carter (@JECarter4) May 29, 2013
Thanks @michelebachmann for your years of service. A courageous voice for freedom in the people's House.
— Speaker John Boehner (@SpeakerBoehner) May 29, 2013
Boehner hails Bachmann as a "courageous voice for freedom". Because it takes great courage to enslave others to your bigoted ideology. #tcot
— James Morrison (@JamesPMorrison) May 29, 2013
Finally John Boehner has a legitimate reason to drink his liquor straight from the bottle to celebrate Michele Bachmann done! #unitenlue #P2
— Democrat for Obama (@areyou0) May 30, 2013
The sad thing is, with Michelle Bachmann gone, the smell of bat-shit in the GOP will be only slightly less pungent.
— Frank Conniff (@FrankConniff) May 29, 2013
First Sarah Palin, now Michelle Bachmann--where's the crazy woman with staying power?
— Harry Shearer (@theharryshearer) May 29, 2013
Michele Bachmann: "I will retire in 2014. This has nothing to do w/how Marcus has been acting since gay marriage was legalized in Minnesota"
— The Daily Edge (@TheDailyEdge) May 29, 2013
Shorter Michele Bachmann: I'm smart enough. I'm good enough. And doggone it, people like me.
— Karen Tumulty(@ktumulty) May 29, 2013
Because Michele Bachmann has decided not to see reelection, all tinfoil hats must be worn at half staff today.
— Joel Ingersoll (@FlyoverJoel) May 29, 2013
Criticizing #Bachmann like shooting fish in a barrel, too easy but necessary, this woman is an idiot. #Minnesota twitter.com/ZonkerPA/statu…
— CurtisK (@ZonkerPA) May 24, 2013
Michele Bachmann would be a great subject for a horror movie.Is there a celebration planned in Minnesota?
— QChocolate (@QrsChocolate) May 29, 2013
I watched the whole 8 minutes of the Bachmann YouTube and I have only one question. Was she high? #InaneRambling
— Beryl (@RainforestMoon) May 29, 2013
How will history remember Michele Bachmann? It won't.
— KennyKwik (@KwikWarren) May 29, 2013
What a legacy, continued: The word Bachmann said on the House floor most: "Acorn" goo.gl/E3mOS twitter.com/pourmecoffee/s…
— pourmecoffee (@pourmecoffee) May 29, 2013
Bachmann word jumble: mainstream liberal media. spin. true compliment. public policy. wonderful husband marcus. God. Safety. Blessed nation
— Jonathan Capehart (@CapehartJ) May 29, 2013
Shorter #Bachmann : Blah Blah Repeal Obamacare Blah Blah Reagan Blah Blah Unborn Babies Blah Blah Jihadist Blah Benghazi
— Jeanne K. (@SnarkAmendment) May 29, 2013
..@catawu Bachmann's mother ship will be taking her back to her home planet. Wish she'd take entire TeaParty with her!!
— Doris A. Frey (@NatureWoman63) May 29, 2013
Goodbye Michelle Bachmann. Thanks for all the lulz & don't let the House door hit you in the butt on the way out. #AGratefulNation
— Patty (@suo_gan) May 29, 2013
“@glennthrush: How cool would it be if Bachmann could ride out of Congress on a giant eagle?” Preferably to eagle's nest to feed it's young!
— Kurt (@kurtmac) May 29, 2013
#ThingsIwillMissAboutMicheleBachmann: her THIRTY EIGHTH attempt to REpeal #Obamacare:'-C
— Indie Hussein Obama (@IndieObama) May 29, 2013
Michele Bachmann: End of an ErrorKudos to #PoliticsNation producers for coming up with that gem!
— Nazanin (@NazaninSF) May 29, 2013
"Hello, I'm Michele Bachmann. Have you ever considered a reverse mortgage...."
— David Corn (@DavidCornDC) May 29, 2013
#MicheleBachmannsNextJOB Spokesmodel for freaky contact lens manufacturer.
— GiGi (@gigimorgan10) May 30, 2013
Dems, news media and late night comedians all mourning Bachmann's exit.(GOP, not so much.)
— David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) May 30, 2013
Thanks for the shout out! Here's a little impression I do as Michele Bachmann: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2PLHTW7_8A
ReplyDeleteEnjoy!