2011-02-10 News

Spin Cycle

Michele Bachmann on Maui

February 09, 2011 | 02:05 PM

Rep. Michele Bachmann—who's either a shining beacon of fiscal conservatism or a defective Sarah Palin clone, depending on who you ask—landed in a bit of hot water recently when she ditched the chilly confines of Minnesota for a Hawaii vacay.

On February 1, Bloomberg columnist Margaret Carlson tried to contact Rep. Bachmann to get her take on the situation in Egypt (no doubt hoping for one of the headline-grabbing gaffes that have become Bachmann's stock in trade). Carlson says she was told the Congresswoman was unavailable, as she was "concentrat[ing] on district work."

Problem is, the following day Bachmann appeared at not one but two Aloha State fundraisers—first on Oahu at an event hosted by the hyper-conservative Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, then at a Tea Party soiree in Kahului.

Various anti-Bachmann blogs (and there are many) pounced on the discrepancy, with one (dumpbachmann.com) featuring a slideshow of images from Bachmann's Maui appearance that includes shots of master-of-ceremonies and one-time Mayoral candidate Marc Hodges.

As of this writing Bachmann's Web site featured no mention of the Hawaii trip and she'd offered no official response to the criticism. If and when she does, we're sure it'll be reliably riveting.

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Hodges
February 10, 2011 | 12:49 PM

During the mayoral race, Hodges identified himself as a "democrat." He said he wasn't a member of the tea party any longer. And yet, here he is again. So, he's a liar. Also, it took him the second longest of all the politicians to take down his campaign signs. He has proved that he is not able to take personal responsibility. The worst campaign sign offender is, of course, John Willoughby, another teabagger. He still hasn't taken his signs that he put up on public property (against the rules). So much for personal responsibility from him too. Frankly, all the teabaggers on Maui are full of it. They came out and supported Mike White (Lisa Gapero) giving more tax dollars to the MVB after the budget was passed. She was so clueless (and in this way, she is like Reagan, her personal messiah), she thought that she was testifying for the MVB to receive 3 million dollars, not at all what White's proposal is (and how ethically challenged he is). The teabaggers on Maui need to be ridiculed and marginalized because they offer nothing in return except for selfishness, hypocrisy and corruption. And Bachmann is no different.

Cassandra
This is news?
February 10, 2011 | 01:21 PM

This is news? This a big deal for what reason? A politician possibly changes travel schedule to go to a fundraiser in Hawaii. This frankly is hyper-criticism. The country needs to get back to discuss the issue... not pointless personal attacks.

Hans
I am Hans and I am Franz
February 10, 2011 | 01:32 PM

Bachmann knows all about pointless personal attacks.

pump you up
unethical political behavior
February 10, 2011 | 01:33 PM

Cassandra,
Criticizing a politician for his/her issues, policies and action is fine, but calling for someone to be "ridiculed and marginalized" is almost despotic or oppressive and has no place in a democracy.
Need to raise the level of political discourse. Get away from the politics of hate.
Hans

Hans
I am Hans and I am Franz
February 10, 2011 | 01:51 PM

The Tea party knows all about the politics of hate, despotism and oppression along with lowering the level of political discourse. As a famous teabagger sign once stated, "Get a brain morans."

Pump you up
Grassroots Institute
February 10, 2011 | 01:56 PM

Not sure why the Grassroots Institute deserves being labelled "hyper-conservative." Looked at their website... and doesn't have the usual religious baggage or positions on issues like abortion, capital punishment, prayer in schools. The Institute's positions and research seems more Libertarian on the political spectrum (e.g. low taxes, low spending, minimize government involvement in economy, educational choice, etc.). However, perhaps you'll dub anything with an extreme level if it doesn't follow lock step with Democratic Party in Hawaii.

Sunny
I am Hans and I am Franz
February 10, 2011 | 02:05 PM

Is the Maui News not enough for you? Why not go there -they love republican and tea party issues.
Maui County overwhelmingly voted for Obama. The Teabaggers are already marginalized because their idea of low spending is horse manure. If they believed in lower spending, they would oppose Mike White. And they came out in support of his ethically challenged use of tax payer money.
People like Hodges want to use the democrat party when it's useful to them, and then turn around and stab them in the back, immediately after the election.
Go pick up your teabagger signs if you really believe what you say you do.

Pump you up
old but less mature than SNL
February 10, 2011 | 02:11 PM

Pumped out...Many on the Left are as guilty or more guilty of politics of hate as some on the right. Bad behavior does not justify bad behavior. Moreover, there are many many Tea Party supporters that are independent voters...

No Franz
Wearing a body suit doesn't make you a weightlifter
February 10, 2011 | 02:19 PM

Provide a link that proves that the teabaggers have an equivalent -one that gets the same amount of coverage as the teabagger movement and that carries guns to political town hall meetings. I'd like to see that link. I'd like to see proof that the left is more guilty of the "politics of hate." Because I think you're full of it. There isn't an equivalent to the teabagger movement. There may be leftists who are guilty of using hyperbole and violent rhetoric, but they haven't come close to the hate speech of Limbaugh, Bachmann, Beck, et al. Mainstream media doesn't cover the left's points, ever.

Gretel.
Wearing a body suit doesn't make you a weightlifter
February 10, 2011 | 02:19 PM

Provide a link that proves that the teabaggers have an equivalent -one that gets the same amount of coverage as the teabagger movement and that carries guns to political town hall meetings. I'd like to see that link. I'd like to see proof that the left is more guilty of the "politics of hate." Because I think you're full of it. There isn't an equivalent to the teabagger movement. There may be leftists who are guilty of using hyperbole and violent rhetoric, but they haven't come close to the hate speech of Limbaugh, Bachmann, Beck, et al. Mainstream media doesn't cover the left's points, ever.

Gretel.
Ta da!
February 10, 2011 | 02:21 PM

Here's an example of what I'm looking for:
http://thinkprogress.org/2011/02/10/lobbyists-chamberleaks/

Pump you up
I'm afraid to drink the Tea
February 10, 2011 | 04:14 PM

OK, I'm weighing in on this now.

Yes, Left and Right utilize "hate" speech.

The way I see it is that when the left does it it's usually based upon facts or something that actually occurred in the past such as: "Bush Lied", "He's a war criminal", "there was not WMD", "Iraq did not attack us on 9/11", "the war's all about oil", "the GOP hates gays (or at least votes against em)", "Sarah Palin is an idiot", "Reagan caused the greatest deficit in our nation's history", "Bush tax cuts didn't produce jobs", "Dick Cheney has a secret energy policy that benefits his buddies" etc.... These things are actually true, or turned out to be true after the Left was berated as being "un-patriotic".

When the Tea-Right does it, it's usually based on some kind of fear that someday something may happen, "We're becoming like Nazi Germany", "turning our nation into a Socialist Dictatorship", "Taking away our guns", "raising our taxes", "He's siding with the Terrorists, He's Muslim", "Death Panels". "Sharia Law is coming to America" etc... Notice how none of this is true and hasn't happened.

So maybe the left hate speech is based on verifiable facts and things that actually happened and the right hate speech is based upon the fear that something that may happen, but hasn't yet.

Check mediamatters.org now and then to see the daily onslaught of corrections needed to right wing media because it usually is not based on facts. FACTS ARE NOT LEFT OR RIGHT. Unless only liberals care about truth...

Self Righteous Asshole

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