H/T to Crooks And Liars! Their transcript, below.

“A sizable number of GOP primary voters are questioning President Obama’s faith and citizenship,” Stephanopoulos noted. “Can you state very clearly that President Obama is a Christian and he is a citizen of the United States?”

“Well, that isn’t for me to state. That’s for the president to state,” Bachmann said.

“Do you believe it?” Stephanopoulos pressed.

The Minnesota congresswoman continued to dodge the question.

“When the president makes his statements, I think they need to stand for their own,” she said.

“You can’t just sit there and declare the president’s a citizen and he is a Christian?” the ABC host asked again.

“You know, what I focus on today, George, is today is the two-year anniversary of the stimulus program, where we spent $1 trillion to make sure that unemployment wouldn’t go above 8 percent,” she replied.

Bachmann MotorMouth Overdrive; you can’t make it up!

Again, H/T to the fine folk at CrooksAndLiars.com.

(cross posted to MnProgressiveProject; comments welcome there)

Ladies and Gentlemen, a lot will be written about Michele Bachmann’s Bachmann MotorMouth Overdrive “Forum” yesterday at Lake Elmo – as well there should!

But, Political Muse and Dusty Trice got video!

First, Political Muse wrote a piece entitled “Bachmann Abandons 10th Amendment…”. Here’s a snippet:

One of the cruxes of the entire conservative movement, aside perhaps from an unhealthy obsession with the 2nd Amendment, is their purported adherence to the 10th Amendment:

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

Now I don’t necessarily share their passion for the 10th Amendment nor do I believe that it definitively proves their strict constructionist states rights beliefs but it is their belief none the less. Any true conservative will swear by the 10th Amendment and use it as a cudgel against any supposed deviation from the ideas of strict constructionism.

So, given that Bachmann is supposed to be a “rock ribbed conservative”, it would stand to reason that she too believes in this principle of strict constructionism and the 10th Amendment, right? WRONG. Today at her town hall forum on health care reform she completely tossed out the amendment even going so far as to suggest “erasing the boundaries” around each of the states in order to create so called competition in the health insurance industry. (LitLoC.com)

Bachmann’s “Big Eraser” plan apparently caught Political Muse’s attention, too. Political Muse has Bachmann’s “Big Eraser” plan on a YouTube; it’s the Bachmann quote I used earlier today. Except, Political Muse has it on a YouTube showing Bachmann used the “Big Eraser” fairy tale story TWICE. So, go look!

Dusty Trice was also at the “Forum” with a camera (big surprise there – NOT!!!) and has a whole bunch of footage – like 10 (count ‘em – 10!) YouTubes of the “Forum.” As Dusty says: “You’re not going to want to miss her stupid Brett Favre joke!” So, go look!

(originally published at MnProgressiveProject.com)

Some days, Republicans believe in a quaint notion called “state’s rights.” For instance, Texas Republicans believe in the primacy of state’s rights regarding the death penalty, even if it invovles executing the mentally retarded. Other days, not so much – like with California and medical marijuana, approved by California voters in 1996.

George W. Bush used to be the prime example of a Republican that believed in state’s rights (except when he didn’t). As Texas Governor, Dubya relished Texas’ sovereignty and eagerly affirmed each and every death penalty he could. As President, Dubya’s administration frequently ignored California’s sovereignty by frequently raiding medical marijuana distributors.

Then yesterday, along comes Michele Bachmann, giving the guy she “enjoys a great relationship” with, a run for his money on ignoring state’s rights. Here’s what Michele Bachmann said yesterday, at her Lake Elmo “Forum”:

“We could do this: there’s a law right now at the federal level that says that states can, in effect, draw boundaries around their state and insurance companies don’t have to compete with other companies outside of their state. This drives, this jacks the cost of healthcare way higher than what it would need to be. If we took a big eraser, and erased those lines, of each state’s boundaries, and allowed people to buy health care anywhere in the United States…in other words, if we, if we allowed more competition among insurance companies, rather than less competition, we would see more insurance products, cheaper prices, and people could buy what they want.” – Rep. Michele Bachmann, Lake Elmo, MN, August 27th, 2009

“If we took a big eraser, and erased those lines, of each state’s boundaries…”

O
M
G.

What other issues does Michele Bachmann feel states shouldn’t control; other issues to pull out a “big eraser” and obliterate state borders?

And that’s before examining her claim of being consumer friendly…..

Let’s take what Bachmann said, replace “insurance” with “credit cards”, and see how it reads…although not an exact analogy, you’ll get the picture of how Bachmann’s “insurance” plan just might work out – for “insurance” guys like Billion Dollar Bill McGuire!

“We could do this: there’s a law right now at the federal level that says that states can, in effect, draw boundaries around their state and credit card companies don’t have to compete with other companies outside of their state. This drives, this jacks the cost of credit cards way higher than what it would need to be. If we took a big eraser, and erased those lines, of each state’s boundaries, and allowed people to get credit cards anywhere in the United States…in other words, if we, if we allowed more competition among credit card companies, rather than less competition, we would see more credit card products, cheaper prices, and people could buy what they want.”

Yeah, “right.”

Barry Goldwater has got to be spinning in his grave, over what Boy Blunder and Bachmann MotorMouth Overdrive have done and said. And Michele Bachmann has once again proven that GOP does indeed stand for GreedOverPrinciples.

(originally published at MnProgressiveProject.com)

…you can’t argue with a sick mind.

Earlier today, I posted on Faux News’ “coverage” of Rep. Barney Frank’s Town Hall, which was the prelude to Bachmann MotorMouth Overdrive’s intervew by Sean insHannity. Here’s some footage of Rep. Frank’s Town Hall you won’t see on Faux News – let’s look!

Rep. Barney Frank: When you ask me that question I’m going to revert to my ethnic heritage and answer your question with a question. On what planet do you spend most of your time?

[....]

You want me to answer the question? Yes. As you stand there with a picture of the President defaced to look like Hitler and compare the effort to increase health care to the Nazis, my answer to you is as I said before, it is a tribute to the First Amendment that this kind of vile, contemptible nonsense is so freely propagated. Ma’am, trying to have a conversation with you would be like trying to argue with a dining room table. I have no interest in doing it.

Political Muse of Liberal in the Land of Conservative has the following on his blog’s masthead:

“I have been thinking that I would make a proposition to my Republican friends….that if they will stop telling lies about the Democrats, we will stop telling the truth about them.” -Adlai Stevenson (1952)

It’s even worse today; “conservatives” simply lie about everything.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Rep. Barney Frank is spot on: those people have no interest – NONE – in dealing with reality. Birthers and Deathers – sponsored by AstroTurfers – calling people socialists and communists and nazis, all orchestrated and approved of by GOP Party “leadership” – well, reasonable people simply cannot reasonably believe anything – ANYTHING – today’s GOP “leaders” say. As for the lemmings the GOP’s “leaders” lead astray?

Rep. Barney Frank sets a great example – call them out for the whack-jobs that they are.

(crossposted from MnProgressiveProject)

Some call it disinformation, some call it lying, but what ever it’s called, it certainly isn’t the truth. Keep in mind republiCon John Kline had to be pressured into holding his one and only “Town Hall” – and I use that term loosely, Erik Paulsen has shown no inclination to do any “Town Halls” despite his predecessor’s record of doing multiple – and legitimate – Town Hall meetings twice a year. As far as the ol’ MotorMouth herself, as far as I can tell Bachmann has never held a “Town Hall.” She did “host” a “Forum” earlier this year, but: she let a paid shill lawyer do the talking.

Fast forward to last night: wanting to see how long it took Sean insHanitty to say something stupid, I tuned to Faux News at the top of the hour and was not disappointed. Especially since he had Bachmann MotorMouth Overdrive on, “right” away! Let’s look!

Everybody catch that? Let’s review:

(3:15) Hannity: “What do you make, I’m watching Barney Frank and it doesn’t really really surprise me, he’s got a very safe district, but you know, the arrogance, the condescention, you know, the battling with the voters – something’s changed and I can’t quite pinpoint what it is. I’ve never seen voters attacked this way, have you?”

Bachmann MotorMouth Overdrive: “Well, the great thing is that Members of Congress are at home this August – they’re having an opportunity to be actually able to hear from normal Americans about how they feel about this health care proposal rather than the lobbyists that have been swirling through the halls of Congress. This is a wonderful thing – we’re actually seeing Democracy in action and it’ll be very difficult for members of congress to go back to Washington DC in September and clearly vote against their constituent’s interests. None of them can say now that they didn’t realize where the heartbeat of the American public is and we’ll soon see if the liberals in Congress are listening to regular Americans.”

So, here we have Bachmann MotorMouth Overdrive talking about how “wonderful” Town Halls are, and she’s never had one. And lest we not forget, Kline had to be pressured into holding his one and only “Town Hall” and Paulsen shows no inclination to ever holding one.

Let’s watch what Minnesota GOP Deputy Chair Michael Brodkorb said, concerning Town Halls:

Which brings us back to what I said, up at the top:

Some call it disinformation, some call it lying, but what ever it’s called, it certainly isn’t the truth.

(crossposted from MnProgressiveProject)

This will come as no surprise, but: FactCheck.org just debunked a whole bunch of what Bachmann MotorMouth Overdrive recently claimed. Let’s look!

Q – Is ACORN providing workers for the 2010 census?

Did the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) sign on as a “national partner” with the U.S. Census Bureau to sign up over 1 million temporary workers to help with the 2010 census?

A – No. ACORN employees will not be taking the census. The group is one of more than 30,000 “partners” that will help publicize the event.

That’s the short of the most recent debunking Machmann MotorMouth Overdrive. Not that that will stop her from continuing to repeat debunked stuff; after all – she’s a republiCon.

Here’s some of the long, from FactCheck.org’s analysis:

ACORN “will be in charge of going door-to-door and collecting data from the American public,” said Rep. Michele Bachmann in mid-June. “This is very concerning.” Saying she was worried about ACORN’s supposed involvement in gathering census data, the Minnesota Republican announced that she won’t participate in the census beyond answering how many individuals reside in her household, “because,” she maintained, “the Constitution doesn’t require any information beyond that.” Actually, the Constitution, under Article 1, Section 2, simply requires that an “enumeration” be done every 10 years to apportion the members of the House, but that it be done “in such manner” as Congress “shall by law direct.” And Congress has seen fit to require everyone to answer truthfully whatever census questions they are asked, under threat of a $100 penalty for failure to answer and $500 for lying.

And Bachmann is flat wrong about ACORN going door-to-door and gathering data. Being “partners” with the Census Bureau doesn’t entail as close a relationship as one might think.

OK, Bachmann bein’ bein’ psycho-stupid and “flat out wrong” isn’t “news” to most folk reading this. What IS news, is:

Tonight, on AM-950 KTNF radio, Big E and yours truly (the ol’ TwoPutter) are Guest Hosting The Mark Heaney Show.

OK, that’s not “new” – Big E posted that yesterday.

What is “new” is that one of our guests will be Ken Avidor, cover artist for the new comic book “False Witness! – the Michele Bachmann story (vol. 1)” – and we’ll be giving away a signed copy of said comic book to one (maybe even two!) lucky listeners that call in!!!

Not only is this comic book funny, it has the added benefit of bein’ true.

Bill Predergast actually wrote it, but it’s our understanding Bill is out of town and unavailable, so we’ll be discussing this comic with Avidor, who is quite familiar with Little Miss Hiding In The Weeds due to his work over at DumpBachmann.Blogspot.com

So, listen in to AM-950 KTNF radio between 6:00 pm and 7:00 pm for your chance to win this fabulous prize!

Oh – and you can order it online, here.

(crossposted from MnProgressiveProject)

ThinkProgress.org got the recording of Princess SparklePony on The Moonie Times’ radio “show”:

What Bachmann MotorMouth Overdrive said, BEFORE she said she was gonna break the law, is worth repeating. Here’s the transcript:

(0:25) I come from Minnesota. We’re still in a recount with our Senate race between Senator Norm Coleman and the challenger, Al Franken. Senator Coleman won the race on Election Day but that was challenged repeatedly over and over with what we feel may be fraudulent votes and very concerned about what goes forward.

“fradulent votes”, eh? That’s what you “think”, Michele?

Why, just the other day (June 1st, to be exact) Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Christopher Dietzen said he saw “no evidence or fraud or misconduct.” And Justice Dietzen said that in court.

That same day, in that same court, another Minnesota Supreme Court Justice asked Norm Coleman’s attorney, Joe Friedberg, very pointedly if their were any instances of fraud. Norm Coleman’s attorney – NORM COLEMAN’S ATTORNEY – answered emphatically “absolutely not” and added that there was no fraud of any kind; election, voter or otherwise.

But, hey – today’s GOP playbook is ignore the debunking and repeat, Repeat, and REPEAT the debunked stuff over and Over and OVER, as Bachmann just did: the “fraudulent vote (debunked) theory.”

In the rightwingworld, Norm “Smokescreen” Coleman “wuz robbed.” That’s their story, and they’re stickin’ to it.

(crossposted from MnProgressiveProject)

Well, I would have called it “The misAdventures Bachmann MotorMouth OverDrive – The Early Years” but: they didn’t ask me. At any rate, “False Witness! is now out and available. I placed the order for mine – and if you act quickly, you can too!!! Link on over to BiasedLiberalMedia.com and get your copy of “False Witness! The Michele Bachmann Story (Vol. 1)”!

Here’s part of what the entrepid Bill Prendergast has to say about his entrepenueral offering:

The first issue is about how she got started in politics. Twenty four pages of electrifying black and white comics that have never been printed before. (DumpBachmann)

All that, for a measely $4.95 with shipping included! That link, again: www.BiasedLiberalMedia.com – go order your copy now!

(crossposted from MnProgressiveProject)