With the implosion of the Trump "campaign," which had become a lightning rod for Crazy, there is now a vacuum in the GOP candidate field for someone to engage the swollen ranks of the unhinged far-right wing of the Republican Party, someone willing to look into their wild eyes and tell them with a straight face, "Yes, Barack Hussein Obama is trying to impose Socialist Sharia Death Panels on your family." It had seemed for a while that Sarah Palin was the one candidate who was careless and intellectually dishonest enough to get out in front of the most extreme elements of the GOP and tell them exactly what they want to hear, true or not, but the 2008 Vice Presidential nominee has become uncharacteristically thoughtful and indecisive of late. Meanwhile, Congresswoman Michele Bachmann has managed to become Palin 2.0, and seems ready to usurp the Queen Mama Grizzly and make her irrelevant.
Bachmann has been described as "Sarah Palin with a brain," which I don't think really tells you anything about her. Like Sarah Palin, she is a female conservative who has embraced a number of extreme positions. She is also close to the Christian conservative movement and has fully embraced the Tea Party, founding a Tea Party congressional caucus and even delivering an "official" Tea Party rebuttal to President Obama's last State of the Union Address. Unlike Sarah Palin, Bachmann has proven herself to have self-discipline and patience for long-term planning. She also has a fairly long record in congress and is more of a known quantity than the capricious former half-term governor of Alaska.
Should she get in the race, Michele Bachmann would be an exciting and appealing candidate for Republican primary voters, who tend to be more passionately conservative than general election voters. Particularly in the first caucus state of Iowa, which is dominated by evangelical voters, Bachmann could easily emerge as the anti-Romney favorite for which Republican voters seem to be searching. Among states in which the Tea Party and social conservatives hold sway, Bachmann could be a force in the Republican primary process.
In the general election, however, Bachmann would be a weak candidate. She holds some positions which are far out of step with mainstream American thinking, such as promoting the teaching of "intelligent design," the elimination of Social Security and Medicare, a ridiculously limited view of what is allowed under the U.S. Constitution, advocating nuclear strikes on Iran, and an emphasis on social issues such as gay marriage which are increasingly out-of-step with voters. During a campaign, it would be incredibly easy to paint Michele Bachmann as a right wing nut-job.
Bachmann's notorious habit of twisting the truth and making up "facts" would not serve her well with the increased scrutiny she would get as a national candidate. She is also a regular member of the shrill and hysterical chorus of Republicans which constantly engages in petty attacks on President Obama at the slightest opportunity. As a candidate, Bachmann may have difficulty separating herself from the GOP attack machine and projecting a dignified, Presidential image.
Like other outspoken female conservatives, Bachmann is viewed somewhat suspiciously by the male-dominated Republican establishment. Her decision to "go roguer" and deliver her own State of the Union response reportedly did not sit well with Speaker Boehner and other GOP leaders. There have also been reports of tensions between Bachmann and the caucus regarding committee assignments but she remains popular with the very powerful Tea Party movement, which means that Republicans treat her like Billy Mumy from the classic "It's a Good Life" episode of The Twilight Zone. "What's that, Michele? You gave your own State of the Union Response without co-coordinating with anyone? And you were looking in the wrong camera for the whole address? It's good that you did that! Good!"
Until a serious and powerful Margaret Thatcher or Hillary Clinton figure emerges within the GOP, Republican womanhood is doomed to be dominated by sideshow performers like Palin, Bachmann, Sharon Angle, and Christine O'Donnell. This is despite successful but low key politicians like Olympia Snow, Susan Collins, and Lisa Murkowski, who are often attacked as moderates and pushed aside in the party (Murkowski had to run as an independent only to win her seat and re-caucus with the Republicans, after receiving no support from them). So if you are a woman and a Republican, either get your crazy on, or get to the back of the bus.
THE BOTTOM LINE
PROS:
Might actually be able to win the nomination. Strong connections with both the Tea Party and social conservatives can propel her far into the race. Also, a surprisingly good fundraiser.
CONS:
Not the preferred candidate of the Republican establishment, seen as hard to control, erratic, unprofessional. Would certainly loose to President Obama.
However, if the Republicans want to put forth an ideologically pure Tea Party sacrificial lamb for their nominee, they could hardly do any better. In fact, if one wanted to get rid of the Tea Party all together, a Bachmann 2012 campaign would be a great way to exorcise that particular demon.
WHO SHOULD PLAY HER IN A BIOPIC: Deborah Messing.
TRIVIA: Michele Bachmann is writing a book. She's cutting letters out of magazines and pasting them into the manuscript as you read this.
Patrick Garone
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