Michele Bachmann's Goal: Not to Go to Jail

The Strib reports on the Freshman orientation. Reps.-elect Keith Ellison and Tim Walz, part of the new Democratic majority in the House, found themselves immediately getting lobbied to take sides in the contest to elect a new majority leader, which will be decided on Thursday. And Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann arrived early and got to do a little sightseeing, getting a glimpse of the Constitution on Sunday. As the current Congress went back to work for a lame-duck session, the newcomers arrived to orient themselves to their new surroundings and prepare for the 110th Congress, which will convene in January. New members did their work behind closed doors, learning how to get their offices up and running, prepare their budgets, use franking privileges and how to keep abreast of complicated ethics rules. "My No. 1 goal is to not go to jail," Bachmann said, chuckling. That remark has gotten quite the talk radio/blog buzz.