Rep. Steve Israel Demands Michele Bachmann Apologize for Holocaust Images Being Used on Health Insurance Bill

Hat Tip: Political Muse.

Michele Bachmann's Pardon Pal Mentioned During Petters Ponzi Scheme Trial

Ken Avidor reports here.

Colbert Led With Story on "Bachmann Teabag Overdrive"

This story was about Michele Bachmann's health care "Press Conference" which echoed the Bachmann amendment rallies held at the Minnesota State Capitol.

DNC Response to Bachmann Teabag Overdrive

From: DNC Rapid Response [mailto:DNCRapidResponse@dnc.org] Sent: Thursday, November 05, 2009 12:18 PM To: DNC Rapid Response Subject: Reaction to Bachmann Rally Please see below for a statement from DNC National Press Secretary Hari Sevugan in reaction to the Michele Bachmann led anti-health insurance reform rally in Washington today: "If the Republican party wants to make Michele Bachmann the voice of the party, that's more than fine with us. We'll help circulate the petition. But it is surprising that after Congressman-elect Owens won a special election by supporting the President's agenda in a New York district that hasn't elected a Democrat since Benjamin Harrison was President, that the Republican party would continue to allow itself to be led around by nose by the likes of Bachmann, Beck, Limbaugh, Palin and the rest of the extreme tea party crowd. It's their extreme right-wing, rigid ideological agenda that has Americans leaving the Republican Party in droves - and so, if displays like today are what they think is a smart political strategy, all we can say is: go for it."

Tim Walz Raises Money by Tying Opponent to Michele Bachmann

In this case, it's accurate. Dear Friend, While we are working hard this week, day and night, to get a health care bill that improves the lives of Minnesotans – just as we promised last November – my opponent, Allen Quist, is in Washington working the right-wing into a frenzy. Quist and Michele Bachmann are two peas in a pod – they have been teammates for more than ten years. He launched his campaign this week by asking people to join him and Rep. Michele Bachmann at a rally in Washington, DC. Their first goal: preventing Congress from reforming America’s broken health care system. Allen Quist, a former GOP endorsed candidate for Governor in Minnesota, first began working with Rep. Bachmann in 1998 – two years before she ran for office in Minnesota. It’s clear from their extreme right-wing ideology that they are kindred political spirits. Indeed, he got her elected to the State Senate, the first political office she held. Now, my opponent is actively receiving the support of the extreme right-wing money machine. He’s building an attack fund and it will not be long before he fills our airwaves with negative ads. We’ve seen this before! Quist is committed to the notion that America’s best days are behind us, that the only way to move forward is by turning back the clock. Today, he led a delegation from Minnesota to Rep. Bachmann’s Tea Party Protest where they are pushing solutions that are nothing more than failed policy from the past. I need your help today. You know that First District voters support effective leadership, not extreme right-wing offensive agendas, but we cannot let the big money of the extreme right-wing shout down common sense. Please contribute $25, $50, $100 or more today to ensure we show voters they have a clear choice! Because of his fierce allegiance – and arguable founding of the extreme right-wing in Minnesota, Quist has quickly earned the backing of Michele Bachmann. As Allen Quist stands with Rep. Bachmann today in an effort to prevent health care reform for millions of hard working families… I need you to stand with me. I need your help – today – to ensure voters know they have a choice. A very clear choice. Sincerely, Congressman Tim Walz Walz ought to look up the ads that Arne Carlson used against Alan Quist in 1994.

Michele Bachmann Staff Turnover in Overdrive

Politico has the story about Chief of Staff Michele Marston deserting the sinking Michele Bachmann ship. The aide who helped turn Rep. Michele Bachmann into a controversial mainstay of cable news has informed colleagues that she’s quitting — just as the firebrand Republican congresswoman prepares for her biggest media moment yet. Multiple sources have confirmed that Michelle Marston, a veteran Hill aide, is leaving Bachmann’s office. In an e-mail exchange with POLITICO, Marston declined to say why she’s going. “I’m just not talking about it, and frankly I don’t think there’s a story here,” Marston wrote. “Now, the thousands of people calling our office to tell us [they’re] coming to Capitol Hill tomorrow — that’s a story.” Marston was referring to the prolific Bachmann’s latest political brainstorm, a “house call” on the Capitol Thursday to which she’s invited Fox News viewers and other conservatives to march with her through House office buildings, “find members of Congress, look at the whites of their eyes and say, ‘Don’t take away my health care.’” The idea was hatched by Bachmann and a small clutch of allies at the member level, and aides say that the response to it has been so overwhelming that the conservative Republican Study Committee has been tapped to help with the arrangements for the event on the West Front of the Capitol. The image of travel-ready conservatives flooding the hallways of the Capitol complex to confront members of Congress may not be one that Republican leaders are too keen to project. A conservative Republican House member, speaking on the condition of anonymity, suggested that Bachmann’s views — and her willingness to state them — make it hard for her to keep staff. “When your captain’s crazy, it’s time to find a new ship,” the lawmaker said. This speaks volumes.

Michele Bachmann's Bizarro World

Brought to you by the Minnesota Progressive Project here.

Michele Bachmann exorts Her Crazed Following to Storm the Capitol on Health Care

The Hill has the story. During an appearance on Fox's "Hannity," Bachmann on Friday night said the plan can be defeated, but only if critics make their case face-to-face with legislators. Bachmann told conservative commentator Sean Hannity, "The clock is ticking 11:59 ...I've never done this before but I am asking people to come to Washington, D.C., by the carload and next Thursday at noon I'll be at a press conference on the steps of the Capitol. "I'd love to have every one of your viewers to join me so we can go up and down through the halls, find members of Congress, look at the whites of their eyes and say, 'Don't take away my healthcare.'" After Hannity opined that lawmakers would likely hide from the crowds, Bachmann responded, "It's not inevitable. This doesn't have to pass and I don't think it will pass if we can get people to literally, physically come to Washington, D.C., next week. "We need to pay a House call on [Speaker] Nancy Pelosi [D-Calif.] and tell her what she can do with the Pelosi healthcare plan," Bachmann added. The vocal Republican noted that many Blue Dogs -- a group of conservative Democrats -- are on the fence on how to vote. "That's why this is such an exciting opportunity for us ...This is our liberty and tyranny moment. This is about patriotism and manning up." She said the plan on Thursday afternoon will be to walk through the House office buildings to look for lawmakers: "We can walk through Cannon, Longworth and Rayburn [office buildings], walk through the Capitol ..." The House is scheduled to start debate on the healthcare bill later this week, with a vote likely occurring within the next 10 days. Remember "liberty or tyranny" during the Climate Change bill?