The one way Michele Bachmann could actually help the GOP

[BDBoop]

This is where Bachmann comes in. Her ability to channel the base's irrational, swing voter-alienating passions may make her a near-certain November loser, but it also positions her to corral many of the voters Perry is now pursuing. For GOP elites who now have reservations about Perry, this is a very helpful dynamic.

At the very least, it buys them time right now, preventing Perry's campaign from becoming a runaway train while they decide what they really make of him and his general election prospects. And if they do ultimately decide that he'd be a bad November bet, then Bachmann could potentially do them a big favor by winning Iowa, a state where Perry will be expected to do well. If he can't beat Bachmann there, his stature would be reduced, and the next contest probably wouldn't go much better for him: New Hampshire Republicans have long been resistant to overtly religious Southerners. Yes, the race then would head South to Perry's natural turf -- but with Bachmann winning Iowa, she'd almost surely prevent Perry from sweeping through the South, just as he'd eat into her support. The big winner in a scenario like this would be Mitt Romney, who is probably the safest (read: most generic) candidate Republicans could nominate.

Excellent article on the lay of the land, where Bachmann is concerned.

The one way Michele Bachmann could actually help the GOP - War Room - Salon.com

 

[BDBoop]

Why is the WSJ turning on Mrs. Bachmann?

The Weekend Interview with Michele Bachmann: 'On the Beach, I Bring von Mises' - WSJ.com

At the same time, winning a straw poll of activists is a long way from persuading voters she has the experience and judgment to sit in the Oval Office. (Libertarian Ron Paul, who has no chance to win the nomination, finished a close second.) Mrs. Bachmann has a record of errant statements (see Battle of Lexington and Concord, history of) that are forgiven by Fox Nation but won't be if she makes them as a GOP standard-bearer.

More substantively, her attempt to position herself at all times as the anti-establishment outsider has made her seem on occasion less principled than opportunistic. She quickly distanced herself from Paul Ryan's Medicare reform when it came under liberal fire, even as she purports to be the scourge of uncontrolled spending. Her recent opposition to the debt-ceiling deal on grounds that GOP leaders should have insisted on first passing a balanced budget amendment, while holding only the House, was a political fantasy.

They used to be all about blowing sunshine up her er, skirt.

 

[elvis]

She could help the GOP by dropping out of the race and shutting her fucking mouth.

 

[BDBoop]

Barack Obama's approval rating is holding steady below 50 percent -- sometimes well below 50 percent -- and there's reason to doubt that the country's economic conditions will improve substantially between now and November 2012.

In other words, the possibility that he'll wind up a one-term president has never seemed so real. Economic anxiety is what motivates swing voters, and the more they feel it, the more eager they are to vote out incumbents. This is the rule that explains why Jimmy Carter lost his job in 1980 and why George H.W. Bush lost his in 1992, and there's no real reason to think it won't apply next year if the economy doesn't turn around.

Unless ... well, have you seen the latest poll on the Republican Party's image?

Released on Tuesday, the CNN/Opinion Research Center survey found that just 33 percent of voters say they have a favorable opinion of the GOP, while 59 percent have an unfavorable view. It's the worse the GOP has ever fared since CNN began asking the question nearly 20 years ago. Democrats, by contrast, clocked in at 47 percent favorable and 47 percent unfavorable.

It's the congressional GOP that seems to be driving this. Early this year, when Republicans had just taken over the House, the party's favorable/unfavorable numbers were roughly even -- and on par with the Democrats. By July, though, a gap had opened up, with the GOP registering a 41/55 score and the Democrats at 45/49. And now, in the wake of the debt ceiling drama, the bottom has fallen out for Republicans.

Hmmm...

Could the Tea Party actually be Obama's salvation in 2012? - War Room - Salon.com

Be sure to watch the video at the bottom, it explains a lot about what's going on on the right.

 

[BDBoop]

She could help the GOP by dropping out of the race and shutting her fucking mouth.

Did you read the article? It's like a giant game of chess, where they 'need' her for a certain length of time, for certain reasons.

I heard that the money behind the Bush family despises Perry, and will put all their money and power toward making sure he doesn't get the nomination or election.

 

[elvis]

She could help the GOP by dropping out of the race and shutting her fucking mouth.

Did you read the article? It's like a giant game of chess, where they 'need' her for a certain length of time, for certain reasons.

I heard that the money behind the Bush family despises Perry, and will put all their money and power toward making sure he doesn't get the nomination or election.

No. I didn't read the article. It's my own opinion.

 

[Political Junky]

Barack Obama's approval rating is holding steady below 50 percent -- sometimes well below 50 percent -- and there's reason to doubt that the country's economic conditions will improve substantially between now and November 2012.

In other words, the possibility that he'll wind up a one-term president has never seemed so real. Economic anxiety is what motivates swing voters, and the more they feel it, the more eager they are to vote out incumbents. This is the rule that explains why Jimmy Carter lost his job in 1980 and why George H.W. Bush lost his in 1992, and there's no real reason to think it won't apply next year if the economy doesn't turn around.

Unless ... well, have you seen the latest poll on the Republican Party's image?

Released on Tuesday, the CNN/Opinion Research Center survey found that just 33 percent of voters say they have a favorable opinion of the GOP, while 59 percent have an unfavorable view. It's the worse the GOP has ever fared since CNN began asking the question nearly 20 years ago. Democrats, by contrast, clocked in at 47 percent favorable and 47 percent unfavorable.

It's the congressional GOP that seems to be driving this. Early this year, when Republicans had just taken over the House, the party's favorable/unfavorable numbers were roughly even -- and on par with the Democrats. By July, though, a gap had opened up, with the GOP registering a 41/55 score and the Democrats at 45/49. And now, in the wake of the debt ceiling drama, the bottom has fallen out for Republicans.

Hmmm...

Could the Tea Party actually be Obama's salvation in 2012? - War Room - Salon.com

Be sure to watch the video at the bottom, it explains a lot about what's going on on the right.

<excerpted from your post>
Released on Tuesday, the CNN/Opinion Research Center survey found that just 33 percent of voters say they have a favorable opinion of the GOP, while 59 percent have an unfavorable view. It's the worse the GOP has ever fared since CNN began asking the question nearly 20 years ago. Democrats, by contrast, clocked in at 47 percent favorable and 47 percent unfavorable.
Thanks -

 

[Big Black Dog]

You know, for a lady, Michele Bachmann has a lot of balls. I wouldn't count her our or take her to lightly.

 

[JimH52]

Right, after listening to Batcrazy Bachmann, even Perry sounds sane...

 

[JoeB131]

This is where Bachmann comes in. Her ability to channel the base's irrational, swing voter-alienating passions may make her a near-certain November loser, but it also positions her to corral many of the voters Perry is now pursuing. For GOP elites who now have reservations about Perry, this is a very helpful dynamic.

At the very least, it buys them time right now, preventing Perry's campaign from becoming a runaway train while they decide what they really make of him and his general election prospects. And if they do ultimately decide that he'd be a bad November bet, then Bachmann could potentially do them a big favor by winning Iowa, a state where Perry will be expected to do well. If he can't beat Bachmann there, his stature would be reduced, and the next contest probably wouldn't go much better for him: New Hampshire Republicans have long been resistant to overtly religious Southerners. Yes, the race then would head South to Perry's natural turf -- but with Bachmann winning Iowa, she'd almost surely prevent Perry from sweeping through the South, just as he'd eat into her support. The big winner in a scenario like this would be Mitt Romney, who is probably the safest (read: most generic) candidate Republicans could nominate.

Excellent article on the lay of the land, where Bachmann is concerned.

[]

The Republican Party taking political advice from Commie Leftist Salon magazine would be like a cancer patient taking advice from Jack Kevorkian. He probably doesn't have your best interests at heart!

Bachmann winning Iowa wouldn't be that big of a deal for two reasons.

1) She was born in Iowa and lives in neighboring MN. Therefore, a victory there would be as meaningful as Bob Dole in 1988, or Tom Harkin in 1992.

2) The longer this goes on, the more she is seen as a little nuts. She's been steadily declining in national polls. She hit her height in July at 14% in the RCP average and now she's down to single digits.

3) Romney intentionally ignoring Iowa delegitimizes it as much as McCain's ignoring it in 2000 and 2004.

4) Bachmann's best hope in Iowa is not to get beaten by Perry. If she does, she's done. Perry only has to place second, do a strong finish in NH, and win SC.