Rep. Bachmann Defies Conservative Tide With Strong Opposition To Govt. Shutdown

Michele Bachmann ^ | 4-5-11 | Frances Martel

[Mozilla]

With the government shutdown looming and Republicans looking increasingly obstinate before it, Rep. Michele Bachmann has staked her place squarely against it. In an interview with CNN’s John King tonight, Rep. Bachmann reiterated her promise to donate money to the troops should their salaries fall victim and pleaded with her colleagues to avoid the worst case scenario.

King opened up the interview by asking Rep. Bachmann whether, as many have speculated, it is the Tea Party caucus that has Rep. John Boehner and the Republican leadership “in a straitjacket” over spending. “The House Republicans have bent over backwards to assure there is not a government shutdown,” Rep. Bachmann argued, then focusing on the individual issues at stake when discussing a shutdown rather than the proposition itself: “I think that we should have a clean bill that makes sure that the paychecks get to the troops on time” separate from the budget bill.

While she did not directly make any defiant statements towards the Republican leadership, her emphasis on moving away from a shutdown rang slightly awry from the rhetoric of many conservative pundits who have no real stake in a government shutdown, like Fox News’ Sarah Palin, who repeatedly tweeted in favor of a government shutdown today.

For most of the interview she kept the message on the future of the military, as troops would be the first to see their salaries halted. Confirming her Twitter statement earlier today that she would donate her salary to a military nonprofit should a shutdown occur.

Instead, she argued, “we need to have the fight on Obamacare.” So no, this is not a sign that Rep. Bachmann has gone “soft”– she still very much opposes Obamacare and called it a central issue for 2012 and for the path to stabilizing the budget.

[sickoflibs]

RE :”And who cares about MSNBC? They spent all of 2009 and 2010 talking about how the Tea Party was going ot destory the GOP and the GOP had their biggest win since the 30s”

2009 and 2010 MSNBC had the impossible job of defending Obama much like Hannity Defending Bush in prior years. There was little going on but them play acting. But the previous 3 years they spent tearing down Bush to destroy Republicans for 2006 and 2008. Now we have split government so it's not as obvious who will win or lose in each battle as those years.

It's not even that MSNBC has many viewers but Democrats political attacks are all outlined on those shows like a map to a landmine, so no excuse stepping on those mines.

[sickoflibs]

I got a friend who was sticking up for Newt not long agao, these will come in handy :)

[sickoflibs]

A last thought.

If we disagreed on anything today it was very small. I agrees with you 100% on how Boehner handles the visible side of Speaker in this, versus Newt. Boehner comes off on TV as concerned and unhappy and working hard, exactly what is needed where Newt almost singlehandly blew the whole thing (1995) up. We both want the same thing in the end. Tonights the big countdown, fireworks at midnight ? :)