What politician doesn't misstep?
It is a fact that Perry used an executive order to pass this, bypassing the legislature.
It is a fact that Perry wishes he had done it differently.
It is a fact that the government was trying to have some involvement in people's private medical decisions.
It is also a fact that this was not a true mandate, because people could opt out. So Bachmann did misstep when she characterized this as a mandate.
Normally, a politician missteps and then carries on. But the media (and some Republicans) smell blood and are trying to take Bachmann down over an issue in which I think she was more right than wrong -- and I would say that Perry was more wrong than right. I'm not against Perry, I am merely unhappy that people are using this to justify their disapproval of Bachmann.
Of course everyone missteps, but you cannot hold michele blameless and blame others for it. Howard Dean climbed aboard the crazy train and brought about his own demise. Michele has had a series of missteps and this passionate and sort of overdone bit about the Gardasil has conservatives leery of her, and backing away at this point. I maintain that the Gardasil issue in the big picture is not going to gain traction with the voting public, but a candidate’s overreaction to something can stick with them. I have seen, on twitter and elsewhere, conservative pundits backing away from Michele, and I see that as a problem she caused. Maybe it was desperation, feeling the need to break out and take Perry on strenuously, but it may work out to have been a miscalculation.