Rumors, untruths find a friend in Michele Bachmann

St. Petersburg Times-Tampa Tribune ^ | September 18, 2011

[Cincinatus' Wife]

It's one thing to have a philosophical disagreement with the Texas governor on whether he should have mandated a vaccine for girls against a sexually transmitted virus. But it's an entirely different matter to spread false rumors about the vaccine, hoping to leverage parental fears for political gain. That's the depths to which Minnesota's Michele Bachmann has sunk in her bid to counter Rick Perry's surge in polls. It's conduct unbecoming a member of Congress, much less a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination.

Bachmann used the issue last week at the CNN/Tea Party Express debate in Tampa to land her most memorable jab at Perry. "I'm offended for all the little girls and the parents who didn't have a choice," she said, referencing Perry's 2007 executive order requiring sixth-grade girls to receive the three-shot vaccine against the sexually transmitted human papillomavirus, or HPV, that can lead to cervical cancer.

Whether Texas and other states should require the vaccine has been the subject of much note in political and medical circles. That's in part because the push for the mandates was partially funded by Merck, maker of one version of the vaccine, Gardasil. An effort to require the vaccine in Florida died in the 2007 legislative session. And Bachmann could suggest Perry ignored the conservative mantra of less government or sought to please a campaign contributor. The Texas legislature, citing similar criticisms, ultimately repealed Perry's order.

But where Bachmann crossed the line came Tuesday on NBC's Today show when she claimed the vaccine "can have very dangerous side effects." She said a woman approached her after Monday's debate and claimed her daughter had suffered "mental retardation" after receiving the vaccine. Bachmann echoed other irresponsible claims — repeatedly debunked by scientists — that other childhood vaccines can cause autism.

[cubreporter]

She ‘s not getting trashed. She is getting comments because of her behavior at the last debate. She did herself no favors and Perry acted like a gentleman.

[potlatch]

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Nice!

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Lord help us! Where do we get these flakes! How do we raise them up! Have the American people lost it?

She's a TAX LAWYER!

[Cincinatus' Wife]

....She did herself no favors and Perry acted like a gentleman.

Yes he did. And she certainly didn't make it easy.

[Christie at the beach]

I agree with Rick Santorum comments because he is absolutely right. He hit a home run. I don’t trust Perry. This about helping women is an emotional thing, that he put out in the public; knowing people would connect emotionally/like a good liberal/it’s the thought that counts/not so much as the result or the fact about our own right to make our own decision. Big daddy Rick. You’re right, too, Bachmann should had come prepared.

[Sun]

“All the lib papers are pushing Perry now.”

And lib tv is making it between Romney and Perry this EARLY. I hope LMSM does not pick our candidate for us again, like they picked McCain.

[potlatch]

Thanks........I had to choose between that or the Palin endorsement or the Michael Reagan endorsement.......LOL

[Diogenesis]

She defended patients whom RINO Rick wanted
assaulted by PerryCARE I so he could make $$$$$ from Merck.

Shame on the RINO behavior.

[Sun]

‘“Well, that whole ‘pray the gay away’ thing,” said Leno.’

Is Leno mocking people who pray?

One of my friends told me Leno made a disrespectful joke about Catholics.

[Sun]

“I say she crossed the line by using the word “choice” with “little girls” like some abortion rights demagogue.”

lol, THAT is a stretch.

[algernonpj]

...and 8% were considered serious....

These are some very important words. Science is being thrown out the window to justify Perry mandating gardasil vaccination and cheer lead for the vaccine and trash Bachmann!

Gardisal may protect against four of fifteen HPV viruses that can cause cancer, for an undetermined period of time. Then again it may not. See NEJ study below.

Gardasil has been promoted as giving life time immunity but most certainly has not been around long enough for that claim to be made. In fact, there has not been a chance to study long term side effects of the vaccine.

Gardasil does not eliminate the need for PAP smears. PAP smears on a timely basis detect early pre-cancerous changes that can be treated easily. PAP smears are recommended every 1-5 years, starting 3 years after one's first sexual contact or at age 21.

Gardasil is approved for girls as young as nine years old, despite the fact that the youngest girls participating in clinical trials were 11-12 years old.

·A recent study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, also questioned the general effectiveness of Gardasil. Additionally, there has not been a chance to study long term side effects of the vaccine.

The serious adverse effects include: Guillain-Barré Syndrome, seizures, blood clots, anaphylactic shock, paralysis, coma, and death. These are serious side effect to trade off for possible protection against some of the causes of cervical cancer, especially ones not transmitted through casual contact.

Unfortunately the CDC, along with the FDA and EPA have had their missions severely compromised by political agendas, and one is wise not to take their cheer leading for Gardasil as the final word. Just take a look at what passed for science in the mandated replacement of CFC inhalers with HFA inhalers.

[Sun]

“Michele Bachmann is getting trashed because she is a conservative. You folks can jump on the RINO, illegal alien appeaser and promoter, Wick Perry.

Maybe he will really please y’all and do an EO on amnesty.”

I don’t think that they realize, if we get a “Perry,” and we have amnesty (but they won’t call it that, of course), we will have Dems elected to power for maybe the rest of our lives.

[Americanexpat]

I can remember when they used to give us vaccinations for polio, smallpox, measles and a lot of other diseases, but I don't remember them ever asking us if we wanted them or not.

Don't the schools deny kids attendance unless they are vaccinated against certain illnesses?

[Sun]

“I agree with Rick Santorum comments because he is absolutely right. He hit a home run. I don’t trust Perry.”

Time to give Santorum another look.

[DRey]

You lived in a different world back then, Cynic, when a doctor visit didn’t necessitate insurance. I’m all about personal responsibility and I have some news for you. If Rick Perry hadn’t brought this Gardasil vaccine to the public’s attention, no one would know about it and girls would be at risk — without ever knowing there was a vaccine — for cervical cancer. Spin away!

[Sun]

“She defended patients whom RINO Rick wanted
assaulted by PerryCARE I so he could make $$$$$ from Merck.”

Interesting. Would you happen to have a link handy for that?

[Mrs Mayor]

Gardasil Death & Brain Damage:

"NVIC's latest Gardasil risk report comparing the number and severity of adverse events reported to the federal Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS) through November 30, 2008, reveals that death and serious health problems such as stroke, blood clots, cardiac arrest, seizures, fainting, lupus and rechallenge cases are reported three to 30 times more frequently after Gardasil vaccination than after meningococcal (Menactra) vaccination.... Gardasil vaccine was inappropriately fast tracked and licensed by the FDA and recommended by the CDC with too little attention paid to the reports of brain and immune system dysfunction that developed after vaccination in pre-licensure clinical trials.

Thanks to Cynical Bear... Now I just gotta work on this befuddling statement: "...Perry's 2007 executive order requiring sixth-grade girls to receive the three-shot vaccine..." -- if it's simply mandating insurance co's cover it, or mandating pre-teen girls to get it, whether they or their parents like it or not...

[dforest]

You know, we do this everytime anymore. I thought after we dodged the bullet with Bush on the CIR bill, we would have learned our lesson.

But No, we didn’t, and now, once again we are being told to vote for another “good buddy of Mexico”.

I must be in a nightmare.

[CynicalBear]

>>You lived in a different world back then, Cynic, when a doctor visit didn’t necessitate insurance.<<

Surely you can’t be that naïve.

Your penitent for government to do for you is rather telling. Are you sure you’re on the right site?