Bachmann merely repeated what a woman told her, but everyone acts as if Bachmann originated it.
The woman’s charge was certainly plausible:
“Dear Dr. Caplan:
On behalf of the parents of a group of neurologically injured teenage girls after HPV vaccination, we feel obligated to question your ‘bio’-ethics as you challenge Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann with a $10,000 bet to prove a claim that a vaccine to prevent cervical cancer caused mental retardation. We represent many parents of teenage girls who have suffered a variety of central nervous system (CNS) dysfunctions, including various degrees of mental ‘retardation’ (impairment) as a sequelae of Gardasil® vaccination injuries”
excerpt http://www.ahrp.org/cms/content/view/834/103/
Lots of hearsay is plausible. I don't want my President to rush to a camera and spread hearsay, though. I was a Bachmann supporter until last Monday. My posting history will prove it. She had a great point about the EO, and got Perry to admit it was a mistake, but she ruined the entire gain she may have had by then trashing the medicine and smearing Perry as wanting to harm young girls. It was stupid, which is fine, but more importantly, it wasn't presidential.