With Mrs Palin's political star apparently on the wane after a much-criticised response to the Arizona shootings, Mrs Bachmann appears ready and willing to step into the breach. Although the official Republican response to Mr Obama's address to Congress was made by Representative Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, the Tea Party response by Mrs Bachmann was carried live on CNN. Mr Ryan, 40, a mild-mannered fiscal policy specialist, was scathing about Mr Obama's policies but maintained a measured tone, speaking with unadorned, straightforward language. At points, he even praised Mr Obama, stating that "some of his words were reassuring". In contrast,...