Potomac Fever: Grudging respect for Bachmann in The New Yorker

Thursday, June 30, 2011

Dares to mention njDylan's hot factor.

PBM said...: I think a lot of the mainstream media coverage of here is more of a, "thank god she isn't as stupid, irrational, flaky, or self-absorbed as Palin." That being said, she is somewhat of a religious nut. She's focusing on the economy and what not right now, but it could get uglier for her (maybe in the primary, definitely in the general) when people start looking at her past statements on religion/when she starts talking about religion.; June 30, 2011 at 11:23 AM
PL said...: I generally agree with PBM's point about Bachmann's views on religion (and social issues more generally), but I would add that it's not like her views on the economy or fiscal policy aren't just as extreme. She just doesn't stand out as much with her craziness on those areas, largely because the Republican Party has shifted so much in the last three years.

And she is getting a lot more credit now simply because the bar was set so low for her to begin with. Her career so far had been spent on political messaging on cable news, representing the views of the religious and Tea Party right (i.e. we should investigate which people in Congress are anti-American) and generally throwing verbal fire-bombs. Now she's doing serious campaigning on issues where she is in the mainstream for a Republican politician. And unlike Palin, I think she'll be made stronger (politically and mentally) by the campaign process.; June 30, 2011 at 11:46 AM

Potomac Fever