Bachmann walks back anti-Obama rhetoric for 2012 run

OPINION - The main thing with Bachmann is that though she may make comments that could easily be branded 'crazy'...

Apparently we’re all supposed to start taking Michele Bachmann’s presidential ambitions seriously. Between you and me, I think Dan Gilbert has a better shot at getting a lap dance from LeBron James than America has of getting a President Bachmann. Stranger things have happened, though, and there is reason to worry that Bachmann will effectively take Sarah Palin’s place as the GOP’s wild card of the looming primary battle.

The Republican congresswoman from Minnesota is beginning to soar in straw polls in key primary states — resulting in a wave of high profile appearances intended to show that Bachmann is much more than the religious zealot who often hurls out ridiculousness rightfully perceived as racist and/or xenophobic figure she’s made herself out to be.

The most recent of these appearances is Bachmann’s interview on Face The Nation. There the now formidable Republican presidential hopeful tried to clear the air on a number of past questionable statements including a big one about the current commander-in-chief.

WATCH RACHEL MADDOW’S COVERAGE OF BACHMANN’S CAMPAIGN:
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During their lengthy exchange, Face The Nation host Bob Schieffer asked Michele about a 2008 interview with MSNBC’s Chris Matthews in which she essentially pegged then Senator Obama as “un-American” based on his “affiliations” with controversial public figures.

If you’ve forgotten, Bachmann said: “I wish the American media would take a great look at the views of the people in Congress and find out, are they pro-America or anti-America?” She also noted, “I think people would love to see an exposé like that.”

When asked if she still questioned President Obama’s dedication to the country in which he was elected to lead, Bachmann responded with, “I don’t question the president’s patriotism at all.”

Clearly with a better working memory than Bachmann, Schieffer followed up with a call for an explanation about what her past comments meant.

Bachmann answered: “I think what people are concerned about right now is that the president doesn’t seem to have an understanding of how the economy works. It doesn’t seem that he has a basic understanding of how to do the job of president of the United States.”

This is coming from a person who has yet to pass a single piece of major legislation since being elected.

Schieffer continued to help steer her back into a real answer, noting, “There’s a long way between that and saying he’s anti-American.”Suddenly Bachmann no longer wanted to deal with the past and continued to say she doesn’t question his patriotism. Does she feel wish she could take back what she said? She quipped, “Oh sure, there’s a lot of things I wish I would’ve said differently, of course, but I think the most important thing right now is that we keep the main thing the main thing.”

The main thing with Bachmann is that though she may make comments that could easily be branded “crazy,” she isn’t insane enough to continue on with the use of language that might get her accused of racism. Her slavery history remixes and ridiculous attacks on Michelle Obama over breastfeeding helped her win popularity with the Tea Party, but it won’t go far in the way of appealing to Republicans outside of her wing of the party let alone the general electorate.

That’s why she’s suddenly ready to downplay her anti-American rhetoric about President Obama. She isn’t the only one. Mitt Romney was quick to clarify a comment about wanting to “hang” Obama before the gaffe cost him the chance to be the Republican nominee for president.

Though it’s still incredibly early in the presidential race, you get the sense that the candidates with actual chances of winning the nomination are weary of saying anything too inflammatory. Others, like Newt Gingrich, an unapologetic Muslim basher, and Herman “Obama was raised in Kenya” Cain still swim in sensationalism. As a result, it’s only a matter of time before their campaigns ultimately go the way of Gingrich’s marriages.

With the president’s approval ratings still in a respectable range, it would behoove any would be replacement to shy away from the, “Your president hates America” talking point of yester-election. That is, from their own mouths anyway.

John Roberts’ Supreme Court continues to strike down campaign finance laws — giving organizations free reign to do a candidate’s dirty work for them in 2012. Don’t expect a Republican presidential candidate to dissuade them from doing so.

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