If you feel like you lost track of Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann since her failed 2012 presidential bid, this has been the week to remedy that.
Actually, the lawmaker’s path back to the Tea Party spotlight began at the Conservative Political Action Conference back in March. During her speech, Bachmann drew material from a thinly-sourced book about President Obama’s lifestyle in the White House. “A new book is out talking about the perks and the excess of the $1.4-billion-a-year presidency that we’re paying for,” she said. “And this is a lifestyle that is one of excess. Now we find out that there are five chefs on Air Force One.”
These statements later proved to be factually-challenged. When CNN’s Dana Bash attempted to follow up with the Congresswoman, Bachmann practically ran away, all the while pointing out that the real point of her speech was the attack in Benghazi.
Days later, Bachmann took to the House floor to reprise her warning us about the perils of Obamacare. “Let’s repeal this failure before it literally kills women, kills children, kills senior citizens,” she said.
Now to this week. On Thursday, Bachmann joined fellow Tea Partiers like Texas Congressman Louie Gohmert to address developments on the Internal Revenue Service’s improper targeting of conservative-leaning groups prior to the last election cycle. Bachmann was arguably the voice of reason in the group of speakers, stressing that it would be wrong to “jump to conclusions” and start considering impeaching President Obama so early in the investigation.
There are still 17 months before voters in Minnesota decide whether Bachmann will get another term in Congress. It’s looking like she will once again face off against Democrat Jim Graves, a hotel executive who narrowly lost to Bachmann in the most recent election.
As television viewers in Minnesota found out yesterday, Bachmann is getting an early start on the 2014 campaign. Her first ad buy took effect today, in the same week that House Republicans made their 37th attempt at repealing Obamacare. The repeal passed by a 229-195 vote.
“Great news!” Bachmann begins in the ad. “The U.S. House just passed my bill to repeal Obamacare.”
Of course, there’s no chance the bill could become law in the Democratic-controlled Senate and the White House’s promise to veto such a measure.
Still, at yesterday’s briefing, Speaker of the House John Boehner confirmed that the door to attempt #38 was in the cards.
Take a look at the Hardball Sideshow for more!
Maryalice Aymong