The Michele Bachmann Presidential Bubble

Until you see the major players actually jump into the race for the 2012 GOP nomination, there's going to be space left for many minor players to draw a little bit of speculative attention to themselves by making "maybe I'll run for President noises" and doing things like "going to Iowa."

Take, for example, the curious case of Michele Bachmann. She seems to have something of an iron lock on her seat in Minnesota's 6th Congressional District. That's good for her. But, what she's having a devil of a time doing is developing her upside potential. She made a play for a leadership position in the House, and got knocked down. What's Bachmann to do? Well, glom onto the insurgent Tea Party faithful as hard as she can, and also, maybe hint that she wants to run for higher office. She's made sounds about running for the Senate, for instance. Also: she's supposedly on the mull for a shot at the 2012 nomination.

All you have to do is occasionally get this kind of press:

Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty and Representative Michele Bachmann are in Washington D.C. Thursday for a conservative conference that could help to determine who has the most potential for a possible presidential run.

Bachmann is set to speak at the Conservative Political Action Conference Thursday, which marks the start of the event.

The Minnesota Representative, who has been reported to seriously be considering a run for President, speaks in the morning.

Bang! Suddenly you're sharing the spotlight with Tim Pawlenty! Not bad.

Of course, I'm of the mind that she's simply doing this to keep all eyes on her, so that she can continue to "grow her brand." As for whether she has an authentic shot, well, let's hear what her former chief of staff, Ron Carey, has to say:

"While she passes the conservative test, my opinion from my association with her is she's not going to be an electable candidate for us," said Carey. "And even if she were elected I don't believe she would be ready for the position of the president of the United States."

Not exactly a ringing endorsement. But on the other hand, "Yes, Michele Bachmann, I would be very happy to head up your staff, and help you develop yourself as a legislator," Ron Carey said, probably, at some point in the past.

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Comments

[Davest]

02:41 PM on 03/06/2011

Palin/Bachman 2012, because Palin has WAAAAY more experience than Bachman does at being POTUS

[William Miles Floyd]

12:21 PM on 02/15/2011

Go ahead and run. Michele keeps saying she can beat the President then do it stop talking about and make it happen.

[gypsysailor]

02:42 PM on 02/14/2011

With regards to the headline. POP goes the Weasel.

[ajbiggs]

02:33 PM on 02/13/2011

Job prerequisite.......BRAINS!

[ajbiggs]

02:28 PM on 02/13/2011

Train wreck #2.....They're turning the highest position in the world into a game of musical chairs.

[lodkia]

08:39 PM on 02/12/2011

There are poor Republican women who wouldn't give these Republican women the time of day! I already posted the hint as to why. Many of us as poor and poverty stricken as we were raised our own children on our own nickels and dimes through hard work and sacrifice. There were no government checks in the mail when I was growing up!

[WilhelmOttoWolf]

08:18 PM on 02/12/2011

Michelle Bachmann is the Amway sales lady of the Republican Party.

[SouthernJewel]

08:16 PM on 02/12/2011

Babble not Bubble.

[Pennstategirl]

06:58 PM on 02/12/2011

Michelle, Michelle. Please go home, learn some history, mother your children, love your husband, volunteer at the library. Please, spare us.

[Foucek]

06:19 PM on 02/12/2011

She is the female Glen Beck.

[Steelsil]

04:55 PM on 02/12/2011

President Bachmann would be a sign of, and perhaps the cause of, the Apocalypse.

[oldgeek1]

04:34 PM on 02/12/2011

That is a wild woman

[danusgram]

04:08 PM on 02/12/2011

Bachman knows she will not be able to unseat Al Franken or Amy Klubuchar...if she ran in the major cities she would loose thus that small district she comes from is clueless as not the rest of us here in Minnesota.

[JordyB23]

08:11 PM on 02/12/2011

Ya well said. Between her and Tim, Minnesota is going to come out of this looking like idiots. I was really getting used to mocking our neighbors to the north (alaska) for their contribution to air headed politicians, I fear we may be next!

[bobncar]

02:53 PM on 02/12/2011

She won't even make senate. It's one thing to win your district when you have a district full of wealthy like minded voters but in a statewide election, she just doesn't have the juice.

[danusgram]

04:09 PM on 02/12/2011

That district is not wealthy it is middle class bastion of red necks.

[Spirited Away]

01:42 PM on 02/13/2011

She receives her campaign war chest from the Supreme Court definition of "persons."
She may well be the wealthiest person in her district.

[Cleverboots]

01:40 PM on 02/12/2011

Let her give it a try. The more she is exposed, the clearer it becomes that she will never be suitable for higher office.