Michele Bachmann: Michelle Obama Trying To Implement A 'Nanny State' With Health Initiative

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) took aim at a First Lady Michelle Obama and her trademark health initiative Tuesday, claiming that her recent efforts to encourage mothers to breastfeed their children were really part of a plan to implement a new "nanny state," perhaps because she was priming for a future Senate run.

"This is very consistent with where the hard left is coming from," Bachmann said on "The Laura Ingraham Show" of Obama's effort, which urges childhood nursing as a way to reduce obesity. "For them, government is the answer to every problem."

Bachmann then explained that she had breastfed all five of her children, but argued that the concept of creating a federal program that would reward such a practice was outrageous.

"To think that government has to go out and buy my breast pump for my babies? You wanna talk about the nanny state, I think you just got a new definition," Bachmann said.

Ingraham then asked Bachmann if she saw the first lady's leadership on these health issues as evidence that she was posturing for a political career of her own.

"She might," Bachmann said, according to Politico. "Can you imagine if Laura Bush was doing that, out trying to pass her legislation? I think the media would have been after her."

Comments

[David305]

07:07 PM on 02/21/2011

And we all know how Bachmann feels about Government staying out of a woman's uterus.

[elhaow]

02:48 PM on 03/28/2011

haha - yes we do! perfect retort - love it!

[niv001]

05:49 PM on 02/20/2011

"Michelle Obama, how dare you try to make people in our country healthy! This is 'Merica, dammit!!"

[Bon1042]

01:18 AM on 02/20/2011

“I googled President Kennedy's Physical Fitness Program and this is what I found:

The President'­s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports was establishe­d as the President'­s Council on Youth Fitness, on July 16, 1956, by President Dwight D. Eisenhower after the President learned the results of a report indicating that American children were less fit than European youth. The first Council, chaired by Vice President Richard Nixon, included the Cabinet Secretarie­s as members. In 1963, President John F. Kennedy changed the name to the President'­s Council on Physical Fitness, expanded the mandate to all Americans as well as youth, and clarified the purpose and function of the Council. In 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson broadened the Council's mission to include sports and changed the name to the President'­s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. President George W. Bush signed Executive Order 13265 on June 6, 2002, announcing a reinvigora­ted Council, and introduced his Council, under the leadership of Lynn Swann, Chairman, and Dorothy ("Dot") Richardson­, Vice Chair. Through its programs, partnershi­ps, publicatio­ns, and Web sites, the Council promotes daily moderate physical activity for disease prevention and health; vigorous physical activity, stretching­, and strength training for fitness and added health benefits; and sports participat­ion, including the values of sportsmans­hip. The Council collaborat­es with federal, state, and local agencies and with the private sector and non-profit organizati­ons to achieve mutual goals and objectives­.

Look at all these presidents­' efforts, but NEVER an outcry and WHY do you suppose?”

[BMVB]

11:03 AM on 02/19/2011

I would like to survey the people in bachmann's district to understand the mind set of the people that keep reelecting this clown to congress

[urf8]

08:08 PM on 02/18/2011

When we have a GOP prez, moderates and liberals do not attack the 1st Lady, but when a Democrat is Prez, conservatives criticize, demonize, and spew filth from their treacherous fork-tongued mouths!

[JPETERB]

02:00 PM on 02/18/2011

My Mother was a socialist?
Who knew?
I love her anyway.
Hard working Dad too.

[jusathot]

12:58 PM on 02/18/2011

This is the same woman who congatulated Michael Steele with "You be da man!" She wants to say to Ms. Obama, "You be da nanny, 'Chelle!"

[pup sydney]

09:12 AM on 02/18/2011

Going after the first lady is so jobs-generating....
No wonder our country is ruined.

[goijra]

08:02 AM on 02/18/2011

So social engineering is now on the right wing agenda? Do any of these people listen to what they are actually saying? Breast feeding, really?

[petit chaton]

07:39 AM on 02/18/2011

Yeah, yeah, yeah; blah, blah, blah; Obamacare, Obamacare, Obamacare; mama grizzly, mama grizzly, mama grizzly; founding fathers, founding fathers, founding fathers; nanny state, nanny state, nanny state; tyranny, tyranny, tyranny; patriot, patriot patriot; death panels, death panels, death panels; lamestream media, lamestream media, lamestream media; etc, etc, etc...

I'm so sick of these whinny B's. Now it's breast feeding, which Bachman and Palin believe they are experts on, because, before they dried up, they once had a pair.

[p456]

08:50 AM on 02/18/2011

I love you Faved I would fan you again if I could.

[petit chaton]

09:13 AM on 02/18/2011

I thought I felt something all warm and fuzzy. Thanks, that was sweet of you.

[exhale09]

07:37 AM on 02/18/2011

You know Conservatives are in desperate straits when they actually think making an issue out of the First Lady encouraging Americans to eat healthy and breast feed their new born babies is a winner for the 2012 election.

What? Would they approve of her if she advocated for letting our children eat all the junk food they want and propping up a bottle of good ole' anti-biotic filled cow's milk for new born babies instead?

What in the heck is wrong with Conservative woman anyway? Seriously.

[p456]

08:51 AM on 02/18/2011

The old catch 22.

[dch58]

10:40 AM on 02/18/2011

:^) F&F

[pantherburns]

07:23 AM on 02/18/2011

while First Lady, Laura Bush was the leader of programs for reading and literacy and I heard nary a word of discontent from any on the left about it, but then we don't have a problem with reading. Bachmann and Palin obviously missed the boat on literacy and continue to champion that special brand of con illiteracy. Now it seems that the right has thrown another tradition out the window of not criticizing the First Lady's pet projects and has dragged this into the mud as well. This nefarious plot by Ms. Obama to encourage breast feeding and healthy eating habits flies in the face of teabagger politics that support the corporate agenda of a fat unhealthy America and children raised on expensive and unnecessary baby formula.

[exhale09]

07:23 AM on 02/18/2011

Both Bachmann and Palin had better do something fast about all those commie OBGYN's in this country who have been advising expecting mother's that breast feeding their newborns is the healthiest way to go for babies, if they are able to.

Thank goodness we have these Conservative woman who have figured out that all this time it has just been a dangerous SOCIAL ENGINEERING communist conspiracy and they are warning us now, before it's too late and those breast fed babies all grow up to take over the world.

Conservative women unite! Leglislation must be passed immediately to out law mother's commie breast milk, that should be the immediate issue of our time.

[SuperBenFranklin]

07:21 AM on 02/18/2011

She's fine with federal programs that would promote anti-abortion, but not anything that would help the babies when they pop out.

[Muzzle Me]

06:52 AM on 02/18/2011

Bachman and Palin, they remind of Lucy Ricardo and Ethel Mertz of the Lucy Show years ago. Helter-skelter, running around, stiring up the mix, cause havoc wherever they go but saying and doing very little, but they were always good for a few laughs and little else. Hey! Now, that would be a reality show for both of them together. No offense to the great comedic abilities of Lucy and the woman who played Ethel (can't remember her name).

[digitlburn]

09:48 AM on 02/18/2011

Muzzle, it was Vivian Vance (I had to look it up myself).