Michele Bachmann: 'I Radically Abandoned Myself To Jesus Christ'

LYNCHBURG, Va. — Michele Bachmann on Wednesday told Christian students at Liberty University in Virginia "don't settle" for easy personal and political choices in life.

During a half-hour address to some 10,000 students at Liberty's weekly campus-wide convocation, she briefly tied a message mostly about personal values and responsibility to an appeal to reject President Barack Obama's agenda, including his health care reforms.

She made no mention of her GOP primary rivals in a talk laced with Scripture that took on the tone of a sermon.

Badly trailing front-runners Rick Perry and Mitt Romney and struggling in national polls, Bachmann sought a breakout moment with her base of support – Christian conservatives.

Liberty's chancellor, Jerry Falwell Jr., said Bachmann won a recent student straw poll over the GOP field, largely because of her evangelical roots.

Bachmann evoked a few standing ovations and an occasional amen in speaking of her conversion to Christianity and how she would set her alarm for 5 a.m. as a teen so she could wake and read the Bible.

"Even though I hadn't been a drinker, even though I never did drugs, ... even though I hadn't been chasing around, it didn't matter. I was a sinner," she said. "I radically abandoned myself to Jesus Christ."

She called the issue of abortion "the watershed issue of our time," noting that she had five children of her own and that she and her husband, Marcus, who joined her onstage had taken in 23 foster children. She used it to pivot into a broadside against Obama's health care reforms.

"Obamacare is the first time in the history of our nation that we have taxpayer-subsidized abortions," she said. "When it comes to Obamacare – and I have been involved in this fight for some time now – I will tell you, unless we repeal (it) in 2012, we will have socialized medicine for the United States' future."

And the applause lines kept coming.

The leader of the House's Tea Party Caucus said conservatives have to stand against federal takeovers of U.S. industries, including the automotive, banking and insurance industries the government bailed out during the recession.

"And we can't settle when it comes to America standing up for our greatest ally in the world, Israel," Bachmann said.

The conservative congresswoman also signaled that she plans to be "the comeback kid" in the race for the Republican presidential nomination.

Former president Bill Clinton earned the same label after making a comeback in the wake of controversy to finish in second place in the 1992 New Hampshire primary.

The "don't settle" theme has become the dominant message of Bachmann's campaign in recent days. She hit it hard in appearances in Iowa on Monday.

Comments

[GaryNOVA]

01:12 AM on 10/30/2011

Theres absolutely nothing wrong with being a Christian. but there is a level you can take religion to that verges on mental illness. Bachman is way past verging.

[Beermachine Jones]

01:14 PM on 10/07/2011

Never felt sorry for Jesus until now.

[Stephen Thorpe]

02:55 AM on 10/02/2011

Does she hear voices? Do they tell her to do things? ((((((((((Armageddon is near)))))))))

[notsotupelohoney]

09:10 AM on 10/01/2011

She won a student straw poll at Liberty University. Then, let her be president of the school and leave the rest of us the he11 alone.

[97034Leftofcenter]

12:16 PM on 10/04/2011

Excellent idea, that is about all she is capable of, if even that.

[kencrn419]

07:00 AM on 10/01/2011

That woman radically abandoned sanity a LONG time ago.

[dogman44]

04:57 AM on 10/01/2011

Come on Jesus! Hurry down here and do me! Can't you see it in my eyes? I've gone
mad in my lust for you, you hunk! Please call me soon.
Michele

[Alyse73]

01:42 AM on 10/01/2011

Where does it state in the bible Jesus was against healthcare? Doesn't the bible say the opposite of what most GOPs stand for? Besides Jesus could'nt be President b/c he wasn't born here!

[Heckroth]

02:36 PM on 10/05/2011

Also, he didn't live to age 35, which is the minimum age to be president in the U.S.A.

[Beermachine Jones]

01:30 PM on 10/07/2011

He was kind of famous for being a healer.

Against healthcare?

If you believe the Bible, Jesus WAS healthcare.

[smcircle]

11:27 PM on 09/30/2011

In a country where separation of church and state is so very important, a free country with the Constitution we have, these are reasons to run away from those who use their religion as a righteous reason to elect them. There should be no religion used as an element of reason to elect anyone in a free society. The US founding fathers put Freedom Of Religion in because King George wouldn't allow for any religion other than his. The Pilgrims ran from England because they were being heavily persecuted for their Christian beliefs by other Christians. No one should be allowed to use their religion as guidance to over rule any one elses beliefs. To use ones religious beliefs to govern in a free society is and should be arrested for treason. It is wrong and it is unconstitutional therefore it shouldn't be an element in running for office or while performing the duties of office. We should rely on moral and ethical codes to guide our professional actions and our religious beliefs would be for our off time and for when we are with our families. Bachmann is a major turn off for doing this for public consumption and she doesn't need to turn the public off more that she generally does.

[EmilyRose 85]

04:55 PM on 10/03/2011

I couldn't agree more, but Bachmann is all the more frightening because she believes the separation of church and state is nonsense. She follows an obscure theory that the Founders genuinely wanted to create a Christian government.

[Beermachine Jones]

01:31 PM on 10/07/2011

Yes. In a nutshell, she's quite deranged about it.

[awckid3]

11:16 AM on 10/22/2011

You Lie! signed MB.

[Docdearth2]

10:36 PM on 09/30/2011

Bachman and Evangelicals are a bunch of "Baba Booey's."

[kencrn419]

10:34 PM on 09/30/2011

Jesus should sue her for defamation of character.

She truly is nu ttier than a squirrel t urd.

[oldstuff]

10:15 PM on 09/30/2011

""don't settle" for easy personal and political choices in life." That sounds exactly what you do when you "Radically Abandoned Yourself To Jesus Christ'. In fact it is the exact definition of settling for easy personal and political choices in life.

[che guevara]

08:35 PM on 09/30/2011

well I hope it didn't hurt too much

[awckid3]

11:20 AM on 10/22/2011

surgery may be required

[Hivoltaghe]

07:58 PM on 09/30/2011

She may as well have said "I radically abandoned free will and will do what I am told if elected president".

[altosax]

07:47 PM on 09/30/2011

" I will tell you, unless we repeal (it) in 2012, we will have socialized medicine for the United States' future."

For once, Michelle, I hope you're right.

[Rachel Buckley]

07:38 PM on 09/30/2011

Oh good lord, let me get my passport in order. If this woman is elected I am so outta here!