May 23, 2013

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Michele Bachmann Babysat Gretchen Carlson (VIDEO)

First Posted: 11/22/11 04:15 PM ET Updated: 11/22/11 05:20 PM ET

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"Fox and Friends" host Gretchen Carlson reminisced on Tuesday about her childhood babysitter -- GOP presidential candidate Michele Bachmann.

Bachmann was on Carlson's show to promote her memoir, and she talked about how she had to become a babysitter in order to help her family make ends meet. Carlson then put up a picture of herself and Bachmann in a pool together. She said the thing she loved the most about Bachmann was her long hair.

"My Cher period," Bachmann said, adding that she was a "very good babysitter."

Bachmann also discussed her appearance on "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon" the night before — though she did not mention the boos she received or the highly controversial song The Roots chose to introduce her with.

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Background on Michele Bachmann:

More Culture Warrior Than Legislator?

1 of 14

In Matt Taibbi's Rolling Stone profile of Bachmann, he claims that Bachmann's efforts to portray herself as a righteous and religious culture warrior prompt additional questions and skepticism:

Bachmann's story, to hear her tell it, is about a suburban homemaker who is chosen by God to become a politician who will restore faith and family values to public life and do battle with secular humanism. But by the time you've finished reviewing her record of lies and embellishments and contradictions, you'll have no idea if she actually believes in her own divine inspiration, or whether it's a big con job. Or maybe both are true -- in which case this hard-charging challenger for the GOP nomination is a rare breed of political psychopath, equal parts crazed Divine Wind kamikaze-for-Jesus and calculating, six-faced Machiavellian prevaricator. Whatever she is, she's no joke.

Despite skepticism and opposition from some, however, Bachmann's particular blend of conservatism has undoubtedly propelled her to the top tier of the GOP, at least in the public eye. Her legislative record, both as a state representative and a congresswoman, however, has been less impressive. Bachmann's legislative deficiencies most recently arose when then-Republican presidential candidate and former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty claimed that his rival's legacy amounted to "giving speeches and offering failed amendments," and that her "record of accomplishment in Congress is nonexistent." Politifact deemed this charge to be "Mostly True," hanging their judgment in part on a Politico piece that summarized her meager accomplishments as such:

Now in her third House term, Bachmann has never had a bill or resolution she's sponsored signed into law, and she's never wielded a committee gavel, either at the full or subcommittee level. Bachmann's amendments and bills have rarely been considered by any committee, even with the House under GOP control. In a chamber that rewards substantive policy work and insider maneuvering, Bachmann has shunned the inside game, choosing to be more of a bomb thrower than a legislator.

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In Matt Taibbi's Rolling Stone profile of Bachmann, he claims that Bachmann's efforts to portray herself as a righteous and religious culture warrior prompt additional questions and skepticism:

Bachmann's story, to hear her tell it, is about a suburban homemaker who is chosen by God to become a politician who will restore faith and family values to public life and do battle with secular humanism. But by the time you've finished reviewing her record of lies and embellishments and contradictions, you'll have no idea if she actually believes in her own divine inspiration, or whether it's a big con job. Or maybe both are true -- in which case this hard-charging challenger for the GOP nomination is a rare breed of political psychopath, equal parts crazed Divine Wind kamikaze-for-Jesus and calculating, six-faced Machiavellian prevaricator. Whatever she is, she's no joke.

Despite skepticism and opposition from some, however, Bachmann's particular blend of conservatism has undoubtedly propelled her to the top tier of the GOP, at least in the public eye. Her legislative record, both as a state representative and a congresswoman, however, has been less impressive.

Bachmann's legislative deficiencies most recently arose when then-Republican presidential candidate and former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty claimed that his rival's legacy amounted to "giving speeches and offering failed amendments," and that her "record of accomplishment in Congress is nonexistent."

Politifact deemed this charge to be "Mostly True," hanging their judgment in part on a Politico piece that summarized her meager accomplishments as such:

Now in her third House term, Bachmann has never had a bill or resolution she's sponsored signed into law, and she's never wielded a committee gavel, either at the full or subcommittee level. Bachmann's amendments and bills have rarely been considered by any committee, even with the House under GOP control. In a chamber that rewards substantive policy work and insider maneuvering, Bachmann has shunned the inside game, choosing to be more of a bomb thrower than a legislator.

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More Culture Warrior Than Legislator?

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In Matt Taibbi's Rolling Stone profile of Bachmann, he claims that Bachmann's efforts to portray herself as a righteous and religious culture warrior prompt additional questions and skepticism:

Bachmann's story, to hear her tell it, is about a suburban homemaker who is chosen by God to become a politician who will restore faith and family values to public life and do battle with secular humanism. But by the time you've finished reviewing her record of lies and embellishments and contradictions, you'll have no idea if she actually believes in her own divine inspiration, or whether it's a big con job. Or maybe both are true -- in which case this hard-charging challenger for the GOP nomination is a rare breed of political psychopath, equal parts crazed Divine Wind kamikaze-for-Jesus and calculating, six-faced Machiavellian prevaricator. Whatever she is, she's no joke.

Now in her third House term, Bachmann has never had a bill or resolution she's sponsored signed into law, and she's never wielded a committee gavel, either at the full or subcommittee level. Bachmann's amendments and bills have rarely been considered by any committee, even with the House under GOP control. In a chamber that rewards substantive policy work and insider maneuvering, Bachmann has shunned the inside game, choosing to be more of a bomb thrower than a legislator.

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