How Bachmann Could Win

[no_hypocrisy]

Romney is clearly the front-runner for the GOP nomination. But as Michael Tomasky notes, Bachmann’s fundraising prowess places her at the head of the anti-Romney pack.


If you’re not yet taking Michele Bachmann’s candidacy seriously, this may be the week to start. Two polls have arrived show her leading in Iowa, and digging deeper into the numbers—looking at highly motivated caucus-goers, for example—suggests that her lead is even larger than the polls indicate. And then there are her fundraising numbers, which she’ll probably announce this Friday. She won’t beat Mitt Romney, who already announced an $18.5 million take. But she may well announce $7 or $8 million, which would put her well ahead of the rest of the field. It’s all teeing up. Or “tea”-ing up. Depending on which way history’s winds are blowing next spring, Bachmann could very well win the nomination.


First let’s dispense with the mechanics. The non-Romneys have all raised in the range of $4 million or so. That’s awfully small potatoes (remember that Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama raised $25 and $30 million, respectively, in the same quarter of 2007). Bachmann has always been strong on money. She was in fact the top fundraiser in the House last year among Republicans, hauling in $13.5 million for what initially looked to be a tough race. As was true of Obama in 2007-08, she gets most of her money (far more than he did, in fact) from small donors, with an average donation of $619.34, suggesting the presence of a large army of people out there who have the money and will to write her one, two, three, or more $500 checks as the nominating process goes on. That will sustain her through the early contests, perhaps even through a loss or two. Assuming she delivers on these apparent quasi-leaks and reports a number in the range of $7 to $8 million, she becomes the clear number two in the field.

-more-


http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/07/13/michele-bachmann-how-she-could-win-the-republican-nomination.html

[Gman]

1. Unless the genetically engineered stupid virus that has infected the GOP

goes airborne and infects the entire country, there is no chance she would win in November 12.

[pnwmom]

5. Or the election could be stolen.

Or maybe Nader will decide that this is the perfect time to run again.

Not that that's ever happened.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

15. I think the nation is too aware of such tactics to allow that again.

And Nader is an old washed-up has-been. He will not be running again; his credibility is shot.

[Gman]

17. I think there's too many Republicans

that would not want to steal it for Palin. They don't like the wingnuts either.

[SoutherDem]

2. Republican nominee Bachmann

I think this could happen, if it is between her and Romney, the fact that he is a Mormon and she is right-wing Christian may be enough to swing the nomination.

Part of me hopes so because I can't believe she could win the general election. The other part is scared senseless because I didn't think "W" could win two time, of course it took a little cheating and the Supreme Court, but that could happen again.

[elocs]

3. Think back over the last 40 years of the Democratic candidates.

Try and consider them from the point of view of the right. Some of them were so far to the left that they did not have a chance of being elected and got slaughtered at the polls.

Yes, I believe that there is a way Bachmann could get the nomination, that is if the Republicans and Teahadists do not care that the majority of the electorate are much to the left of them.

The point of nominating a candidate is to choose one that can actually be elected as opposed to granting the fantasies of the extremes of either party. The only chance a candidate from the extreme of either party has is if the other party also chooses an extremist.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

4. I hope she's the GOP pick

Obama won't even have to campaign.

[pnwmom]

6. You remember that when she wins.

You don't think an election could be stolen?
Or that a third party person such as Nader couldn't jump in to siphon votes from Obama?

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

8. An election could be stolen with a legit looking candidate like Romney

She is not legit.

[pnwmom]

11. Complacency is our worst enemy. n/t

[Hutzpa]

7. Bachmann?? Sarah Palin 2.0 without the use of guns in her vocabulary...

you have just made my day.

hallelujah trail... ha.ha.

[TlalocW]

9. It doesn't matter - Perry is going to jump in

And he'll more than likely shoot to the top of the candidates because he's already got the backing of a lot of the religiously insane bigwigs who are going to pump up his campaign. Romney's support is tepid at best because republicans are having to pretend his Mormonism doesn't bother him so Perry would take his support away from him. He'll also make inroads on Bachmann, taking away voters who on the fence about supporting a woman as well as some of the tea-bagger support as he's thrown them a few bones and has cred with them from having talked about Texas seceding from the US. He's dumb as a rock, but that doesn't matter to republicans, and if his handlers are smart, they could probably give Bachmann the veep spot because even with all her baggage, she can rein in her ego long enough to be second banana unlike Palin who needed to make everything about her.

TlalocW

[GreenStormCloud]

10. Don't underestimate Perry.

There is an extremely strong tendency here to label any Republican as "stupid". Doing so blinds you to an opponents strengths. Perry is a strong skillful campaigner who has never lost an election. At a time when umemployment will be the major issue Perry will point to the fact that about 40% of the new jobs in the entire U.S. are being created in Texas. That Perry doesn't deserve the credit doesn't matter as he will claim it. Most of the electorate doesn't do nuances too well and will allow Perry to claim the credit because he is the Texas governor.

[Snoutport]

13. +1 Perry and Bachmann is a scary combo

[Hutzpa]

16. It's a scary combo alright

the thrash talking and the thrash talking VP, one is asking for secession and the other
is looking to counsel Ex Gay people... ha ha can't wait.

Please please please rethuglican make my day.:hippie:

[MadMaddie]

12. She may win the Republican nomination

but her character and make up are like Palins when the pressure mounts the insanity leaks out of her mouth even more. Her husband is a huge liability and they could be looking at Fraud for getting government money to fund their clinics that supposedly cure the Gayness out of people..

[eridani]

14. IF the economy seriously tanks, a totally unqualified asshole could beat Obama

It isn't clear yet whether that will happen or not.