Michele Bachmann wows in first debate

Flying under the radar at the first debate with all of the top GOP presidential contenders, Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) showed why she's been the darling of the Tea Party movement and proved that she's vying not to be just an also ran in the election.

Her down-home folksiness and easy going demeanor allowed her to capture the attention of the audience and stand out among a crowd of serious and sometimes stiff candidates on the stage in New Hampshire. It didn't hurt that Bachmann was the only woman among the seven candidates and her slightly shorter stature allowed her to fly under the radar and steal the thunder from the more known and polished candidates.

"It's a thrill to be here tonight in the live free or die state" she said to opening applause in her introductory statement.

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She quickly hit her stride attacking government regulation. She called the Dodd-Frank wall street reform bill "over-the-top" and said it will "actually lead to more job loss." And hit on early on her favorite line of attack, on President Obama's health care reform. While the other candidates often spoke of serious policy issues and disagreements, Bachmann kept her answers conversational, folksy, and casual, but direct.

"I want to make a promise to everyone watching tonight, as president of the United States: I will not rest until I repeal Obamacare. It's a promise, take that to the bank, cash the check, I will make sure that that happens," she said.

Bachmann quickly honed her attack on the Obama administration's penchant for government regulation at the expense of job creation.

"What could the president be thinking passing a bill like this, knowing full well it will kill 800,000 jobs," she asked about health care reform, citing a government study for the statistics.

"Every time the liberals get into office, they pass an omnibus bill of big spending projects, what we need to do is pass the mother-of-all repeal bills but it's the repeal bill that will get at job killing regulations," she added, saying the Environmental Protection Agency should be renamed the "Job Killing Organization of America."

Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., answers a question during the first New Hampshire Republican presidential debate at St. Anselm College in Manchester, N.H., June 13, 2011.

/ AP Photo/Jim Cole

When asked about the influence of the tea party, the chair of the House Tea Party caucus hit her stride.

"It's a wide swath of America coming together, I think that's why the left fears it so much, because its people who simply want to take the country back, they want to country to work again," she said of the Tea Party movement.

But she didn't stop there.

"No question this election will be about economics. How will we create jobs?... It's a great story for Republicans to tell, President Obama can't tell that story... Republicans have an awesome story to tell," she said, noting the tea party's focus on the economy. But she asked Republicans to join together.

"We need everybody to come together. Because we are going to win! Make no mistake about it. I want to announce tonight: President Obama is a one-term president," she said to boisterous applause. Camera shots of the crowd showed more smiles and approval for that line than at any other time in the debate.

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Bachmann started the night with announcing her official candidacy, saying she filed the paperwork to declare her candidacy with the Federal Election Commission.

CNN host John King explained to the crowd what her filing was compared to the other candidates and joked, "I'm sure they welcome you to the fray"

Little did they know that Bachmann's easy-going, friendly demeanor coupled with her serious but not wonky policy discussions showed after the first debate that her voice will have an impact on the race whether they welcome it or not.

[JackWintner]

An excellent, on target report from Robert Hendin. Having been present at the debate, I can tell you that he got it right when he described how much Bachmann won over the crowd. My wife and I were there. I had seen Reagan on the campaign trail in 1980. I have never seen such a charismatic political figure as Bachmann. The establishment Republican who asked a worried question about how extreme the Tea Party faction was--after the debate, he said that he was inclined to vote for Bachmann.
Even my wife, who has serious concerns about Bachmann's social views, was reassured by Bachmann's eloquence on sticking to the Constitution, e.g., the President has no Constitutional or legal role as a "values czar". Bachmann said that, as President, she would have no intention of going into NH or any other state, for that matter, to repeal gay marriage.

[san850]

You are definitely in the minority with your opinion. Most consider Bachmann simply a puppet of the Tea Party/Koch Brothers...she consistently only repeats the "talking points" and "flaming rhetoric" she has been trained like a parrot to spew. She knows how to stir up her base with propaganda...and I see you obviously bought into it. Before you decide to vote for her, you need to really "listen" to her rhetoric.

[Lindag10]

Since the Republicans can't field any candidates that aren't dumber than a box of rocks, I want to nominate JV for pres. and Justme for V.P. JV/Justme 2012. Run, run, run, I'll vote for you.

[Birdman04]

Now that is funny as all get out. Poor JV hasn't a clue.

[JV1970]

Birdman04 I think someone needs to lock up the paint and glue and hide the key from you and Lindag10! Obviously you've been sniffing it again!

[robinbrand123]

We have family and friends in the state of Minnesota who have said exactly the same thing AND THEY ARE REPUBLICAN. They used the phrase "fluff without fortitude." She is after an exaggerated 15 minutes of fame. http://******/j91zRN

[notreich]

Michele Bachmann was associated with believers in an imminent end of the world and believe it or not this is tied into their belief that the Pope is the anti-Christ. Olive Tree Ministries was based out of Maple Grove, Minn. It is an evangelical Christian operation founded by a longtime Bachmann friend, Jan Markell. Their weekly radio show and a newsletter is obsessed with Israel because " we are living in the end times." After 2005 Bachmann, denied any knowledge of Olive Tree Ministries. But Markell tells reporters that she's known Bachmann for over 30 years, and says she spoke about Israel and the end times at Bachmann's church . And Bachmann's been on Markell's radio show multiple times, attended an Olive Tree Ministries conference, and left a testimonial on its website. Bachmann stood with OTM because they want the Jews to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem so that Christ can return, rapture the true Christians up to heaven, convince the Jews to worship him during the Tribulations, and then rule over the earth from Israel for 1,000 years. Before all that happens, the anti-Christ needs to show up and convince everyone he's the Messiah. When Bachmann was running for congress in 2006, her official website bio said she was a member of the Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church of Stillwater, MN., which belongs to the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. WELS is one of the very conservative "confessional" Lutheran fundamentalist denominations that maintains that the anti-Christ is the pope. WELS confirms that they still identify the anti-Christ with the Papacy. Bachmann has denied that her church believes this, but it is one of the fundamental doctrines of her church according to her Synod's doctrinal statements. The mainstream Lutheran Church of course disagrees with WELS and abhors its biblical literalism.

[JackWintner]

I was at the debate. I saw Reagan campaigning in person in 1980. But Bachmann is the most charismatic politician since FDR. Even fans of her competitors at the debate were smiling happily at her, people who did not agree with Bachmann on the issues. One of them asked her a quesiton about the tea party, the guy who s. Afterwards he said he might vote for her!

[notreich]

I know, Democrats all over the place are smiling at Bachmann (you might say like Cheshire cats) and trying to help her along. MSNBC practically piddles on the floor everytime she comes near. Why would they do that?

[justme2012]

Bachmann is correct.

Obama doesn't have a story to tell. His policies have been failures and his economic team has packed up and gone back to their tenured teaching jobs. The only one left is Turbo Tim, the stupid tax cheat, and Timmy is saying that SS and Medicare are in trouble and that we face an economic catstrophe in 50 days. Obama has no public plans to avert the crisis or deal with it. In fact for the past month he's been virtually MIA.

No wonder he's talking to his family about being a one termer. Even he's not HOPEFUL that he can convince enough idiots to vote for him again.

[notreich]

Are you trying to flip reality and say it's the Democrats who want to phase out Social Security and Medicare? Which party created them? Answer that too. And where do you get this top secret info about Obama saying himself he will be a one-termer? Perhaps God talks directly to you and says what He thinks about politics like he does to Michele Bachmann?

[WeHappyFew]

She sounded like a junior marketing assistant.

[bobbyboobee]

You got another think coming if you believe all those macho rednecks in the south are going to vote for a woman.

[justme2012]

Of course they will. Macho Southern Rednecks respect women. Their mama's taught them they better!

Your ignorance of macho men, rednecks and southerners is appalling. Bigotry is ALWAYS the result of ignorance.

[tonyatq]

Does she think Palin will let her ride into the White House on her skirt tail. Get Real.

[justme2012]

Why would she think that? Why would you think that?

I gather you thought you were being cute with the "skirt" play on words. It failed.

[san850]

Bachmann/Palin or Palin/Bachmann...what a ticket...what a gift to the Dems.

[Birdman04]

Sadly I was not impressed with her at all and never really have been.
Ron Paul is probably the most intelligent, sincere and honest of the bunch and he still has me shaking m head sometimes wondering what on earth he is thinking. The field is many but the pickin's are slim. Just my opinion.

[bobnjersey]

["No question this election will be about economics. How will we create jobs?... It's a great story for Republicans to tell,]
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oh michelle ... please tell us the story of how many jobs the republicans created in late 2008 and early 2009 ... please please ... i love that story.

talk is cheap ... and making it happen is a whole other thing.

[justme2012]

Obama failed at creating jobs despite spending trillions that we didn't have and putting that debt on the backs of teenagers who can't get jobs.

Now Obama has cut the ACG and SMART Grants for college kids so many more kids won't get the education they need. But he has no problems giving GE special tax breaks and stimulus funds so that MSNBC will be nice to him.

[bobnjersey]

[Obama failed at creating jobs despite spending trillions ]
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please provide your references to show that there have been no jobs created during his admin.

please provide any supporting evidence showing how any other approach would have filled whatever gap you believe is there.

maybe it's all just in our imagination that there's an economic issue ... as was stated in late 2008 by phil graham.