Bachmann on John Wayne Gacy gaffe: I'm not perfect

AP

On day one of her presidential campaign, Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann was already insisting that she's not a "flake." Today, on day two, she's acknowledging a minor flub she made the day of her presidential kickoff speech Monday that elicited a few chuckles.

Speaking from her home town of Waterloo, Iowa on Monday, Bachmann told Fox News, "John Wayne was from Waterloo, Iowa. That's the kind of spirit that I have, too."

As the Washington Times first noted, however, the actor John Wayne was born nearly 150 miles away in Winterset, Iowa. John Wayne Gacy, Jr. -- the serial killer -- was born in Waterloo.

Bachmann addressed the mistake on CNN Tuesday morning, saying, "People can make mistakes and I wish I could be perfect every time I say something, but I can't."

The parents of John Wayne the actor lived in Waterloo for a time, she pointed out. But the technicalities were beside the point, she added.

"Of course, the main point I was making are the sensibilities of John Wayne, which is patriotism, love of country, standing up for our nation, that positive enthusiasm is what America's all about," Bachmann said.

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The Tea Party Republican starts her campaign with a reputation for at times stretching the truth and mixing up facts.

However, she's proven to be a serious political contender when it comes to the polls and fundraising. A recent Des Moines Register poll of Iowa Republican voters shows she's in a statistical dead heat with Mitt Romney for the lead in the nation's first presidential nominating contest (which is, albeit, seven months away).

After Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace asked Bachmann if she's a flake, the congresswoman said, "It's insulting to insinuate that a candidate for president is less than serious."

She later accepted his personal apology after he called her.

21 Photos

Michele Bachmann on the campaign trail

[Mysticsc]

John Wayne Gacy was a born on St. Patrick's Day 1942 at Edgewater Hospital in Chicago

[JV1970]

All of this is a big to do about nothing! The media is very good at blowing things out of proportion and that's what they've done in this case! This was a simple slip of the tongue and should be simply dismissed.

[bobnjersey]

["Of course, the main point I was making are the sensibilities of John Wayne, which is patriotism, love of country, standing up for our nation, that positive enthusiasm is what America's all about," Bachmann said.]
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actually ... she's showing that she also shares some of the same sensibilities of john wayne gacey ... charming but manipulative ... intelligent and cunning ... says one thing and does another ... avoids the exposure of his true self until after he's done irrepairable damage to many.

[JV1970]

I doubt that Bachmann has ever murdered anyone, though, and buried their remains under her house though!

[bobnjersey]

[The Tea Party Republican starts her campaign with a reputation for at times stretching the truth and mixing up facts.]
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she'll be ending her campaign very soon w/ the same reputation.

[nanc12]

by chevyhotrod June 29, 2011 10:00 AM EDT
Why is that, because she is a conservative and doesn't believe or have the same values as yourself?

Only liberal woman are smart, creative and competent?

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No, it's because she's incompetent. I'm sure there are many repub women legislators who are way more qualified to run than Bachmann or Palin in terms of intelligence, experience, etc. The problem is, they're probably not as good looking. Repubs seem to want someone who looks good on a Harley or who has been told by God to run. So they put up Bachmann, Palin, Angle or O'Donnell. Put up a woman who is competent, and women will be thrilled to vote for her. It's just insulting to all women to put these airheads out as the best you can do.

[JV1970]

I disagree! I'm a woman and I plan to vote for Palin if she decides to run but if not, I also like Bachmann. She is very high on my list of alternatives!

[Jaylah54]

But wouldn't you think that you might take a bit more care to make sure that what you said in your official campaign kick-off speech was correct? I mean, this wasn't some spontaneous, off-the-cuff remark.

Not Michele! Airhead Palin taught her well.

[nanc12]

If a small town like Waterloo is really your "hometown," you should know that John Wayne Gacy was a native son. She was trying to establish her Iowa roots, and instead showed how clueless about Iowa she really is.

[JV1970]

Jaylah54 don't you or nanc12 ever make mistakes? I certainly do and if you're human then so do you! I imagine the minute the words came out of Bachmann's mouth she realized her mistake but words once spoken can't be taken back. We all make mistakes, though, and sometimes say things that we regret because we're human!

[magik1369]

Bachman is not only not perfect, she is lucky if her IQ tops 75. The national IQ avg. is a pathetic 94, 28th in the world...and the republican want to severely cut education. Bachman is a ditzy airhead and anyone with an IQ above a monkey can easily perceive it. Perception and discernment are advanced faculties of consciousness and correlate directly with intelligence levels. Republicans have an appetite for stupidity and for stupid people in general, which is all based in projection. They figure "candidate A is aggressive, stupid, and narcissistic and is a lot like I am, so I will vote for candidate A. The heck with those fancy elite educated folks." Which is complete idiocy. This is why this country is in the condition it is...we allow any Tom, Dick and Jane, to run for the highest offices in the land, even though they are not remotely qualified. Bachman and Palin prove my point. I rest my case.

[JV1970]

Apparently the Republicans don't have a monopoly on idiots, though! Judging from your comment the Democrats have their fair share of them! I rest my case.

[JRC_903]

If this women is NOT a "flake," she is going a pretty good imitation of one. For the second time in recent memory a female politician is unraveling years of progress that smart, creative, competent women have made toward establishing themselves as serous people.

[magik1369]

she is indeed an idiot and a ditzy, airhead flake. Your observation has nothing to do with her being a "conservative." Watch out, all the victim complexes of the republicans are going to come out and the republicans are going to cry foul because they chose another loser, low IQ candidate. Birds of a feather flock together. There is no way Americans are going to allow Bachman to get anywhere near the White House. Civil war would break out first.

[fwd23515]

The Merriam-Webster definition of "vacuous":

1: emptied of or lacking content
2: marked by lack of ideas or intelligence : stupid, inane
3: devoid of serious occupation : idle

[HemiHead66]

Bachmann even made a fool of herself with all of that Obama bashing over Big-Govt. and spending, Turns out she's just as bad as all the rest. Before the earmark ban, she got 3.7 million in pork for her district. As a state senator it was 60 million. Then there's farm subsidies - I mean Govt. welfare - that she received for the family farm. And she is listed as a partner in that Biz. And last but not least, all of her free-market Bull went right out the window when she pushed for the GOVT. bailout of the pork & dairy industries in Minnesota. The Govt. bailing out Pork & dairy in Minnesota is a-okay, but auto bailouts in Michigan = Big-Govt. interfering in the free-market. Go Figure!

[aintfakin]

sounds like you are the biggest hypocrite in history

[magik1369]

How could the people of Minnesota elect such a complete idiot? It is mind boggling how people with below avg. IQs can be elected to the highest offices in the land.