Tea party activist Ned Ryun wants Michele Bachmann to drop out

U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann and Republican candidate for president speaks at the Commonwealth Club of California on October 20, 2011 in San Francisco.

/ Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Rep. Michele Bachmann owes much of the support that fueled her presidential campaign to her ties to the Tea Party, is now finding out that the fiercely decentralized movement can be a double-edged sword. One of her fellow Tea Partiers is calling for Bachmann to move on.

"It's time for Michele Bachmann to go," Ned Ryun, president and founder of a Tea Party group he named "American Majority," wrote on the group's blog. Ryun said that Bachmann, the founder of the House tea party caucus, should pull the plug on her campaign out of respect for the activists she purports to represent.

"Every day the campaign flounders, it risks hurting the credibility of the movement," Ryun wrote.

"It is clear that the campaign has become less about reform and more about her personal effort to stay relevant and sell books," he added.

Bachmann campaign manager Keith Nahigian dismissed Ryun as a supporter of Texas Gov. Rick Perry and contended his opinions do not represent those of the movement activists.

"Michele Bachmann enjoys strong support from Americans across party lines and that certainly includes the Tea Party," Nahigian said in a prepared statement.

However Perry has emphasized his ties to the evangelical movement, and Ryun in his blog post criticizes Bachmann for doing the same. The congresswoman is de-emphasizing the Tea Party's message of limited government and highlighting "social issues and religion" in an effort to pick up more support from Republican caucus and primary voters, he wrote. Ryun called ta strategic mistake.

"Those fiscal issues which attract Republicans, independents, and conservative Democrats alike must continue to be the focus," he wrote.

[zenia5]

@JV1970....Bottom line: Religion/social issues should be kept out of politics. Our Founding Fathers wanted it that way...no matter how you want to change history. Those types of decisions are very personal and should be left for families and individuals to decide....NOT the U.S. Government. Most Repubs scream for "smaller, less intrusive government" yet want the government to make the most personal decisions for Americans. You can't have it both ways.

You want leaders who will legislate everyone else's morals....and it cannot be done. If you'll notice, the candidates who are dropping like flies are the very ones who place their self-righteous social issues above important fiscal issues...rightfully so.

[Lindag10]

You know Zenia, I've come to the conclusion these religious zealots need their OWN country where everyone believes the same thing they do. Of course if that ever happened, the reglious wars would erupt over some interpretation of the Bible. I was toying with some yo-yo on another board over the "founding religion" the country. When I tried to discover the NAME of this "religion" I was told it was "faith in Jesus Christ and adherence to the Bible". Since faith isn't a religion, I told the person that was made up BS, which of course went over like a lead balloon. And "adherence to the Bible" is obviously whatever the person reading the Bible decides it means. BTW the person also believes that Muslims are here to "take over" the country. Go figure.

[JV1970]

zenia5 and Lindag10 Needless to say I don't agree with either of you about much of anything and never will. I want to return this country to the religious principles it was founded on and you don't believe it was founded on religious principles. We fundamentally disagree about nearly everything and that will never change.

You say that we can't elect religious leaders. I know differently. They certainly can be elected if all of the Christians in this country get out and vote next November!

[leonardosobe]

If I was Sarah (reporter covering Michelle's campaign for CBS) I'll be looking a for a new job or project.

[thomasmc1957]

Aw, let her stay. She reminds normal people what nutjobs the Tea Party really are.

[robbysandiego]

From The Christian Post > Politics|Oct. 25 2011:
"Noted Christian evangelist and television personality Pat Robertson said on Monday he believes the Republican Party is becoming too "extreme" and if continued, it will lead the President Obama winning a second term in November 2012." Wow, even Pat Robertson is asking her to tone it down a bit.
I doubt Bachmann will listen to this advice, but I sincerely hope she will stay in the race. The more publicity she gets, the better for Minnesota's 6th district. She will deplete her campaign funds, wear out her supporters, make more insane comments and give everyone something fun to watch. I can't wait to see what she comes up with in her re-election campaign and watch her self destruct.

[Lindag10]

That's from the man who wants to use the Republican party to estabish a theoracy in the US? Even though Robertson has an agenda, he's smart enough to know you can't move too quickly to take over without people seeing what the REAL plan is.

[zenia5]

So true. Pat Robertson stated publicly several years ago that evangelicals would "use" the Republican party to "gain dominion over all Americans". That effort is what we are witnessing today in the GOP with radical, irrational candidates like Bachmann, Perry and others (almost Palin).

[stn_sage]

The point is, Bachmann was never actively recruited by the Tea Party Movement to represent them! She moved in, and usurped their support needing some type of "base" support to move forward from!

Groups like the Tea Party stand for specific things. As Bachmann
waffles on issues, to accumulate supporters, she gets away from
specific stances that groups like this stand for!

So, Ryun has a point! Regardless, of who he personally supports
now! When she stops standing for the stances supported by Tea Party members, she stops representing them! Period.

So, it's time to stop waffling, OR, move on and coop the support of some other group!

[Lindag10]

by JV1970 October 28, 2011 3:08 PM EDT
Lindag10 Wrong! I DO have health insurance but I just hate to see people who are already struggling to have to pay another monthly bill that they can't afford! I think those that can't afford health insurance should be given good FREE health insurance instead of the government adding to their financial woes and forcing more of them to have to depend on food stamps and to have to go to their local food pantries for help. And another thing, if this monster is enforced more and more children will be left home alone because their parents won't be able to afford to pay for both health care insurance and daycare.


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"good FREE health insurance" for those who can't afford it? JV you're a "closet liberal". That's what all rational people in this country REALLY want and your beloved Republican party has been fighting tooth and nail against forever. The candidates you support are ALL against the very thing you say you're in favor of. WOW!!!

[zenia5]

Just goes to show you that JV will support anyone who has an (R) behind their name (especially if they are an opponent of Pres. Obama), whether their ideology matches hers or not. Evidently she, like the GOP, sees their primary goal as making sure they get rid of this President.....versus doing what is right for the country and all Americans.

[Lindag10]

Slow: Yeah, it's called being hoist with your own petard. LMAO

[Lindag10]

by JV1970 October 28, 2011 12:20 PM EDT
Bisk1 That awful healthcare bill that's about to be forced on us if the Supreme Court doesn't rule it unconstitutional is one thing that makes him a joke!

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I gather you're referring to Obama and the health care reform act that prevents insurance companies from denying coverage to people with pre-existing conditions, stops them from kicking people off who have "too many claims" and allows parents to keep their adult children who don't have health insurance on their policies to age 26. If you think that's awful, that's your opinion. I think that it's a good thing.

[JV1970]

It also FORCES people to buy health care even when they can't afford it and will only add to the list of bills that they are already struggling to pay every month. If it's enforced there will be many people who will have to do without food or utilities to pay their monthly insurance premium. I also personally think people were too quick to say that Sarah Palin was wrong about the death panels. If that thing is enforced I think you'll find out the hard way that she was right! I hope and pray that the Supreme Court has the good sense to rule it unconstitutional!

[Lindag10]

Since you appear to hate health reform so much, I'm beginning to think YOU don't have health insurance and that's the root of your hatred for it. Then there's another problem, neither you or any of your T'bag friends seem to be willing to care for those in need anyway so why should you care if people have to do without?

[Lindag10]

by JV1970 October 28, 2011 11:47 AM EDT
You forget that Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann are friends.


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JV are you REALLY that naive??? They're friends like two sorority sisters running for Homecoming queen are "friends". HAHAHAHA

[Lindag10]

Slow: That's good, although Sarah really seems to be into tight white sweaters since her boob job. BTW I saw Empire George masquerading as you with an extra _ after your name....Sigh.

[DCMixMstr]

When she said something about "she can make gas prices drop to $2 a gallon OVERNIGHT if she was president", that was enough to let me know she has NO credibility at all in this race. Now all they have to do is vote her out in Minnesota and the job will be complete.

[MTATL67]

Typical extremist mentality. "You are not winning, we have to cut you lose.". I do not support Rep. Bachmann but extremist groups like this only use people. They have no loyalty. Remember from history class. The Night of the Long Knives the wiping out of the SA's leadership. The SA were men that were with Hitler from the beginning and he killed them all for political reasons. What Ned Ryun is doing is along the same lines and proves yet again that Tea party not hold up, follow or embrace American Idles.