In speech to veterans, Michele Bachmann invokes Margaret Thatcher comparison
In a Thursday speech touting her ability to lead the country as Commander in Chief, Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann invoked a comparison between herself and a notoriously tough former world leader: Margaret Thatcher.
Bachmann, delivering remarks at the annual American Legion conference in Minnesota, spoke reverentially about both the former UK prime minister and former U.S. president Ronald Reagan (a more popular target of political self-comparison), citing Reagan's efforts to stop the spread of communism and Thatcher's 1982 military campaign in the Falkland Islands as admirable efforts "to reverse the course of their respective countries."
"It took two very strong leaders on the world stage, one a woman and one a man, to reverse the course of their respective countries," Bachmann said. "We should heed the lessons that they hold for those who seek to wreak havoc on peace and on democracy across the world today."
"We find ourselves in search of another Margaret Thatcher," Bachmann said, according to the Minnesota Post.
According to the Associated Press, Bachmann said the comments were meant to highlight the need for strong leadership in a difficult period: "We're in a similar time period and we need to have strong, viable leadership to see that return again today, both with the military and with the economy," she said.
The 2012 candidate's political star power appears to have waned in recent weeks as Texas Governor Rick Perry, a late entrant into the presidential race, has dominated a handful of national polls.
Moreover, the Minnesota Republican confirmed Thursday that she won't be prioritizing her campaign efforts in New Hampshire, the first-in-the-nation primary state.
Bachmann, who canceled a trip to the state in August, says she's been focusing instead on Iowa, South Carolina and Florida.
"Iowa is our main focus right now, secondly is South Carolina," Bachmann spokeswoman Alice Stewart told Politico. "We do plan to build on our efforts in New Hampshire in due time."
