Bachmann for President?

**Posted by Phineas

Color me less than thrilled:

CNN has exclusively learned that Rep. Michele Bachmann will form a presidential exploratory committee. The Minnesota Republican plans to file papers for the committee in early June, with an announcement likely around that same time.

But a source close to the congresswoman said that Bachmann could form the exploratory committee even earlier than June so that she could participate in early Republican presidential debates.

“She’s been telling everyone early summer,” the source told CNN regarding Bachmann’s planned June filing and announcement. But the source said that nothing is static.

“If you [debate sponsors] come to us and say, ‘To be in our debates, you have to have an exploratory committee,’ then we’ll say, ‘Okay, fine…I’ll go file the forms.'”

Three GOP presidential primary debates are planned before and during early June: The first one on May 2 at the Ronald Reagan Library in Simi Valley, California and another on May 5 in South Carolina. CNN plans a GOP presidential primary debate in New Hampshire in early June.

Meanwhile, CNN has also learned that Iowa Republican state Sen. Kent Sorenson will likely be hired to be Bachmann’s political director for the state – and that Bachmann aides hope to have a complete team together for Iowa by this weekend.

Sorenson is a prominent Tea Party figure in Iowa and holds sway with evangelicals in the state. He has publicly said he will support Bachmann if she mounts a presidential bid.

Don’t get me wrong; I like Michele Bachmann quite a bit. She represents an important voice on the Right of the Republican Party, she is an intelligent* advocate for low-tax/fiscally responsible/limited government principles, and is becoming a force in the House of Representatives. She looks to have along career ahead of her as an important lawmaker, perhaps even moving on to the Senate to displace Klobuchar or Franken.

And that’s why I don’t like this news: nothing I’ve seen in her says “president” rather than “legislator.” It’s the difference between an executive’s “temperament” and that of a legislator, and Bachmann strikes me as a natural —and good— legislator.

Also, this has me worried that her House seat will be at risk. If she seriously runs for president, she won’t be able to run for reelection to the House. Unless there’s a quirk in Minnesota that allows simultaneous campaigns, of course, but then how seriously will anyone take her in either race when she’s running for both? Or, if the presidential campaign fizzles out after, say, six months, and she decides to run for reelection, will she have time to mount an effective campaign? Her seat was heavily targeted by the Democrats in 2010, and you can bet your bottom dollar they’ll go for it even harder if they think it’s an open seat.

And letting those progressive clowns take any seat is unacceptable.

Like Paul Ryan (R-WI), Bachmann is someone I’d like to see in the House for the next ten years, helping to craft important reforms to undo the damage the Democrats and Republican statists have done and fighting for the principles of limited government. And I’d hate for her to give up that seat at the table for what is at best a quixotic** run for higher office.

PS: To answer the obvious retort, “You’re a Palin backer and you’re afraid Bachmann will steal votes from your girl!”, ummm… yes and no. Yes, I’m a Palinista. But, no, that’s not why I dislike the idea of “Bachmann in 2012.” I’m generally of the “more the merrier” school for the early primaries, confident that the process will thin the herd down to the best candidates. Therefore, let everyone compete and present their ideas, and let voters decide. That includes Bachmann, but, as I outlined above, I don’t think it’s her best move at all.

*As are many conservative women in politics, who’ve been routinely slagged in the media for the occasional gaffe, while the faux-pas of liberal males get the silent treatment.

**Passing petty thought: This wouldn’t be a response to being passed over for a House leadership position in November, would it?

via Big Government

LINKS: More at Hot Air and Pirate’s Cove.

(Crossposted at Public Secrets)

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