(CNN) - Michele Bachmann, the only woman running for the Republican presidential nomination, questioned Monday whether sexism was a factor in the amount of questions she receives at debates.
"Sometimes you wonder about that," Bachmann said in an interview on NBC's "Today" with Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb. "I have no way of knowing."
Programming note: GOP presidential candidates face off at 8 p.m. ET Tuesday, November 22, in the CNN Republican National Security Debate in Washington, D.C.
After the last presidential debate, held in South Carolina on Nov. 12 and co-sponsored by CBS and National Journal, Bachmann cried media bias and blasted out an email chain that showed CBS News political director John Dickerson expected Bachmann to receive fewer questions than other candidates.
"I don't know if it's because I'm a woman. I have no idea. I know they deliberately chose not to do it," Bachmann said.
In response, CBS News said Bachmann stood at 4% in national polls at the time and the amount of questions she received fairly reflected her standing in the GOP horserace.
The Minnesota congresswoman frequently touts being the first woman to win the closely-watched Ames straw poll in Iowa, which measures organizational strength in the state that holds the nation's first presidential contest.
But after Texas Gov. Rick Perry jumped in the race in August and candidates such as Herman Cain and Newt Gingrich have surged to the top tier, Bachmann's numbers have dropped to the mid-single digits in most national polls.
Bachmann will take the stage again Tuesday night along with seven other candidates in the CNN Republican National Security Debate in Washington, D.C.
"It's unusual to have a woman candidate. We've never had a woman on the Republican ticket running for president at this level before," Bachmann said. "So I think it's time to let a woman speak."
From CNN Politics
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We don't mind a woman speaking, we just want a woman who is knowlegable to speak, not some crackpot like her and S. Palin who have no idea what they are talking about.
Everyone has heard what you have to say ..... guess what? We don't like it!
She has been speaking for months.
That's why her poll numbers have plummeted.
Bachmann has a skill missing with most people. You can ask her any question you want and she will give you the talking point she wants to get across. You ask her what she would do about the economy and she answer that the president has failed on foreign policy. You ask her about the federally received government payouts to her family farm, she answers about responds about Israel.
Could it be reporters have just stopped asking her questions?
Michele, I thought you said victimology was a liberal thing.
Michele darlin', why do you demean yourself BY REFERRING TO YOURSELF?
if she's being discriminated against, it's not because she's a woman (wait, she's a woman?!?), but because she's a ill informed and makes up things as she goes along. oh. and because she's been polling in the 4% area for the last month or so now. duhhh.
"I have no way of knowing."
The theme song of her campaign, as well as her overall political career.
I don't really agree with her politics, but that fact that a woman has never led the country makes one wonder how things might be different.
Sometimes conservatives crack me up. After all the time they have spent criticising people who "use" race and gender as "excuses" or to get "preferential treatment", now we have Cain playing the "race card" and Bachman playing the "gender card". I guess it's only discrimination when it's you. This is consistent with their emphasis on personal responsibility, while personally taking responsibility for nothing (Cain – "I've never done anything inappropriate in any way at any time in my entire life" Sure – you're infallable)
Wow, the victim card. Nice.
Sexism has nothing to do with your failure to bring your numbers up.
Your limited intellect, and controversial, religious-tinged,divisive stances (can't call them policies), along with the fact that you're quite frankly nuts, would suffice to explain you losing all traction in this race.
THANK THE GOOD LORD!
Put the blame squarely where it belongs, Michele: on somebody else. Don't take responsibility for your whacky claims and corporate kiss-up.
Her book is called "Core of Conviction". I only hope that someday her story will end in a conviction, followed by a long sentence.
We could listen to Hillary Clinton all day long Bachmann.
You, Palin, Angle,Fiorina, and The Witch from Delaware, not so much.
a woman should speak if she is smart and knows what she is talking about. In this ladies case, she is stupid and a disgrace to intellegent women everywhere. Good peddle your books somewhere else besides the campaign trail.
The country already has seen you in action Bachmann and you life in every category has been outed and you are insignificant in every aspect. The major thing you will have committed to is that the state of Minnesota sees what a loser you are and they have better choices to replace you. Your 15 minutes of fame has gone down in a blaze and it is not favorable .
I agree it's time to hear women speak. We need more independent minded-women in leadership positions but we don't need women who can't think on their own without their husbands approval and follow a 2000 year old book that tells them to be submissive to men.
"Time to let a woman speak" would seem to suggest they need permission. Perhaps a poor word choice. Not her first. I look forward to the US someday joining the ranks of nations to elect women leaders. Madame President sounds good to this guy. But as I judge candidates from the neck up, both Ms. Bachmann and Ms. Palin have failed dismally to impress me with their grasp of the issues or even a hint of viable solutions. I want a president whose chance of being the smartest person in the room doesn't always disappear when a second person joins them.
Women do speak all the time. Smart women get listened to and not so smart women poll at 4%. It's not gender bias. Mr. Paul and Mr. Huntsman are polling low and they had very little time in the last debate. Low polls = low debate face time.
Someone needs to tell her that she has already spoken, and then point out to her that that was the problem.
"We've never had a woman on the Republican ticket running for president at this level before."
Anyone else see the redundancy of this statement. Running for president is already a level, adding "at this level" just goes to show me that Ms. Bachmann has no business trying to run "at this level". She is ill equipped to handle the position.
Take your 4% and try to come from behind at something else!!!
I don't know if I trust this woman in peticular. There are plent of other women that I would like my wife, mother and few known politicians like Hillary Clinton. I just don't believe Bachmann is really ready to do much of anything.
When you were the toast of the town, you spoke plenty. We heard and rejected you. Not that you're just toast, shut up already. Don't like that opinion? Look in the mirror. When was the last time you actually offered something new?
Crybaby!
The problem, Michele, is when women like you spew so much unsourced and in some cases, totally outlandish things, you diminsh respect for women in general. PLEASE do some reading of credible sources before you allow anything to roll out of your mouth – if that's possible.
"Time to let a woman speak" , I fully agree Mrs. Bachman. However if I had to choose our spokesperson it would not be you or anyone named Palin. Don't fall back on your ovaries because your buzz is gone. It may have more to do with your message, rather than your gender.