(CNN) – Former presidential candidate Michele Bachmann threw her support behind Mitt Romney on Thursday.
Standing on stage with the presumptive GOP presidential nominee at an event in Portsmouth, Virginia, the Minnesota congresswoman said she was there to "lend my voice and my endorsement to Mitt Romney as our president to take the county back."
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Bachmann invoked rhetoric she used frequently on the campaign trail and urged voters to limit President Barack Obama to one term in the White House.
"There is no question in my mind Americans will go to the polls and they’ll be saying `Mr. President you’re fired!’ and instead we will soundly stand for someone who believes in America," Bachmann said to loud cheers.
She pointed to what she called one of the biggest factors in the election –energy– and argued Romney would be the best leader to further tap into domestic resources.
"Mitt Romney’s future for America would be a legalization of American energy, a legalization of millions of high paying jobs," Bachmann said.
As she stepped aside for Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell to take the stage, Romney offered a gesture of approval.
"Beautifully done," he told her.
But the congresswoman hasn't always had kind words for her former opponent. Prior to ending her presidential bid in early January– shortly after a disappointing finish in the Iowa caucuses– Bachmann took several shots at Romney over the healthcare law he passed as Massachusetts governor.
"This is the seminal issue of Barack Obama's presidency. And this is the chief liability that Mitt Romney has going into the presidential race," Bachmann said in an interview with CNN on January 1.
She added: "He is the only governor in the history of the United States that has put into place socialized medicine in his state. And that's going to be our nominee to stand up against president Obama?"
The congresswoman, however, has repeatedly said in recent weeks it was only a matter of time before she would officially Romney.
As a candidate, Bachmann initially ran with large tea party appeal, frequently bucking what she described as the more establishment faction of the party that Romney represented.
Her endorsement comes weeks after former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum dropped out of the race, a move that essentially locked up the nomination for Romney.
Asked repeatedly why she was holding out in her support for Romney, Bachmann would not go into specifics but said she was working "behind the scenes, bringing together all factions of our party."
"As the line says in the 'Wizard of Oz,' 'All in good time, my pretty,'" Bachmann said on CNN's "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer" last week. "It will happen."
National Review first reported the news of Bachmann's upcoming endorsement.
– CNN's Jim Acosta, Peter Hamby and Ashley Killough contributed to this report.
From CNN Politics
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I want to know what Bachmann was thinking when she stood up there to day, arms opened wide and said,
"This is what Victory looks like"!
She lost! and Romney hasn't won nothing!
Who CARES! The Republican Party rejected her as their candidate for the President....why should the rest of the US CARE! Just CNN trying to stir up a story so they can keep selling their programs! It's like the lady next door endorsing the candidate. Ridiculous!
Boy the Bachman endorsment–that solidifys 20-25 votes right there.
This is news? Ridiculous!
LOL it is as simple as that folks...
Can you say "freak show".....
"Take "our" country back, to what Ms Bachmann, the 1950's ?"
Try 0050. As most people who follow this nut believe that the earth is only 5000 years old and Adam and Eve rode around on dinosaurs.
This is great! All we need now are endorsements from Bush Jr. and Palin (has she already endorsed someone?) to complete the nails on the coffin on Mittens.
Obama 2012, and bet the farm on it.
I am sure that Romney is scared to death with an endorsement from that woman. She could scare the hell out of anyone.
I wouldn't even feed Michele Bachman to my dogs, much less put any kind of substance into anything she has to say.
"Who killed my sister?"
Yeah, I can see the resemblance.
Well, that's the kiss of death for Mitten's campaign.
So a Moron endorsed an Idiot, sounds like another day on the Hill for the GOP...
I thank the Lord she's a Republican, I couldn't be part of a party that had this twit as a spokesperson....... Thank you Jesus, Thank you Lord!
Gee, she carries te same weight as Palin, zero point zero!
This is news? Must be a really slow day!
Nothing like endorsing the last man standing! Do you think she knew no one else was left to endorse or did Palin tell her?
Idiot Bachmann with her "take the country back," when what she and right-wingers mean is "take control of government back."
One whacko endorsing another whacko. Who else would she endorse since willard has already won the nomination ?
What a ringing endorsment for OBAMA
"Bachmann's Big Endorsement"... what a complete joke. NO ONE cares on bit about who Bachmann endorses.
Its like being endorsed by a large vegetable...you know it has no intelligence,its easily out witted,it has no central nervous system,it cant logically think and at any time it starts to go moldy and smell....way to go mitt!
So much for BOMBNEY, At least he's not a witch, at least I don't think so.
Everyone has their price and apparently Mitt met Michele's. Pay off her Pres. cacmpaign debt so she can move on with her reelection bid in Minnesota. I hope those Minnesotan's that support her realize how badly she sold them out.
Gee, how brave of all of these right wingers to "endorse" the last man standing. If they really believed in him, they would have done so MONTHS ago.