Bachmann meets with Haley at South Carolina Tea Party rally
Columbia, South Carolina (CNN) - Minutes before appearing at a Tea Party rally on the steps of the South Carolina state house, Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann had a closed-door introductory meeting with Gov. Nikki Haley, who plans to offer one of the most sought-after endorsements of the presidential primary season.
Both women spoke to reporters after the rally, which drew roughly 300 sign-waving Tea Party activists to the state capitol complex in Columbia.
Bachmann, who has spent the last three days in the critical early primary state meeting with pastors, elected officials and grassroots leaders, heaped praise on Haley, calling her "engaging and very intelligent and a proven leader for the state of South Carolina."
She would not say whether she asked the governor for an endorsement, but said the two "talked about 2012 and the tremendous opportunity that there is here in South Carolina." Haley said later that Bachmann did not ask for her support.
Bachmann, though, said she is well-positioned to follow the path Haley took to the governor's mansion in 2010, going from Tea Party underdog to statewide winner.
"The people of South Carolina have demonstrated that they aren't looking necessarily at an establishment player," Bachmann said. "They want someone new and different who is a proven fighter. They have gotten that in Gov. Haley. That's what I have been. I have been a real, principled reformer."
Haley has said she plans to back a presidential hopeful before the primary but said it's too early to make that decision.
"It's a wide-open field," she said. "There's a lot of people coming inside the state. What I have told them is, they need to go and they need to campaign with the people. They need to go and be seen in every corner of the state, and when the time is right I will endorse."
Haley said the state's Tea Party movement will "only get bigger and stronger and better" during the presidential primary campaign.
Another South Carolina Tea Party favorite, state Sen. Tom Davis, told CNN in an earlier interview that establishment-type Republicans should prepare face an uphill battle in the state, which has traditionally been difficult terrain for insurgent presidential candidates.
"Anybody that comes into this state and tries to run like an establishment Republican, or tries to run as a traditional Republican is going to get his or her head handed to them," said Davis, who has been mentioned a possible primary challenger to Sen. Lindsey Graham in 2014.
If Gov. Haley had any sense she would try to keep her distance from the 6th District Psycho. She doesn't want any of Michele's stupid rubbing off on her.
Haley would be a much better candiadate than Bachman.......
so.............I do not think Bachmouth would want her on her"team"......do you?
Duh !!! meets Uh !!!! ---- Would have loved to be a little mouse during that meeting. They both love the "good ole days"; little if any taxes; small gov`t; slavery; no women voters, etc., etc.---- Oops !!!!!
the last notable movement arising out of South Carolina was the rebels firing on Ft. Sumner in 1861--– and we all know how well that went, don`t we !!!!!
" That's what I have been. I have been a real, principled reformer."
Really Bachmann? All the lies you spew and you think you're on par with Haley? Not a chance. You are the worst the Tea Party can put forth and humanity can regurgitate.
Wow, upwards of 300 people! Wonder if they had enough crowd control people?
that's really a big crowd eh? Three hundred?? What a laugh. I bet not one of them was under 60 and all were white
Yeah, but 200 of the 300 attending were Bachmann's security patrol to keep undesirables out. You know – liberals, old people, poor people, young people, people in the military, union members, teachers, Blacks, Hispanics, Muslims, Catholics, Jews, Episcopalians, Methodists, Mormons, people with a reading level above 3rd grade, Mitt Romney supporters, Al Franken.
WOW 300 WOW....1000 in Madison Saturday and 300 in SC..... WOW...IMPRESSIVE.....NOT
Only 300 idiots showed up? I thought the baggers said there would be 10,000? The tea bagger idiots are a joke! Hahaha!
Start the music the carnival has come to town.
Why dose Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann look like she's a candidate promoting mind control medication ?
Most Indians have integrity. But I'm beginning to believe this woman associates with the wrong kind. If bird's of a feather flock together, she just lost my respect.
That would be a big Klan meeting... Wait... It is a bunch of angry, white, bigots getting together to say hateful things.
Haley is a proven leader? Does Bachmann know that Haley was only took office in January? Bachman a reformer? What has she reformed? Both of these ladies are highly photogenic. Neither has any substance. Therefore, they are both formidable in South Carolina.
Why do you keep providing coverage to Tea Party "rallies" where 300 people or less show up? Why is ANY meeting of 300 or less people national news? Who cares?
300? I am underwhelmed... And how is Haley's endorsement worth much of anything? She hasn't been around long enough to have that much credence atached to her name!
Nothing can convince me otherwise that Bachmann belongs in some form of mental institution!
I thought there was more racist down there than 3 or 400? Bachmann must have held her rally,when all the Klan were in church, trying to ask God for "Forgiveness" You,ll do well in the south bachmann,alot of evangelical "Zealots" down their?
I don't know GOV. Haley but I have have heard Michele Bachmann talk , and It just another Saran Palin all mouth. Michele Bachmann does not know half about anything she talking about, and they other half all she does Is Lie and Twist people word around to make her sound good. But Really It just make her sound like a Fool. And she back by the TEA PARTY and they aren't nothing but Corporate Drones. And all the TEA PARTY does Is spread hate , LIE,and they are RACIST. They are all about making the RICH even RICHER. The Republican and as many of the TEA PARTY people have to go In 2012.
cult meeting by these ladis...like Rajneesh...
If South Carolina had any sense, they would have never voted Haley in office.
Comedy Central........