Bachmann accuses Perry camp of 'stealth' political attack
(CNN) - Michele Bachmann accused Rick Perry's presidential campaign Friday of a "stealth" political attack - a charge the Texas governor's campaign flat out denied.
"If Gov. Perry has something to say to me, he can come out to the debates and say it," Bachmann said in an interview with CNN. "But this is egg on the face unfortunately for the Perry campaign."
At issue: tea party sponsor American Majority's urging for Bachmann to drop out of the presidential race. On Thursday, the group's executive director Matt Robbins told CNN that Bachmann's White House bid "is not a serious presidential campaign." His comments coincided with a blog statement from American Majority president Ned Ryun, who outlined reasons why "it's time for Michele Bachmann to go."
Among other claims, Ryun wrote that Bachmann's emphasis on social issues was damaging the tea party movement.
In an interview with CNN's "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer," Bachmann fired back, targeting the Texas governor.
"Well, of course, we found out that this is really a misstep on the part of the Perry campaign because these are Perry supporters that came out," Bachmann told CNN. "This was a clumsy move."
Bachmann continued: "This was meant to be a stealth move to make it look like this was tea party."
"It certainly isn't a blow to my campaign because I've had nonstop support coming out of the woodwork from tea partiers all across the country ever since this came out," she said.
When asked whether Bachmann had evidence that the Perry campaign was involved in American Majority's statements, Bachmann replied, "No."
"This is something that people have told us," Bachmann said.
Both American Majority and Perry's campaign deny they were working together.
"We learned about this from news reports today. We were not aware or involved in the group's action," Perry campaign communications director Ray Sullivan said in a statement to CNN.
The group's president called Bachmann's assertion "bizarre."
"I have no connection with the Perry campaign," Ryun told CNN, although he did publicly express support for Perry's tax plan revealed earlier this week.
Ryun also said it's "wildly illegal" for his nonprofit group to endorse a candidate.
"American Majority does not endorse. I'm not working for or with any campaign," Ryun said.
"It goes back to let's focus on the substance of what this whole debate was about to begin with. Where are your substantive ideas to actually advance the ideas of the tea party movement?" he added.
–Follow Shannon Travis on Twitter: @ShanTravisCNN
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There is fighting between campaign camps. There is fighting between Tea Party "organizations" and Bachmann. There is infighting in the Bachmann camp where people are quitting. Romney cant make up his mind on the issues. Perry is, well he's Perry. Cain went further than he thought he thought he would and now has to create a real campaign. Newt? Um, no. Ron Paul's plan for little government "intervention". Could they make this any easier for Obama's re-election?
Bachmann is nuts – she has become far too inconsequential to be worthy of an attack. 🙂
tu tu tu tu (Twilight Zone music plays in the background(.
Flake, let me tell you something. You are toast and the rich secessionist is also a has been.
I see that you still haven't learned to get your facts first and speak later . . . . ."This is something that people have told us," Bachmann said." Sound like that vaccine and the woman who lied to you about her daughter and you fell for it hook, line and sinker!
Shouldn't Michelle Bachmann be held to account for accusing someone without any proof. I thought she was suppose to be a lawyer. Innocence until proven guilty. This is not the first time she has made a statement that has proven to be false and without merit, so I would take this one with a grain of salt. By the way if Michelle Bachmann numbers are as low as they are and Rick Perry's are as low as his are then what is the use.
Those people that told her about the vaccination causing retardation to the young girl told her Perry did this. Unbelievable. She didn't realize what a moron she sounded like the first time (making accusations based on "something someone told me") and has now repeated her mistake. She's not even trainable! Say goodbye Michele!
Go home Mz Bachmann and spend your time discovering your claimed Death Panels in Obamacare. Very few of us want you in the White House for any reason.
Once again, this is something she "heard". What a twit!
"The group's president called Bachmann's assertion "bizarre."
-Everything BSC Bachmann does is bizarre. Has EVERYONE finally figured this out now?
Evidence? Michelle don't need no stinking evidence. The fewer true facts the better.
Let us PRAY they both go AWAY.
I believe in solutions, not excuses... So far all the Republican with, maybe, the exception of Herman Cain have pointed finger at other candidates and their short fails, but what these candidates have failed to communicate is realistic solutions.. How are they planning to get people back to work? How are they going to get our fiscal house back in order? If you don't convince the American people, then the American people will not change their mind set, when it comes to spending more money.. Businesses will continue to hesitate on hiring new employees and the 9% unemployment rate will not drop to a reasonable number.. Talk about what we want to hear and stop playing politics with the economy, jobs, housing market and the intellegence of the American people.. ///N. Santiago///
myonlyperspective,blogspot.com
"Wildly illeagal" to endose a candidate. But its okay to knock candidates that you would not endorse?
"This is something that people have told us," Bachmann said"
Does this stupid, wretched, wingnut, wench never learn, to not repeat here say as fact i.e. the PV vaccine causes mental retardation(makes one wonder if perhaps she was the "case study")
And again, she proves the more she learns how irrelevant she is even with tea baggers(doesn't she lead a bagger caucus coffee clatch for them or something?) she screams more nonsense and just screams it louder! This walking set of boobs wold have us in WWIII because "someone told me they were going to attack us). THis loose cannon needs to be kept waaay awwwwaaay from any nuclear codes. I am concerned that she may actually have access to the Pentagon.
As Carville said maybe this shrill shill can be the butter for Rick Perry's toast and they will both leave.
Then we will be left with Willard the Weathervane, and Jon Huntsman, the new GOP stand up comic!
The evangelical christian bigots here in Iowa will overlook anything and everything having to do with facts as long as their candidate says "Jesus" and "God" and "hate Obama" enough.
Man this woman is truly strange, if has reached a point now that all she does is blame, blame, blame, if its not the President, then it's some one in her retarded party. She never has any solutions that will work only far right talking points that equals zero. Do yourself, family, party and the country that you say you love so much a favor and "Quit"
Now I know you're wacked, you're giving Perry more credit than he deserves ! Save what's left of your dignity and drop out ! jeeezzz !
The only Stealth thing about her campaign is her campaign. No one sees it or hears it. Time to go home or go back to work.
She's wasting our tax dollars that pay her salary and her donors money on a hopeless joke.
Did she really say that tea partiers are a bunch of termites? Termites are the only thing that I know of that comes out of the woodwork. And the only reason that they do come out of the woodwork is to look for more infrastructure to destroy.
America has something to say to you, Michelle.
Go away, and get out of the way.
that is what happens when we have 2 years of campaigning and the end result is total crap, limit it to 2 or 3 months and avoid the corruption that goes on from obscure and questionable monies to the loony tunes of candidates. America can and should do better.........it is really sickening.
Interesting. I was under the impression that you had to be human to run for public office, but apparently they let slugs and snails run for president now too.
Truth-impaired, holier than though, I know what's best-for-you Bachmann should take the hint. There are a lot more people than this tea-party tweet that think unqualified candidates should depart the stage. Of course that begs the question of who would be left for the GOP field if integrity, good ideas, and inclusive thinking were requirements for the nomination.
As usual, you can count on CNN to be unfair in it's reporting. CNN is just a Liberal/Democrat tool, and does not care about being fair and unbiased. Maybe CNN stands for Corrupt News Network or Communist News Network.
It’s inevitable: They are both vying for the Tea Party support and she is losing it. Whether the claim is true or not she is going to come out fighting to stay alive. It is natural instincts being exposed. We all do it to survive life.
this has been by far the most entertainig pres. nom. i have ever seen–of course they do not stand a chance of getting in –thankfully–but they sure do make me laugh–they act so much like bad mannered kids–we teach our grandkids to behave so much better than this repug nonsense-