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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Just think I (MB) just went on record as being a dumb @**. I heard this through the grape vine. That's what we need in a President.
Anybody that supports the teaparty and perry bushes friend wants nothing to do with him because of his action
Is Michelle a tea bagger? She's got my vote!!
What a group of goobers! It is like a train wreck. You know you shouldn't look, that you will see something horrible and gory, yet you just can't turn away. I have to figure a better way to get my morning laugh on.
Smells like a dead skunk in the summertime. Ramblings and acts of a desperate woman!
So much for the tea party as king maker. Who even cares anymore?
Sounds like to the Tea Party Bachmann is "The Thing That Wouldn't Leave". The leaders of the Tea Party are the only one's in their party with half a brain. But only half. And it's a rotten half. The rest have no brain. Remember kids tea parties are for lonely little girls with imaginary friends. And a tea partier elected as a Republican is akin to a communist elected as a Democrat. Both are wrong. Get your own party losers!
I'm surprised she knows what the word stealth even means.
I wish I would have made this prediction before Michele actually did this. I had figured she would either blame someone else or start another terror campaign focusing on the elderly and tell them some extremist faction was assembling to blow up a local bridge in their community, or something unsubstantiated. Michele, those things coming out of the woodwork are called "voices in your head". I know, I know....you can't help it. You're in a state of egomania and it's a very fragile place. Talking to you about reason would be fruitless. Your children should be ashamed of you. And how dare you send your husband to do your work. If I were a woman I would not attend the conference where you'll appear on Skype. How insincere are you and how much will it take to have you face this truth?
Bachmann has the same paranoia problems as Sarah Palin, they think everything that is wrong is someone elses fault, and they fail to see that they are in no way,shape or form cut out for the toughest job in the world. Bachmann's whole campaign has been to lie about Obama and attack all social issues of the other candidates, and you cant get main stream support from this very narrow focus. Bachmann is the only person alive that can't see the truth,she is more thn done as a Presidential candidate and should have never made it this far with her wafer thin resume.
I am not a supporter of Perry but as this idiot Bachmann states, "there is no evidence that this is true – it's just something that people have told them." Are those the same people that said we would find WMDs in Iraq when we invaded that country? This woman needs to go home, chisel off some of that makeup, and never bother us again with her stupidity.
well, I guess we can remove the "plays well with others" rating for both of these candidates.
Why is it that the Republicans can't every accept responsibility for their own words and actions. They are always the victim of someone else. It's just so pathetic, and they wonder why the American people don't see them as Presidential. MIichele, honey, you are nuts, everytime you opened your mouth you proved that. If your campaign is going down the drain, it's your own fault. Man up and deal with it.
Waaaa! Waaa! Waaa! Waaaaaa! Please, will somebody get that baby to stop crying!
as usual bachmann is too obtuse to see the handwriting on the wall-even when it's read to her loudly! BACHMANN GO HOME!
Once people loose compassion for the vulnerable, then they are in the same league as others in past history, Stalin did not have compassion, Hitler, Polt Pot. Extreme nut jobs have no place on a society such as the US; most people I have met here are very compassionated and caring with the vulnerable and weak. Mrs Backman is the worst of the worst and hides behind the bible, may be she should read it.
Back(ward)mann and Parry(and Thrust) fighting over Teabag votes. Isn't that like two toddlers fighting over a spoiled melon? And Romney just sits back and smiles........ Ya gotta love it.....
RUN Buchman RUN!!!!!!!!!! To get out now would be an unjust service to the USA,,,,,to the world. Your fodder is what keeps us laughing. To imagine you as our President is as scary as any Holloween movie ever created.
Now that her chances of winning the nomination are all but zero, her delusions, paranoia, and lies are actually becoming entertaining.
I don't think her campaign is lethal enough to any other politician to require a "stealth" attack effort.
Well, something finally came out of Perry's mouth that I believe: "it's time for Michele Bachmann to go." HERE, HERE!!!!
The crazies are turning on the crazies and its just showing how they use the same TACTICS on Obama with fake straight talk.
Both of them are in the LOSERS bracket anyway...What's the fuss?
she is still not a candidate, does not matter who said what. she does need to go
Well Michele you can get every tea party vote and not come close to having enough to win a dog catcher position in a local election.You are not a good representative for any elected position and with your performance so far it is more than likely going to cost you your seat in the house of reps.