Is Bachmann Really Running For Mitt's VP Slot?

This has been mentioned a lot here. It's not really my own pet theory; it's cobloggers' and commenters'.

A Time writer makes the case:

Michele Bachmann abruptly canceled scheduled events in Iowa on Tuesday to do nine conservative and Christian radio programs. Her No. 1 topic? Newt Gingrich’s soft stance on immigration. Which candidate does this most help? Mitt Romney.

Throughout the summer and fall, Romney has hardly needed to attack any of his rivals; Bachmann has done it for him. When Rick Perry was rising in the polls, it was Bachmann who went after him for supporting a HPV vaccine mandate. When Herman Cain was on the ascent it was Bachmann who shot down his 9-9-9 plan and his “inconsistencies.”

Sure, the Minnesota congresswoman has taken an occasional dig at Romney. On Nov. 9 she called him a “frugal socialist.” But in debates and in comparison to the vehemence with which she’s attacked other rivals, she’s gone easy on Romney. In fact, the two seem to have a pact of mutual non-aggression. Remember that roundtable debate last month when Romney lobbed that softball question to Bachmann about her jobs program?

If Bachmann’s former campaign manager Ed Rollins is to be believed, she’s gunning to be Romney’s No. 2.

I had never heard that Ed Rollins claimed that. It's not a solid thing -- it's that he reportedly told "associates" this (i.e., it's second-hand at best).

But, yeah, it is strange that Bachmann is essentially debuting for the role of Mitt's attack dog.

What's especially interesting is that Bachmann signs up so willingly for Sacrifice Attacks. Some attacks are kind of over the top and involve a lot of blowback; they hurt the person making them as much or more than the target of the attack.

Gardasil, for example. That more or less took Bachmann out of things.

And that wasn't entirely unforeseeable. A lot of people -- including Republicans -- are not so jazzed about the anti-vax swamp that a lot of the animus there seemed to be coming from. And her cloyingly emotional appeal -- "Little. Girls." -- came off as shameless.

Plus, her convenient My Daughter Came Out a Retard mystery witness.

But still she made the attack.

Did that help her?

Not really. It did begin to damage Rick Perry. But that attack damaged two of Mitt's rivals. Pretty good for Mitt.

My own opinion is that my enthusiasm for a Romney ticket could scarcely be any lower... unless it was a Romney-Bachmann ticket. In which case it would be as low as possible.

Via @allahpundit and @baseballcrank.

posted by Ace at 04:48 PM

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