# Michele Bachmann says "I don't do political speech" during debate. Crowd breaks out in laughter. **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 31, 2012, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michele-bachmann-says-i-dont-do-political-speech-during-debate-crowd-breaks-out-in-laughter/639436 "2012-10-31T14:28:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michele-bachmann-says-i-dont-do-political-speech-during-debate-crowd-breaks-out-in-laughter/639436/1 "2012-10-31T14:28:19Z")
Pretty[great video here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8R2TZ2D2bM&feature=player_embedded)from last night’s debate in Minnesota. So wonderful to see the exact moment somebody realizes that they’re a laughing stock. Almost sounds like a laugh-track. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michele-bachmann-says-i-dont-do-political-speech-during-debate-crowd-breaks-out-in-laughter/639436/2 "2012-10-31T14:33:06Z")
Isn’t she still favored to win anyway? ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michele-bachmann-says-i-dont-do-political-speech-during-debate-crowd-breaks-out-in-laughter/639436/3 "2012-10-31T14:39:10Z")
Yeah, probably: [RealClearPolitics - Election 2006 - Minnesota - 6](http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/writeup/minnesota_6-29.html) But there have at least been a few polls that show she _might_ be vulnerable. So it’s at least plausible that his debate moment could tip things. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michele-bachmann-says-i-dont-do-political-speech-during-debate-crowd-breaks-out-in-laughter/639436/4 "2012-10-31T14:42:18Z")
That’s like Bill Gates saying “I don’t do Windows.” I’ve got some sense of how embarassed most Minnesotans must feel by her considering here we’re encumbered with Rick “Ooops” Perry. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michele-bachmann-says-i-dont-do-political-speech-during-debate-crowd-breaks-out-in-laughter/639436/5 "2012-10-31T14:46:22Z")
_Every_ politician does political speech. It’s expected. For her, of all people, to say that she’s somehow above the crowd is ridiculous. In fact, any such claim is itself a political statement. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michele-bachmann-says-i-dont-do-political-speech-during-debate-crowd-breaks-out-in-laughter/639436/6 "2012-10-31T14:46:41Z")
That’s good comedy! ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michele-bachmann-says-i-dont-do-political-speech-during-debate-crowd-breaks-out-in-laughter/639436/7 "2012-10-31T14:49:25Z")
Message to Minnesotans: If you do not bother to vote next week, then you _de facto_ support everything she says for the next 4 years. Your pennance should be that you have to change your facebook status to “friend of Bachmann”, and you have to repeat every stupid thing she says to everyone you meet and say “she’s right, uh huh, uh huh.” ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michele-bachmann-says-i-dont-do-political-speech-during-debate-crowd-breaks-out-in-laughter/639436/8 "2012-10-31T14:55:14Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Message to Minnesotans: If you do not bother to vote next week, then you _de facto_ support everything she says for the next 4 years. " nitpick: 2 years ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michele-bachmann-says-i-dont-do-political-speech-during-debate-crowd-breaks-out-in-laughter/639436/9 "2012-10-31T14:56:21Z")
> [@Jas09](#): > > Yeah, probably: [RealClearPolitics - Election 2006 - 2006 Minnesota - 6](http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/writeup/minnesota_6-29.html) > > But there have at least been a few polls that show she _might_ be vulnerable. So it’s at least plausible that his debate moment could tip things. That link is old. She’s not running against Wetterling, she’s running against Jim Graves. And **Euphonious Polemic** , she’s not running for all of Minnesota, just an out-metro section. My section is under one her nemeses (Muslim) Keith Ellison. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michele-bachmann-says-i-dont-do-political-speech-during-debate-crowd-breaks-out-in-laughter/639436/10 "2012-10-31T15:00:20Z")
Last polling I saw showed her w/ a lead but vulnerable. This could swing things in the right direction, one can only hope. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michele-bachmann-says-i-dont-do-political-speech-during-debate-crowd-breaks-out-in-laughter/639436/11 "2012-10-31T15:04:25Z")
Thanks for the corrections. Please amend my post as necessary. ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michele-bachmann-says-i-dont-do-political-speech-during-debate-crowd-breaks-out-in-laughter/639436/12 "2012-10-31T15:08:41Z")
> [@stpauler](#): > > That link is old. She’s not running against Wetterling, she’s running against Jim Graves. And **Euphonious Polemic** , she’s not running for all of Minnesota, just an out-metro section. My section is under one her nemeses (Muslim) Keith Ellison. Wow, sorry for that. Somehow I got the 2006 election cycle it looks like. Crazy. Here’s MN6 for 2012. Only two polls listed because RCP sometimes decides to just throw others out: [2012 Minnesota 6th District - Bachmann vs. Graves | RealClearPolling](http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/house/mn/minnesota_6th_district_bachmann_vs_graves-3402.html) ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michele-bachmann-says-i-dont-do-political-speech-during-debate-crowd-breaks-out-in-laughter/639436/13 "2012-10-31T15:53:18Z")
nm ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michele-bachmann-says-i-dont-do-political-speech-during-debate-crowd-breaks-out-in-laughter/639436/14 "2012-10-31T16:05:37Z")
That this woman is still in government is a tribute to her moronic constituency and the ability for politicians to be able to sell almost any ass-hatted buffoonery. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michele-bachmann-says-i-dont-do-political-speech-during-debate-crowd-breaks-out-in-laughter/639436/15 "2012-10-31T16:28:13Z")
N.B.: There is no such thing as an antipolitician. If you are trying to change the social/political world, you are a politician, even if you are a libertarian or an anarchist. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michele-bachmann-says-i-dont-do-political-speech-during-debate-crowd-breaks-out-in-laughter/639436/16 "2012-10-31T16:40:01Z")
Wetterling, Tinklenberg…at least this time she’s up against someone who doesn’t sound like they have bladder control issues. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michele-bachmann-says-i-dont-do-political-speech-during-debate-crowd-breaks-out-in-laughter/639436/17 "2012-10-31T16:47:10Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Message to Minnesotans: If you do not bother to vote next week, then you _de facto_ support everything she says for the next 4 years. Your pennance should be that you have to change your facebook status to “friend of Bachmann”, and you have to repeat every stupid thing she says to everyone you meet and say “she’s right, uh huh, uh huh.” Ah, the good old “if you’re not with us, you’re agin’ us” fallacy. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michele-bachmann-says-i-dont-do-political-speech-during-debate-crowd-breaks-out-in-laughter/639436/18 "2012-10-31T16:50:25Z")
> [@Rachellelogram](#): > > Ah, the good old “if you’re not with us, you’re agin’ us” fallacy. More like “Your decision to not vote has consequences. Own them.” ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michele-bachmann-says-i-dont-do-political-speech-during-debate-crowd-breaks-out-in-laughter/639436/19 "2012-10-31T16:55:13Z")
I saw not a whit of realization on her face, that they were laughing at her self reference. Funny still though. ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michele-bachmann-says-i-dont-do-political-speech-during-debate-crowd-breaks-out-in-laughter/639436/20 "2012-10-31T18:17:49Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > More like “Your decision to not vote has consequences. Own them.” Dude, I \*can’t \*vote for or against her (much as I’d love to) anyway - like **stpauler** , I’m in Ellison’s district. So holding me responsible for the 6th District’s decision is nonsensical. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michele-bachmann-says-i-dont-do-political-speech-during-debate-crowd-breaks-out-in-laughter/639436.md?page=2)