A Michele Bachmann Retrospective

Today, I did something I do every so often. I made a comment on a conservative site. This isn't always possible, as many of them are strictly moderated and do not tolerate dissent. NewsBusters, the site I visited, does allow comments. They are moderated, but much less strictly than, say, FreeRepublic, where I've never successfully posted something. My visit was strictly curiosity to see what they were belly aching about today, after I ran a piece on them the day before.

The one item that caught my eye was a whine that sex advice columnist Dan Savage had made an "offensive" tweet. It was, in full: "Good riddance to batshit rubbish," with a link to a story about Michele Bachmann's retirement announcement. I found the statement amusing, and after retweeting it myself, I made this comment to their complaints about Savage's tweet: "Oh, lighten up. Michele is famous primarily for her loonyness. And for her husband, Liberace."

Now see, I thought I was being cute and light, especially for including a recent cultural reference to the Behind the Candelabra movie. But I forgot that NewsBusters isn't polite company. It isn't a mixed forum for all audiences. It isn't even this blog, where I occasionally get irate right-wing comments. It's an acid bath of festering rage. All dissent must not just be answered, it must be attacked and destroyed. Commenters at site don't say "hi," they have their fangs and claws bared at the first hint that you are not one of them! And for a group of (mostly) homophobes, they were especially put out that I made fun of Marcus Bachman for um. . .his. . .well, obvious contradictions.

I'd like to say I held my own, and other than one largely for effect rant, I even kept my responses even-tempered for the most part. They, um. . .do not. But before I get too far off tangent, let me say that Right Wing World sees Michele Bachmann as a hero. I don't know why. I don't know what the heck they see in her (and her cartoonish husband) that inspires such allegiance, but for all of their charges of "Obamabots," they sure can get all "Mama

Bear" about their heroes. When I pointed out that Bachmann is only well known because she is daffy, prone to mistakes, and often says outrageous things. They wanted proof (!). I provided it, but it was from a left leaning site, so they wouldn't even discuss it. On their archly right wing site. Sigh.

At this point, we'd strayed pretty far into tangents (I mean why is NewsBusters "busting" a sex advice columnist anyway?), but this had at least put it back on track. But this is my blog, and I don't find it necessary to do intensive research from strictly non-partisan sources about all the batshit things to come out of Bachmann's mouth. Not with a case so obvious. They wouldn't accept my sources anyway, no matter how good they are. I've been down that road before. But if you're curious why Ms. Bachmann has such a reputation, please watch this video from an admittedly liberal but factual source.

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