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Subscribe to RSSWhat’s the difference between the actor who will forever embody the American ideal of craggy cowboy masculinity and the serial killer who forever made clowns way way creepier than they’d ever been before?
One answer turns out to be four letters and about 150 miles – not quite enough to keep Rep. Michele Bachmann from prompting a chorus of internet giggles for apparently mixing them up.
On the day of her presidential announcement, Bachmann, an Iowa native, told FOX News that she and John Wayne share a hometown. “John Wayne was from Waterloo, Iowa,” she said. “That's the kind of spirit that I have, too."
Bachmann repeated that idea to NBC News in an interview. "I'm not pining for nostalgia back in the 50s and 60s, that isn't it," she told NBC's Kelly O'Donnell. "But that sensibility about how we were grounded here is so important. For instance, another American that was born in Waterloo was John Wayne. We were a very patriotic 'yay rah rah America' city and nation and I think that's what America's looking for again."
The problem: While actor John Wayne – the gravelly-voiced Western film star known for his characteristic walk and his conservative values– was in fact from Iowa (and, Bachmann’s campaign later pointed out, his parents briefly lived in Waterloo), he was born in Winterset, about 150 miles away.
The famous similarly-named guy who did make his home in Waterloo: John Wayne Gacy -- the serial killer known for dressing as “Pogo the Clown” who buried over two dozen of his young male victims in the crawlspace of his Illinois home.
Gacy, who was born in Chicago, lived in Waterloo in the late 1960s before serving time for sodomy at Anamosa State Penitentiary. He would later go on to commit more than 30 murders.
The mix-up – which, considering the Iowa roots of both men, isn’t as baffling as some Bachmann critics may make it out to be-- isn’t independently the kind of gaffe that makes voters suddenly change their minds. But it’s certain to become late-night comedy fodder for a candidate who has already been ridiculed for a more serious historical mangling of details about the beginning of the Revolutionary War.
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Her statement, in a nutshell, explains why most of us independents AREN'T looking to the right for solutions to our problems and just may re-up with the current president. As an independent I am appalled at the field of candidates on the republican side, as they are NOT presenting a good argument for voting for them. George Bush was below average on the brain-o-meter and look what position we are in today. Its a slap in the face to think that those who hope to be leading this country play fast and loose with facts and aren't any smarter than my uncle louie. All who consider themselves to be die-hard conservatives do not question the mental capibilities of these people, just so they can get some empty joy out of saying their side won. We are applauding ignorance with the fact that she is running neck to neck with Romney in Iowa. What does that say about Iowa and this country?
Kudos to your argument Angelo!!!!
Angelo, "hard and fast with the facts"?
You mean about how I can keep my insurance if I like it (oh wait, IF it meets the standard set by the "Secretary" of course) Or I can keep my doctor if I like him/her? (oh wait, if my doctor takes ObamaCare of course). Or how ObamaCare is going to "save" us over 400 Billion dollars on the debt? (oh wait, it's actually going to cost us at LEAST 1.13 Trillion dollars according to the CBO)
I'll take a mistake on where John Wayne is from over the out and out LIES from our current President and the Democrats that shoved their "social justice" agenda down our throats.
What does it say about the left that they actually admire the lying corrupt "President" of our nation that can't even get the number of states in this country right? What does it say about the left that they actually defend politicians that lie on their income taxes? What does it say about the left when they spend almost two weeks attacking someone for telling the TRUTH and defending an out and out liar? What does it say about the left when they worry MORE about what Bachmann said about where John Wayne is from than they are that Obama put our forces into the middle of someone else's Civil War?
Let me see if I understand your "argument", Angelo, the "independent".
In a nutshell........
the state of the nation has gotten worse under the obama administration and you, who obviously hasn't a clue, lament the intelligence of Bush. Tell me, "independent" Angelo, which Bush policies have Obama not maintained? Aside from expand govt and send us deeper into debt; what has Obama accomplished?
Sheesh, do you people even listen to yourselves?
Sorry doug but he hasn't kept ALL of them in place, just some, and I do agree with some of them. That is not the point as we are discussing Mrs. Bachmann and her attitude towards being truthful when recounting FACTS. I see you are choosing to change the subject, for it is indefensible to try to make much of what she says being THE TRUTH. Go ahead and keep applauding ignorance, it will NOT help her in her endeavors when it comes to trying to win over those of us who have no party affiliation. Remember, these elections nowadays are about winning over the independents, not die-hard zealots of each party. With that attitude you have and the misinformation she seems to always put out there, you have an uphill battle on your hands. Why don't you people start telling your candidate to tell the truth and get her facts straight, because it is NOT HELPING any of you peoples cause.
Angelo
You have no party affiliation? Comical.
Then you post "why don't you people start telling your candidate...."
See your problem?
When any person runs they will be everyone's candidate. Which one you vote for is your choice.
Just for giggles.....
which policy has he not kept in place?
No doug I don't see my problem. What part about NO PARTY AFFILIATION do you not understand? Or is it that you don't like the fact that I don't agree with your point is? "You" people refers to anyone who actually likes what this women says and is apart of the republican constituency, who like what she says (for lack of knowledge or plain stupidity). You STILL haven't condemned the idiocy she is guilty of, does that mean you believe what she said? If so, that will explain WHY you can't see what my point is. She was 100% wrong and yet YOU still try to defend her? As far as policies that Obama has kept in place are concerned, look no further than the war policies and the fact that he actually doubled down on those. DODT, when it was first proposed under Clinton was railed against by the republicans. Now almost 20 years later Obama gets rid of it and you guys suddenly like the policy? He is STILL against making same sex marriages legal in all 50 states, in spite of Dems being pissed at him for not pushing hard enough to legalize it nationwide. He signed yet another tax break (that followed 2 by Bush) AND did not go after any of the @!$%#heads who caused part of the meltdown that happened UNDER BUSH. Just so you know, I'm not a rah rah fan of Obama's, but republicans give me NO alternative. We can just agree to disagree because I don't give a DAMN what you think!
Before Michele Bachmann secured her place in the pantheon of wingnuttery, she was a virtual unknown waging a state-level crusade against same sex marriage. What separated her from other like-minded social conservatives were the theatrics she employed to draw attention to the issue. Her unofficial coming-out party arrived on March 22, 2004, during an otherwise perfunctory committee hearing. Thousands of anti-gay marriage rally had coalesced at the state capitol that afternoon,100 of which filed inside the Capitol building and took their place in the Senate gallery overlooking the proceedings. With a crowd on hand, Bachmann issued a motion to bypass the committee and have the floor vote on the bill right then and there--a highly unusual move in state Senate proceedings. Even more bizarre: While making her case, she addressed not the Senate floor as per protocol, but the gallery above. The move turned more than a few heads among her colleagues and portended Bachmann's outlandish, rabble-pandering rhetorical style.
Wow, what a great copy and paste!
Do you EVER have an original idea of your own Douglas, or do you just repeat over and over and over what you're told to?
Yes, Douglas, how dare you copy and paste facts when, as Cheryl put it, original ideas (true or NOT) are much, much better than those pesky old facts!!! Don't go Bat-Sh!t-Crazy without 'em!!!
Hey Fire, just because he copied and pasted something from some left wing hate site doesn't mean that it is "fact".
If you actually READ what he pasted in, it's nothing except an opinion piece. There's no actual "facts" in there other than Bachmann wanted a vote on the bill.
I'm sure that you think that it's "factual" that we had a "summer of recovery" last year, that there are 58 states in this nation, and Hispanics should "punish your enemies" too.
Wow I needed a good laugh today, and dim-witted Bachmann did it for me, best laugh of the month!
What, you haven't seen Obama's latest statement on how "great" our recovery is going?
Now there's a JOKE.
Is that the worst mistake you have seen a politician make , being off by a hundred miles from where John Wayne Grew up ?
And did anyone anywhere know that DON?
I'm sure that Obama knew that all along too. I'm stunned that his handlers haven't put out a statement about how Wayne was his boyhood hero and that he just can't believe that people don't know where John Wayne was born like he did.
Just like he knows there's 58 states.
American Girl-724855, Yeah, we even have Huntsman. I'm pretty sure that's the guy your President thought enough of to appoint him Ambassador to the second most powerful country in the world, China. and, I saw him speak when he announced. Amazing, the guy didn't even need a teleprompter.
Reading through some of the blogs here , I can't believe many of the asinine comments. If Bachmann made a mistake by thinking the actor lived in Waterloo instead of a few miles away and it was his parents that lived and thats what folks are using as a basis for calling all these names and think thats the worst thing a politician can do, they are nuts. I would rather see some of the leaders in Washington we have now make a minor mistake like an actors hometown that see some of the stuff they are doing.
@Don....
No it is bullsh*t like this....why we feel the way we do about Flaky
On Oct. 17, 2008, just three weeks before the election, Bachmann did her best Joseph McCarthy during an appearance on "Hardball With Chris Matthews." She told a baffled Matthews that she was "very concerned that [President Obama] has anti-American views" and went on to say, "I wish the American media would take a great look at the views of the people in Congress and find out if they are pro-America or anti-America." The statements compelled viewers across the country to dump $750,000 into Democratic challenger Elwyn Tinklenberg's coffers over the course of 72 hours. But the boost was too little too late. Bachmann slithered back into the office by three percentage points, much to the delight of far-right social conservatives and nonsense-connoisseurs alike.
Wow, you found another article to copy and paste.
Gee Doug, you're just a genius at that stuff, aren't you?
Why is everything on here about Bachmanm
Fear by the left.
Anyone that is even a remote threat to the "chosen one" is to be attacked, lied about, or in any and every way denigrated.
Because she mistakenly said John wayne lived in waterloo Iowa , rather than 150 miles away. It was his parents that lived in Waterloo. It does not take much to set these folks off ranting.
And, hey, don't forget the little things like that is what the article is about, sorry that focus isn't a Teahadi trait!!!
I guess the communist, liberal, beeding heart media is going to jump on anything that anyone says!! I also like the way the communist, marxist, bleeding heart, tree hugging liberal idiots jump on that same band waggon. What about Obamas comment that if the taxpayers give him 782,000,000,000 dollars that unemployment would not go over 8%??? Was that a gaffe or just flat out,bald faced LIE!!!Maybe we should be more worried about a liberty killer President than where a serial killer was born...NO WONDER WE ARE IN THE MESS WERE IN...WAKE UP PEOPLE...WE ARE GOING DOWN THE TUBES!!!!
Since she is a Republican, MSNBC will blow anything out of proportion. I agree , I wish some of those in power in Washington never made mistakes worse than this.
Hey fat guy? Care to remind us what the unemployment rate and the price of gas was when Bush LEFT OFFICE???? While you're at it, care to remind us what Bush's "approval" rating was when he left office??
No, I thought you would rather not...........p>
do you mean after the democrats like Barney Frank and Chris Dodd let Faqnnie May and Freddie Mac go down the drain??dont start commie!!
JUst as many of Obama's problems are not his fault, much of the stuff that happened in the Bush term was not his fault and would have occurred regardless of who was president. There are structural problems not caused by Bush that Obama can not fix either.
Most liberals do not understand that the bank regulation that allowed banks to sell the nasty stuff was signed by Clinton in 1999 and Democrats were encouraging all these bad loans to give people homeownership. Our country depends on building unsustainable bubbles like housing and tech bubbles to allow us to live over our heads for a while and go into recession when it bursts. We have been living over our heads during the buildup of the deficit bubble which is about to burst. It is not necessarily the fault of the current president when an unsustainable bubble bursts.
My wife says" that if you think Michelle Bachman is stupid then you should take a look at our Vice President". Thats why I married her.
Why? Great head? 'cause that some real kind of stoopid!!!
Wow Fire, what a great debating point.
And instead of actually debating him, you attack him personally by saying something filthy about his wife?
No wonder you on the left are losing election after election in this country that past couple of years.
You show that you have no INTELLIGENCE whatsoever and do nothing except make personal attacks on people and think that you are "brilliant" because you do.
Cheryl, coming from a cun-cun-country girl like you, I'm honored, and yet, I'd care less. And debate him? he's quoting his dipsh!t wife, she's the one to debate!!!
A deer in front of a cars headlight..funny stuff.
Wow, I guess the libs have nothing else to do all day huh?
What a non-story while the economy STILL swirls the drain.
Where are the jobs, Mr. Obama??
Well, Bachmann and the Repukes and Baggers want to finish off the middle class, so they are not just serial killers but ***MASS MURDERERS*** !!!
The Ryan "Plan" will institute ***DEATH PANELS*** for seniors who will lose their Social Security and Medicare under the Repukes - all to give the ***Billionaires and Millionaires*** even more tax cuts !!!
TOTALLY REVOLTING !!!
ROFLMAO! Wow!
Whats worse??????...stating that there is 57 states or confusing the John Waynes....obviously the liberal media has made Their decision and sided with the regime.....sorry Michelle
Sorry but this person wants to be President of the US. I expect the president to have people who help keep the facts straight. Obivously she doesn't listen to the people who she has working for her.
I think if she had a reputation as an intellectual who at times misspeaks (ie Newt Gingrich or Joe Biden) this wouldn't even register. But as her time in congress is marred with these misstatements and no such reputation it's one more hurdle for her attempt to expand beyond the fringe.
Biden and Newt as an intellectual?????
A bimbo is a bimbo is a bimbo
Can't be anything else but A BIMBO
Bachman ROX so does FOX.
Is this Sarah Jr. ?????
I don't see what the deal is. Bachman never said anything about Gacy. That was brought up by the media and all the people who hate her. Basically, all Bachman did was mistakenly say that John Wayne was born in one Iowa "W" town, when he was actually born in a different "W" Iowa town. You haters in the media and the rest of the left KNOW this.
Personally, I think greater gaffes were: "Unemployment will not go above 8% during my admininstration." or..."I will close Gitmo" or...."I will end the Patriot Act" or...."I'm against STUPID wars".....or...."I've been to all 57 states"....
or that the shot heard round the world was in Lexington and Concord, New Hampshire.
or that carbon dioxide is a harmless gas or that Obama's trip to India was going to cost the taxpayers 200 million.
Keep in mind this is a US Congresswoman, here are some of her recent quotes:
On Swine Flu April 27, 2009: "I find it interesting that it was back in the 1970s that the swine flu broke out then under Democrat President Jimmy Carter. And I'm not blaming this on President Obama, I just think it is an interesting coincidence."
Fact: The last outbreak of swine flu occurred on Feb. 1976 under Gerald Ford. Jimmy Carter won the presidential election that year in November and took office Jan. 1977.
On the same day, April 27, 2009 in Congress, she commented on the Great Depression era by referring to the "Hoot-Smalley" Act instead of the Smoot-Hawley Act of 1930. She blamed FDR and the Democrats for that Act of raising tariffs on 20,000 imported items, which resulted in many countries retaliating and American exports plunged by half.
Fact: The Smoot-Hawley Act of 1930 was passed by 2 Republican Senators, Reed Smoot and Willis Hawley under a Republican President Hoover. FDR was against the tariff and was elected in 1932.
On environment, August 11, 2008: "[Speaker Pelosi] is committed to her global warming fanaticism to the point where she has said that she's just trying to save the planet. We all know that someone did that over 2,000 years ago, they saved the planet -- we didn't need Nancy Pelosi to do that."
You mean Jesus saved Planet Earth? And all this time I thought that he just saved human souls. Boy was I wrong.
What is sad for me as a Minnesotan is that the last time MN had two candidates running for the for the nomination for POTUS was 1968. Then the candidates were Senator Eugene McCarthy and Hubert H Humphrey. Love them or hate them but they were serious politicians with a real message.
people, people, people;
as much fun and laughs I have had reading all the posts of Bachmann, we want the republicans to elect her so the presidential election will be a cake-walk;
so, just don't over do it
If only we could get her and Palin hooked up somehow.
I agree that late night comedy is going to have a field day with this gaffe as is Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert. It's as big a gaffe as the one where she thought the shot heard round the world was in Lexington and Concord, New Hampshire. She does have a Palin-esqueness about historical facts or lack of. Is she going to try and blame it again on that she was "reading from Obama's teleprompter?" C'mon Bachmann just admit that you screwed up.
My God woman do some fact checking before you open your big mouth. It is going to be so fun listening to her spew out garbage for a year or so. If Palin runs it will be really great. Two idiots for the guys on SNL to rip on. Awesome material.
“John Wayne was from Waterloo, Iowa,” she said. “That's the kind of spirit that I have, too." The spirit of a serial killer! I believe you Mrs. Bachmann!!
I know the Tea-baggers, Klan, and all other terror groups also share that same spirit!
So she mentions a wrong town where the duke was born and someone wants to insert a serial killer into the equation that she never talked about? Are you kidding me?
This is something i would expect to see in the national equirer.
I don't remember an article on BO when he talked about visiting his 57th state. All these guys are gonna mis-speak at some point.
I miss silly Sarah......