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Jamie Novogrod / NBC News
As her mother, Jean LaFave, looks on, Michele Bachmann signs books at Barnes & Noble in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
WEST DES MOINES, Iowa -- In a continuing back and forth over Newt Gingrich’s immigration policy, Michele Bachmann criticized the former House speaker Saturday over a letter he co-signed in 2004 in support of President George W. Bush's immigration initiative.
Bachmann's campaign staff handed copies of the letter to the media Saturday morning before an event marking the release of Bachmann's new book, "Core of Conviction," at the Radisson Hotel in Davenport.
“He has a long history of supporting amnesty,” Bachmann told reporters of Gingrich, “and that’s not something that people in Iowa are supporting.”
The letter, originally printed in the Wall Street Journal in February 2004, was sent to the newspaper by the National Foundation for American Policy, a conservative think tank. Its signers include Gingrich, Jack Kemp, Grover Norquist, and others. Ed Goeas, Bachmann's former campaign pollster, also signed the letter.
Asked by NBC whether Goeas’ signature blunted her attack, Bachmann said, “I did not know him at the time that he signed that letter, nor does he share my opinion.” Goeas left the Bachmann campaign in early October.
The letter supported Bush’s effort to launch a temporary worker program. "We applaud the president and believe his approach holds great promise to reduce illegal immigration and establish a humane, orderly, and economically sensible approach to migration," the letter reads.
Gingrich has taken fire from Bachmann and other candidates, including Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum, since Tuesday's CNN debate in Washington, where he called for a "humane" immigration policy for illegal immigrants "who have children and grandchildren, who are members of the community."
Bachmann’s charge that the policy amounts to "amnesty" is being met with increasingly sharp language by the Gingrich campaign.
"Either Michele Bachmann can't get her facts straight on understanding immigration reform, or she is intentionally lying," Gingrich spokesman R.C. Hammond told NBC News on Saturday while the former speaker was campaigning in Florida.
Gingrich is proposing that longtime illegal residents leave the country and apply for citizenship. He told reporters Saturday he doesn't recall the 2004 letter.
“I have a deep history of supporting efforts to solve the problem of illegal immigration, going back to 1986,” Gingrich told reporters following a book-signing event of his own, citing legislation passed during the Reagan administration.
Despite her attacks, Bachmann spent part of Saturday on the defensive, knocking down comparisons – first noted in Politico and on the conservative website Townhall – between Gingrich’s outlook on immigration and remarks she made at the Sept. 7 MSNBC-Politico debate.
At that debate, Bachmann was asked how she would handle the more than 11 million people living in the United States without documentation. "It depends upon where they live, how long they have been here, if they have a criminal record," Bachmann said.
Asked Saturday how those remarks diverge from Gingrich's position, Bachmann insisted she was speaking about determining which illegal immigrants should be forced to leave the country first. "It is 180 degrees different from where the speaker stands. Because what I'm talking about is order of deportation," Bachmann said.
The book tour Saturday took Bachmann from Davenport, to a Barnes & Noble store in Cedar Rapids, and to a Christian store in West Des Moines.
Bachmann drew about 150 people to each of her second and third stops. But her Davenport visit drew only about a dozen people and will be rescheduled, according to her campaign, which blamed the low turnout on a planning error by the book’s publisher, a conservative imprint of Penguin Books.
Bachmann’s 80-year-old mother joined her at the Cedar Rapids event, beaming as her daughter signed books. Sunday, Bachmann continues her book tour, making stops through northwest Iowa.
NBC's Alex Moe contributed to this report.
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Now Newt is going to have to take on the Alpha Male in the republican primary- Michelle Bachmann
Newt just ain't mean enough for the "Christian" Bachmann.
I'm just wondering what would happen if Jesus comes back as an illegal?
They would start pronouncing the J as an H.
Michelle Bachmann who? I remember hearing something about a Michelle Bachmann, but then she opened her mouth and that was that. Is she still trying to hang on like Sarah Pallen did? Thought we got rid of her as a flake. Oh well, guess she can't take the hint and quit waisting the people's money on a lost case.
Interesting point, "affable100". If Jesus showed up today, with his long hair, dark skin, Spanish looking name, surrounded by 12 guys and a hooker, I don't think things would work out too well. Again.
Asia for Asians, Africa for Africans, Latin America for Latin Americans and white childrens countries for everyone.
whiterabbitradio dot net.
I say again, Michelle Bachmann who?
Forrest: no need for mysogeny. She's not an idiot because she's not feminine enough. She's just an idiot plain and simple.
Republicans eating their own is so yummy. And, just in time for Christmas, too!
Bachmann could be thinking if she can sink Gingrich, she can then re-emerge as the anti-Romney. Or... she could be thinking if she does the RNC's dirty work, she'll be on the short list for running mate (I really doubt Romney will get to pick his own).
Either way, I don't think the hope is a realistic one. But who knows what she's hoping for. Something more realistic might be an inconsequential cabinet position for hatcheting Newt. But she's so looney, as evidenced by the fact she even got into the nomination race, that might be a bit of realism too far for her to accept.
Why is this woman campaigning? She's not relevant, lies constantly distorts the rest. Honestly, if you look closely to her organization, such as it is, it's clear (same as Cain) that this was rigged to garner as much publicity as possible for this woman, who has NOT been good in Congress, and now is trying to fill her coffers a la Palin (this is something we've seen become quite popular lately and should be made illegal frankly), and become wealthy. If she represents the "good Christians" then I'm glad I don't participate in her brand of religion full of lies, un-christian like stances and just plain 'ol unethical behavior.....
Go home "crazy eyes" maybe your neighbors still like you, maybe not..... someone should do a real in depth investigation into the $ received by welfare for all those kids she took in, the amount of $ from farm subsidies, $ paid by medicaid for her husband's "clinic" (why didn't he cure himself, I wonder?), and the $ received from lobbyists for things she never got put through..... totally ineffective in her "elected" post, doesn't know what she's doing yet has an inflated sense of her "knowledge" and value to everyone else..... and she gets to keep all that money! Kind of like tele-evangelists, right?
They do eat their own.
Bush was just dumb and gullible. This pack of repugnicans is just greedy and vicious.
beachbum: the D's have a LONG history of that...(remember Will Rogers famous line: "I don't belong to any organized political party...I'm a Democrat".) It's just noteworthy and more unusual coming from the R's..(disobeying Reagan's commandment about not speaking ill of a fellow R)--because of the long history of a much more narrow focus and appeal.
It does not matter how loudly M Bachmann runs her mouth on immigration. The US must start someplace to rememdy its illegal immigration problems. Realistically we cannot round up all those people. The intelligent thing to do would be to set up an amnesty program and then move on by setting up tougher immigration laws. Round up those who do not avail themselves of the program and send them back but you cannot round up 30 to 40 thousand illegals! It is not possible .So,let's do what can be done .People like Bachmann have no vision and only the narrowest of minds. I would say that in her case there is a little racism too.
We don't have to "round up" anyone. Simply make e-verify mandatory for all employment and prosecute those who employ them without verification. Eventually those who are here for the jobs will have to self deport.
If we take away their jobs then they will not self deport. They will have to find a way to make money illegally. They are human you know...people are so quick to want to help those in need all over the world because it's the humane thing to do but if those same people are here in this country illegally they suddenly become dogs not worthy of any sympathy.
Explain to me why somebody no longer needs to be treated like they are a human being once they enter the country illegally. Why does your conscience say that it's ok to show zero sympathy to an illegal alien.
Illegal Alien does not = No Longer Human
Phil,
They've been self-deporting for the last several years...
Suval: If you could, I would like to know about the racism charge.
Could you give me an example of her being racist?
Who said republicans don't have a sense of humor????
Alright, it WAS a good one...
But where are the real candidates... C'mon,,, out with them... You guys are such kidders....
Anytime you hear Ms. Bachmann start a discussion of any subject with the words:
"We now know..."
it's a given that whatever falls out of her mouth next will either be a lie or a distortion. Much like:
"We now know that the President's trip to India will cost the US taxpayers $200M/day"
"We now know that President Obama is letting the ACLU run the CIA"
Come to think of it, anytime she says anything, the opposite is closer to reality.
Look... she has to generate "noise".... that's the only way Fox will continue to provide "life support" for the unemployed GOP guys.... think Rick... Michelle, that other ex southern governor.... too bad they have nothing useful to say about anything... but then Fox doesn't either!
Newt says that illegal residents should leave the country and apply for citizenship. He obviously knows nothing of the immigration/citizenship process.
You can't apply for citizenship until you have been living continuously and legally in the US for at least 14 years, or if you are married to a US citizen, have been a legal resident for at least three years. You can't leave and then apply for citizenship. And anyway, if one had been in the country illegally, s/he would be denied re-entry!
He ought to do a little fact-checking before shooting off his mouth.
Seems we've gotten rid of Sarah Palin once and for all (hopefully) now if Michelle could take the hint. Why on Earth is this woman still speaking? Does she not know a lost cause when she sees one?
Leave Michelle alone, SNAPPA. She's doing good work for Obama's re-election bid by chewing-out Newt's ass, and before him, that moronic cartoon, the christian-cowboy, even though her work serves the president only unintentionally.
She is beginning to, SNAPPA. Just as Palin was a pathetic flash-in-the-pan, so goes Michelle. Her popularity is seriously waning, so she's switched to desperate mode in order to get the press she craves so mightily. But she is on her way down, and before too much longer, we will all be able to happily ask "Michelle who?"
Someone who is currently leading the polls has NOTHING to fear from someone who has already been found wanting on every level and currently polls in the low single digits. Bachmann is an unworthy fool desperate for attention.
I beg to differ, TM. She can nip at his heels and constantly remind the wing nut base that Newtie is an unreliable uber-conservative.
Why does this woman still think she has any chance of being President?
Maybe she's running for VP because she sees it as a possible path to the presidency? Ever wonder why she's attacking her conservative competition like Newt and Rick Perry, more than she is Mitt? The base doesn't really like Mitt very much, but if he picked crazy-eyes to be his VP they'd go nuts for the ticket as a whole! Same as when McCain picked Palin.
That's why I wonder if she's planing her campaign strategy on the chance that Mitt will win the GOP nomination and a Mitt/crazy-eyes ticket win the general election. Then crazy-eyes would be just a heartbeat away from the presidency and we'd all have to be very nice to Mitt so as to not stress him out and risk causing a heart attack or something.
She doesn't, but it good for book sales and she can use and money she raises for her personal expenses......so why not continue the charade?
As far as I can tell the whole of the Crazy 8 are in the same boat.
Benji2: I feel the same way; Bachman is doing this for attention. However, if Mitt wins the nomination, and I do believe he will, it will be a HUGE, HUGE mistake to select Bachmann as his running mate. I still believe McCain would have fare better had he chosen anyone except Palin. She was the nail in his coffin.
The picture says it all. The woman is in the campaign in order to sell her book. I understand it's on the bestseller list for fiction...
Order of return? Return them as they are caught not as you feel like it. The law says what is to be done with them and the law should be what elected politicians and law enforcement should carry out. We (American's) put laws in place to protect ourselves from invasion of people from other countries. Uphold our Laws or step aside so others can. There is no if, and, or but, the law is the law, deport them.
Newt has a long history of flip flopping more than a fish out of water, changing his mind like the wind, what ever will get him elected. Sad to say Newt is the poster child for what is wrong with the US Senate and Congress, clueless bureaucrats who just want to look pretty and stand in front of a camera. Time to send these useless baboozes back home, clean house this election and get rid of them. We can't be any worse off.
Why is it that our President and the rest of these want-a-be's can pick and choose what laws they want to uphold and us little people have to abide by all the law?
Yes, each GOP debate
Yes, each GOP debate, slowly but surely, improves Obama's chance to be re-elected in 2012.
The more these clowns open their mouths the better off Obama would be.
Let them eat their own and their craps.
improves Obama's re-election chance
Yes, each GOP debate, slowly but surely, improves Obama's chance to be re-elected in 2012.
The more these clowns open their mouths the better off Obama would be.
Let them eat their own and their craps.
I'm gonna go with "both."
Such a corrupt woman. Her Business is supported by sucking at the public trough.
If elected, the she devil and her husband will make homosexuality declared as a sickness that will be covered under Medicare so that she can profit from her treatment center.
Her new campaign slogan - "Michele Bachmann for president - "The Ultimate B*I*T*C*H"
Michelle, you might want to take a refresher math course. Last time I checked, there weren't enough rednecks in this country to offset the loss of the Hispanic vote.
See ya around, Bimbette.
Here's some simple math for the ignoramus known as Bachmann:
Put 400 illegals a day on a 747 and deport them 365 days a year. It will take 75 years to deport 11 million, and the courts couldn't keep up anyway.
Got a plan B Michele?
400 in a 747? After seeing the news and reading about how many illegals can fit in a truck, van, or car, I see no problem with 2000 in the plane, cargo hold, overhead bins and under the seats. Maybe hold competitions to see which crew can load the most with a bonus for any over 2000...
We all understand the motive behind moving North of the border. But illegality entails the entry of a percentage of dealers/bangers/trafficers/psychos as well.
If elected, I'll ask everyone in favor of illegals to pay any taxes that such illegals are not currently paying.
~Brought to you by the citizens for a more ameliorated America~