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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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Brilliant. The light shining from the Congresswoman is so pyrotechnic, I think I'm going blind.
Not one Republican idea for dealing with undocumented workers can stand up to scrutiny. They spout these ideological concepts not to actually propose anything constructive, but solely to appeal to the base of the Republican electorate, which is basically the xenophopes and jingoists.
Don't forget to point out that there are drug dealers and psychos in the group. You wouldn't want to forget to dish out a healthy dose of fascist fear-mongering while addressing the problem. Why don't you go to the movies tonight and don't forget to yell "fire' in a crowded theater.
The problem with free speech these days is that there are so many liars and propagandists, and lest I forget, the gullible right wingers that eat this stuff up.
Why is anyone still listening to her? She is way past irrelevant at this point, not to mention that her extreme views give her ZERO chance of winning in the general election. All she has done is launch negative campaign statements...against Obama and whoever is the flavor of the month for the Republicans.
So, Gingrich doesn’t recall the 2004 letter. He also couldn’t remember how much he netted from Freddie Mac. I’ve got to remember NOT to VOTE for him.
I am suspected that that people are taking in to many prescription drugs. Some of prescription drugs prevent you to drive if taken because they slow your ability to react and make proper decisions.
How long have the liberals been saying that??
Michelle Bachmann, also known as "LAB", is piloting a slowly sinking ship. And the holes in the hull come from all of her stupid, inhuman comments and lies. Soon there will be nothingleft but bubbles and an oil slick. Sounds like more people saw her on Jimmy Fallon than attended her Iowa stop!
Oh and Hanibal please re-read the article. Gingrich is not the one who cannot remember signing the letter it was MB's campaign manager. Gingrich is firm on what he believes and has stated such. He has been behind reformed immigration since 1986 as the article stated.
Reading (and comprehending)...
Learn it...
Live it...
Love it...
I am NOT a fan of the Newt! He's all over the place and waffles wherever the winds will wave wild for him.... BUT when Michelle accuses him of anything from his standpoint it has to be an endorsement deluxe - I'm sure Newt will take her looney tunes criticisms any day! And - strangely - I think Newt is applying "common sense" on this one.... he has his rare moments! However, we can't have a President who has "rare" moments of clarity and common sense! President Obama has been steady - you may not agree with some policies, but he has been stable, steady, and diplomatic. The grown-up in the room, as they say!
Last president to grant amnesty.....GOP's 'GOD'......Ronald Reagan.....stupidly....it was done in 1986.....with a 1981 cutoff date....
Michele seems like one of those wild eyed mr grover presidential candidates out to get the anti-hispanic vote. The ones who make the laws sooo tight they put the head of mercedes in jail in alabama. He was just driving to look at his new mfg plant. Send the guy some bail.
Bachmann go away - you suck!
The Irrelevance of the Republican Party
The Real Newt Gingrich Part 1
MB is so laughable....when confronted with her previous comments on immigration several months back, she now states she was only referring to developing a method of determining in what order they would deported!! Does she really believe we would fall for that? What a joke.
Why are you democraps so hateful toward Repubs? We have watched every Obama policy fail, wait actually other than give away taxpayers(workers) moneyhe hasn't done anything. Before you rip on repubs anymore, remember if it wasn't for the repubs the vast majority of jobs would not exist. Ever hear of "too many chiefs, not enough indians" .
are you including the millions of manufacturig jobs you repubs and your leader let go offshore during the last administration?
Mexicans have been in this country legally since this country was formed.
And wasn’t it us that allowed the Mexicans in when it met our needs. Working in
our field, and every backbreaking menial job to numerous to list that was ever
beneath us. We stereotype all Mexicans and label them as none persons. We don’t
want to take a closer look and see them as human beings. Because if we did we
would have to admit that they contribute to our society, they buy homes, cars,
goods, and services that benefit our economy. They married into our families
and are our sons and daughter. Or the parents of our grandchildren. Some of
these Mexicans have died for this country serving our military. They worship in
our churches. And now in these hard times when we should be showing our strength in character. We let our fear rule our thought processes and attack those we perceive as week. This country is in the process of building an industry of fear to deport Mexicans. For example a Mexican women brought to this country as a child. Raised in our society and married to an American citizen with two children is stopped on her way home from work for a minor traffic violation. She doesn’t return home to her husband and kids she is deported and must stay in a country awashed in violence. She is blackmailed by the INS a minimum of one year in Mexico and $ 10,000 to return to her family.
Gingrich is right there is a better way !
MB is right about Newt, whose most revealing self-commentary in a Sean Hannity interview about Newt's partnership with Nancy Pelosi: "I just wanted them to like me more."
Surely Americans aren't serious about Michelle Bachmann being a president!!!! She is only a silly thing that likes to hear herself talk and be in front of cameras. She hasn't a clue and won't have any idea what to do in a big ol' white building, much less making decisions in the oval room.......... She is a joke and needs to be weeded out before she wastes any more time.............but the media love to play them all against each other. It is a media feeding frenzy............and that sells!!!!
Bachmann's entire campaign is based on attacking others. Now she's resorting to cannabalism!
Dat dare newt bringing in all these nasty illegalls. They going to destroy our schools cause n they are less intelligent den other races. and they carry diseases. Especially da men. They carry these diseases from doing bad things with prostitutes. I 100 year ol this year and I never see anythin like it. we are being run over by these people. our neighboor hoods will now be infested with rats and cockroaches. You marks my words. Good by USA. Hello u.s. of medico.
In Davenport Iowa yesterday [per QC Times] Michele Bachman had a sum total of 10 [TEN} people to get an autographed book. Man does she ever draw the big crowds.......
Okay. This is the answer. We are going to have our National Guard made in charge of each state to go out and gather all of the illegal immigrants in their state and return them to the country that they came from. They will be paid by the Federal Government who has allowed this to happen. This doesn't take rocket science even the government should be able to figure this out. Unfortunately Obama does not know how to follow the constitution of the US and had given in to these illegals so we have to take over.
Ummmm those people have ways of fighting back! And think about that and what historical series of events similar to what you stated above, not all that long ago. Im for enforcing our borders and asking people to follow proper procedures. The world has gotten to a "I gotta have it now!" and thats not possible.If no ones employ's them they will for the most part head home. I work with people in Mexico almost everyday, Reynosa/Mcallen Chihuahua and a few others. They stay in Mexico because they make good money and we feed them lunch and breakfast. lol!
LET US GO BACK IN HISTORY A LITTLE BIT
I am sixty ,and I remember the amnesty issue very well ,back then OVER %80 of the American people supported Amnesty, and almost every politician went along with the people ,BUT then back then politicians listened to the people , as they worked for the people back then , that is not the case with most politicians today except AND it remains to be seen the new young guns we elected in 2010 seem to want to work for the people , FIRE THE REST ,all of them , NEWT IS FROM THE OLD SCHOOL when politicians worked for the people , There are those that claim Newt to be flip flopper NO the American people are fickle , and Newt worked for the American people , THAT'S HIS RECORD , he worked for the American people , And he has not Changed in that commitment , Newt was a bull dog in his younger days , Yes he made mistakes , But we now have an older wiser Man ,BUT STILL A BULL DOG ,and that is exactly what we need as our country is in deep deep trouble ,
The Newt -obama debates are going to make history world history as the greatest debates of all time
Obama will bury Newt in a debate. Newt is a pompous old fool.
They are not self deporting. They are taking their money home and out of our economy and then they self import to return to make more. Wake up!
Are they corporations?
Me thinks if Newt thought he had more of a majority base he could easily be promising much less compassion. There just aren't enough people in America that agree with the hardliners, Newt has to scuff some knee for the other side.
Once in office, as with all candidates, all bets are off and the philosophical orgy begins again.
MSNBC can you PLEASE stop this? If you print every stupid thing Bachmann says there won't be room for anything else. And besides, she's done, finished, kaput, toast, out of it, whatever, she doesn't warrant the space.
They have to. They don't want to report on Obama's shortfalls and lies to the American people. If they make you concentrate on this, you won't realize what an incompetent fool he is and what a fool you are by continuing to dote on him.
It's like Republicans are competing over who can sound the craziest. Newt says something that could be interpreted as halfway rational, pointing out that many Mexicans support the U.S. economy, in fact are crucial to it, and there's no practical way to kick them all out anyway. Bachmann immediately attacks: Newt's not crazy enough, he doesn't hate Mexicans enough, he might actually do something good for somebody! The lunatic Republican narrative turns all of morality on its head.
Can someone contact GOD and tell him to let Bachmann know he was just joking when he told her to run.....
Ummm....Mrs. Bachmann, I don't know if anyone has told you yet, but they aren't laughing WITH you......
At this point, Michelle is just trying to make as much money off her book as possible before she slithers back to wherever she came from.
well, if she's only selling 10 copies at a time she may want to reconsider and pull out those old pictures she sent to Beaver hunt...