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James Novogrod / NBC News
Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., addresses reporters Saturday in Estherville, Iowa, where she was campaigning for the Republican presidential nomination.
ALGONA, Iowa – A feud inside the GOP presidential field provoked Michele Bachmann to defend her hard line on Iran on Saturday while insisting that she doesn't "hate Muslims."
Bachmann repeated variations on that phrase in at least three cities during her 99 county bus tour of Iowa.
"I don't hate Muslims. I love the American people. And as president of the United States, my goal will be to keep America safe, free, and sovereign," Bachmann told reporters Saturday morning in Estherville.
The unusually personal self-defense is the latest element in a back-and-forth with U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, who criticized Bachmann on national television Friday night.
Appearing on NBC's "Tonight Show," Paul said Bachmann "doesn’t like" Muslims.
"She hates Muslims," Paul added. "She wants to go get 'em."
The origins of the feud go back to Thursday's Fox News debate, in Sioux City, where Paul and Bachmann locked horns over how to handle the prospect of a nuclear Iran.
"There's war propaganda going on," Paul said of pronouncements among the GOP about confronting the threat.
"To me, the greatest danger is that we will have a president that will overreact and we will soon bomb Iran," he added.
Kevin Winter / NBCuniversal / Getty Images Contributor
Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul appears on the "Tonight Show With Jay Leno" Friday at NBC Studios in Burbank, Calif.
Asked to reply, Bachmann said: "I think I have never heard a more dangerous answer for American security than the one that we just heard from Ron Paul."
She later added that the idea of not confronting Iran amounts to "the greatest under-reaction in world history."
(Bachmann's plan on Iran, unveiled in November, does not call for an immediate strike, but recommends "crushing" sanctions and covert activity to destabilize the regime.)
On Saturday, Bachmann used Paul's charge that she "hates" Muslims to advance her own assertions about Iran's leaders.
"Where the true hatred is coming from is the president of Iran and the mullahs," Bachmann told reporters in Algona.
"They’ve said unequivocally that they want to obtain a nuclear weapon for the express purpose of using it against our ally, Israel, to kill the Jews," she said, adding: "They also want to use it against the United States and kill Americans."
Related story: Pickets swarm Lowe's in Arab-American Michigan community for pulling ads from Muslim TV show
Leave a Comment:
Whoever is paying the bills for this dog and pony show must have too much money in their pocket and wants some entertainment.
look, if muslims attack this country we have a right to go after them. bachman is a bigot who wants to return to the antibellam south. she hates all who are different from her just like her red meat repub followers do.
Another bunch of lies, Michele Bachman is a real American.
A real American what?
Let's keep everything in Perspective People. This is an Article about a person who will not become President and that's about all there is to it.
She is on her Journey into obscurity.
All she has to offer are schoolyard rants.
If you could only be half as successful as she is?
Having to say something that shouldn't have to be said says a lot.
Three words: bat @!$%# crazy!
She doesn't hate Muslims, she hates everyone that doesn't agree with her.
Torch-3648418
So did Hitler!
Lies, lies and more lies.
Michele Bachman is no hater of Muslims, but if you say something often enough then I guess you will believe it, but spreading these lies does not make it so.
Christian fundamentalists do not practice the fundamentals of Christianity. Jesus discriminated against no one. Jesus did not hate his enemies. Jesus despised the rich and supported the poor.
If you believe the fairy tale, then Jesus believed that God would support anyone who obeyed him (jesus, not God) and therefore the rich weren't to be despised, they were simply to be ignored. The rich didn't give mannah to the poor or put fish in your nets, God did.
Funny, I didn't think Jesus "despised" anyone. He did advocate some very liberal policies, however.
Well why the hell not Michele?
I thought Palin was the supreme azzhole, but Michelle has her beat by a million miles. Can there ever, ever be just one single republican that thinks sensibly first, and all for war second? I don't think so.
No, there are some, but none of them has a snowball's chance of every getting the party nomination.
Bachmann may not hate muslims but like most on the right uses the fear of islam to beat more sane Americans senseless with their hateful rhetoric. What are conservatives not afraid of except capitalism, everything else sends them into spasms of uncontrollable fear and anxiety?
xvet
What their rhetoric is actually doing is driving more moderate Republicans away from the party. They're whittling down their own ranks, and apparently don't realize it.
I for one do not want Michele the Crackpot anywhere NEAR the Nuclear Button, Thank You Very Much!
So what if she does? I'm drawing a cartoon of Moohammed banging Michelle Obomba from behind wearing the 'lit bomb turban' that they seem to be all worked up about.
I am most definitely an American infidel, it's my right under the cuddly warm blanket of the First Amendment. Oh, what do you mean?
Iran and Syria do not have an equivelant to the First Amendment? Poor phucking Muslim idiots.
How about an American style Arab Spring that involves tossing the God damned totalitarian theologs down a well and instituting a Bill of Rights Philly style?
Let women drive and vote and show some leg, oh no, that would drive those Muslim boys to the point of jihadsturbation! Can't have that.
,'-p
I think you need to pull up first behind Michelle Bachman and plook her a few times to ease her azz strings and that should clear her brains and also relieve your angry white conservative retarded azz mind. You both have some serious issues to resolve so spare us normal sane Americans from the filth you speak.
Angry,
Did your Daddy Beat you when you were a child?
You can talk to me about it, it's OK.
No one has a sense of humor anymore, except of course Alec Baldwin and Tina Fey, right?
No, my Daddy did not beat me when I was a child but he was strict on me when it came to respecting everyone's race, creed and nationality, and as such, he tought me how to forgive the most unintelligent and uncivilized people who live among us all. So with that being said..I forgive you as Jesus forgave all mankind's sins..But one note to you..No body gave Juda the rope to hang himself, he just knew that God would not have him and he definitely knew Jesus wouldn't either, so he made his mind up to join ole Satan as I suspect you will be joining him too, one day...Get a life before it's too late.
Bachmann is a Palin v2.0 in the making. She has a snowball's chance in hell of becoming President and once she's ousted from the party she'll have book deals and interviews galore on her plate. And just like Palin, we'll be hard-pressed to rid ourselves of her.
Sarah who? I don't watch FAUX much, is she still on there?
Ezra, the same could be said of you.
@stclaire ... I'm not sure I follow you. What is it I've done to instill a desire in you to want to be rid of me?
stclaire is apparently Bachmann's last remaining supporter. Either that or a family member....
Why is it so many of these "Christian" teapublicans lie so much and so often???
Because GAWD all-mighty forgives them? Perhaps they get "born AGAIN" after each lie and after each mistress?
She is not a Christian, She Bears False Witness and will have to answer for it someday.
She just got her 12th Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire from Politifact...
I don't plan on voting for Ron Paul, but of all the repub clown candidates, he seems to be the most truthful. He has a reputation for honesty that the others do not have. He must have some reason for saying what he said about Bachmann, as in it's true.
RE China's first aircraft carrier, future man made reef if it comes down to it.
Michele is like a bad dream - I am waiting to see it disappear!!
What's the quote I'm looking for? Ah yes, "Me thinks doth protest too much".
Muslims have ben killing non muslims for thousands of years . but that must be the bad muslims . of course we dont allow bad muslims here. wake up dumb asses.
Hey G, Christians have been killing for years too pal. Remember the Salem Witch trails, the Inquisition, and the Crusades? Those must have been the bad Christians though. There are no bad Christians here (Timothy McVeigh was an atheist) only bad Muslims. By the way, you spelt Milwaukee wrong! You are from there right?
The only thing she hates more than a muslim is a gay muslim! May she burn in hell.
Hmm, wonder if her husband could pray away Muslim gay? Or does his power only extend to Christians?
It sure as hell don't work on himself.
As Archie Bunker said to the Meathead, "There ain't nuttin' up there!"
She spews too much and needs to be called on it. District 6 in MN? Maybe we can get a 2 fer and she won't get re elected!
@cool gatos, Unfortunately, even if she's ousted, she will be receiving our tax dollars and health insurance for the rest of her life. Maybe she's already won what she came for.
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2011/09/06/312017/bachmann-muslims-not-equal/
I think the Muslim population is thinking this fascist pig, Bachmann is part of the Borg collective. If you don't assimilate according to HER views then resistance to her is futile. You will simply not exist because YOU (Muslims) do not contribute to HER fascist agenda.
Bachmann, you are no American and never will be, fascist!
2012! Back to sanity, rationality, center governance and the end of these tea party, fascist pig legislators and governors.
does anyone listen to her ? i guess she's trying to get muslim votes because she is so far behind .she may not hate them , but I DO , a disable USMC vietnam combat vet
What amazes me, is that next November, tens of millions people will vote for one of these morons for POTUS.
POT US smoker?
Let us all hope that one of these candidates does get into office, any one of the Republican Candidates would be a much better President than Obama has shown to be, that is for sure.