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James Novogrod / NBC News
Tamara Scott and former Iowa state Rep. Danny Carroll, increasingly visible surrogates for Michele Bachmann, speaking at an Ottumwa, Iowa, restaurant Thursday night.
By NBC's James Novogrod
BLOOMFIELD, Iowa -- Michele Bachmann’s 99-county bus tour reached the eight-day mark Friday, and the candidate was losing her voice. In a whisper she circulated tables at the Oasis Coffee House, greeting voters, autographing yard signs and posing for photos.
While the grueling schedule left Bachmann quieter than usual, a group of surrogates raised the volume this week on a message the campaign hopes will resonate among Iowa’s evangelical voters, in the run-up to the Jan. 3 caucus.
“Do you know that the qualifications for public office are found in the Bible?” asked Danny Carroll, a former state representative, during a visit to a restaurant in Albia on Thursday.
Carroll was citing a passage in Exodus in which Moses is counseled to trust those who "feared God, were capable, and hated dishonest gain."
“I believe that Michele Bachmann fits all of those qualifications,” he added.
Carroll, who has supported Bachmann since the summer, has hosted her at his farm in Grinnell – but had rarely joined her for public events around the state. His presence, the campaign says, sends a signal to Iowan social conservatives.
“He has a tremendous amount of credibility in that state, and people look to his opinion,” says campaign spokeswoman Alice Stewart.
After a 12-year career in the Iowa statehouse, Carroll was chairman of the board of the Iowa Family Policy Center, a group that was later spun into the Family Leader, one of Iowa’s most high-profile evangelical groups.
Carroll's message seems designed in part to punch back at the Family Leader's current CEO, Bob Vander Plaats, who earlier this week endorsed one of Bachmann's chief rivals for the evangelical vote: Rick Santorum.
The endorsement directed unwelcome attention on the Bachmann campaign, after Politico reported that Vander Plaats had tried to influence the race more directly, by calling Bachmann to urge her to drop out.
Bachmann acknowledges the call happened, but disputes the account of the discussion. (A source close to the telephone call tells NBC News that Vander Plaats called to ask that she merge her ticket with Santorum, or with Rick Perry. Bachmann, according to the source, declined.)
Since the endorsement, the Bachmann camp’s pushback has been polite but sharp.
A second surrogate, Tamara Scott – the Iowa director of a conservative women's group, Concerned Women for America – called out the Family Leader and Santorum by name Thursday, during a stop in Ottumwa.
"The Iowa Family Leader had a series of meetings, and the papers said it was to make sure [Mitt] Romney was not the nominee," Scott said.
"Bob Vander Plaats turned around and endorsed Santorum, who had endorsed Romney in the last election. I just don’t understand those kinds of politics," Scott said.
In an interview with NBC, Scott stressed that she is not speaking on behalf of Concerned Women for America, and added that Bachmann was the only candidate she felt comfortable endorsing.
“Her integrity is intact,” Scott said.
The effect of the campaign’s effort is unclear so far, but the bus tour itself has seemed to win points in rural counties. Voters in small restaurants and bakeries often said they appreciated Bachmann’s attention.
“She stands for Iowa,” said caucus-goer Kay Rouch, in Keosauqua, on Wednesday. “This is where her roots are, her beginnings, and I think that she basically has a real concern for the people in the Midwest.”
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2012
Christian v atheist
Capiatalism v communism/socialism
U.S.A. v obamazuela (obama zoo wail ah)
2012 you decide!!!!
1) Obama is a Christian.
2) I suggest you look up the word "socialism" since it is obviously you have no idea what it means.
Your forgot to add "Black v White".. but I am sure you were thinking it.
What I am thinking is a bunch of obama troll's are going to be disappointed in November.
Anybody but obama in 2012!!!!!
Think that if you like but the polls say otherwise.
LMAO
More like Christian v Capitalist (Jesus fed the poor, and cared for the sick),
Obama v USA's racists
Socialism vs corporate greed
May God be with us and our President!
Children of the Corn....
Killerteam
You name really sums you up. Remember Atheist have guns too.
It just seems peculiar someone who disses global warming & how it is killing off so much of the planet's life forms, fights against gun control in view of soooo many shootings where defenseless are shot dead with no chance of moving a muscle, seeks the support of the religious.
It is not even a question of belief or religious history. The problem with many Republicans, especially the Tea Pary variety, is that they are lying about being Christian, as are many of the religious groups they are courting!
There are actually two areas of interest in the New Testament, which is the bases for Chritianity, as opposed to the Old Testament which is strating point for Jewish, Muslum and Christian beliefs.
There is of course Christian morality, almost entirely preoccupied with sex; and Christian economics, almost entirely preoccupied with disparaging the wealthy. You cannot be a true Christian unless you accept both points of belief. Christian morality of course condemns Homosexual activity, but Christian economics condemns the possession of or aquisition of material wealth.
Living in wealth (relative to your neighbor) is compared to "living in sin." To get to Heaven, the advise is to to "give away all possessions."
What the so called Christians need to do is become as entusiastic about keeping their neighbor from starving or dying of cancer as they are about casting out the homosexuals.
Accept both or cut some slack on both!
"but Christian economics condemns the possession of or aquisition of material wealth."
You raise a great point. And it's found in Acts. Unfortunately, those of "Christian" belief who like the finer things in life attribute that to Karl Marx.
Religion of wealth = Prosperity Ministry.
Check out the first two verses of Genesis 6. You may find out that EVERYTHING you know is wrong.
Soros you supposedly had 2 Billion in 2009, how is this turmoil working for you???
Van jones where are your ows idiot's?
obama I have friend's looking for a job???
T!roubl'e with punctuation ??!! Esp'ecially w!th the apost?rophe?? And the !! ?Question mark??
Thanks genuis,,,,,, I'll keep urn advise????? In mind!!!!!! LMFAO!!!!!
Just remember to vote soros, van jones and obama out in 2012!!!!!!!!
I see Gary is drunk from incessant Fox News propaganda. I guess Gary is just one of those scary fundamentalist Christian apologists who is impressed by Bachman's narrow view of Amerika.
yes lets raise the taxs on those that fuel the economy and get squat from conservitive policies so those that own the gop can squeeze a few more silver coins out of the u.s. before their policies completley destroy the country for the remaining 99 % good idea cons! Ya go and run on that one! jeeeeez are some people really that stupid!?
How long would you expect it to take for a billionaire to transfer a billion or two off shore?
Pretty soon the poor will be doing the hiring?????
They didn't when the tax rates were much, much higher. Why would they now?
Isaiah 3:12
As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths.
This is a curse! how's this for a verse of "qualifications" I DO NOT want this woman to rule over America...and RULE she wants to.
What I don't understand about religious right-wingers is how they deny justice for everyone. They're so pro-life, but don't want to provide health care for pregnant women and for the children once they're born. In fact, they don't want anyone covered under any government sponsored program. Then, they promote wars and the invasion of other countries which kills many, so why doesn't that bother them? They're all for very low taxes which leaves the states in dire straits, but promote the wealth of corporate America through free trade which has taken millions of jobs away from Americans.
They're very hypocritical while they sit with great jobs, health care and a secure future with millions of $$$ in investments. When are Americans going to wake-up and stop voting for these people?
How is this news??? Saying that Bachmann is pitching to evangelicals is like saying that the GOP is looking out for the 1%.
One more time for everyone.......Bachmann has a better chance of seeing the second coming of Christ than being elected President!
The Evangelical movement is America is antithetic to not only the teachings of Jesus Christ and his mission on earth which was and is defined by the social dimension of the Gospel, but also to democracy itself. Michelle Bachman and people of her ilk talk about a nation founded on Christian principles when in fact the Founding Fathers made every effort in designing our Constitution to eliminate religion from playing a dominant role in our government. The right-wing has used religion as just one of the vehicles to crush a free-thinking people populace in order to maintain power. The Sanheidran and Pharissees were no different than Brittain in 1775, and now the Corporations of today who seek to profit at the expense of the poor, the disenfranchised, and the outcast. Christianity has turned into a political agenda rather than a personal belief. When Christ started his mission he first spoke at his synagogue in his own home town. Jesus quoted from the Book of Isaiah, in effect, Christ's mission statement that he came to give sitght to the blind (metaphorically speaking) for the persecuted, and the downtrodden. His message to start his three-year mission was a direct attack on what had become of the Jewish faith that his own people ran himout of town. Evangelical Chrisitanity today, with a message of being "saved" by accepting Jesus Christ into your heart misses completely his call to align yourself with the poor and the powerless. It has now becomea blasphemous message that preaches itf you follow Jesus (to hell with what his mesage really was speaking to) you will be rewarded with wealth here on earth because you bellieve in Jesus. Listen to the preachers of today on television asking for your money in the name of Christ. If Jesus were here today he would be throwing these moneychangers out of the temple. Today's religion has no compassion for others but is solely about one's self.
Relgion today is just another form of Fascism which seeks to control the populace while it fleeces its members.
We all should believe or not believe as we so choose in a democracy and leave our personal faith out of our consitutional form of government, as the Founding Fathers intended. The right-wing love to talk about how governmenting fringes on our rights while they, given the chance, will tell you who to marry, what you can do to your own body, squash all dissent, and persecute you if you do not believe in their cookie-cutter approach to the Gospel.
I dread the thought of America in the hands of Christian fundamentalists. It would be capitalism on steroids with no regulations for business, war at every turn (the Crusades all over again), and out right persecution of gays, non-believers, Atheists, Muslims, unions, and the poor.
The Evangelical movement is America is antithetical to not only the teachings of Jesus Christ and his mission on earth which was and is defined by the social dimension of the Gospel, but also to democracy itself.
Michelle Bachman and people of her ilk talk about a nation founded on Christian principles when in fact the Founding Fathers made every effort in designing our Constitution to eliminate religion from playing a dominant role in our government. The right-wing has used religion as just one of the vehicles to crush a free-thinking people populace in order to maintain power. The Sanheidran and Pharissees were no different than Brittain in 1775, and now the Corporations of today who seek to profit at the expense of the poor, the disenfranchised, and the outcast. Christianity has turned into a political agenda rather than a personal belief.
When Christ started his mission he first spoke at his synagogue in his own home town. Jesus quoted from the Book of Isaiah, in effect, Christ's mission statement that he came to give sitght to the blind (metaphorically speaking) for the persecuted, and the downtrodden. His message to start his three-year mission was a direct attack on what had become of the Jewish faith losing its way that his own people ran him out of town. Evangelical Chrisitanity today, with a message of being "saved" by accepting Jesus Christ into your heart misses completely his call to align yourself with the poor and the powerless. It has now becomea blasphemous message that preaches if you follow Jesus (to hell with what his message really was speaking to) you will be rewarded with wealth here on earth because you bellieve in Jesus. Listen to the preachers of today on television asking for your money in the name of Christ. If Jesus were here today he would be throwing these moneychangers out of the temple. Today's religion has no compassion for others but is solely about one's self.
Relgion today is just another form of Fascism which seeks to control the populace while it fleeces its members.
We all should believe or not believe as we so choose in a democracy and leave our personal faith out of our consitutional form of government, as the Founding Fathers intended. The right-wing love to talk about how governmenting infringes on our rights while they, given the chance, will tell you who to marry, what you can do to your own body, squash all dissent, and persecute you if you do not believe in their cookie-cutter approach to the Gospel.
I dread the thought of America in the hands of Christian fundamentalists. It would be capitalism on steroids with no regulations for business, war at every turn (the Crusades all over again), and out right persecution of gays, non-believers, Atheists, Muslims, unions, and the poor.
I don't have any issue with anyone that has strong religious feelings and beliefs. BUT I do have an issue when they don't accept the fact that not everyone has the same beliefs. When that happens, there will always be problems. Bachmann doesn't have room in her mind for anyone that doesn't believe as she does. I know this next statement will upset some of you, but she really does look like a witch. My 8 year old granddaughter can put on eye makeup better and look better!
But why do they expect us to believe in their brand of Christianity? Even Paul said, "When you are a child you drink milk but when you are grown you need meat for nourishment." I cannot respect anyone who believes in the nonsense evangelcals preach and its simplistic child-like understanding of a god and and world we live in. Pablum is not sufficient for critical thinkers. Their simplistic understanding of the world we live in is frankly embarrassing to the human race and shows we have not evolved as quickly as we think we have.
Listen closely and you can hear Tom Paine, Tom Jefferson, John Locke, and James Madison rolling over in their graves at the lack of deep thinkers on the Christian right.
Her campaign is like kicking a dead horse. Why would anyone want to listen to someone that hasn't a chance in hell to be elected? Go figure!@
Simple, JM. The neo-nuts have an ABSOLUTE HATE for Obama, Dems, Repub moderates, and people who think clearly!
This excuse for a politician is an example of the "dumbing down of America" syndrome. Bar none!
Bachmann campaign must be taking a nose dive if she is now courting evangelicals. "I'll try and appeal myself to anyone!"
if God wanted Bachmann to win the election, why did he take her voice away? :)
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Maybe her voice followed her mind whereever it went.
My favorite is a quote by a Viner.. (sorry, don't remember who or where) that said something like God told Rick Santorum, Michelle Bachmann and Hermain Cain to run (as they have each claimed) so that Obama would win. lol
Rick, Remember Carter chastizing the country for "malaise" I think it was. Then he followed up that act with the attempted Iran hostage rescue. I think he partook of his bother's "Billy Beer" more than he let on.
OMG LMAO TFF Michelle's co chair just defected to Ron Paul!!! Send in the clowns yet again!!!!!
"feared God, were capable, and hated dishonest gain" ... well, one out of three ain't bad ...
I can hardly wait for Jan. 4, 2012. Hopefully, one will no longer have to listen to the nonsense emanating from Iowa's republicans and their so-called Presidential candidates. I continue to be mystified by all the evangelical, religious right, christian conservative, born again, ad infitnitum hype. Somebody named Carroll from Iowa now claims the Bible has something to say about politics. Really? Carroll, God could care less about religion: He cares about Christianity; matters of the heart. People can be religious, just about anything they choose, including how they determine to be identified with God. God is in no way concerned about our words insofar as what we call ourselves or the name of the Church we attend. He is very much concerned about our deeds and the actions wrought from the heart. Psalm 143:2 sums it up better than any creature could ever,'for in thy sight shall no man, in himself, be justified or righteous'.
Tamara Scott stated in support of O'Bachmann (David Letterman's description), 'her integrity is intact'. No doubt in my mind. One dictionary definition of integrity is completeness. O'Bachmann is so complete apropos to US history she firmly believes that the founding fathers of this nation worked tirelessly to eradicate slavery, while maintaining slaves, in their, work for free employ. One can readily deduce from that level of intelligence O'Bachmann's integrity is heads above all others. Really Tamara?
Michele deserves to win. It is foretold. For she is the hand maiden of the Lord. She is pure, she is virginal. She is without hand under the table asking for government hand-outs for her husbands psycho babble clinic. St. Michele has never sought Obama's stimulus, though she did seek and receive his stimulus funds.
While President, her husband could, on an international level, continue to dissuade gays from continuing their lifestyle. She could proclaim the Second Coming, she could spread Christ's love through her foreign policy and public affairs (no not those kind of affairs). How beautiful would be her holy facelift smile. In God We Trust and in Michele we lust.
It is fun to be reading and or writing all the far sides of politics,as if they are truly going to be accepted by the voting majority,but the far left and the far right in politics is dismissed by the voters on voting day .The major population vote is to the least disturbing person who appears to be friendly and sincere, even thou I personally doubt if there are many who are truly that. The only good that comes out of the elections is that for a short time the interested few get to think a little about more than tv , jobs.and money or the lack of.