Bachmann having trouble keeping staffers.
By on Apr 16th, 2008 at 7:30 pm
Bachmann having trouble keeping staffers.
Rep. Michelle Bachmann (R-MN), who famously got up close and personal with President Bush at the 2007 State of the Union, is having difficulty retaining staff members in her congressional office. The Hill reports that “ten of the 14 people” she “hired early last year have left” her office. “The casualty list includes two chiefs of staff, a district director, a press secretary, two legislative assistants, a staff assistant, a caseworker, an outreach and grants coordinator and a district scheduler.” A third chief of staff “rescinded his decision to take the position prior” to being officially placed on the payroll.
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Well, yes, working for a complete nutjob is a demanding, thankless, worthless task. It doesn’t go on many resumes, I assure you, my friends.
April 16th, 2008 at 7:35 pmI love it! It couldn’t happen to a creepier congresscritter. Maybe the kool-aid is wearing off?
April 16th, 2008 at 7:35 pmMichele Bachman is the Katherine Harris of the 110th Congress.
April 16th, 2008 at 7:39 pmI too, have had the dubious honor of working for a “complete nutjob”. I can’t even stand a few seconds of video. Trying to last a whole day in the presence of Ms. Bachmann is not something I would choose.
April 16th, 2008 at 7:45 pmThis speaks volumes, especially during a recession.
April 16th, 2008 at 7:47 pmThanks a bunch, Ralph. My lunch is now in the terlet.
April 16th, 2008 at 7:50 pmI seem to remember similar stories about Katharine Harris during her run for the Senate. She was shedding staffers like a fat dog in the summer.
April 16th, 2008 at 7:51 pmBimbo Bachmann will never get re-elected. Most of her staff knows that and has left to look for jobs with a future.
Her main claim to fame during this session is the “Light-bulb Freedom of Choice Act”. Really now. Would you stake your career on a dim bulb politician like her?
The folks who left her office passed the intelligence test as far as I am concerned.
April 16th, 2008 at 7:54 pmThese are real tears in my crocodile eyes!
April 16th, 2008 at 7:56 pmIt would have been nice if the linked article gave some kind of a reason why Bachmann has such a high turnover. For example, a similar news item several years ago mentioned that Dianne Feinstein had difficulty retaining staff members, but that was because she was extremely demanding and difficult to work with.
I admit I would have a problem working with her, but that’s only because our viewpoints are so diametrically opposed. But I am assuming that the people who got hired on her staff knew she was a Bush apologist and a GOP toady?
In the interest of fairness, the article also mentioned a Democratic congressman who lost 13 staffers in his first year. So I’m assuming there could be a number of reasons. I’m not going to rise to the bait to bash Bachmann over this one (there will be plenty of other times, I’m sure).
April 16th, 2008 at 8:09 pmSounds like that old 70s band: “Bachman Turnover Overdrive”.
April 16th, 2008 at 8:09 pmWho’s running against this bimbo? Let’s spend some cash on the challenger!!!
April 16th, 2008 at 8:16 pmmisshusseinmolly — I am from Minnesota and I will take this one on. Please also see my previous post re: Light-bulb Freedom of Choice Act. It is obvious, if you have ever seen or heard this bimbo, that her ego-driven Congressional office is a dead-end proposition. Even a “GOP toady” can see that. Just look at how many of them have jumped ship from the S.S. Titanic GDumbya in the past year.
April 16th, 2008 at 8:16 pmWow, light bulb freedom of choice! You couldn’t make that up. So, Bachmann is best known for tilting at the windmill of better energy efficiency. It’s a God given right to waste as much electricity as we want in this country, damn it!
The mercury in compact fluorescent has been over-represented. First, it’s less than the mercury you find in traditional fluorescent tubes. At my house we’re replacing traditional tubes with compact bulbs so should see a net reduction in household mercury. Second, the reduction in energy usage may actually reduce the mercury emissions from coal power plants to a greater degree than the contribution from the bulbs themselves.
Phasing out incancesdents is a good idea. There may be better technology choices than compact fluorescents, like LED lights, but going to bat for incancesdents is just backward.
April 16th, 2008 at 8:25 pmMichele Bachman is, one scary lady. What person in there rite mind would work for that wing-nut.
April 16th, 2008 at 8:29 pm“Bachmann having trouble keeping staffers.”
Gee, ya think???
April 16th, 2008 at 8:52 pmI worked for a nut case nine years ago and got fired for questioning her nuttiness. Five years later, her nuttiness caught up with her and she was forced to resign from state government (this was in Georgia.)
These types can hang on for a long time if they’re clever enough…something tells me Bachmann isn’t.
Newsprism
April 16th, 2008 at 9:12 pmI found this on Crooks and Liars:
Newly-elected Congresswoman Michele Bachmann got quite a bit of face time with President Bush after his State of the Union Speech Tuesday night.
While the President was signing autographs for members of Congress after the speech, the sixth-district Republican put her hand on Bush’s shoulder. However, it wasn’t just a tap. After he signed an autograph for her, Bachmann grabbed the president and did not let go for almost 30 seconds.
After signing the autograph for Bachmann, the president turns away, but Bachmann doesn’t let go. In fact, the video shows her reaching out to get a better grip on him.
Bush then leans over to kiss another congresswoman, but Bachmann is still holding on. Bachmann then gets more attention, a kiss and an embrace from the president. A few seconds later, Bachmann’s hand finally comes off the presidential shoulder.
Bachmann has quite a thing for Bush, apparently. This press release from her campaigning days reads more like a diary entry for a 12 year old who got to meet her Tiger Beat teen idol:
I have never been in the Presidential limousine before so I was a little unsure what to do when the limousine stopped at the custard stand. I wasn’t sure if I should exit with the President or get out of my side of the car. Karl Rove told me I would exit out the door on my side after The President steps out and someone would open the door for me. I could not believe I was discussing what flavor of custard to order with the President of the United States!
Anyone who hangs on that tight to Georgie and has that big of a crush, OMG I think I’m going to be ill. I can truly appreciate now why her staff couldn’t stick around.
April 16th, 2008 at 10:44 pmSounds like a good target for red to blue.
April 16th, 2008 at 11:21 pmAnother lesser known fact of this fine piece of work is her definitive conclusion on Global Warming. Somehow she has the smoking gun evidence that it is all a hoax, and that most renown scientific experts around the world for the past twenty years all have been making this up. Although she gives no reason why they would do this, or how she personally knows these hundred of scientists and can vouch that all of them are concocting this diabolical conspiracy. People opening laughed at her when she brought this up at a town meeting.
Michelle Bachmann does not represent my district, let alone my state of Minnesota. She is an embarrassment and does not reflect the political landscape of our proud state.
April 17th, 2008 at 2:29 amI’m from Minnesota and thank god I don’t live in her district. Patty Wetterling, who’s son Jacob was kidnapped on January 22, 1990, ran against her in the last election. Jacob has never been found. Patty Wetterling runs the Jacob Wetterling Foundation. Bachmann’s district is very conservative, very religious. I tried to email her office but was blocked. I’ve never had any difficulty before contacting a representative or senator from any state. I’m thinking that she has been flooded with complaints and can’t take any more! But knowing her district she’ll probably be re-elected.
April 17th, 2008 at 10:27 amIs she the new “Kathryn Harris?”
April 17th, 2008 at 11:45 am