Rep. Bachmann Flunking History: Join the Live Chat
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Congresswoman Michele Bachmann is preparing for a rebuttal to Pres. Obama's State of the Union speech tomorrow night. She'll speak on behalf of the Tea Party caucus. But it's another speech she gave on Friday that has a lot of people talking, where she flubbed the facts on U.S. History. We're Keeping Them Honest. Plus, see why the folks behind the hit TV show "Mad Men" are being added to our 'RidicuList'.
Scroll down to join the live chat during the program. It's your chance to share your thoughts on tonight's headlines. Keep in mind, you have a better chance of having your comment get past our moderators if you follow our rules.
Here are some of them:
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4) No links
5) Watch your language (keep it G-rated; PG at worst - and that includes $#&*)
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Bachmann really needs to take a course in history and learn more about the United States. She needs to get her facts straight and quit lying to the public. She is just ruining herself and representation.
Bachman was claining global acceptenace of adualts arriving. Some members of Her party want to remove the right to American citizenship of some babies even if the new arrival is by being born in the USA.
@Mel, -'This is so ironic to me. I am a history teacher and I am currently teaching my students about the Constitutional Convention and the actual document itself this week. I am blown away by her comments. She was completely wrong. Native Americans, African-Americans and women were not allowed to participate in the convention in Philadelphia let alone given the same equal rights as men under the Constitution. it is sad to see someone in such a position of power be so ill-informed'
Maybe she should come and sit in on some of your classes
also, when she says our founding fathers wanted to get rid of slavery its entirely true. BUT the reason they DIDNT is because as soon as the nation was started, if they did, they would have disrupted the entire newly born nation and it would have never flourished.
I'm shocked by Michelle Bachmann comment on slavery. I come from Europe and I've seen so many people there trying to manipulate history. Most of them where neo nazis or facists. I wasn't expecting something like this from her. I'm afraid if such a person is elected president one day.
Emily,
They won't listen either, I agree with you..... Good point there.
@Matt,
When politicians speak, no know should "assume" what they are saying, esp. when it comes to events that are clearly so offensive like denying that there was slavery, etc.
Also immigrants (Irish, Jewish, etc.) had it rough during the 1920s and 1930s to become a U.S. citizen and being able to work and live in the U.S. African-Americans were fighting for their rights during the civil right movement during the sixties to have the same rights and be treated just like anybody else. They wanted to end discrimination and wanted freedom. All this stuff that Bachmann is saying about U.S. History and the facts about it is stupid. This tells me that Bachmann forgot the history of the United States.
I like the idea of keeping them honest but would like to see the focus of that initiative placed on those whose honesty or lack thereof is truly important. I'm an Independent, not a Democrat, but I don't see Palin and Bachman deserving of that focus.
1960's was also the decade when the first Catholic president was assassinated.
(No Irish need apply still going strong?)
I realize you were making a larger point, but the three-fifths compromise isn't just evidence that the Constitution/founding fathers accepted slavery. The 3/5 compromise was about population and states' representation. SOUTHERN states were the ones who wanted to count slaves as "full people" to have their populations increase and thus give them more power in Congress even though they would NEVER be giving voice to those slaves. The North was trying to fight that kind of unjust power in the hands of the South, so they didn't want to count those populations. Slavery was horrific and wrong, but the 3/5 compromise isn't actually the right evidence for that point.
As for the founding fathers' guilt, it was actually the next half dozen presidents (after anti-slavery activist John Quincy Adams) who buried their heads in the sand and did everything they could to not grapple with the issue. Jefferson and Washington (who freed slaves in his will) faced it WAY more head on than Van Buren or Polk, among others. Tyler and Taylor didn't come close to the level of conscience about their slaves.
She acts as though slavery was abolished in the lifetime of the founders...
The Historian made a good point, the real heros were those who fought against the civil injustice–Sojourner Truth–and African American Woman. Now that is a hero.
Michele Bachmann is another know nothing who very divisive, like Palin. I don't understand why the republican party doesn't get behind a woman like the one they have on – Susan Molinari. I don't agree with her, but she always seems very intelligent and she is not a divisive person.
bachman wasnt entirely right but she wasnt wrong either. when talking about "people of all race or skin" you have to assume she is talking about ppl like Carnegie and Rockefeller who were both immigrants and still rose to the top. Yes people were discriminated but the same discrimination is in todays world. She was just trying to give an optimistic view of our nations history not "making up facts"
The only reason Obama will become more centrist is because of the results of the November election not because he believes it is best for the country.
I just love the lady with the British accent. She is awesome. I guess I need to catch her name~ lol
Fact cjeck: The reublican lady stated that unemploymentis is higher now than at the last state of the union 9.4%. Is that true?
Thanks for stating the facts Anderson. You Rock! We must remember that while the constitution is a document that deserves respect it must not be glorified because it was created by conflicted human beings..ie. Africans 3/5ths of a human being....
This is so ironic to me. I am a history teacher and I am currently teaching my students about the Constitutional Convention and the actual document itself this week. I am blown away by her comments. She was completely wrong. Native Americans, African-Americans and women were not allowed to participate in the convention in Philadelphia let alone given the same equal rights as men under the Constitution. it is sad to see someone in such a position of power be so ill-informed.
I’m not sure if M. Bachmann is really that off base or if it only seems so since we only edited clips…
Where can I get that clip of her comments. I need to share.
Why does the Tea Party speaker Michele Bachmann really wants to rewrite history and say what she want? First off, the framers did have slaves-Jefferson, Adams, and others. Slavery did not washed away on its own and it took time throughout the early years after the U.S. received its independence, The Civil War, and during and after Reconstruction to decide what to do with slavery. Even though it was slavery was on the table, it was dealt later in other times in U.S. History.
My father came to this country from Europe in the 1940s. He, his parents and brothers and sisters were most certainly not "treated equal" when they came to the United States. They were called DPs, accused of stealing jobs and had to work hard for everything they did despite the challenges of being different – in northern Minnesota, her home state.
She needs to have a little chat with the large number of European immigrants that populate her own state before she opens her mouth.
Thanks Anderson for keeping them honest.
Paul
Atlanta, GA
Sorry. I came it too late. What did Bachmann say?
@Megan,
"I don't think people listen her like that!"
Congresswoman Bachmann wouldn't be talking like this, again, if people were not listening to her.
Geepers. You don't have to be very smart to be in politics these days. scary
Bachmann's likable for her willingness to take risks and speak out forcefully. I like where she's taking the conversation and don't mind that she is mistaken on some facts. She'll learn as she goes along. Go Tea Party! Down with Statism!!!
I wouldn't be too upset that Congresswoman Bachmann wouldn't come on the show. When she does come on she overtalks everyone and interrupts and never listens to anyone else and cannot be confused with the facts.
Anderson,
Hi! It's great to see you on. I hope you had a good weekend.
Michele Bachmann is pretty extreme. It will be interesting to hear what she has to say after the State of the Union speech–though I'd hope it's not just to call attention away from Pres. Obama.
I will not listen Michelle Bachman tomorrow night after State of the Union! I don't think people listen her like that!
The uneducated masses will believe the nonsense she spews out which is very distrubing.
We need to give ourselves credit for evolving socially and politically.
Michele Bachman's statement about American history is true to course to her behavior. No responsibility!!!
"We also know..."
Who are the "we" Congresswoman Bachmann was referring to?
Michele Bachman seems to be in outer space. Thank you Anderson for correcting her speech!
It took the Civil War though!
Good evening Anderson and everyone. Happy Monday. Michelle Bachmann never ceases to amaze me with her wealth of misinformation. It boggles the mind.
People listen to Bachmann......ok?.....maybe someone should tell her not to include any history in her speeches or the wrong information will spread from those that apparently listen to her
Whoa Anderson!!!!!! I am surprise Michelle Bachman prove her wrong facts.... she is F! That's right, Anderson...... Keep her honest! 🙂
I would love to see Michele Bachman experience being a slave for just one month. I am sure her statement would certainly change.
Why do people think that they can re-write history if they don't like it? Do think that people will really 'buy' what they are 'selling'?
What about Italians?
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