Bachmann’s private life is fair game to media only when it reflects on her ability to do the job.

It must be “Get Michele Bachmann” Week, what with the succession of rumors, innuendos and news swirling about her over the past few days, including:

  • She believes that black farmers against whom the U.S. government practiced discrimination do not deserve compensatory payments.
  • Her husband’s Christian counseling clinics have therapies that try to “straighten out” gays.
  • People on her staff pushed around a reporter who was asking Michele tough questions.
  • She has debilitating migraine headaches
  • Her husband may be a closeted gay.

Someone or some group is clearly out to dampen the head of steam that Bachmann has built up in the early campaign for the Republican nomination for President.

The list I put together above is a kind of SAT question, because one of the items does not belong.  The common element among the others is that they all matter to an evaluation of Bachmann’s credentials as a candidate.

It’s the migraines that do not matter, and should never have been mentioned by responsible reporters.  What is particularly despicable about bringing up this minor health issue is that so much of the news media carried the story without attribution or source.

But yes, it matters that Bachmann is against righting an illegal policy of discrimination.  And yes it matters that her husband runs what is essentially an anti-gay program, because it reflects her own oft-stated antipathy towards GLBT persons.  And it matters (but maybe less than one might think) if she is using the same kind of goon tactics to enforce discipline at her rallies that Bush II used in 2000 and 2008 (and which I know for a fact that Robert Kennedy used in primary campaigns in 1968).

And because she and her husband are so publicly outspoken against gays and gay marriage, the fact that hubby may be a secret same-sexer is pertinent.  Let me be clear: I see nothing wrong with Mr. Bachmann being gay, nor with the Bachmanns’ hiding his sexual orientation while Mrs. B runs for office.  There is nothing wrong with private hypocrisy.  What I object to is their hurtful public hypocrisy. 

Of course, that is, if Marcus Bachmann really does have a sexual attraction to men.

So far, all the articles about Mr. B’s sexual proclivities focus on three things:

  • His apparent gay mannerisms, e.g., his vocal intonations, how he walks and how he dances.
  • The bantering by comedians John Stewart and Jerry Seinfeld about Mr. B’s possible gayness a week ago on Stewart’s show.
  • References to something called “gaydar,” which is a neologism of gay and radar and describes someone’s ability to sense if someone else is or is not gay.

In other words, no one has come out of the closet to say he is or was Marcus Bachmann’s secret lover.  Mr. B has not been caught with a wide stance or soliciting anyone.  There is no record of gay porno on his smart phone or laptop. 

All the news media are doing are repeating unfounded Twitter and Internet rumors and jokes from a late-night TV show.  The editors and publishers of the Los Angeles Times, New York Daily News, Daily Beast and other mainstream news media covering these rumors should be ashamed of themselves.  If any evidence emerges, by all means the Bachmanns’ past statements make hubby’s sexual orientation fair game.  But without evidence, just shut up!!

Make no mistake about it, Bachmann must be stopped: Not only is she unqualified, but she is a known liar.  Her policies would take even more from the poor and middle class to give to the wealthy, while dismantling social and civil freedoms that we Americans sometimes take for granted. 

But if we stop her by lying about her we stoop to her level and debase ourselves the same way that we as a country were debased when the Bush II administration stooped to the level of the terrorists by implementing a worldwide campaign of torture.

One thought on “Bachmann’s private life is fair game to media only when it reflects on her ability to do the job.

  1. Ms. Bachmann. Unfortunately, her lack of any reasonable qualification for “The Job”, can we (collectively) then just STOP talking about this woman? Honestly, she does clean up nicely, and presents herself well, until she opens her mouth to start speaking. She will do well in certain quarters, it seems Chris Matthews is smitten. Unfortunately, even the shallow can vote.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *