Bachmann makes the Time 100
Time Magazine has named GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann to its list of the 100 "Most Influential People in the World." Conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh wrote up Bachmann's profile for the magazine:
I don't mind telling you that I'm a great admirer of Michele Bachmann's. Far from being the fringe outlier depicted by the mainstream media -- and all too often by some on the right -- she is a strong spokeswoman for unapologetic conservatism. She is neither extreme nor unreasonable, which is why her philosophy has resonated with grass-roots conservatives. She is unafraid to speak out against the crushing debt crisis we face. She is energized, rather than deterred, by the caustic criticism she constantly endures.
Michele, 55, had ambition from the get-go. A stay-at-home mom of five children and 23 foster kids, she ultimately became a tax attorney, small-business owner with her husband and political firebrand who runs rings around her opponents. If she were liberal, she'd be celebrated from the mountaintops. But she's conservative. So because she is smart, talented and accomplished and a natural leader -- not to mention attractive -- the left brands her as a flame-throwing lightweight. They underestimate her at their own risk.
Bachmann and her supporters openly campaigned on Facebook to be included on the list. Her office put out a news release touting her inclusion.
Create a More Connected Minnesota
MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.
"My inclusion on this list is a reflection of the growing voice of everyday Americans who desire to preserve and further the liberty on which our great country was founded," Bachmann said in the statement. "Our nation is at a crossroads and I hope to use my influence to continue the fight for fiscal freedom and the conservative values that have made the United States a beacon to the world."
Bachmann is the only Republican in the 2012 field who is on the list.
Other politicians on the list include President Obama, House Speaker John Boehner, Vice-President Joe Biden, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Newark, NJ Mayor Cory Booker and Paul Ryan (R-WI).
You can read the full list here.