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Oh, that brain trust that is Michele Bachmann has struck again. Not content in staking her intelligence solely on the "scientific fact" of creationism, Professor Bachmann has shown her expertise in foreign policy and 20th century history with yet another gaffe:

Michele Bachmann told supporters in Iowa on Wednesday of her lofty plans for American diplomacy, claiming that a Bachmann presidency would mean no U.S. embassy in Iran.

Considering the recent hostility in the Iranian capital of Tehran against the British embassy, the comment might not seem particularly out of place -- if not for the fact that the U.S. hasn't actually had a functioning embassy in Iran since 1980.

Yeah, there was this little thing, maybe you've heard of it....the storming of the US Embassy and taking hostages? Gave birth to Nightline and ultimately, the 24 hour/day cable stations? Guaranteed that Jimmy Carter would be a one term president and ushered in the Age of Reagan? It was kind of a big deal in 1980. Bachmann was 24 and a law student in 1980, you'd think she might remember a bit of it, but no, that would be too factually-based for an alumnus of Oral Roberts University Law School. Officially, her campaign staff claimed that she is aware (*cough* riiiigggghhhhtt *cough*) and was simply answering the question as a hypothetical and was taken out of context.

There's no question that the current events in Tehran surrounding the UK embassy have some notable and concerning parallels to the events in 1979/80. But that notwithstanding, Bachmann's failure to even retain basic, fundamental historical moments that affect our current foreign policy should (in a sane, rational country) eliminate her entirely as a credible candidate for the presidency (among the plethora of other gaffes and boners that have provided such fodder to stand up comedians). Ironically, it was announced yesterday that she was one of seven candidates who qualified with enough national support (along with Cain, Gingrich, Paul, Perry, Romney and Santorum. Huntsman and Roemer--the two most sane candidates--failed to qualify) for the next Republican primary debate on December 10.

At this point, Bachmann's supporters appear to me to qualify for conservatorship.

Michele Bachmann plus John Quincy Adams equals Best. Blingee. Ever.

Back in the time of the founding fathers of July, 1776, John Quincy was about to turn 9. That's okay, we understand that at age 9, Michele Bachmann was working tirelessly to defund Obamacare.

Open Thread below....

Unfogged: The ghouls at Prudential Financial Inc.

The Left Coaster: BP will take $9.9 billion tax credit

Mike Whitney: Trillions for Wall St., zilch for you know who

Buzzfeed: 10 Craziest Michele Bachman quotes. And speaking of crazy talk from Wingnuttia, there's always enough to go around

Open The Echo Chamber: Intellectual ambulance chasing: Mixing climate science and illegal immigration?

Mark Fiore's Animated Cartoon Site: News In A Nutshell

A belated Happy Blogiversary to Batocchio!

the anchovy daiquiri shack: A WalMart Christmas

Truthdig: Michele Bachman, welfare queen

IntoxiNation: National Nurses United not happy with health bill

City Desk: WaPo ignores one their own people's eyewitness account of the snowball/gun incident and reports b.s.

slacktivist: Preferring Nightmares

HOLY CRAP: Demonized...The Family and the "Heathen Chinese"...What Would Jesus Wear?...Jesus meets Einstein in Little Rock...Prayer works!...A reasoned debate... Considering the case for God...It's a Wonderful Lie...Mormon gubernatorial candidacy...Sikh and kill...Coughie Award!...

Last week over at StarkReports.com, I began asking Republican opponents of health care reform if they could tell me how many of their constituents are uninsured. I asked Joe Wilson, Steve King, Jim DeMint, Darryl Issa and Virginia Foxx. None of them could answer the question.

Today, after months of debate, the House vote is upon us. Steve King decided to rally the tea-baggers on the Capitol lawn one more time. About 15-25 other Republicans joined him on the stage at various times. I caught several of them as they made their way between their offices, the chamber and the rally. Once again, not a single republican I spoke with knew how many of their constituents are uninsured. The lonely guy in the middle of the video that did know? That's Dan Boren, a Blue Dog Democrat from Oklahoma...

Next up… Rep. Louie Gohmert (also in the first video) tells me my private insurance will be taken from me by this bill:

Finally, and I wish I could say the last video is shocking, but, alas, this is where we find ourselves today ... Representative Steven King, the leader of today’s anti-reform rally, tells a crowd that the Democratic bill requires the government to encourage suicide and/or assisted suicide. Not making it up; he’s explicit ... he uses those very words:

Dusty Trice: Bringin' the wacko daily...Michele Bachman predicting Nazis. "Current administration more in line with the Weimar Republic." And this store-bought stooge can't even lie right!

Stinque: Pennsylvania GOP leadership turns to robbing funeral home burial accounts

No More Mister Nice Blog: No, wait...I know this one. The answer to " who does Joe Klein think is the Crazy Left?" Glenn Greenwald for fifty points

Prometheus 6: They're running out of black conservatives

Where’s the Outrage?: Interview with McJoan of the Daily Kos

HOLY CRAP: Warriors for Christ...God Calling...Texas bible scholars...Ayatollah Kit Bond...The kindness of God...Repent...Diseases caused by sin...Liberal Jesus...Are you there, God?...Idaho says no...Lutherans to allow gay pastors...Holy-War Fever...

TalkLeft: The Madman Theory of Political Bargaining

pandagon: "Stupid", "racist", and "scared" are not mutually exclusive categories

Sadly, No! But...but, John Mackey is nice to bunny rabbits

Minnesota Independent: Up is down. Michele Bachman to government...wait for it....Hands off my body!

Connecting.the.Dots: Obama's unwanted war

The Pump Handle: Occupational Health News Roundup

This is the GOP strategy? They're going to try to appeal to stressed-out soccer moms to stop healthcare reform? I'm stunned at the sheer brilliance - not to mention that smug attitude that some people's children are more important that others:

Why offer more people health insurance, Rep. Michelle Bachmann (R-Minn.) asked at a press conference Friday, if they might lengthen waits for doctors and otherwise increase the "hassle factor" for her?

"That's like having a mother bear protecting her little cubs, and she's seeing that she has to move heaven and earth to get her child what her child needs," Bachmann said, referring to the health care reforms being debated by Congress. "We'll do it if we have to, but why put ourselves in that situation?"

Near the end of a tumultuous week of delays for health care bills in both houses of Congress, Bachmann and a handful of other House Republican women said at a press conference that as far as they were concerned, any reform would just make things tougher for them.

"I think most all of us here have had the opportunity to take our kids to a fast-food restaurant," said Rep. Judy Biggert (R-Ill.). "We want to get a good dinner, and you walk in and there's 50 people there and it seems like everybody in line wants to buy food for their soccer team or whatever. The American people aren't particularly good at standing in line, but that's exactly what's going to happen if this health care plan goes through."

Uh, Judy? If I wanted to get a "good dinner" for my kids, I wouldn't be taking them out for fast food. Perhaps the clogged arteries explain the reduced oxygen to your brain?

"Any mother," Bachmann said, would do whatever it takes to get "the high-quality health care that her child needs... As a mother of five biological children and as a foster mother to 23 children, there is nothing more important to me than to make sure that my children have high-quality health care when they need health care."

Millions of other children, however, do not have the resources that Members of Congress enjoy. New U.S. Census data document that more than 8.1 million, or one in nine, American children did not have health insurance in 2007. According to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, nearly 20 percent of the uninsured in the U.S. are children.

Whiskey Bar: Ken & Jack

The Heretik: Everybody needs to respect international treaties...except us

Weazl's Revenge: Human rights defense lawyer, Lynne Stewart, will be sentenced today..

Minnesota Monitor: Holy Crap! Republican Congressional Candidate Michele Bachmann, appeared at a church and declared that "God then called me to run for the United States Congress."

THE NEWS BLOG: Stupid season for the GOP started with George Allen in September and hasn't ended.

Beggars Can Be Choosers: The fiscal cost of Iraq war will soon exzceed the cost of the Korean War

NewsHounds:

The headline of the linked article is “House Passes Milestone Energy, Climate Change Bill.” Obviously not happy with the AP headline, the Fox Nation writers, in order to put it in right wing terms the pitchfork gang can understand and appreciate, tweaked it thusly: “Treason? House Passes Direct Assault On Industrial Base.” It is accompanied by a photo of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The AP article is what real journalism is all about, as it describes what happened in the House of Representatives with no reference to “treason.” The Fox Nation headline is a subjective statement of pure right wing propaganda by those who haven’t read the constitution and is aimed at those who are constitutionally illiterate. But then, in Fox Nation, anyone who dares disagree with the solons of right wing dogma are traitors. Republican Rep Michele Bachman claims that Jesus has taken care of global warming, so why worry? BTW, Republican Representative John Shimkus said that "This is the largest assault on democracy and freedom in this country that I have ever experienced.” He didn’t accuse the other side of treason. But it’s ironic, don’t ya think, that the same folks who accused those of disagreeing with Bush administration of being traitors, are now those who are disagreeing with the Obama administration to the point of advocating secession.

I swear, these Murdoch minions will not be happy until there's a full-out civil war in this country.