Box Turtle Bulletin
News and commentary about the anti-gay lobby“Now you must raise your children up in a world where that union of man and box turtle is on the same legal footing as man and wife…”
News and commentary about the anti-gay lobbyAugust 15th, 2011
Fresh off of her victory in Iowa’s Straw Poll Saturday, Rep. Muchele Bachmann made the rounds of the Sunday morning talk shows to talk about her run for the GOP’s presidential nomination. Her positions on LGBT issues came up, when she appeared on NBC’s Meet the Press:
David Gregory: I also want to ask you about your interpretation of the Bible, and your feelings about gays and lesbians. You have said in recent years that opposition to same-sex marriage is a defining political debate in this country, you’re opposed to it, you’d like to see a constitutional ban against it in this country. And during a speech you gave in 2004 at an education conference you spoke openly and in detail about gays and lesbians. And I want to play a portion of that speech and have you react to it.
Michele Bachmann: It’s a very sad life. It’s part of Satan, I think, to say that this is “gay.” … It’s anything but gay. I leads to the personal enslavement of individuals. Because if you’re involved in the gay and lesbian lifestyle, it’s bondage. It is personal bondage, personal despair, and personal enslavement. And that’s why this is so dangerous. We need to have profound compassion for people who are dealing with the very real issue of sexual dysfunction in their life and sexual identity disorders.
Gregory: That is the view that President Bachmann would have of gay Americans?
Bachmann: Well I am running for the Presidency of the United States. I’m not running to be anyone’s judge….
Gregory: But you have judged them.
Bachmann: I don’t judge them. I don’t judge them. I am running for presidency of the United States.
Gregory. Is that the view of gay Americans that President Bachmann would have?
Bachmann: My view on marriage is that I believe that marriage is between a man and a woman, and that’s what I stand for. But I ascribe honor and dignity to every person no matter what their background. They have honor and they have dignity.
Gregory: Do you think gay Americans hearing quotes like that from you would think that that’s honor and dignity coming from you about their circumstance?
Bachmann: I am not anyone’s judge and I am not standing as anyone’s judge.
Gregory: Congresswoman, do you think anybody hears that thinks you haven’t made a judgment about gays and lesbians?
Bachmann: That’s all I can tell you is that I’m not judging.
Gregory: So your words should stand for themselves.
Bachmann: I’m running for the presidency of the United States. That’s what’s important.
Gregory: Would you appoint an openly gay person to your administration? To your cabinet or name them as a judge?
Bachmann: My criteria would be the same, which would be where you stand on the Constitution, are you competent, and do you share my views. That’s my criteria.
Gregory: But those views are pretty clear. As far as a judge you talked about that. An openly gay person is acceptable as matter of your administration? As a member of your administration?
Bachmann: I have my criteria as what my appointments would be based on, it’s whether you uphold the Constitution, if you’re competent and if you share my views.
Gregory: So it would not be a factor?
Bachmann: I am not out asking any other questions.
Gregory: One last one on this. Can a gay couple who adopt children in your mind be considered a family?
Bachmann: When it comes to marriage and family, my opinion is that marriage is between a man and a woman. And I think that’s been my view and…
Gregory: So a gay couple with kids would not be considered a family to you?
Bachmann: You know, all of these kinds of questions really aren’t about what people are concerned about right now.
Gregory: Congresswoman, you said that any candidate for President should be asked about his or her views and their record. This is a record of your statements. These are the defining political issues for you as your political career advanced. You’re the one who said same-sex marriage was a defining political issue of our time. Those were your words back in 2004, so I’m just asking about your views on something that has animated your political life.
Bachmann: I think my views are clear.
Her views are perfectly clear. She believes gays are of Satan and that gay families are not to be discussed. And she believes that she isn’t judging anyone when she says that. And you know what? She really does believe she’s not judging anyone. Bachmann believes that God has rendered that judgment, not her. In her mind, she is simply informing everyone else what she believes to be unshakable proof. Saying that gays are “of Satan,” to her, is no more opinion than observing that the sky is blue on a clear day. o her, these are facts and not judgments. And that’s why she keeps repeating that she is running for the presidency, not for arbiter of the sky’s color.
And with these “facts,” it should come as no surprise that she would tell CNN that she would reimpose “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” which a President Bachmann could very easily do under an Executive Order without Congressional approval.
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Lindoro Almaviva
August 15th, 2011
This is like a massive pile up on the side of the road. You don’t want to look, but the gore is too much and you can not but stop and pay close attention.
This woman actually believes that she will be president of the USA wth those views and attitude. Well, I do hope she gets the nomination, It would be interesting to see how it plays out on the campaign, when clips of all her appearances in extremists gatherings and her hateful words are played ad nausea on national TV.
Priya Lynn
August 15th, 2011
I don’t recall ever seeing so much dancing from a politician who wanted to avoid answering questions. She obviously thinks that was a good idea but I think it reveals a high level of dishonesty and hopefully most people will see that as well.
Dennis Skelton
August 15th, 2011
On CNN this same morning, she said she would reinstate DADT. Isn’t that a judgment Mrs Bachmann? You judge us to not be fit for military service then say you don’t judge us? It should amaze me that you don’t even see where you are judging us, but sadly it does not.
Rev Ray Neal
August 15th, 2011
God forbid that this lady should ever be President! I cannot imagine a more horrible event in USA history. She would turn back social progress to the nineteenth century. Fundamentalist Christians say a woman can’t be a pastor or priest. How do they feel about a woman becoming President? She should be grilled on such discriminatory statements and intentions over and over again so that the world will know clearly how prejudiced and discriminatory she really is. Imagine what she would say if she knew I was a Christian, gay, and a pastor of a church with a domestic partner who also works for a Christian church?
Maurice Lacunza
August 15th, 2011
I am reminded of a concept I learned about surrounding yourself with people that only have your views.
If everyone agrees with you, what happens if you are wrong? Which of your advisors will be willing to tell you?
Surrounding yourself with folks who only agree with you can lead to fatal decision making. Diversity of opinion is important to decision making.
I would expect the President of the USA to have wide ranging folks that give him or her their true counsel; not just whatever the President wants to hear.
Ben in Atlanta
August 15th, 2011
Aren’t all humans oblivious to their own unconscious bullshit that is so easily seen by everyone else?
Isn’t the emperor/empress always naked?
And don’t we all hate it when strangers point it out to us?
Asking people that you are in relationship with to point out your own can be eye opening and enlightening.
The ones that bug us the most are often our best teachers. At worst they teach us what not to do.
BlackDog
August 15th, 2011
I have a feeling if Michelle Bachmann somehow were to get elected, a lot of her attempts to do anything would be found to be unconstitutional in short order, and she’d make enough stupid mistakers to get us in even worse trouble than we are in now as a country.
All you have to do is listen to her speak to know that she’s not especially functional outside of the American Evangelical subculture.
How this woman made it into the House, much less is being taken seriously by anyone as a Presidential cantidate, I don’t understand.
Mark F.
August 15th, 2011
In fairness to Bachmann, isn’t her view essentially shared by most of the other GOP candidates?
Bose in St. Peter MN
August 15th, 2011
Bachmann is not surrounded only by Christians who are as extreme as she is.
Ed Rollins, for example, doesn’t have public, personal ties to evangelical Christianity. He’s been divorced twice and is married to his third wife. He’s worked for Christine Todd Whitman.
He co-managed Ross Perot’s campaign for scant weeks before dropping him out of concern that Perot was “not emotionally suited” for the Presidency. That brief stint, perhaps tellingly, coincided with several meetings between Perot and LGBT organizations in attempt to recover from statements which endorsed anti-gay discrimination.
He was on Team Huckabee during the 2008 primary season, so he’s got experience carefully crafting the messaging of an evangelical candidate’s campaign. He’s been noted since the 1984 Reagan reelection campaign as focused on carefully crafting tone and attitude.
Tim Murphy at Mother Jones pointed out a month ago:
The Bachmann machine is just doing what campaigns do — playing to win, crafting its messages to obfuscate extreme views whenever the press allows it. For me, it would be irrational to assume that any of her views, or her anti-gay commitments, have changed. Bachmann may be listening to Rollins now, but a Bachmann administration will not.
Donny D.
August 15th, 2011
Mark F. wrote:
Some of the others just mouth it because they have to. She really believes it.
TampaZeke
August 15th, 2011
It’s just SHOCKING to hear a Republican candidate promote things that are in the Republican platform. Are we to believe that she’s out of step with the majority of her Party? Let’s be honest here; she’s very much in line with the vast majority of Republicans and perhaps a bit to the left of the Republican base right now when it comes to gay issues. After all, she said she believes have dignity and honor. Even if she doesn’t believe it, which I sincerely doubt she does, that is blasphemy worthy of drawing and quartering with the Republican base.
Blake
August 15th, 2011
Bachmann is dangerous & she’s too savvy for these kind of questions. David Gregory probably could’ve crossed up ‘ole Frothy Mix with this line of questioning but she’s too good at playing the victim & making her opponents appear to be attacking her. While we see her as floundering in an unsupportable position, supporters and others see her as being unfairly boxed into a position by that bullying reporter. Anyway, any fool can tell you how she’ll play it: “that big bad mean liberal media. Trying to make me look hateful when [insert positive statement about God, America, or, preferably, both].” Besides with all that charisma she can say pretty much anything and people will love her. I wouldn’t be surprised if she ended up winning the nomination; she’s an awfully shrewd politician… although she may of made a misstep with the DADT thing (not that missteps slow her down. She’ll deny it was a misstep; brush past it; and make everyone who tries to bring it up look like they’re attacking her).
Charles
August 15th, 2011
I saw the interview yesterday and could not believe her response. In additions, she has no executive experience. Hasn’t been in Congress that long. She is just another empty suit, like Obama. Except she believes that people such as myself are somehow part of Satan. I am a Republican. That one remark was way, way over the top. She needs to disappear. If she is nominated I will abstain from voting.
Nick Thiwerspoon
August 15th, 2011
It’s nice to know she doesn’t hate us. I feel *much* better now.
iDavid
August 15th, 2011
What I hear her saying ad nauseum is “I am running for president and therefore need not be direct honest or accountable to you or anyone else for my thought word or deed.” Interesting platform.
If I were interviewing her I would inform her to answer questions directly or the interview would halt abruptly due to her inept ability to converse within rational context.
Priya Lynn
August 15th, 2011
Well said iDavid.
Timothy Kincaid
August 15th, 2011
For Bachmann it isn’t about us. She doesn’t hate us or judge us, she loves us. We are God’s Children and as such have honor and dignity – just like child molesters and mass muderers – because God gives honor and dignity to everyone.
And her anti-marriage campaigns were not anti-gay, but rather just doing what God called her to do for the Family. She certainly didn’t want to hurt us. She loves us and wants us to break free of the bondage of the homosexual lifestyle and live free in Christ. That’s not judging, that’s loving.
The reason that Bachmann sounds downright insane some times is that she is speaking a different language. The words sound familiar but they don’t mean what you think they mean.
Lucrece
August 15th, 2011
“I’m running the for the presidency of the United States. That’s what’s important”
LOL
This summarizes who she is.
christopher
August 15th, 2011
Really? I judge her…!
Rachel H
August 16th, 2011
Homosexuality equals bondage and slavery. You need to tell your husband to start frequenting some different clubs, love.
/bitch
Other Fred in the UK
August 16th, 2011
Her expression when she realised she was ‘being hoisted with her own petard’ was just priceless.
It was clear she had decided that it’s better to have an awful interview and repeatedly make non-statements, than say anything that could be played in a 10 second clip.
DN
August 16th, 2011
I absolutely cannot *stand* it when a politician evades a question about a topic they brought up themselves!
Hey, Michelle, you don’t want to be asked your stance on gays? Fine. If she’d never brought up gays, or built an entire career on attacking gays, I could respect that. But since she *has* done just that, these questions are fair game.
Questions such as, “what newspapers do you read?” or “since you’ve equated being gay to bondage to Satan, how will your presidency treat gay people?” could only be considered “gotcha” questions in the conservative world. They bleat all day long about personal accountability, yet so often show absolutely none themselves.
Norm
August 16th, 2011
She’s a sick woman. Period. What else can you say about her?
Ben in Atlanta
August 16th, 2011
I’ll play Captain Obvious again, I don’t care:
It’s a little bit late for “Don’t start none, won’t be none.”
We all know our little homily “Don’t speak when it won’t improve the silence”.
The reverse of that is to speak when it will.
It’s possible to be passionate without being angry. (Maybe)
chiMaxx
August 16th, 2011
Gregory missed the obvious question. Here’s where it should have gone:
Bachmann: I have my criteria as what my appointments would be based on, it’s whether you uphold the Constitution, if you’re competent and if you share my views.
Gregory: Share your views. So would a gay judge or potential cabinet appointee have to share your view that homosexuality was ‘of Satan’ to be nominated by a Bachmann administration? If so, isn’t that effectively a ban on openly gay or lesbian appointees?
RavenBiker
August 16th, 2011
The Republicans need to nominate this woman YESTERDAY!
Think about it.
A person who refuses to compromise can’t get get elected.
If she does get elected and holds true to her “values”, which she’s stupid enough to do, American protests in the streets will put the London riots to shame!
(I thought we were done with the ’60’s)
Priya Lynn
August 17th, 2011
I agree RavenBiker.
Bachmann/Palin 2012!
Timothy Kincaid
August 17th, 2011
RavenBiker,
Indeed, if electing Democrats were our objective, then Bachmann’s nomination would likely be an advantage.
But I have a different goal: advancing the equality, inclusion, and respect for my community. And regardless of what it might do for a political party, a Bachmann nomination would say that “part of Satan” and “miserable lifestyle” were acceptable ways of addressing gay people.
Far better would be for Republicans to find such language and ways of thinking to be cause for rejection. That would be progress and advantageous for our future.
Steve in Colorado
August 17th, 2011
Here we go again.
Is the American public that stupid? When we will get over this recurring theme (Sarah Palin, version 2)….
1. Female, hmmm interesting
2. Outspoken, hmmm interesting
3. Attractive, hmmm interesting
4. Opinionated and trying to buck the establishment, like a breath of “fresh air”, hmmm interesting
5. She’s “different” and “new”, hmmm interesting
6. I really like her one liners and humor, hmmm even more interesting
So, we will elevate her to someone of presidential stature who is capable of running this country. Someone who has a deep fund of knowledge and understands the complexities of all that go along with governing from the executive office. The fact that such a shallow misinformed person can even be considered a presidential contender says a lot about the average American. This has almost turned into a cliche…young female politician with good looks and the gift of gab being presented as our savior.
Here we go again……
David Farrell
August 22nd, 2011
Fred Astaire only wished that he could tap dance as well as Michelle Bachmann did in this interview.
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