El Tinklenberg

Rep. Michele Bachmann is out with two new ads this week. Rumors that she might apologize for remarks she made on MSNBC’s Hardball insinuating that Sen. Barack Obama and certain members of Congress may have anti-American views were quelled when the first ad was released Friday.

In the ad, Bachmann says “I may not always get my words right, but I know that my heart is right. Because my heart is for you, for your children and for the blessings of liberty to remain for our great country.”

The fallout from Rep. Michele Bachmann’s “anti-America” interview with MSNBC’s Chris Matthews last Friday has turned the 2008 6th District race on its head. But it also could poison the well for Bachmann’s future fundraising efforts should she win this time or run for another office in the future.

It’s been widely noted that Bachmann’s challenger, El Tinklenberg, has raised a reported $1.45 million in campaign donations since that interview.

How about Bachmann? She has taken in $29,900 in itemized (over $250) contributions since last Friday. And a spokesman for one of those contributors tells MnIndy his company might not do it again.

Bachmann’s “anti-American” comment. Colin Powell. It’s all in there, and then some: El Tinklenberg’s second TV commerical hits Bachmann’s recent comments on “Hardball,” but adds adds a bit more to the patriotism argument, citing Bachmann’s vote against the new G.I. bill.
Watch Tinklenberg’s first spot.

Rep. Michele Bachmann’s recent Hardball blow-up has undoubtedly endangered her re-election prospects. But what do constituents in the 6th Congressional District think of Bachmann’s latest episode of foot-in-mouth disease? On Tuesday afternoon Chris Steller and I ventured into the northern suburbs to speak with voters about the controversy and their feelings regarding Bachmann. The responses were diverse, from a man who calls Bachmann a “nutcase” to a woman who shares Bachmann’s concerns about Barack Obama to a man who no longer votes because he feels all politicians are crooks.

Two weeks after shifting ad support from Erik Paulsen’s race in the 3rd Congressional District to do media buys in Michele Bachmann’s 6th district, the National Republican Congressional Committee is reportedly pulling its support for Bachmann entirely. Huffington Post’s Sam Stein says that two sources aware of Minnesota ad buys say the GOP is withdrawing its media buys.

“If true, it is a remarkable fall for a congresswoman who, until recently, seemed relatively safe in her predominantly conservative district,” he writes.

And, if true, it might free up media for challenger Elwin Tinklenberg, who has committed only $188,000 for advertising — out of more than $1 million raised since comments by Bachmann on Friday’s edition of “Hardball.”

Update: Politico confirms — and adds that the NRCC is dropping advertising in Colorado and Florida districts as well. TPM offers independent confirmation.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has launched new ads in the 6th Congressional district as promised, but, like Democratic candidate El Tinklenberg, they avoid mentioning Rep. Michele Bachmann’s gaffe that brought money and attention to the race in the first place.
The DCCC’s new ad targets Bachmann’s statements concerning the collapse of U.S. financial markets. The [...]

Republican Aubrey Immelman has had a record-breaking few days of web traffic, but nothing like DFLer Elwin Tinklenberg. On Saturday Immelman, a political science professor at the College of St. Benedict/St. John’s University, registered as a write-in candidate to run as a Republican for Michele Bachmann’s U.S. House seat. Immelman ran against Bachmann in the [...]

While DailyKos cut an alternate TV spot for Michele Bachmann’s Democratic challenger, El Tinklenberg’s campaign came up with its own. Bright and positive, it’s a classic introductory commercial, touting his successes as Blaine mayor and transportation commissioner. He references Bachmann directly only once: The commercial begins with an image of Bachmann in front of a dire economic trend chart as the narrator states, “Voters have a choice: Michele Bachmann or El Tinklenberg.” Its conclusion seems to be a hint at Bachmann’s divisive comments on MSNBC on Friday: “I approve this message because it’s time to start working together again.” Tinklenberg purchased $188,000 in ad time for the spot.

While Rep. Michele Bachmann’s “anti-America” flap continues to generate donations for opponent El Tinklenberg — nearly $800,000 in three days — many are wondering when the Tinklenberg campaign is going to hit Bachmann with ads while she’s down.
Tinklenberg has previously said he wouldn’t do negative ads this campaign, but would using Bachmann’s comments in full [...]

All but lost in the shuffle by her comments Friday about “anti-American views” are Rep. Michele Bachmann’s controversial words about immigrants at last Thursday’s candidate’s debate in St. Cloud. According to the St. Cloud Times, Bachmann again blamed programs that encourage home-buying among minority and low-income people for the recent economic crisis. But Bachmann reserved her sharpest words for immigrants. She referenced an early 2008 car crash by an undocumented immigrant who hit a school bus near Cottonwood as proof of the need for stricter immigration laws.

Of immigrants unlawfully in the U.S., she added, “They’re bringing in disease and violence and every sort of difficulty. We need to protect ourselves against that.”