Will Michele Bachmann's latest gaffe hurt her?
The Minnesota Republican claims New Hampshire was "the state where the shot was heard around the world in Lexington and Concord." Uh, doesn't she mean Massachussets?
Rep. Michele Bachmann's (R-Minn.) presidential ambitions may be on the rise, but so is her tendency to commit embarrassing gaffes. This weekend, the Tea Party darling twice told audiences in New Hampshire that the shot "heard around the world in Lexington and Concord" was fired in their state. In fact, the famous Revolutionary War battle took place in Massachusetts. Bachmann later apologized via Facebook: "It was my mistake, Massachusetts is where they happened," she wrote. "New Hampshire is where they are still proud of it!" Will this error set her back? (Watch an ABC report about Bachmann's gaffe)
This will cost her in New Hampshire: The error already being called "the gaffe heard 'round the internet" won't impress "famously flinty" New Hampshire Republicans, says Robert Schlesinger at U.S. News and World Report. The group is "enormously self-serious about their role in the presidential nomination process" — and they hold the nation's crucial first primary. "Perhaps after Bachmann badly loses the New Hampshire primary she'll exhort her followers: 'Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!'"
"Michele Bachmann butchers American history in New Hampshire"
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
No, this will simply get people talking: Say what you like about this "bona fide" mistake, says Dave Weigel at Slate, it has got people buzzing about the 2012 hopeful. Politico's report on the goof already had 3,000 Facebook 'likes' by first thing Monday morning. That's a "token of Bachmann's ability to make news," and proof that "lots of liberal readers took time away from their weekends to gawk."
"Bachmann: New Hampshire's similar to Minnesota because 'we're a caucus state, also'"
Her past mistakes are even worse: In fairness to Bachmann, says The Economist, confusing New Hampshire with Massachusetts is "an easy mistake to make." It's her earlier, "astonishingly ignorant" gaffe — claiming that America's founding fathers "worked tirelessly until slavery was no more in the United States" — that was truly harmful. This "latest mangling of American history" is just more grist for the mill.
"The rot heard round the world"
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
'Republicans want to silence Israel's opponents'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Poland, Germany nab alleged anti-Ukraine spies
Speed Read A man was arrested over a supposed Russian plot to kill Ukrainian President Zelenskyy
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Today's political cartoons - April 19, 2024
Cartoons Friday's cartoons - priority delivery, USPS on fire, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Arizona court reinstates 1864 abortion ban
Speed Read The law makes all abortions illegal in the state except to save the mother's life
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Trump, billions richer, is selling Bibles
Speed Read The former president is hawking a $60 "God Bless the USA Bible"
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The debate about Biden's age and mental fitness
In Depth Some critics argue Biden is too old to run again. Does the argument have merit?
By Grayson Quay Published
-
How would a second Trump presidency affect Britain?
Today's Big Question Re-election of Republican frontrunner could threaten UK security, warns former head of secret service
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
'Rwanda plan is less a deterrent and more a bluff'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By The Week UK Published
-
Henry Kissinger dies aged 100: a complicated legacy?
Talking Point Top US diplomat and Nobel Peace Prize winner remembered as both foreign policy genius and war criminal
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Last updated
-
Trump’s rhetoric: a shift to 'straight-up Nazi talk'
Why everyone's talking about Would-be president's sinister language is backed by an incendiary policy agenda, say commentators
By The Week UK Published
-
More covfefe: is the world ready for a second Donald Trump presidency?
Today's Big Question Republican's re-election would be a 'nightmare' scenario for Europe, Ukraine and the West
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published