“That’s how I see Rep. Bachmann. She’s very attractive in saying all these things she says, but it’s pretty stupid,” Clinton said at a Clark fundraiser last week.
“Your opponent,” Clinton told Clark according to Salon, “is the ultimate example of putting ideology over evidence.”
“I respect people with a conservative philosophy,” he continued. “This country has been well-served by
having two broad traditions within which people can operate. If you have a philosophy, it means you’re generally inclined one way or the other but you’re open to evidence. If you have an ideology, it means everything is determined by dogma and you’re impervious to evidence. Evidence is irrelevant.”
Bachmann didn’t appreciate the characterization — or Clinton’s visit to Minnesota. “Bill Clinton was in campaigning against me this week,” she told conservative radio host Mark Levin. “This is a major effort. I’ve always been about the number one target for Nancy Pelosi to defeat.”
“Emily’s List has made me their number one target, the League of Conservation Voters has made me their number one target,” she said. “But this is almost bizarre what the former President of the United States has said.”
“He is saying that I am the epitome of a trend that that is profoundly dangerous to the nation’s future and he said that my comments are pretty stupid.”
She then defended herself and the tea party movement. “He said our party has moved closer to Michele Bachmann. He’s calling us segregationists. He’s saying that the things that they tea party is saying, that I’m saying in particular, are stupid, that we don’t stand for evidence, we stand for ideology.”
Then she took him on directly.
“So, I would just ask the President of the United States, is it ideology or is it evidence that Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi have spent us 3.6 trillion of failed stimulus and bailouts that didn’t get us anywhere? Is it ideology or evidence that we have persistent unemployment at 9.6 percent? is it ideology or evidence that we have lost 3 million jobs?”
She added, “Who is he charging bases our assertion on ideology over evidence?”
In a fundraising pitch, Bachmann said, “This is yet another example of how the liberal Democrat [sic] establishment has put a target on my back for defeat. They’ll say and do anything. The comments from Bill Clinton have hit a new low and I must have the resources to defend myself and fight back.”
She continued, “I am proud of my record and I refuse to be bullied into silence by Bill Clinton. Liberals across the country believe if they defeat me in November, the Tea Party movement will be eliminated.”
In a followup, Bachmann wrote, “Bill Clinton is the latest liberal to get involved in this race and has attacked me and other Tea Party activists. In 24 hours, thanks to the generosity of activists Bill Clinton attacked, we’ve raised more than $42,000 to fight back against these attacks.”
And Clinton is still pulling for Clark. In an email pitch yesterday, the former president wrote, “The people of the 6th district deserve a leader who will deliver results instead of divisive partisan rhetoric; who will roll up her sleeves and get to work on the critical issues instead of just getting people wound up about them.”
Here are Bachmann’s remarks on the Mark Levin show:
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