The Bachmann campaign touted Michele Bachmann’s performance in tonight’s debate as “equal” to her performance in the June New Hampshire debate, something they think will help propel her to a good showing in the Ames Straw Poll on Saturday.
Campaign pollster Ed Goeas demurred when asked if the Washington Examiner’s Byron York’s question about whether Bachmann was submissive to her husband was offensive and/or sexist.
“I don’t know. That’s for others to judge.”
The campaign also rejected the argument that Bachmann lacked experience, a key point in Pawlenty’s push against her in recent weeks. If executive experience was the crucial factor, then it is Obama who should triumph in 2012.
They also defended Bachmann attacking Pawlenty for saying, “The era of small government is over.” Pawlenty has said he was quoting David Brooks, and points to a clarification in the paper that printed the quote as proof that he did not say it as something representative of his viewpoint. The campaign’s response is that Pawlenty said those words — and the newspaper merely clarified, not corrected. Furthermore, Pawlenty’s actions as governor show that was his mindset.