The Real Reason Bachmann's Campaign "Fizzled"

On January 13, 2012 USA Today ran a political analysis article on “Nine Reasons the Bachmann Campaign Fizzled.” It was a masterpiece of mis-direction.

For some incredible reason the author, Jennifer Jacobs of the Des Moines Register, found only technical reasons for the implosion of the Bachmann effort. Jacobs focused on the campaign’s failure to make use of contact information garnered from supporter cards -- so nobody got called and asked for money, which resulted in a lack of funding for commercials. There was as well infighting among the staff, logistical and timing snafus, and the candidate’s lack of awareness of what the campaign required of her (she left events early and didn’t schmooze). Sexist wariness towards a female candidate played a part. Staffers mistakenly fed her misinformation. And aides felt slighted, the poor dears.

I don’t doubt that all these factors were part of the debacle. But there is another, much more gigantic reason for Michelle Bachmann’s deserved drop in the polls. The Bachmann campaign fizzled because her message was simplistic, insipid, misguided, zany, wrong.

Does Ms. Jacobs think that Michelle Bachmann was ever a viable candidate? Does she really believe Bachmann ever had a chance -- that all she had to do was run a technically correct campaign? Or did she just not dare to consider the absurdities of Bachmann’s message? Is form the only thing that matters? What about substance? As it turned out, people listened to her message, weighed it against reality, and concluded, “No.”

Does this mean there is hope for democracy? I hope so!