Randi Rhodes: Flake: Putting It Mildly

Michele Bachmann announced her candidacy for President of the United States today in her old hometown of Waterloo, Iowa. Perfect! The land of corn is the setting for the announcement of the “flake.”

In case you didn’t hear, on Fox News Sunday, Chris Wallace asked Michele Bachmann “Are you a flake?” (video below) It’s not a very useful question. Flakes tend to be unaware that they are flakes. Bachmann responded “I think that would be insulting to say something like that because I’m a serious person.” Well, yes, Michele, you’re serious. But then there is such a thing as seriously flakey. Wallace took a lot of heat for asking that question. Two things have been lost in the controversy. One, it’s an obvious question. And two, the correct answer is clearly “Yes.”

Michele answered Wallace by trying to list her non-flake credentials. She said “I’m not only a lawyer, I have a post-doctorate degree in federal tax law from William and Mary.” And the sound you heard right then was thousands of William and Mary diplomas being ripped from walls all over America. As a follow up, Chris Wallace asked Bachmann “Do you recognize that now that you are in the spotlight in a way that you weren’t before that you have to be careful?” Well yes, Chris. That’s why I’m not calling for investigations into anti-American activities this very moment. Duh.

Bachmann has earned a reputation for being willing to say anything… except the truth. But Michele Bachmann is capable of tailoring a message to an audience. The problem with her tailoring is that she’s using a fabric of lies. Fact checking Michele Bachmann is like spell-checking Sarah Palin—you just get overwhelmed by the sheer number of wrongs. On the Politifact website’s listing of “truth meter” ratings for various statements, Michele Bachmann has more “Pants on Fire” than a 5-alarm blaze at the Levi’s factory. And she gets away with it because she tells the lies that her followers want to hear. In the latest polls, Bachmann and Mitt Romney are essentially tied for the lead in Iowa. Hear that, Iowa Republicans? It’s The Flake versus The Fake!

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