News Roundup for 4/29/09

Rep. Michele Bachmann

-Headline of the day-
"Bachmann: Dem connection to outbreak 'interesting'."

America's favorite right wing lunatic, Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, makes news again by engaging in paranoid lunacy -- with bonus ignorance.

According to the report, "Rep. Michele Bachmann says she finds it an 'interesting coincidence' that the last swine flu outbreaks in the US occurred under a Democratic president -- though her claim is historically inaccurate." See, the last swine flu outbreak was under Gerald Ford. So Bachmann's "Democrats are trying to kill you!" conspiracy theory has a little bit of a problem.

Not that she's actually saying that Obama's trying to kill us all -- she says she's not "blaming this on President Obama" -- it's just "interesting."

You know what else is interesting? In 2007, there were a series of fires in women's bathrooms at congressional office buildings. Michele Bachmann was in Congress at the time. Now I'm not saying that Michele Bachmann's a dangerous and insane serial arsonist, I'm just saying it's an interesting coincidence.

Really makes you think, doesn't it? (Associated Press, via reddit)


-Carrie the Pageant Girl-
Samuel "Joe the Plumber" Wurzlebacherschmaltzenheimer isn't the only right wing pseudo-celebrity trying to milk their 15 minutes of fame into a lifetime career. Opposite-marriage advocate Carrie Prejean, Miss California, has been getting speaking gigs with wingnut groups. After telling Miss America Pageant judges about marriage in "my country" -- which I guess is the California part of America -- she quickly became a star among the Biblehumping crowd.

Even better, she's getting some sweet TV air time. According to Politico, Prejean will appear in an ad by the National Organization for Marriage (which confusingly is against marriage -- at least, the gay kind). The ad will be "the second in what the group says is a $1.5 million campaign." You remember the first ad. It featured actors who were afraid of gay storm clouds gathering on the horizon.

She's pretty, she's anti-gay-marriage, and she's... well, she's pretty. Way prettier than Plumb the Joesammer. Looks like Sam the Joewurzel may have a little trouble finding work these days.

Now he knows how Tito the Builder must feel. (Right Wing Watch)


-How to be a millionaire-
A new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll finds that only 20% of respondents identify themselves as Republican. This reflects a Washington Post poll that found that only 21% of Americans call themselves Republicans.

So here's what you do. Go out with a friend and point out a random person on the street. Bet your friend a dollar that they aren't a Republican. Ask the person and there's a 4 in 5 chance you'll win the bet.

To be a millionaire, repeat this process between 1.2 and 1.3 million times -- give or take a few ten-thousand here or there. It's just that easy. (Political Wire)