Bachmann's Remarks Instigate Netroots Retaliation

The full fury of the progressive netroots has turned on Minnesota Republican congressman Michelle Bachmann -- and it might put her House seat in jeopardy. This story begins with Bachmann going on MSNBC's Hardball and raising worries that Barack Obama might hold "anti-American views" and pal around with "people who hate America." [YouTube clip here.] That appearance lead to a spontaneous burst of anti-Bachmann fundraising, of which her Democratic challenger Elwyn Tinklenberg was the happy beneficiary. Tinklenberg has hauled in nearly half a million dollars since Friday, at least a quarter of that through ActBlue. That, of course, is no small potatoes in a House race, especially in the midwest. But with online fundraising, anyone from Minneapolis to Millinocket, Maine and beyond could kick in some change with a couple of clicks, even if they'd never heard of Congresswoman Bachmann before her sitdown with Chris Matthews. The local paper, the Star Tribune, put it this way: "Suddenly, Bachmann Race Looks Different."