Pro-Life Rep. Michele Bachmann Joins GOP Presidential Field

Politics   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Jun 14, 2011   |   10:50AM   |   Washington, DC

During last night’s Republican presidential debate, pro-life Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota told the audience she had filed papers to officially enter the race to replace pro-abortion President Barack Obama.

“I just want to make an announcement here for you, John, on CNN tonight. I filed today my paperwork to seek the office of the presidency of the United States today. And I’ll very soon be making my formal announcement,” she said.

Bachmann followed up her debate declaration with an email to supporters providing more details about her forthcoming announcement.

“For the last several months, thousands of patriotic Americans encouraged me to run for President of the United States. After many weeks of prayer and thoughtful discussion with my family and friends, I have decided to take the next step forward in seeking the Republican nomination for President of the United States,” Bachmann said. “This afternoon we filed papers with the Federal Election Commission to create a new committee, Bachmann for President.”

“We will plan on making a more formal announcement and entrance into the race later this month from my hometown of Waterloo, Iowa but I feel so strongly about what is happening to our country that I couldn’t wait even one more day to begin this campaign,” Bachmann added.

She then turned her attention to bashing Obama, saying he has failed to lead the country as president.

“And the fact remains that our country is headed in the wrong direction under President Obama’s leadership. Our federal government has grown far beyond its constitutional boundaries. Our economic recovery is in shambles, our standing with our international allies is strained and our core American values and freedoms are under constant threat,” Bachmann said. “We cannot risk giving President Obama four more years to dismantle our nation. We must act now. That’s why I’ve made the decision to get in this race. As a mother, wife, small-business owner and public servant, I believe I can offer the leadership and passion our Party needs to win the White House.”

“Our country is in desperate need of a leader who will restore constitutional conservative values to our federal government. President Obama must be held accountable for the far-left agenda he has implemented while in office. I intend to hold him accountable,” the congresswoman said.

Bachmann faces a tough challenge to become the nominee and eventual President as no one has done so from the House of Representatives since James Garfield in the 1800′s. However, Bachmman is different from most members of Congress in that she has a national reputation that appeals to conservative, Tea Party and pro-life voters.

She will face an already crowded field that includes several pro-life candidates. Republicans Tim Pawlenty, Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul, Herman Cain, and Gary Johnson are already in the race and Jon Huntsman is expected to join them. Governor Rick Perry of Texas is also considering a bid and some say could become a late addition to the race.

Bachmann may also face competition from another pro-life woman — Sarah Palin. The former governor and vice-presidential candidate has not made her 2012 election intentions known and she and Bachmann would split some of the same set of voters should she enter the race.

During the debate, Bachmann defended her pro-life views and talked about the foster children she’s adopted.

“I am 100 percent pro-life. I’ve given birth to five babies, and I’ve taken 23 foster children into my home. I believe in the dignity of life from conception until natural death. I believe in the sanctity of human life,” Bachmann said.

“And I think the most eloquent words ever written were those in our Declaration of Independence that said it’s a creator who endowed us with inalienable rights given to us from God, not from government. And the beauty of that is that government cannot take those rights away. Only God can give, and only God can take,” she continued. “And the first of those rights is life. And I stand for that right. I stand for the right to life. The very few cases that deal with those exceptions are the very tiniest of fraction of cases, and yet they get all the attention. Where all of the firepower is and where the real battle is, is on the general — genuine issue of taking an innocent human life. I stand for life from conception until natural death.”