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Michele Bachmann Seeks To Broaden Appeal
By BRIAN BAKST and JIM DAVENPORT   08/20/11 11:27 PM ET    


GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Pigeonholed as a right-wing disciple, Michele Bachmann is offering herself as a presidential candidate who can unite the GOP's disparate base and appeal to Republicans of all ideological stripes.

"Fiscal conservatives – I'm one of those. National security conservatives – I'm one of those. Social conservatives – I'm one of those. And the tea party – I'm one of those," the Minnesota congresswoman said repeatedly in South Carolina this past week.

The line, now standard fare as she visits early primary states, provides a window into her strategy of selling herself as more than just a social conservative crusader.

Bachmann's ability to overtake rivals Mitt Romney and Rick Perry in the GOP nomination contest may depend on whether she can attract support beyond her core evangelical and tea party constituencies, which gravitate toward her strong stances on cultural issues.

But this year, economic concerns clearly rate above many others with most voters. If she wins the party nod, she will have to court moderates and independents as well as conservatives.

Throughout her political career, Bachmann has fiercely guarded and worked to bolster her social conservative reputation.......................>>>>.......................>>>>...........................http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/21/michele-bachmann-seeks_n_932318.html

August 21, 2011

Looking Into Bachmann's Record as Tax Attorney, though Rep. Michele Bachmann says her experience as an IRS tax lawyer on "hundreds of civil and criminal cases'' triggered her interest in tax simplification, a Minneapolis Star Tribune reported:

"It appears that Bachmann seldom entered a courtroom and fully litigated only two cases in four-plus years... Co-workers from the time describe her as pleasant and professional, but cannot recall one important case or criminal prosecution she handled."

"Bachmann did not respond to interview requests or written questions about her IRS career for this story. But she has repeatedly cast herself as a former tax litigator without mentioning that her job was to represent the IRS against taxpayers."

(Minneapolis Star Tribune)
http://www.startribune.com/politics/national/128131968.html