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You are here: Home / Elections / Election 2012 / Who will protect the children?

Who will protect the children?

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So I am in Iowa for a visit with in-laws.

On Monday, I’m going to the State Fair and there will youngsters is our party. I had assumed that the most inappropriate thing they might see would be in one of the livestock pavilions, but then I saw this report from the foreign press:

Bachman-at-the-fair

The article goes on to state:

Driving away on a golf cart with her husband Marcus beside her, Mrs Bachmann stopped to buy a foot-long corn dog – a chicken and beef sausage in deep-fried batter. After applying mustard and allowing Mr Bachmann to take the first bite, she chomped into it with gusto.

The image is one of the creepiest political photos I’ve seen in a long time and so is Harnden’s description of the moment.

Kids have to grow up fast in our Galtian wonderland and it seems that an image to haunt their future is just around every corner–even at the State Fair.

And with that,how about an Open Thread.

Cheers

Reader Interactions

92Comments

  2. 2.

    Montysano

    Does this woman have no handlers? No PR flacks or advisors? No one to think of the potential optics of Bachmann going down on chowing down on a dusky foot-long corndog?

    Also, too: I wish I hadn’t seen that photo. Of course, such a thing is virtually impossible to avoid in our world.

  5. 5.

    Montysano

    @BruceFromOhio:

    OK, had enough. See you all in 2013.

    Probably a wise strategy. 2012 is gonna be a bull-goose freak show.

    I’ve thought of trying a Hunter Thompson-esque approach to 2012, one that involves lots of bent brain cells. Not sure I’m up to it.

  8. 8.

    Violet

    She really must lack political experience to allow herself to be photographed like that. The photo where she holds the sausage so Marcus can take the first bite is even creepier.

  11. 11.

    eemom

    oh for fuck’s sake. Haven’t you infantile “front pagers” milked that godawful image ENOUGH already??

  12. 12.

    Warren Terra

    The image attracted some comments in am unrelated thread last night. Just to repeat my own snarky comments from that thread:
    1) Apparently, Rep. Bachmann, true to her vow to submit to her husband, ceded the first bite to him.
    2) Of course, Mr. Bachmann’s day job is spent “curing” people of the urge to do exact what Rep. Bachmann is (albeit metaphorically) doing in that photo.
    3) On the other hand, she is about to bite down and chew. So maybe that’s exactly the training Mr. Bachmann offers.
    4) On the third hand, Mr. Bachmann was offered this foot-long delight, and after briefly succumbing to temptation was able to send it away. Although he did swallow.
    5) I think the most often overlooked issue here is that Rep. Bachmann selected a chicken-and-beef sausage. This is obviously a sign of creeping Sharia. A truly proud, patriotic Christian would gave insisted on engorging an all-pork, all-American sausage like a Kielbasa or a Bratwurst.

  13. 13.

    JPL

    As scary as the photo was, it was not unusual. As much as I dislike Michelle they caught her eating a dog and looking inappropriate. \
    Her values are far more extreme and they should be highlighted not a picture. IMO>>>>IMO

  20. 20.

    gbear

    It’s her fingers as much as her eyes that make that photo so creepy.

    TBogg has a picture of Marcus taking the first bite of the corn dog. I love the comment that someone left:

    Marcus looks like he’s trying to pray away the corn dog.

    Anyway, please don’t let the Bachmanns stop you from imbibing in a corn dog. They’re one of any state fair’s most perfect foods (along with deep fried cheese curds).

  23. 23.

    BruceFromOhio

    @Montysano:

    I’ve thought of trying a Hunter Thompson-esque approach to 2012, one that involves lots of bent brain cells. Not sure I’m up to it.

    I started that in January of this year. Yet, I am still expected to hold down a job, and the two objectives are in conflict.

    Consequently, I ain’t up to it either.

  25. 25.

    Mary Jane

    @eemom: Lighten up, Francis.
    1)I don’t recall this particular picture being on the front page, and
    2) There’s enough serious shit blasting away at our brain cells every day. Let’s enjoy a giggle, however juvenile it may be, while we still can.

  27. 27.

    Amir Khalid

    @eemom:
    Malaysian politics just as bad as American politics, but American politics way more entertaining. No Malaysian news outlet would dare run a pic like this, alas.

  29. 29.

    Karen

    Am I the only one who thinks fried butter on a stick is the nastiest heart attack on a stick ever?

  30. 30.

    centerfielddj

    Another person said that it’s understandable that her form is off (TEETH!!)- it’s isn’t like Marcus has been telling her what to do.

    Michele’s horrible policies and incredible mendacity are the things that REALLY suck.

  31. 31.

    Roger Moore

    Obviously you only see something wrong with this picture because you’re a dirty minded liberal pervert. Michele and her handlers, who are pure as the driven snow, don’t see why there is a problem.

  33. 33.

    Brian S

    @Karen:

    Am I the only one who thinks fried butter on a stick is the nastiest heart attack on a stick ever

    No, though one guy on the shuttle bus today said it tastes like a cinnamon bun. Of course, if I want a cinnamon bun, i’ll have one, not butter on a stick.

  34. 34.

    Violet

    @RandyH:
    LOL. That Santorum photo is maybe worse than the Bachmann one.
    @Cat Lady:
    That’s such a great photo. Marcus looks like Liberace playing a politician’s husband. It just doesn’t work. Where are the candelabras?

  35. 35.

    Violet

    @Karen:
    It doesn’t seem like it would hold up. Dip butter in hot oil and it melts. What, exactly, is left to eat? Fried batter? Why not have a funnel cake?

  43. 43.

    Roger Moore

    @Violet:
    I think they probably freeze the butter before frying it and carefully control the cooking time so it doesn’t get a chance to melt much before the batter is done. Kind of like fried icecream, but not as good for you.

  45. 45.

    JimPortlandOR

    Aside from the teeth action, she sure seems to know how to handle that kind of job.

    But anyone who got a degree from ORAL Roberts law school probably gets the corndog test, one way or another.

  48. 48.

    El Kabong

    How is it the Repugs could sink Howard Dean with a clip of him yelling “Yeehaw!”, but the Dems won’t be able to do anything with this?

  49. 49.

    JPL

    @Brian S: I know but there were a few dems with good messages who went down in flames because of dorky pics. I’d rather attack her on her so called values. Of course she would appoint gays, atheist as long as they agreed with her values. Think about that.

  50. 50.

    Hal

    I love butter, but for the life of me (no pun intended), I can’t imagine eating a whole, fried stick of it. Just gross.

  53. 53.

    The Spy Who Loved Me

    Gotta be the first time I’ve ever seen a hot dog described as a “chicken and beef sausage”. Where’s the pork?

  55. 55.

    Dennis G.

    @gbear:
    That and the eyes of the fella in the lower left.

    There was a photo of George Wallace at a rally in the sixties that was pretty creepy. This one is in that zone.

  57. 57.

    forked tongue

    As long as it’s one last chance to be juvenile, might as well quote a Wonkette comment:

    Hey can anyone photoshop that big Mexican dick out of the picture and make it into a corndog?

  58. 58.

    eemom

    feh. Look, why don’t y’all make yourselves a pastiche of this and the PETA photo and go crazy? I, personally, am grossed out by both.

  59. 59.

    Roger Moore

    OT: Wingnutism at its finest. The NCAA, in a rare good move, wants schools to stop using Native American mascots or logos without permission from the tribe they reference. North Dakota has the Fighting Sioux as its mascot, but has been trying to change it because the Sioux don’t approve and the school wants to avoid sanctions. They had almost finalized the change when the State Legislature stepped in and passed a law stripping them of the right to change their mascot. I guess saying “Fuck You” to Native Americans is more important than following NCAA rules.

  62. 62.

    Powdermonkey

    Just got back from good old Ioway on Wednesday.

    Missed the fair this year, but I got a front row seat for all the Political ads for the Straw Poll. I don’t think I have ever seen more concentrated bullshit since the last time I cleaned the barns at Great-Granddads. Sometimes I think that’s the reason that Iowa should be “First in the Nation” They are all so used to shoveling shit they recognize it in others.

    Make sure to take the kids to the Knapp Animal education center to see all the baby animals. Then be sure to swing on over the Pork Producers tent for lunch. MMMM, Porkburgers!

    Bonus points if they realize the piglets they petted will be dinner in a few months.

  64. 64.

    Fulcanelli

    Somewhere in Washington DC a mixed race man with a funny name is laughing after having seen that picture.

    “This is how it starts, Michelle”

  65. 65.

    Nylund

    chicken and beef? No pork? An I so cynical now that I believe that if a democrat had eaten this, they’d be getting crap about eating halal meat and condoning the Sharia take over of America?

  68. 68.

    Roger Moore

    @Nylund:

    An I so cynical now that I believe that if a democrat had eaten this, they’d be getting crap about eating halal meat and condoning the Sharia take over of America?

    Yes, you are being too cynical. The first thing I think of when I hear about a pork-free hotdog is a kosher frank. Obviously opting for the kosher version is proof of how strongly you support Israel.

  72. 72.

    trollhattan

    Between Colbert and Stewart we’ll have a fun-filled Monday.

    And “I’ll tell you what,” with their staff video spelunkers we’re going to have a heapin’ helpin’ of Perry/Parry vids for months. National treasures, the both of them.

  73. 73.

    Evelyn

    @Hal:
    I used to work in a Starbucks, and I once had a customer request that I melt a stick of butter in her (already intensely highly caloric) Venti Caramel Macchiato. It is amazing to me what people willingly ingest.

  74. 74.

    Suffern ace

    Egads Evlyn. a stick? Good lord. I hope it was organic and unsalted. Otherwise that would be a very unhealthy drink.

  81. 81.

    TenguPhule

    Gods, there isn’t enough hard liquor in the world to wash away that Pic, Dennis you bastard.

  82. 82.

    Elizabelle

    Enjoyed that laugh, Dennis. Praise be to The Telegraph.

    Thanks.

    Went to closing night of the Orange Country Fair. Saw the racing pigs, and frisbee-swiping dogs, and lots of goats and cows and sweet animals.

    Thankfully, saw nothing like Mrs. Bachmann (or much phallic food).

    Did see a lot of Flintstones-looking cuisine: smoked turkey legs, etc.

  83. 83.

    Elizabelle

    OK, so we got a triptych.

    Michelle Bachmann with her corndog; Mitt Romney, gloved, in a fudge factory; and Sarah Palin, Starbucks cup in hand, with a turkey being decapitated in the background.

    As if their mere presence was not unappetizing enough.

  84. 84.

    harlana

    You know, she has been good at photo ops up until now and, regardless of my personal feelings about her, she looks pretty damned good (except Marcus needs to stop with the open-toed shoes with hose – that went out in the 70’s). Something went horribly, horribly wrong here. It’s priceless.

    You know, when she made that statement that she and Marcus had been married 33 years, I actually felt sorry for her. Can you imagine the devastating cognitive dissonance of being married to a gay man, pretending it’s a traditional marriage and being anti-gay fundie all all at the same time for 33 years!; plenty of fuel for those debilitating migraines, and I’m not actually trying to be cute about that.

  86. 86.

    Odie Hugh Manatee

    I heard that five people died at a state fair in Indiana because officials refused to close down the fair and get the people out of the way of an incoming storm. The storm hit and blew down some structure, injuring and killing people there.

    Competent public officials in Indiana? Not. Nothing gets in the way of making money.

    Nothing.

  89. 89.

    Tonal Crow

    On Monday, I’m going to the State Fair and there will youngsters is our party.

    Warning! Extreme grammar fail, Will Robinson!

  90. 90.

    Laertes

    Folks, get used to seeing that photo. It’s iconic. It’s Dewey Defeats Truman. We’re going to be seeing that photo for as long as Bachmann is on the national stage, and no amount of grousing has a hope in hell of changing that.

  92. 92.

    Nancy Irving

    “and allowing Mr Bachmann to take the first bite” –

    Well at least they didn’t print a photo of *that*.

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