Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN), the national Tea Party star who is considering a run for president, appeared Monday night on Sean Hannity’s TV show to clarify something: If elected, she is not ruling out a second term.
Earlier in the day, the Des Moines Register reported Bachmann as saying: “I’m a principled reformer, and my goal is to see the country turn around. I’m also committed to being a one-term president if that’s what it takes in order to turn things around, because this is not about a personal ambition.” This was widely interpreted as a one-term pledge.
“Why would you say just one term?” Hannity asked.
“Well, I didn’t say — what I said is that if it would mean only serving one,” said Bachmann. “I didn’t close the door on two, but I think it’s important to be serious enough about the issues that if it meant not being able to run for a second term, I think dealing — we need to get serious now. We can’t be about anyone’s political career. We have to get serious quickly, now, and turn the country around, get it back on track.”
As TPM noted, Bachmann seemed to be saying that she was willing to sacrifice any chance at a second term, in order to get her agenda passed. In many interviews, Bachmann has previously attributed a similar quality to President Obama, such as in his commitment to pass health care reform despite the obvious political costs.
Then again, the question of a Bachmann second term might be academic — she must first get the people to not rule out a first term.
