TPM Reader SG:
I despise Michelle Bachmann’s politics and have no doubt this early infatuation some GOP voters have with her will fade.
That being said, from the beginning of this migraine business, I’ve thought it was sexist, sexist, and sexist. Men get migraines, yes. But women are known to get them more. And because migraines often produce no external symptoms, you have to take the person’s word that one is happening. I get them, and from personal experience, people who have never had one think I’m faking it to try to get out of something, or that I’m a weenie who can’t handle a little headache.
TPM Reader SR:
I’m not a doctor, but I am a lawyer and I know contradictory statements when I see them. Bachmann’s doctor says “no biggie.” Bachmann’s former aides say “major biggie.” …
The record from the doctor appears to mostly be a doctor regurgitating what a patient told him, which is what a lot of medical records seem to be (and if you’re a litigator, you’ve probably read your share of them. I know I have).
What she told him appears to be inconsistent with what a (unsworn anonymous) witness said and that means someone got some ‘splainin’ to do.
But the whole episode has just highlighted for me how utterly surreal and, ultimately, frightening her candidacy is.
Brian Beutler has the latest on the debt talks after the Democratic leadership met with President Obama at the White House this afternoon.
TPM Reader AS checks in with a professionally informed opinion on whether Michele Bachmann’s migraines are a disqualifying condition to be President:
As much as it pains me to support Bachmann in this headache business, the letter from the House MD (apologies) would support garden variety migraines that should not interfere with Presidential duties much. I work as an internist in the hospital setting, a stroke hospital in particular, and care for many patients admitted with uncontrolled or severe migraines. If the letter from the house physician is the complete summary of her headache condition, then this is not really fair to consider as an impediment to being President (being a charlatan with a mix of xenophobic, supply-side evangelist, and end times world views certainly is).
Don’t be embarrassed if you still don’t know who’s who in the sprawling U.K. phone hacking scandal. Here’s a quick run-through of most of the major players:
House Ethics Committee hires outside counsel to handle the problem-plagued case against Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA).
Parliament accuses News Corp. of “deliberately trying to thwart” phone hacking investigation.
The Wisconsin GOP’s effort to retaliate for the recall push against Republican state senators by launching similar challenges against Democrats isn’t off to such a good start.
The House passed the dead-on-arrival Cut, Cap, and Balance Act a short time ago by a vote of 234-190.
The theory — still very much theoretical — is that voting for this bill will give House Republicans political cover to go ahead and vote for a debt ceiling deal that contains fewer spending cuts and more tax expenditure reductions than they would like. Not sure I buy it, but that’s the theory.