Republican presidential hopeful and Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann slammed her Republican opponent former House Speaker Newt Gingrich on Wednesday, saying his conduct during a recent debate amounted to sexism.
“Well, frankly, I thought that it was outrageous and insulting, the way that he seemed to treat me like I was a student, and I’m not. I’m a serious candidate for president of the United States and I had my facts right and he has said this repeatedly and he’s just not true,” said Ms. Bachmann said Friday on CNN’s “The Situation Room”. “He’s memory-challenged.”
The Minnesota Republican made the remark following the final Republican presidential debate earlier this month. Ms. Bachmann, who accused Mr. Gingrich of lobbying for mortgage giant Freddie Mac, said Friday that Mr. Gingrich’s criticism of her remark was partly tied to the fact Ms. Bachmann is the single female candidate for president.
“Sometimes Congresswoman Bachmann doesn’t get her facts very accurate,” said Mr. Gingrich said late in the debate. He had made a similar statement the previous Saturday, at a debate in Des Moines.
Ms. Bachmann’s assertion was met with understanding by MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough, who said he agreed with Ms. Bachmann.
“Newt Gingrich, when he attacks Michele Bachmann, sort of speaks in a different tone and is far more condescending to Michele Bachmann than he is to the men on the stage,” Mr. Scarborough said on his program “Morning Joe.”
The battle between Ms. Bachmann and Mr. Gingrich is the latest to spring up. Ms. Bachmann on Monday used the news of the Supreme Court setting argument dates over the health care lawsuit to reaffirm her commitment to overturning the law and attack Mr. Gingrich on the issue.
“We have to have a president that is committed to the full repeal of Obamacare — I am,” Ms. Bachmann told National Journal/CBS News in an interview.
The Minnesota Republican blasted Mr. Gingrich as “the father of the individual mandate” adding, “There is absolutely no possibility that Newt Gingrich will ever truly get behind the full-scale repeal of Obamacare because it’s not what he believes in.”
