Bachmann takes aim at Republican competitors

Michele Bachmann
Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann signs a photo for young supporters during a stop at Scooters Coffeehouse in Council Bluffs, Iowa Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2011. Bachmann's bus tour is stopping in all of Iowa's 99 counties before the caucuses next week.
MPR Photo/Jeffrey Thompson

In Iowa today, Congresswoman Michele Bachmann criticized some of the other Republicans running for president.

Bachmann took aim at Texas Gov. Rick Perry for a new campaign ad that suggests people shouldn't vote for members of Congress who want to be president. Bachmann accused Perry of being a political insider with a history of doing favors for campaign contributors.

Perry's campaign asks viewers why they would even consider supporting anyone for president who has had anything to do with Congress.

"If Washington's the problem, why trust a congressman to fix it?" the campaign ad begins.

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In Creston, Iowa, Bachmann, who claims not to be a politician despite her position in Congress, told reporters it's Perry who's the insider.

"Just because he's held office outside of Washington, DC does not mean that he is not a political insider. It's what you do in your office that matters," Bachmann said. "There aren't very many politicians who spent more time paying off political donors than Gov. Rick Perry has."

"Rick Perry has spent 27 years as a political insider and while he's been in elected office he's been guilty of the various things he says he will fight against, chief among them is crony capitalism."

Bachmann also accused Perry of failing to understand the difference between foreign aid and foreign security assistance. She also accused Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich of changing positions on Libya and criticized Ron Paul over statements Paul has made about Iran and nuclear weapons.

She said Paul would be a "dangerous president" because he isn't willing to protect the country from emerging threats. She also said Paul had no chance of winning the GOP nomination.