"It is not true, I did not say that, and this is a case of a false accusation," Rep. Michele Bachmann, Minnesota Republican, told this Inside the Beltway Radio host late Monday, referring to harsh statements attributed to her about Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama while she was a guest on MSNBC's "Hardball."
"It is amazing to me how the wind tunnel and spin can go around and around in an echo chamber. And this is simply a lie. I did not question Barack Obama's patriotism, I did not say he was anti-American. And the other accusation is that I was calling for members of Congress to be investigated on their anti-American views.
"That's absolutely a lie. Nancy Pelosi, the speaker of the House, today in the [Minnesota] Twin Cities, made a statement that I had called for the investigation of members of Congress for being anti-American and holding anti-American views. That's an out-and-out bald-faced lie. I did not stay that."
While a guest on the MSNBC program, Mrs. Bachmann said: "I think the people that Barack Obama has been associating with are anti-American, by and large."
Pressed further by the host, Chris Matthews, who was the first to use the word "anti-American," the congresswoman said of Mr. Obama: "Absolutely, I'm very concerned that he may have anti-American views."
Regarding Congress, she said: "The news media should do a penetrating expose and take a look. I wish they would, I wish the American media would take a great look at the views of the people in Congress and find out are they are pro-America or anti-America."
BACK TO THE CAVE
This Friday, the National Archives and Records Administration will dedicate its new National Personnel Records Center Annex Facility -- a retrofitted limestone cave, actually.
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The approximately 400,000-square-foot cave has a total storage capacity of nearly two million cubic feet of records, according to the National Archives, which tells us the secure facility in Illinois will mostly house military medical records and records for civilian federal personnel who retired after 1973.
CAN WE TALK, DAD?
"There is a lot of peer pressure on college campuses for students to vote for Barack Obama," Karin Agness writes to Inside the Beltway. "I see it at the University of Virginia, where I am a student.
"I saw the new ad out last week by two of the stars of 'Gossip Girl.' In it, they encourage other young people to have 'the talk' with their parents, not about drugs or sex, but about voting for John McCain."
BARACK, JOHN & JOE
Yes, Joe Wurzelbachers popularity is being tracked right alongside the support for presidential candidates Sen. Barack Obama and John McCain.
Better known as "Joe the Plumber," Mr. Wurzelbacher, for what he's worth to the campaign, is viewed favorably by 44 percent of Americans polled and unfavorably by 41 percent.
"He earns his best reviews from middle-income voters and entrepreneurs," notes the Rasmussen Reports Presidential Tracking Poll released Monday.
The plumber aside, Mr. Obama at last count is attracting 50 percent of the vote, while Mr. McCain earned 46 percent, which suggests "the race may be tightening a bit."
"Prior to the past week, Obama had enjoyed a five to eight point advantage for several weeks," Rasmussen explains.
WISH LIST
Improving whistle-blower protections, halting the revolving door between the government and the private sector, increasing government transparency, and implementing multiple measures to improve and strengthen contract oversight are among the list of government-reform priorities that the Project On Government Oversight (POGO) sent Monday to the presidential transition teams of Democrat Sen. Barack Obama and Republican Sen. John McCain.
'WITHER' GREEN
Prefer one presidential candidate over the other because of his environmental wish list?
Before casting any green votes, consider the Times of London headline of Monday, given the current worldwide financial crisis, blighted economies and ballooning deficits: "Environment will wither whoever wins U.S. election."
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