Bachmann Daily Beat: All that Glitters is Not Gold

U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann stayed busy this weekend, rallying crowds at a pair of conservative gatherings in New Orleans and Minneapolis. As she walked off the stage at the Minneapolis event, she got "glittered" by a gay rights activist.

It was the glitter attack—the latest in a string—that made headlines, but as the Star Tribune reports, Bachmann appeared almost totally unfazed by the incident. Compared to fellow glitter victims Newt Gingrich and Tim Pawlenty, the 6th District congresswoman seemed to escape her glittering unscathed. Activists who carry out the glitter protests say they are meant to draw attention to politicians whose views are hostile to gay rights.

The "glittering" took place at RightOnline, a conference for conservative activists and bloggers held in downtown Minneapolis over the weekend. Bachmann addressed the crowd on Saturday.

The Star Tribune says her 38-minute speech was interrupted four times by standing ovations. (An abbreviated video of her address is included.) Bachmann attacked President Obama's position on Medicare, accusing him of wanting to move senior citizens off of the program and onto "Obamacare." Washington Post opinion writer Stephen Stromberg took issue with the allegation.

Earlier in the weekend, Bachmann appeared at the Republican Leadership Conference in New Orleans, where she advocated, among other things, for requiring schools to teach intelligent design. She took third place in the event's straw poll, being bested by former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman and Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas), who won the contest by a wide margin. Nevertheless, CBS News says Bachmann received a warm reception from attendees.

Roll Call reports that Bachmann and three Republican colleagues may have inappropriately used taxpayer funds to pay for a tea party rally in 2009. Congressional rules prohibit the use of official U.S. House funds for political activities. Bachmann's staffers say all of her expenditures are legitimate.

Stillwater takes center stage in an extensive profile piece on Bachmann from the British newspaper The Guardian. Meanwhile, the Washington Post says Bachmann has mastered the art of raising campaign cash from controversial appearances on talk shows. They call the phenomenon the "money blurt." Finally, on Sunday, Bachmann released a statement slamming former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney for refusing to sign an anti-abortion pledge.