Michele Bachmann v. Bob Anderson next year?

This is just an opinion piece, no new links.

But you guys all understand, don't you--that "it doesn't have to be Bob Anderson running a third party candidacy" to guarantee a split next year that puts Michele back in office?"

Sometimes I think the professional journalists who are trying to play catch-up with us here on Dump Bachmann--don't understand that. It doesn't have to be "Bob Anderson, himself" who runs next year's third party candidacy, in order to deliver the district back to Bachmann.

No, no, no, if that's what you think. Some professional journalists are approaching Bob Anderson and asking him if *he'll* abide by the endorsement of the IP, next time, whether or not *he* will run.

The answers to those questions could be interesting--but when I read this stuff, I worry. I worry that the pro reporters don't understand, that they think that if Anderson agrees to abide by an endorsement--there won't be an important third party candidacy next year that delivers the race to Bachmann." You people, who read Dump Bachmann--*you* know that's not true and doesn't even follow logically, right?

Bob Anderson, in and of himself, is not important. Not at all. He has no perceptible plans or regular support. He doesn't have the money to conduct a campaign, he doesn't have any leadership experience in government. My suspicion is that Bob is probably sympathetic to a Bachmann win. He likes the idea of bringing sectarian religion into public schools and I'm thinking he's pro-life. So if he enters the race again, I suspect his private agenda for doing so involves ensuring a Bachmann victory.

But suppose Bob does agree to abide by an IP endorsement, and not run? What's to prevent a Bachmann sympathizer from running a third party candidacy next year--maverick, unendorsed, just like Bob Anderson's--to ensure a Bachmann victory by attracting a significant percentage of independent voters?

Do the professional journalists who interview Anderson think that *that* CAN'T happen next year, if Bob Anderson *doesn't* run? Do they think that Bob Anderson's got some "personal magic, akin to the Kennedy charisma" that makes him the ONLY person who could possibly pull off this spoiler thing?

If I were the Bachmann people--cynical, deceitful as a matter of principle--I'd be trying to jump-start this "third party candidacy thing" right now. Sooner. It's a terrific weapon in the Bachmann arsenal. It shaved *just two or three more* percentage points in votes from the electorate, last time--and that was enough to return her to office.

And no--it doesn't have to be "Bob Anderson," to run as a third candidate courting independent voters. It could be "Sven Anderson," or "Barb Olson," or "John Binkowski," or "Harry Potter." Practically any one of you reading this, could run a third party candidacy next year that would help to ensure the re-election of MB.

Someone, please explain this to Minnesota's political editors and journalists. They won't listen if it's me explaining it to them.