Tarryl Clark for Congress

Even right-wing allies publicly denounce Bachmann's comments, try to get her to do the same

In what can only be characterized as a turning of the political tables, Conservative FOX News commentators Bill O'Reilly and Geraldo Rivera both defended the Obama Administration's successful demand for British Petroleum (BP) to set up a $20 billion Victims' Compensation Fund to provide relief or victims of the Gulf oil spill. And both took Congresswoman Michele Bachmann to task for her continued opposition.

On Friday night's "O'Reilly Factor," O'Reilly pushed Bachmann to admit that forcing BP's CEO, Tony Haywood to create the $20 Billion fund was the right thing to do. Congresswoman Bachmann instead said that the president exerting pressure on BP to pay for victims' relief was "crossing a line."

On FOX News' Geraldo Live, host Rivera summarized Bachmann's position as follows: "... you have characterized the White House as an extortionist and withheld, it seems to me, the strongest criticism for the oil company." Bachmann again declined to back away from her defense of BP. Bachmann's segment begins at 3:30.

"A chorus of voices - from those demanding that Congresswoman Bachmann be held accountable for what she has said to her allies who want to give her a chance to apologize - agree that Michele Bachmann is on the wrong side of this issue," said Zach Rodvold, Campaign Manager for Tarryl Clark.

"Even Bill O'Reilly and Geraldo Rivera believe - as does an overwhelming majority of the American public - that BP ought to pay for every penny of this disaster, and that all efforts should be made to ensure that's the case," Rodvold continued. "Yet at every opportunity, Congresswoman Bachmann continues to make it clear where she stands on this issue - and it's with BP."

"This is a defining moment in this campaign," concluded Rodvold. "If the choice wasn't already clear, it is now. The residents of the 6th District need someone who responds to them, who listens to their concerns and stands up for them - not special interests. That person is Tarryl Clark."

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Edited Transcripts of Bachmann's comments on FOX News are as follows. Links are provided for both of the full interviews.

BILL: Whoa? I mean extortion, shakedown ... look ... if the executive branch, the presidency, isn't going to force BP to pony up the money ... Who will? Who would?

BACHMANN: The point isn't whose responsible. BP's clearly responsible. The point isn't should BP be responsible to financially reimburse these tragic victims. Of course they should. The question is who will run the fund? And that was my point .. ... which is dealing with will this fund be politicized ...

BILL: Alright but that's not how it came across ..

BACHMANN: It isn't as though ...

BILL: Congresswoman, thats not how it came across...

...BILL: OK, but you're dodging my question about extortion and about a shakedown. Do you think Obama shook down BP?

BACHMANN: I think they put pressure on them ... remember he previously said he wanted a criminal investigation. So the people that were around that table were thinking they might end up in the slammer.

BILL: Is that wrong? Is that wrong to put that kind of pressure on them? I think you'd do it. Wouldn't you do it?...
The only thing we are disagreeing about, here, today, is I don't mind Obama saying, "You better do the right thing or we're coming after you with everything we have." I want him to do that. I'll give you the last word...

BACHMANN: That's crossing lines that we have to be very careful.

From Geraldo Live on FOX News

Geraldo: Do you withdraw the word "extortion" or do you not withdraw the word "extortion" within the context of your comments about BP?

Bachmann: I believe in the idea of BP paying all of this off. What I don't believe in is politicizing this fund. It shouldn't be run out of the White House. It shouldn't be run out of the Administration. It should be run out of the system that we already have set up, which is through the courts. That was the context of my remarks.

Geraldo: Be that as it may, you have characterized the White House as an extortionist and withheld, it seems to me, the strongest criticism for the oil company.

Later in the segment:

Geraldo: Congresswoman Bachmann, you would say that the delay in response (to the BP oil disaster) is the true reason for the President to be criticized?

Bachmann: Oh, I think that there's no question....It just didn't seem like he was fully engaged early-on....There's a real question about how he's responded. Again, our main concern is that this fund not be politicized....

Geraldo: Congresswoman, when was the first time that you spoke of this disaster in catastrophic terms? We found 1 statement from you on the 28th of May, which would be a month and a week after it happened.

Bachmann: Are you talking to me, Geraldo? I'm sorry, what was the question? (Another Congressman then cuts in and explains that hearings were held in Congress early in May.)