Michele Bachmann makes campaign stop in Indianola

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – CNN is reporting Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann will be coming to Charlotte later this week.

The report says Bachmann will come to Charlotte on Wednesday morning for a fundraising breakfast.

The price of that breakfast will be $100, but those attending are being asked to contribute $500 to the campaign.

With Elvis music blaring from a parking-lot sound system at The Sports Page in Indianola, the Minnesota congresswoman got out of her campaign bus, stood on a platform, and unleashed a string of attacks on President Obama.

“We’ve had a huge punch in the gut in the United States this last week, haven’t we?” Bachmann asked a crowd of about 60 people on Aug. 12, referring to the debt deal passed by Congress. “We saw a blank check given to President Obama for $2.4 trillion and what did we get in return? Twenty-one billion in ‘maybe-cuts’ in the future. What kind of deal is that? That’s a raw deal – happens all the time. Why is it the government always wins? Why is it that (the) taxpayer always loses?”

Bachmann then proceeded to make a point about federal spending and taxes using a dollar bill as a prop.

“After paying taxes, this is what I’ve got,” she said, pulling out the right side pocket of her sleeveless dress to show her empty pocket. “Who’s got a dollar in their pocket?”

Then she turned to her husband, Marcus, who was standing offstage, and called him up to the platform. Marcus Bachmann pulled out his wallet and gave his wife a $1 bill.

“Here is one of our American dollars,” Michele Bachmann said, using it to illustrate the nation’s debt. “Under Barack Obama, since he became president, we have lost 12 percent in value of the dollar.”

She held the bill up, folding over, her estimate of, 12 percent of the bill to illustrate the nation’s debt.

“You can trust me with a dollar,” she said. “Do you know that? I’m good for it!”

After about a 15-minute speech, Bachmann invited questions from the crowd. She walked off the platform to take a question from Jim Dawson, 53, a registered Democrat and the owner of a metal fabricating firm in Indianola. He said he voted for Obama, but is disappointed with his performance and is open to supporting a new candidate in 2012.

Dawson asked Bachmann if she would consider cutting tax breaks for the wealthy and corporations.

“I think all the things that you’re talking about need to be on the table, every one of them, they have to be on the table,” she said. “I think the best thing government can do is stop playing favorites through the tax code. Why should your company have to be paying more when another company doesn’t have to pay? … All companies should be treated the same.”

Bachmann finished first in last week’s Republican presidential straw poll in Ames. Bachmann received 4,823 total votes, or 28.55 percent. Ron Paul finished second with 4,671 votes, or 27.65 percent. Tim Pawlenty finished third at the straw poll with 13.57 percent of the votes. He announced Aug. 14 that he was dropping out of the race.

Pawlenty, who basically called Iowa home for the last month leading up to the straw poll, made a campaign stop at The Sports Page in Indianola last month.