UPDATE: It looks like Bachmann was not referring to a Libyan government source, as she seemed to suggest, but comments made by the U.S. ambassador to Libya. The possible death toll numbers cited by the ambassador were also not referring primarily to NATO air strikes.
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Sometimes presidential aspirations don’t end with a whimper, but with a major gaffe. On “Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace,” Minnesota Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann, a potential 2012 presidential contender, may have seen her hopes dashed while criticizing President Obama’s Libya intervention.
During an exchange with host Chris Wallace, Bachmann seemed to suggest that that she gets her news about what is happening in Libya from Muammar Gaddafi’s dictatorial regime. See the transcript of the exchange below and decide for yourself:
Bachmann: He [President Obama] said he wanted to go in for humanitarian purposes and overnight we’re hearing that potentially 10-30,000 people could have been killed in the strikes. Those are some of the reports.
Wallace: In the NATO strikes, 10-30,000 people?
Bachmann: There is a report that came out from an ambassador from Tripoli that said we won’t know until we are able to go in.
Wallace: But that the NATO strikes killed 10-30,000 people?
Bachmann: A report that came out last night from the Tripoli ambassador said that potentially there could be 10 – 30,000…
Wallace: When you said the Tripoli ambassador, you mean the Libyans?
Bachmann: Yes
Wallace: So you are believing the Gaddafi regime?
Bachmann: We don’t know. We don’t know. All I am saying is that president…
Wallace: You think Muammar Gaddafi is a reliable person?
Bachmann: I don’t think anyone thinks that. When President Obama went in, his doctrine was to enter into Libya for humanitarian purposes. The point of what I am saying is that we are seeing many, many lives lost, including innocent civilians’ lives. What will be the ultimate objective and gain. I don’t see it. I think it was a foolish decision to have gotten involved.