As former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is generating a lot of media buzz with her bus tour despite her vagueness about a 2012 presidential run, what does this mean to the rest of the Republican field, particularly potential candidate Minnesota Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann?
On Tuesday’s “Good Morning America” on ABC, co-host George Stephanopoulos asked if the Republican field was big enough for both her and Palin. (h/t The Right Scoop)
“Oh sure, I think there’s room for a lot of contenders,” Bachmann said. “I think there’s no question in 2012 the Republicans will field a wide bench of contenders against President Obama and I think that the comparison will be very favorable.
Bachmann explained she didn’t view the former Alaska governor as a rival. But instead, she argued she should be compared to President Barack Obama.
“Well again, I compare myself to Barack Obama,” Bachmann said. “Not to any of the other Republican candidates. First of all, I want to say I like Sarah Palin a lot. We’re friends. And I don’t consider her a competitor. I consider her a friend. But my comparison ultimately is to Barack Obama. I created a successful company. I’m a tax litigation attorney. I raised 28 children in my home. I have a number of wide experiences that I bring to the table. And that’s my comparison.”
When asked if by Stephanopoulos if she had a problem with running against a friend, she said she didn’t.
“No, not at all,” she replied. “Not at all.”
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