"[Democratic primary voters] were still so afraid of what Bush could do in a second term that in the end they got pragmatic," recalled Joe Trippi, who managed Dean's campaign. "Obama engenders that same anxiety and fear within the Republican base."
How else are these two crazy kids spiritual soulmates? We have a few suggestions:
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They benefit from comparisons to the rest of the field.
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Though both Dean and Bachmann are seen as a little wacky, they look pretty good onstage next to the dweebs filling out the rest of presidential lineup:
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Democratic primary debate in Chicago, August 5, 2003. Photo via Reuters.
Bachmann with 2012 rivals Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney at the June 14 primary debate. Photo via Reuters.
They were both deemed flakes.
Fox News' Chris Wallace angered many viewers when he asked Bachmann, "Are you a flake?" But that perception of Bachmann had been around a while, given her tendency to say historically inaccurate things and sort of, when you really squint, look a little like Sarah Palin. Dean was attacked because he "spent the Vietnam War skiing in Aspen." His "tongue" was "faster than his brain."
They know how to get Internet cash.
Bachmann outraised Mitt Romney the first quarter of this year--before she was campaigning for president--in part thanks to her online fundraising strength. Dean's campaign, of course, famously pioneered campaign fundraising online.
They're both short.
Photos via Reuters.
They're both objects of much fascination to their ideological foes.
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As well as obligatory Is-this-guy-for-real coverage from the mainstream press:
As for differences, there are many. Dean had more achievements to his name: Under his governorship, Vermont became the first state in the U.S. to have civil unions for gay couples. He balanced the budget and passed a health care plan. Meanwhile, Republican lawmakers gripe (anonymously, of course) that Bachmann doesn't have a singe legislative achievement to her name--not major bills, no committee chairmanships.
But maybe the most important thing setting them apart is that Bachmann hasn't screamed really loud at a rally.
Will Bachmann have her scream? She's a known crowd-pleaser. But she's made so many gaffes--staring into the wrong camera during her response to the State of the Union for example, or accidentally appearing to invoke the name of a serial killer--that expectations are a bit low; it'd be hard to freak out the entire press corps with just a little ole scream.
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