Perry Speech: 'It's Time to Get America Working Again'

Fred Karger wants to send a message to people still in the closet

(NEWSER) - Fred Karger huddled in the closet for his entire 30-year career as a political strategist, keeping his sexuality a secret as he worked on nine presidential campaigns, including those of Ronald Reagan and George HW Bush. The 61-year-old Republican—who came out five years ago and is the first openly gay person to file with the FEC to run for president—says he is running not because he thinks he can win, but because he wants to send a message to young people that they don't have to live their lives the way he did. More»

Candidate dodges questions on 'Meet the Press'

(NEWSER) - Another tidbit from Michele Bachmann’s media victory lap today: On Meet the Press , Gawker notes, Bachmann dodged (and dodged again… and again…) David Gregory’s repeated attempts to get her to address her 2004 comments that being gay is “personal enslavement.” Instead, she consistently said, “I am running for the presidency of the United States,” and insisted she doesn’t judge gay people. More»

Rep does victory lap after big win in Iowa straw poll

(NEWSER) - If you can't turn the channel this morning without running into Michele Bachmann, do not adjust your set: The Minnesota rep is taking her victory lap on all five major network shows, reports Politico . Highlights:

• On her leadership : "I've been on the front lines, and I have been fighting. I was the first member of Congress to introduce the repeal of ObamaCare, Dodd-Frank. I led for the last two months against raising the debt ceiling, against the (2008) TARP vote, the $700 billion bailout. Issue after issue after issue, I've been at the tip of the spear, and I've been a champion for people on these issues. I've been the fighter."

With Rick Perry in race, Mitt needs a strong Bachmann

(NEWSER) - Michele Bachmann vanquished Tim Pawlenty and the other Republican also-rans in yesterday's Iowa straw poll , so let the real battle royale for the right begin—Bachmann vs. Texas Gov. Rick Perry, writes Steve Kornacki at Salon . "She crushed her biggest mainstream competitor," he writes, and Ron Paul, despite finishing a close second, is a "niche candidate." But Bachmann vs. Perry? With "the political world taking her more seriously," says Kornacki, "she'll put up a whale of a fight." More»

Ron Paul finishes second, Pawlenty third; Perry gets 718 write-ins

(NEWSER) - Rick Perry may have cast a big shadow over the Republican field today, but Michele Bachmann had a pretty good day, too: She won the Ames straw poll, with 4,823 votes of the nearly 17,000 cast, reports Politico . Ron Paul finished a close second (4,671), followed by Tim Pawlenty (2,293) in a distant third that doesn't bode well for his campaign. Rick Santorum (1,657) and Herman Cain (1,456) rounded out the top five. Perry got 718 write-in votes just hours after announcing his candidacy in another state and despite not being on the ballot. That's ahead of Mitt Romney (567), Newt Gingrich (385), and Jon Huntsman (69), all of whom were on the ballot but didn't contest. Bringing up the rear: Thaddeus McCotter with 35 votes. More»