Bachmann Relives Her Campaign at Supreme Court

Adam Martin

U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann made repealing Obamacare a core issue of her presidential campaign, so it felt a little like she was back on the stump when she led a rally outside the Supreme Court Tuesday as justices heard health care arguments inside. She got in a "socialism" jab too, just like she was fond of doing to her opponents on the campaign trail. Remember when she promised to "stamp out socialism" in Iowa? And when she promised in a November debate "I won't rest until I repeal Obamacare? Her Tuesday speech hit the same notes. It was like having candidate Bachmann back for a bit. The New York Times blog has the quotes:

"We are grateful this day has come," shouted Republican Representative Michele Bachmann into a microphone, as the law's supporters chanted, "health care works for you, health care works for me, health care works for every family."

"We are surrounded by those who will benefit by socialism," she said. "Look around you, we are divided as a country."

The Wall Street Journal has a little more on its blog:

Then she told a story about looking at a painting of the Founding Fathers in the Capitol the night the law passed. She said the looks on their faces appeared to say: "Will you keep what we gave you, or will you let it go?"

Bachmann certainly led the Supreme Court sideshow on Tuesday, just as Rick Santorum did on Monday, but the rest of the outdoor scene gave her some stiff competition for attention. Associated Press reporter Jessica Gresko tweets: "Demonstrators on both sides filling sidewalk outside court. 2 statue of liberty costumes seen." The National Law Journal tweeted a short video of the crowd from out front, unfortunately not available to embed. And The Times painted this picture:

The sidewalk in front of the court steps on Tuesday was a cacophony of competing causes shouted through megaphones and microphones. A group of supporters that included a class of school children from Arizona shouted, "Hey hey, ho ho, Obamacare has got to go," into a microphone, while supporters a few feet away were projecting chants of their own, including, "We love Obamacare."

Sounds like a fun morning in front of the court. For updates on what's happening inside, the SCOTUS blog's keeping us posted.