The laughfest known as “the Tea Party Republican Debate” continues apace.
Candidate Michelle Bachmann was in especially fine form last night, hinting darkly at horrible side effects from the cancer-preventative HPV vaccine; theories which have long since been debunked and dwell on the ragged edge of politics in the murky conspiratorial caverns that house ideas like Birther– and Trutherism. But post-debate, Bachmann dug in her heels and doubled down on her absurd contention that the HPV vaccine might cause mental retardation.
Mrs. Bachmann said on NBC’s “Today” show on Tuesday that after Monday night’s debate in Tampa, Fla., a tearful mother approached her and said her daughter had suffered “mental retardation” after being vaccinated against HPV.
Across the ideological board, the judgement of the blogosphere and its commentariat was swift and terrible, and to some of us, delightful. But the best comment I saw was at Hit & Run:
But hey wait not-so-fast: amusing as it may be, Bachmann’s scientific illiteracy doesn’t preclude her winning the nomination. In that crowd, it’s not a bug, it’s a feature.
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unrepentant old hippie 
Truth and facts never get in the way of the anti-vax loons. Bachmann is willing to jump aboard any train at the moment — especially if it gets her some mug-time on TV.
I don’t think she’s jumping aboard a train, I think she really believes this crap. Bachmann is a social conservative and socons are notoriously opposed to the HPV vaccine. Not because they’re anti-vaxxers in general but because they think this particular vaccine encourages promiscuity.
Perry’s managed to appropriate the socon vote that Bachmann had wrapped up for awhile, so she’s trying to get it back. The vaccine thing is a big vulnerability for Perry in that respect.
I think it’s understandable that people might look askance at the idea of their kids being vaccinated willy-nilly by schools, but if they do the research on the vaccination its a no-brainer.
http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2011/09/14/i-think-his-money-is-safe/
“A professor at the University of Minnesota, Steven Miles, is offering a $1000 reward for the name and release of the medical records of the person Michele Bachmann says became mentally retarded after getting the HPV vaccine. I’d like to see that, too.”
😆 That’s awesome! Thanks 🙂