Republicans Downplay Bachmann’s State Of The Union Response

Minnesota GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann will deliver a tea party response to President Obama's State of the Union address tonight, but Republican leaders are tamping down talk that her speech directly competes with the official GOP response. And indeed, Bachmann herself stresses the same point, even as she prepares to deliver what observers anticipate will be a stinging rejoinder to Obama's speech.

The opposition party traditionally delivers a speech following the president's address. GOP leaders selected Republican Rep. Paul Ryan (Wis.) to offer this year's official Republican response. But the Tea Party Express, a national small-government group, asked Bachmann to deliver a separate tea party response via its website.

The two speeches have stirred talk that Bachmann is challenging the GOP establishment. But Bachmann and her party insist that's not the case. "I'm just reacting to what President Obama is saying, to the Tea Party Express group," Bachmann told reporters at the Minnesota Capitol Monday. "It's not meant to be in competition in any way. Paul Ryan is the official GOP response, and he'll do a wonderful job."


Republicans in Congress say that Bachmann's speech will be no different from the public statements offered by any federal lawmaker who chooses to offer a response.

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