Bachmann Stops in Waukee, Flubs the County Name, Compares Herself to Thatcher

Making her 10th stop of the day on her 99 Counties Bus Tour, Republican presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann breezed into the Waukee Pizza Ranch Wednesday night never removing her coat, shaking hands and saying hello to supporters.

It should come as no surprise then, with such a busy schedule and many, many miles behind her, that she might get a couple things wrong along the way. In this case, it was the county she was standing in.

"This looks like the congratulations committee for making Barack Obama a one-term president," said Bachmann from her soapbox positioned between the pizza and salad bars. "It’s going to happen right here in Waukee County - this is the epicenter of taking the country back because it's here in Waukee County where we love our Constitution, where we love liberty, where we’re going to make it happen right in Iowa. That’s exactly what we’re going to do."

There were some snickers among the large crowd that included Waukee Mayor Bill Peard. What did he think of the mistake?

"You know, my heart goes out to all those people," Peard said of the candidates and their staffs. "As hard as they work, I can certainly understand where she would make a gaffe like that. I’m going to give her a pass on that one."

Most everyone else at the Waukee Pizza Ranch seemed to have their mind made up - they either came to meet Bachmann or they were there for the spectacle.

"I came out tonight to see Representative Bachmann," said Robert Uetz of Des Moines.

Wearing a button that said, "Give 'Em Hell, Michele!", Uetz added, "This is the first chance I’ve had to be in the same room with her. I'm very excited about the campaign she’s been running. It's very clean and ethical. I think she’s really painted a clear vision of what she has in store for our country."

Adam Burrows, a West Des Moines native now living in Denver, Colo., said he was in town for the holidays and, while he's not a Republican, decided that seeing Bachmann in person might be a good way to spend a Wednesday night.

"I'm originally from Iowa and have always been fascinated with the Caucus process ever since I was in high school," Burrows said. "The access you get to candidates here and ability to see what they’re really all about versus what you see on TV, it’s a pretty unique opportunity."

Mingling among the crowd, salesman Jeff Reul came all the way from Columbia, Mo., to peddle his line of Michele Bachmann buttons. For $5, you could get two buttons that declared support for the Minnesota Congresswoman.

But this was much more than a side gig for the dietician from Missouri.

"She's the one," said Reul of his choice for the nomination. "I really hope she addresses the economy and jobs. I think that's what everyone is worried about right now. It took me two years to find a job and I have four degrees. There are just no jobs out there."

Not everyone was so decisive. Sarah Bowman, a Rick Santorum supporter, came out to see if she could get a photograph with Bachmann to add to her growing collection. As far as Bachmann's politics? Well, that was another story.

"It’s all about love for the Republicans," Bowman said. "No matter who the candidate is, whether it’s Mitt Romney or Ron Paul - and I will throw up in my mouth a little bit when I do it - I will choose a Republican over Obama."

Bachmann compares herself to Margaret Thatcher

At one point in Bachmann's six-and-a-half minute stump speech she compared herself to Margaret Thatcher, former prime minister of the United Kingdom.

"Just like in 1980 with Ronald Reagan, we needed that conservative. There was another nation in a lot of trouble at that time. It was England, and they decided to take a chance on a very strong woman. Her name was Margaret Thatcher," Bachmann said.

"Margaret Thatcher came in and she turned England around. She got them set on the right course and they called her the 'Iron Lady.' They meant that term as a mean term, but she wore it as a badge of honor. She said, 'That means I’m principled. That means I stand.' That’s me too. I want to be America’s Iron Lady."