Matt Yglesias

The Annals of Spin

Rep. Michelle Bachman introduces us to the subtelties of universal quantification:

Despite the way the blogs and the Democratic Party are spinning it, I never called all liberals anti-American, I never questioned Barack Obama’s patriotism, and I never asked for some House Un-American Activities Committee witch hunt into my colleagues in Congress.

Her precise words:

MATTHEWS: So you think Barack Obama may have anti-American views?

BACHMANN: Absolutely. I’m very concerned that he may have anti-American views.

So, indeed, she left open the possibility that some liberals, though not Obama, may not be anti-American. Similarly, rather than ask for a House Un-American Activities Committee witch hunt into my colleagues in Congress what she asked for was a media investigation into whether her congressional colleagues’ anti-American views.