"I'm a registered Republican and I have never made contributions to political campaigns," wrote one 66-year-old donor. "I wish I could send more." In a greeting card with a fuzzy white kitten on the front, another donor wrote, "What your opponent said on Chris Matthews was sickening! Hope you can defeat her!"
People who said they couldn't afford to give cash have been dropping off food for Tinklenberg and the staff -- platters of apple strudel, pots of chicken noodle soup, paper bags stuffed with cookies.
Now, Tinklenberg said, the campaign is trying to find ways to spend so much money in so little time, so he can get out his message on ways to attract jobs, improve public infrastructure and expand public transportation options. His staff is frantically contacting local TV and radio stations to snap up available advertisement spots, installing more phone lines and placing orders for stacks of boxes of campaign literature.
"I'm not happy she said what she said," Tinklenberg said. "But we certainly are benefiting from it."
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p.j.huffstutter@latimes.com
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DeeDee Correll contributed to this report from Denver.
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(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)
In Rep. Bachmann's own words
What Rep. Michele Bachmann said Friday on MSNBC's "Hardball with Chris Matthews":
Matthews: "You believe Barack Obama may have anti-American views? You're suspicious he has anti-American views?"
Bachmann: "Absolutely. Absolutely. I'm very concerned that he may have anti-American views. That's what the American people are concerned about. That's why they want to know what his answers are."
Later in the interview:
Matthews: How many congresspeople are in the anti-American crowd you describe?
Bachmann: You'd have to ask them, Chris. I'm focusing on Barack Obama and the people that he's been associating with.
Matthews: [Repeats question]
Bachmann: What I would say is that the news media should do a penetrating expose and take a look. I wish they would. I wish the American media would take a great look at the views of the people in Congress and find out: Are they pro-America or anti-America? I think people would love to see an expose like that."
ADDENDUM
In a speech Tuesday to the St. Cloud, Minn., Rotary Club, Bachmann said she would like to "take back" her words.
"I did not say that Barack Obama was anti-American, nor do I believe Barack Obama is anti-American. He loves his country, just as everyone in this room does," she said. "Nor did I call for an investigation of members of Congress for their pro-American or anti-American views. That is not what I said."
Bachmann told the St. Cloud Times on Tuesday that she "made a big mistake" by going on "Hardball." She said she did not bring up the term "anti-American." Still, she said, "I should not have used that phrase."
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Source: "Hardball with Chris Matthews" and the Associated Press
