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by Jen Green

For some unknown reason, Rick Santorum has decided to attack Michele Bachmann again. He did a really bad job of it again, too. He ripped her on her leadership in the debt ceiling debate, claiming “he didn’t see her input at all in the process” and questions how she can want to be President of the United States if she “can’t even lead the congress.”

Maybe Mr. Santorum is spending too much time in the hot Iowa sun, or he hasn’t gotten enough rest. Maybe both, but he sure as shootin’ wasn’t seeing the same coverage I was. Michele Bachmann repeatedly stood her ground on the debt ceiling debate, and as head of the tea party caucus, saw her group called every name in the book by both Republicans and Democrats for it. So, he’s 0 for 2 on attacking Bachmann on any credible level.

And I’m not the only one who disagrees with him. Sarah Palin was on Sean Hannity’s show on Tuesday blasting Vice President Joe Biden for calling the tea party “terrorists,” and she was blasting Mitt Romney for his reluctance to take any stand on the debt ceiling debate until after it was over (that’s following, not leading). But, she had nice words for Michele Bachmann who, according to Palin “spoke out and cast her vote according to her principles. She stood true.”

I commented yesterday that Pawlenty’s campaign is embroiled in a controversy because three of his campaign consultants are working for outside interest groups who are giving free tickets to and busing people to the Ames Straw Poll. The Bachmann campaign cried foul, the Pawlenty campaign continues to insist nothing is wrong.

However, Jennifer Rubin from the Washington Post reports on an email from SAN that says, “Strong America Now has pulled the majority of Ames Straw Poll responsibilities from Campaign Headquarters after learning through press reports that it was also leading the Ames Poll efforts for the Pawlenty campaign.” In the email, SAN asserts its independence from any campaign and reassigns the Straw Poll responsibilities. The story is starting to grow legs–a bad thing for Tim Pawlenty. Could it be a boost for Michele Bachmann?