Politico takes a look at Marcus Bachmann, Michele Bachmann’s husband of 32 years, and calls him her “confidant, body man, image consultant and political strategist,” but also “a potential liability.”
He was very visible on campaign stops during Michele Bachmann’s presidential kickoff but speaks only when called upon and is careful not to draw attention to himself.
But he’s been a steadying presence:
Especially because the congresswoman has such a high staff turnover and small inner-circle, Marcus Bachmann is his wife’s closest confidant. Another former staffer said the congresswoman didn’t talk about her husband much, but that he called the office almost every day, sometimes as many as three times a day.
But the story says he faces greater scrutiny than other campaign spouses:
As his wife kicked off her campaign, news reports tied his parents’ federally-subsidized farm to the couple and hit him for accepting over $137,000 in Medicaid payments for his crisis center.
And other issues may influence whether he helps or hinders her campaign, the story said:
Already, his clinic has come under fire for taking Medicaid payments, but there are more questions surrounding the Christian-centric therapy. Among them are Bachmann’s credentials: He is not registered with any of the three boards that certify mental health practitioners and professions in the state. The Minnesota Board of Psychology and the Board of Marriage and Family Therapy confirmed to POLITICO that Bachmann is not licensed with them. And a search of the Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy license database returns no result.
Concludes the story:
Unlike Bob Dole or Bill Clinton, Marcus Bachmann enters the presidential race with his wife having never been the subject of much attention or opposition research, and never really attacked himself. As a man, rather than a woman, he’s likely to face a different kind of intensity in the attack — how he and his wife respond to them will almost certainly have an impact on Bachmann’s presidential plans.
For now, though, he’s still playing the role of the protector, like when he wrapped up his take on having a successful marriage in Rock Hill with a warning to the 600 people who’d just been invited by the host to meet the candidate in front of her campaign bus after the event.
“The invitation to come out to the bus was just fine with me,” Marcus Bachmann said. “As long as you don’t touch her.”
