To the Point: Michele Bachmann’s migraines shouldn’t disqualify her

It's funny how liberals claim they're feminists, yet when a powerful, conservative female comes along they jump at the opportunity to smear her as incompetent.

The most recent attack is on Michele Bachmann, whom liberals have declared a sickly woman incapable of being president because she gets migraines.

Several news outlets questioned her ability to be president because of the headaches, like the Los Angeles Times column titled "Bachmann's migraines matter."

Similarly, The New York Times ran a column last week warning us to pay attention to the way Bachmann deals with her migraines, because it would "speak volumes about who she is as a person and how she might deal with the stresses of the presidency."

First, no one really knows why people get migraines. To say Bachmann's headaches come from stress is just a cheap crack at her credibility.

Liberals have no problem demanding we legalize hallucinogens like marijuana for medicinal and recreational purposes. But when Bachmann takes safe drugs prescribed by a doctor, it's "heavy pill use," as if she were Amy Winehouse.

Most of us wouldn't take a second look at Bachmann's headaches because they don't make a difference at all. But the left has badgered her so much that she was forced to respond, stating, "My ability to function effectively has never been impeded by migraines and will not affect my ability to serve as Commander in Chief."

Why is it that when a conservative female comes along, she is immediately declared dumb and inept by the left?

Take Sarah Palin for instance. The media's depiction of her as a bimbo has been well documented. And yet she's still here and more powerful than ever.

The reason the mainstream media doesn't like Palin is because she went to a community college. They detest the idea that someone, especially a female, made such a name for herself without going to an Ivy League school.

Similarly, the media see Bachmann as a threat. In reality, Bachmann and Palin don't have much in common other than their beliefs. But the media, jealous that they don't have any hot female politicians, have gone to great lengths to equate the two because they truly believe they were successful in bringing down Palin.

The media failed to destroy Palin, as shown by a Washington Post poll this month that put Palin in second place among Republican presidential candidates with 18 percent of the vote and 16 percent among registered voters — and she isn't even running.

According to the same poll, Bachmann is in third place with 12 percent of the general vote and 13 percent among registered voters.

Some Republicans believe the left has been successful at

convincing Americans that conservative females are unqualified for public office. Gov. Tim Pawlenty has attacked Bachmann saying, "These are really serious times, and there hasn't been somebody who went from the U.S. House of Representatives, I think, in over a hundred years, and there's a reason for that."

James A. Garfield was the only person elected as president while serving in the House. To say that he was unqualified is silly, especially taking into account one reporter's characterization of his effectiveness in the house, "…when he takes the floor, Garfield's voice is heard above all others."

Pawlenty should realize the attacks on conservative females' credentials don't work with conservatives, especially given his less-than enthusiastic poll numbers. And, like Garfield, Bachmann's voice is heard above liberals'.

The attacks on Bachmann's ability to serve as president are not only groundless, but they're also ineffective. Both liberals and Republicans like Pawlenty would do well to learn from conservative women like her.

Austin Casey is a 19-year-old medical physics junior from Mandeville. Follow him on Twitter @TDR_austincasey.

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Contact Austin Casey at acasey@lsureveille.com