Bachmann: GOP Landslide Victory in November Not a Given

This is a rush transcript from "Hannity," September 17, 2010. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

SEAN HANNITY, HOST: We are now just 46 days away from the midterm elections, and Tuesday's primary night was a clear indicator of what Americans are looking come this November.

Now the biggest upset of the week was Tea Party favorite Christine O'Donnell defeating Congressman Mike Castle for Delaware's Republican Senate nomination.

Now Castle's name was added to the long list of prominent establishment candidates that were sent packing this political cycle.

And joining me now with reaction is Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann is back.

Congresswoman, welcome back.

REP. MICHELE BACHMANN, R-MINN.: Sean, thank you, always a pleasure.

HANNITY: All right. One after another after another. Establishment versus Tea Party. Tea Party wins. What's happening in the country?

BACHMANN: Well, I think clearly the American people have said Congress isn't listening to us. And so they decided to speak. And so the people has spoken with a very -- I would say uniformed voice and in the race in particular in Delaware that you mentioned, I think people identified Mike Castle with a candidate that represents the Reid, Pelosi, Obama agenda, which is out-of-control spending, tax increases that are planned and job-killing bills.

And they've said no to that. They don't want it.

HANNITY: Yes.

BACHMANN: Whereas Christine O'Donnell represents the new kind of candidate that is listening to the people. Who has clearly said she opposes spending increases. She won't be voting for any tax increases. She'll oppose them and she's also going to repeal very bad bills like the government takeover of health care, she is pro-jobs.

I think that's what you're seeing this fall. People who are looking at the candidates and saying who will best reflect what I believe? And clearly, they are hearing that message from Tea Party candidates.

HANNITY: What do you make of the establishment's -- their slash-and- burn tactics, number one, leading into the primary on Tuesday and then the reaction of some after? You know, even Mike Castle's reaction -- wouldn't call her. You know, from the night that she won, saying he wouldn't endorse her the day after.

What do you -- what is this? Why -- why do you think the establishment is acting this way? And what do you think the consequences are going to be?

BACHMANN: Well, I think clearly there was shock that occurred after each of these elections. Whether it is Marco Rubio, whether it is Ken Buck, whether it is Joe Miller in Alaska.

All across the country we've seen the same level of shock. By now you would think they would figure it out. This shows again that there's still people who aren't listening to the people.

HANNITY: Yes.

BACHMANN: The people are telling us with one voice. We can't stand the spending of Speaker Pelosi and Obama and Reid. We can take these tax increases that are right around the corner one second after midnight on New Year's Eve. Huge tax increases, people don't want them.

And number three, the job-killing agenda of Speaker Pelosi and President Obama. They are saying no. And by the way, repeal Obamacare. I think the message is really clear. We take that message to the polls in November and the conservative candidates will win.

HANNITY: See, I agree with you. And I don't even really think it's that complicated.

BACHMANN: Right. And I agree.

HANNITY: We saw, you know, last Sunday when John Boehner was on "Face the Nation" and he -- he made the statement that he might be able to go along with a compromised extension of the Bush tax cuts which would not include every American, because every American that pays taxes under the Bush tax cuts got a tax cut. And he seemed to -- the reaction was sure and swift by conservatives and the Tea Party. And people like me saying wait, what did you mean by that?

We want tax cuts across the board. Those that have said they're not going to repeal health care, they have been confronted by conservatives.

So in other words, do you think the leadership is fully getting it?

BACHMANN: Well, there's a very strong message that the people want us to hear, Sean. You've said it. Number one it is get rid of the big spending, which leads to big deficits which kills jobs. And then number two, we don't want the federal government to control private industry or own private industry. Get out of it.

They want our leadership to reflect that view. So they are willing to put into office constitutional conservatives. Now they want to make sure that our leadership will reflect constitutional conservative values.

And Republicans will only get one chance, Sean.

HANNITY: Yes.

BACHMANN: Because the patience of the American people is very, very thin.

HANNITY: No, I --

BACHMANN: Our leadership has to reflect what the people are trying to tell us.

HANNITY: Well, we saw what happened in 2006. Republicans were fired. And I would argue they were fired because they abandoned some of their principles and they paid a very heavy political price in the two recent election cycles.

We're going to see what happens in 48 days. We're told, and the polls show, that this could be a huge, massive year for the Republican Party. I was encouraged when both Minority Leader McConnell and Boehner said they would take spending and move it back to 2008 levels.

BACHMANN: Yes.

HANNITY: Bob McDonald, the new governor of Virginia, he moved it back to 2006 levels. Is that a good enough start in your mind?

BACHMANN: Well, we have to make commitments, put them on the table that we will ramp spending back significantly. Because remember, President Obama increased the federal spending by 25 percent in about 24 months.

Now consider that the federal government was not a lean mean machine before President Obama took over. So these are good beginnings. We need to be very clear. I think you are going to hear some very clear prescriptions from Republicans going forward.

But they have to be bold statements that are actually going to turn our country back toward prosperity.

HANNITY: Well --

BACHMANN: Then we'll inspire the confidence of the people. But again, no one should take a landslide for granted, Sean.

HANNITY: I agree.

BACHMANN: I really want to tamp down people's enthusiasm. There is no given that the Republicans will take over the House or the Senate.

HANNITY: I agree with you.

BACHMANN: Only if we work very, very hard. I know that in my own race. We have to work extremely hard in order to be able to win this fall.

HANNITY: Yes. Now we had young guns, Cantor, Ryan, McCarthy.

BACHMANN: Yes.

HANNITY: ... on the program earlier this week. And they wrote a book, "Young Guns," and about -- they were talking about the conservative ascendancy. And I said it's interesting you use the word "conservative" and not Republican.

I also pinned them down. They said there will be a document Republicans are putting forward a plan, a proactive agenda, that they're going to promise if the Republicans get the majority back.

I couldn't get the specifics out of them. But you used the term that I'm using. It's got to be bold.

How would you, Michele Bachmann, define bold in terms of specifics that you think need to be in there?

BACHMANN: Well, I have some articles that I'm writing right now to that effect. To be bold, we have to dramatically cut spending so that we are never again spending more money than what we take in.

And we need to tell the American people we will not increase taxes as President Obama has already promised he's going to. Huge tax increases. But there's things that we can do with taxes. I'm a tax attorney and I wish I had more time to tell you what more of those ideas are.

HANNITY: All right. Congresswoman, well, good to see you, thank you for taking the time. We appreciate you being here.

BACHMANN: Thank you, Sean.

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