I was amused no end by the latest news about Michele Bachmann; she has, apparently, held dual American-Swiss citizenship since her marriage in 1978. For anti-intellectual Tea Partiers (i.e., Bachmann’s political base), a presidential candidate with dual citizenship, even Swiss citizenship, was anathema. It meant divided loyalties. And the disclosure was blood in the water.
It’s funny enough, of course, that self-conceived uber-patriot Bachmann, who is a singularly hilarious combination of willful ignorance and inspired lunacy, found herself coming under the same right-wing fire she had lately trained on her competitors.
But, for me, the real joy came in understanding why this story came to light at this particular moment.
It’s clear to me that Bachmann was being seriously considered as a vice presidential running mate by the Romney campaign, that the fact of her dual citizenship was uncovered during the process, that someone in the campaign didn’t want her to proceed in the process, and then had to find a reason to dump her that didn’t get the GOP’s right-wing enraged at their presumptive nominee.
Et, voila. So are leaks to the press born.
The real question is whether it is more disturbing that Romney’s campaign was considering Bachmann as his running mate or that there is a well-placed leaker on the inside who might hurt the campaign next time.
Call the plumbers, Mitt.
Speaking Plainly 
In my experience in Europe, there aren’t any countries here who give automatic citizenship to spouses – you have to actively solicit it (and it was a real pain in France, I can tell you). Maybe in 1978 it was different, but I am not convinced by her story. Maybe she actually applied for fear of what an Obama-led America would turn into!
Her story is fiction. Just doesn’t hold water.