With Bachmann out, Graves is no longer running:
“Basically, after all that’s gone on, and with Michele Bachmann now stepping down, I’ve been talking to my friends and family and frankly, the feeling is, ‘Mission Accomplished.’ She wasn’t representing the people of the 6th District appropriately, and now she won’t be representing them. There’s no way anyone could run and win who would be worse than Michele Bachmann. So we accomplished that task.”
I asked Graves if he was claiming credit for ending Bachmann’s political career, but he demurred. “I don’t know everything that went into her decision,” he said. “Clearly, it was going to be a competitive race. All through Memorial Day weekend, she was in the district, working the crowds. Obviously something happened to cause her to believe that she shouldn’t run again. We’re very happy she dropped out. The country can do better.”
***Graves said he entered his brief political fling hoping to emphasize three or four qualities and ideas that he felt were the opposite of Bachmann’s approach. Bachmann demonizes those with whom she disagrees. He believes in civility. Bachmann constantly misstates the facts. He believes in being careful and rigorous about the factual basis for the positions he advocates. Bachmann thrives on gridlock, believing that preventing the Democrats from accomplishing anything is goal enough. He believes in trying to find solutions to problems, even if you have to compromise with those advocating different solutions in order to make progress.
“I don’t think compromise is a dirty word,” Graves said. “It’s a great approach. You can never get a perfect deal.”
In other words, he’s got way to much sense and humility to sully himself with national politics.