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Bachmann Casts Herself As Thatcher-Style 'Iron Lady' In Last Iowa Ad

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) in Pella, Iowa, on Nov. 1, 2011.
Steve Pope
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Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) in Pella, Iowa, on Nov. 1, 2011.

Repeating a theme she's been using frequently in recent days, Rep. Michele Bachmann's last TV ad before Tuesday's Iowa caucuses makes the case that she's an American "Iron Lady" in the style of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

The Star Tribune says of the Minnesota congresswoman's message that:

"Bachmann's transition from describing her 'titanium spine' to comparing herself to Britain's iconic 'Iron Lady' marks the congresswoman's closest flirtation with gender politics, something she has largely avoided in her long-shot quest for the White House.

"But it also raises questions about a possible gender barrier she could face in the closing days of Tuesday's contest in Iowa."

After winning the mostly symbolic Iowa straw poll last August, Bachmann has seen her poll numbers in the state fall into single digits.

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Mark Memmott is NPR's supervising senior editor for Standards & Practices. In that role, he's a resource for NPR's journalists – helping them raise the right questions as they do their work and uphold the organization's standards.
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