Vanderbilt Television News Archive

(Studio: Anderson Cooper) The demand from Representative Michele Bachmann and four Congressional colleagues {Trent Frank, Louis Gohmert, Thomas Rooney and Lynn Westmoreland} for an investigation into Muslim inroads into the US government re-introduced; photo shown of State Department deputy chief of staff Huma Abedin, charged with having family members connected to Muslim organizations. [Senator John McCAIN - criticizes the attack, especially on Abedin.] The consequences of these allegations outlined. The claims against Abedin in Bachmann's letter reviewed and outlined on screen; scenes shown of protests in Egypt linking Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to the Muslim Brotherhood and the role of Frank Gaffney as head of the anti-Muslim activism; details given about how he also went off on tax activist Grover Norquist. [On Gaffney radio show, Representative Mike ROGERS†- supports Bachmann.]

(Studio: Anderson Cooper) Live discussion held with CNN's Dana Bash and Salon.com writer Alex Seitz-Wald about Bachmann and her claims. [BASH - says Bachmann avoided questions; recounts why McCain defended Abedin, what Bachmann told her, the criticism of Bachmann by Ed Rollins and top Republicans; notes this is also about how the US is perceived abroad like the protests in Egypt.] [SEITZ-WALD - explains what Bachmann was trying to do: attract the base audience; says Gaffney has been shameless in attacking many and still has juice despite being condemned by the party.]