find out, are they pro-america or anti-america? i think people would love to see an expose like that. >> that bit of mccarthyism recall came just weeks before the 2008 election, and made michele bachmann famous, like, big, big, big time virally famous. it also raised more than $400,000 for her democratic opponent inside of 24 hours. it was not enough to defeat michele bachmann, she eked out a three-point victory that year and a conservative star was born. she became this special kind of creature, which is completely distinct from a regular old member of congress. she became the cable news brawler. a kind of political version of a professional wrestler character, and her announcement today is an indication she prefers cable news brawler to member of congress, hence the decision to quit congress to focus on being someone whose name you know professionally. and here's the thing, for all the snacker we direct at michele bachmann, really, who could blame her? let's be real here for a second and compare and contrast her options here. as a member of congress, she has to answer whiney constituent