A campaign staffer for Rep. Michele Bachmann has been accused of alleged terrorism in Uganda. According to The Atlantic, Peter E. Waldron was arrested for activities in the country in 2006.

Waldron is responsible for Bachmann’s faith-based organizing in Iowa and South Carolina. He told The Atlantic that he was imprisoned in Uganda along with six Congolese and Ugandan nationals for possession of four illegal guns and 184 rounds of live ammunition in February 2006 while working as an Information Technology consultant for the Ministry of Health. He had been living in Uganda since 2002.

“Michele’s faith is an important part of her life and Peter did a tremendous job with our faith outreach in Iowa,” Bachmann’s press secretary told The Atlantic. “We are fortunate to have him on our team and look forward to having him expanding his efforts in several states.”

Waldron spent 37 days in the Luriza Prison, where he was reportedly tortured. The terrorism charges were dropped, largely in part because of pressure from the Bush administration. Waldron then returned to the United States and continued his work as a Republican political consultant.

The Ugandan inspector general said Waldron was suspected of having ties to a terrorism organization in the Democratic Republic of Congo and was planning to set up a Christian political party in Uganda. Waldron has since denied these charges and stated he did not have any weapons.

During an interview in 2009 on a Christian television talk show, Waldron said that “Biblical principles are eternal” and “must be applied today in light of the recent election,” because the United States had turned “to socialism, away from our historic democracy, our republic, our free enterprise, our capitalist system.”

“I have worked in every presidential campaign since 1980,” Waldron wrote on his Facebook page July 27. “One’s faith is always critical to me. Alan Keyes and Dr. Gary Bauer were terrific Christian, pro-life candidates.

Yet, I’ve never worked for a candidate more anointed, in love with the LORD, and has a Biblical World View like Michele Bachmann. She is an extraordinary woman of God and Member of Congress. She will make a great President.”

Particularly disturbing in this scene is that Waldron was allegedly trying to set up a Christian political party in Uganda. For anyone familiar with Uganda politics, you already know that American Christians are at least partly to blame for the extreme homophobia taking place in the African country.

The controversial, “Kill the Gays” bill was rationalized by Ugandan politicians after seeing American evangelists speak. If Waldron was indeed trying to influence Uganda politics, he might have more sinister ties that carrying weapons.

Either way, it is distressing that Bachmann dismisses any concern about Waldron’s ties to terrorism. I am absolutely positive if the roles were reversed, (remember Obama’s controversial minister) the GOP would be outraged. Instead, this is not even news.

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Michele Bachmann, the newly emerged frontrunner in the Republican presidential field, is trying to broaden her base in order to win the nomination. Often thought of as a tea party candidate, the congresswoman from Minnesota appears to be trying to appeal to all Republicans and not just those on the fringe.

“Fiscal conservatives – I’m one of those. National security conservatives – I’m one of those. Social conservatives – I’m one of those. And the tea party – I’m one of those,” Bachmann said repeatedly in South Carolina this past week.

Although Bachmann has always regarded herself as a social conservative, the economy is the number one concern among voters at this time. Bachmann has to try to appeal to moderates and independents as well as the socially conservative in her party.

She has had a 100 percent rating from the influential American Conservative Union during her nearly five years in Congress, based on her voting record. She frequently appears on television and has been a favorite among the tea party. During a recent debate, she skillfully handled a question about a past remark citing the Bible as instructing wives to be “submissive to your husbands.” In a measured tone, she explained it was about showing mutual respect. Although, that is not at all the definition of submission.

In Florence, South Carolina last week, she began her remarks with her views on cultural issues. However, she quickly moved to jobs. “You cannot spend more money than what you take in. It’s a simple fact of life, right?” Bachmann told a receptive crowd in South Carolina. She promised to submit only balanced budgets as president even though critics say that’s impossible.

To national security conservatives, she said: “I won’t step one toe out of this country and apologize for the United States of America,” the rap that Obama’s foreign policy approach gets from conservatives. Bachmann has also been emphasizing her role on the House Intelligence Committee, stressing how she’s trusted with the nation’s secrets and apprised of the most pressing threats.

Bachmann has also been reminding voters that her hometown is in Waterloo, Iowa in an attempt to appeal to Iowa voters and paint the picture of a down home woman from Middle America. But, even if Bachmann wins Iowa, she will have a much more difficult time in New Hampshire.

“I see very little oxygen left for Michele Bachmann in New Hampshire. Though she has some appeal, it is not very broad,” said GOP strategist Jamie Burnett, a former Romney backer unaligned with a candidate this time. “To win here, she is going to need to attract support from beyond the tea party in order to compete.”

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After Michele Bachmann’s crucial win in the straw poll in Iowa on Saturday, she made the rounds on the Sunday morning shows answering some difficult questions with her well rehearsed sound bites.

Bachmann, the Minnesota congresswoman, defended her hypocrisy on federal stimulus money on Fox News. She also stated that even though she was adamantly against raising the debt ceiling, she never advocated default. Really?

On “Fox News Sunday,” host Chris Wallace noted the recent rating downgrade by credit rating agency Standard & Poor. Bachmann continued to defend her position, stating that she put forth her own plan that would have denied an increase in the debt ceiling and instead required the Treasury Department to prioritize payments to U.S. creditors, Social Security recipients, Medicare beneficiaries and the U.S. military.

Wallace pointed out that doing that would have required defunding a majority of government programs, but Bachmann was undeterred. “Doesn’t that tell you how bad off the U.S. is — the fact that we’re overspending to that amount?” Bachmann said.

Wallace asked Bachmann how she would work with Democrats to increase the credit rating. Bachmann provided an interesting answer, saying she would “work tirelessly” to ensure that the Republican Party picked up 13 seats in the Senate, giving Republicans a filibuster-proof majority to enact her agenda.

“That would send a very strong signal to the market,” Bachmann said.

Bachmann later appeared on “This Week” on ABC News. Jake Tapper, guest anchor this week, asked Bachmann what specific programs she would cut to reduce the federal budget deficit. Bachmann suggested that Medicare and Social Security would be on the chopping block.

“Right now, we’re gonna reform entitlements,” Bachmann said. “Medicare, Medicaid, they have to be changed. Why should we continue to run these program the way we did 45 years ago? Systems have changed.

We can — we can make these far more efficient than what they are. Social Security is another program, 80 years old. Why would we continue to run it in the same way we did 80 years ago? Let’s modernize it so it’s there for people who depend on it.”

Bachmann wrapped up the talk show circuit with an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” Host David Gregory pressed Bachmann for follow up on a question she received during the debate on Thursday night about the roles wives play.

In a 2006 speech, Bachmann had said that wives had to be submissive to their husbands. “My husband said, now you need to go and get a post-doctorate degree in tax law. Tax law, I hate taxes. Why should I go and do something like that? The Lord says, ‘Be submissive.’ Wives, you are to be submissive to your husbands.”

Gregory played the sound bite and asked, “Is that your view for women in America? Is that your vision for them?”

“Submission — that word means respect,” Bachmann replied.

Gregory said that in his discussions with his own wife, the two words are not equivalent.

“In our house, it is,” Bachmann said.

Gregory asked: “His word goes?”

“Well, both of our words go,” Bachmann said. “We respect each other. We’re a good team together.”

And this is who the GOP wants for president. A woman that believes submissive means the same as respect and a woman who will follow her husband’s orders. Who exactly is running? Bachmann or her husband?

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In Ames, Iowa, Tea Party representative Michele Bachmann won a symbolic straw poll at a political festival held at the campus of Iowa State University. The vote was held on the same day as Rick Perry announced his candidacy and comes five months before the first official Iowa primaries, according to the BBC.

The Ames straw poll was a vote by attendees over the age of 18 and by the end of the day, Bachmann had received 4,823 of the 16,892 votes. Runner-up Ron Paul took a close 4,671 votes in the non-binding contest while former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlentry finished third with 2,283.

The straw poll is expected to give Bachmann’s campaign a boost and in her speech to the crowd after the count, she states “This is the first step towards taking the White house in 2012 and we have just sent a message that Barack Obama will be a one-term president.” The Boston Globe could report that the victor, who is the first female candidate to win the informal contest, had broken down in tears and hugged her husband after learning the result.

Despite the poll holding no official significance, observers agree that the poll has symbolic significance for the candidates. “It’s a big boost for her,” said Mike Huckabee, former winner of the caucuses, to reporters. “Whoever wins or comes in second, they get gas for their fire. Whoever doesn’t, they get water for theirs.”

Fire is definitely burning in the Republican camp where the race for a chance to challenge President Obama on key issues such as the recent downgrade, unemployment, health care and Wall Street will be critical in the bid to convince voters of what camp can best resuscitate the ‘ailing America’ as the Huffington Post puts it.

On the day of the straw poll, thousands of GOP activist gather at the Iowa State University campus to enjoy the festival that also serves as a fundraiser for the state GOP. Despite the attempt of several candidates to sway voters, Michele Bachmann stole the show. Her rhetoric and energy was noted as the important ingredient in her triumphant day.

In her speech, she emphasized her connection to the state and her opposition to abortion and gay marriage. Later, she danced on stage with her husband before 3,000 supporters and hundreds more who had gathered outside in hopes of catching a glimpse.

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