Bachmann teams with fellow maverick Ron Paul

Minneapolis, MN -- They've both been called mavericks. They've both known as fiscal hawks. They both do well with young conservatives. And, on Friday night, Michele Bachmann and Ron Paul shared a stage at the University of Minnesota.

The forum at Northrop Auditorium was sponsored by Young Americans for Liberty, the group that grew out of Students for Ron Paul, the grassroots online movement that drafted him to run for president in 2008.

"I was a national youth coordinator for Dr. Paul in 2008," Jeff Frazee told KARE Friday, "And we started over 500 campus groups across the country. We're continuing that movement."

The Texas congressman's February 2008 appearance at the U, and his alternate convention at the Target Center during the Republican National Convention later that year, both drew huge crowds of college age supporters drawn to Paul's Libertarian, isolationist views.

"From limited government conservatives, to anti-war liberals, to libertarians, to anarchists, the all follow the freedom message," Frazee remarked.

Bachmann isn't likely to warm up to Paul's call to bring back all U.S. troops from overseas, or to end the Federal Reserve Bank as we know it. She is, however, very aligned with his disdain for deficit spending that adds to the national debt.

"Bachmann has much to gain from a coalition with Ron Paul," Larry Jacobs of the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs told KARE, "Especially because of his ability to mobilize younger voters."

Among those who've joined the U of M's chapter is Jenny Schreiter, a senior from Rochester majoring in chemistry.

"I was what you'd call politically apathetic," Schreiter told KARE, "Last year I heard of Ron Paul for the first time and I joined a student group here almost on a whim."

Schreiter, who hopes to become a chemistry teacher, said she grew up in a Democratic family that didn't talk politics very often.

"I like the fact that (Paul) votes consistantly with his political philosophies. He doesn't pander to lobbyists, or change his mind when someone waves from money at him."

The satirical liberal group known as "Billionaires for Wealthcare" planned to picket the student forum at the U of M, to "thank Bachmann for preserving insurance company profits." The group's members pose as wealthy people wearing top hats and mink stoles opposed to health care reform.

In the past they've worked under the labels Billionaires for Bush, Billionaires for Cheney and Billionaires for McCain.

As for the notion that Bachmann hecklers may disrupt the town hall, which is free and open to public, the Ron Paul staffers didn't seem too worried.

"I don't expect any trouble," Frazee said, "We welcome the dissent. We welcome the questions. It's a student town hall."

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