MICHELE SLIPPING – AT 11:34 A.M. ET:  One of the more interesting developments in the several weeks ince Rick Perry declared his candidacy is the slippage of Michele Bachmann in the GOP polls.  It's clear that Perry has stolen a good part of her thunder, and her electorate.  I suspect it's permanent, unless Perry self-destructs.

Bachmann made a serious political mistake in Iowa on the first day that Perry appeared there.  They both were scheduled to speak at the same dinner.  Perry arrived and worked the room, speaking with people, pressing the flesh, as old Lyndon used to say.  But during Perry's brief speech Bachmann stayed outside the hall in her campaign bus.  Only when Perry finished did she make her entrance, a grand entrance, and spoke, not even acknowledging Perry and refusing to stay and move around the room.

This did not go down well with the Iowa crowd, and now we hear that Iowa GOP pros are telling Michele to knock off the "rock star" act.  She hasn't helped herself.

The coming months will tell.  But Michele has a hard climb.  While she remains viable in Iowa, she doesn't have much backing in New Hampshire, and South Carolina is Perry country.  I'd imagine Michele will stay in until the end, but Perry's entrance has shaken her campaign badly.

August 27, 2011