In the ongoing effort to reinsert herself into the GOP presidential primaries, Michele Bachmann (R-Put James Garfield on Mt. Rushmore) has launched a new offensive against the leading Republican candidates.

From the New York Times:

Michele Bachmann Warns Against Supporting ‘Frugal Socialists’

It is probably news to her rival Republicans, but in Michele Bachmann’s eyes their policies mark them as no better than “frugal socialists.’’

Mrs. Bachmann made the assertion in an attempt to position herself as the true conservative standard-bearer in a speech on Monday, a role she has lost to a succession of other candidates. Addressing the Family Research Council, a socially conservative Christian group, she said, “We cannot preserve liberty for ourselves and our posterity if the choice in next November is between a frugal socialist and an out-of-control socialist.’’

Among the Tea Party base that Mrs. Bachmann courts, it is second nature to call President Obama a “socialist.’’ But in suggesting that leading Republican candidates — in particular Mitt Romney but also Herman Cain and Rick Perry — might also have socialist tendencies, Mrs. Bachmann seems to stretch the word pretty far.

No – it’s a stretch to call Barack Obama a socialist; it’s a pulled hamstring to call Mitt Romney, Rick Perry, and Herman Cain socialists.

We’ve known for a while now that facts have no meaning for Bachmann. Apparently the English language doesn’t either.