Guess Who Said Michele Bachmann 'Did Nothing' as Tea Party Caucus Chair?

“Michele Bachmann was the chairman of the Congressional Tea Party Caucus, and in that position did nothing," Karl Rove said today. "Now the position is open, someone next year will accept the chairmanship of it, and they may do something with it.”

(Credit: YouTube)

Rove added that Bachmann's retirement is "an opening for the Tea Party” during his appearance on This Week With George Stephanopoulos. “It also guarantees that that seat, which had been thought to be very much up for grabs—she barely won last time around, ran well behind Mitt Romney—is now safely Republican."

Rove reminded the panel that Democrat Jim Graves ended his 2014 campaign for Bachmann's seat following her May 29 announcement that she won't run for re-election. (CBS News quoted Graves' reason: "This was about challenging the ineffective leadership and extremist ideology of Michele Bachmann on behalf of those she represents," he said. "As of Wednesday, that goal was accomplished.")

Mediaite opined that "Bachmann was uniquely ineffectual while in Congress, passing almost no legislation while garnering embarrassing headlines."

Turning to former Obama advisor David Plouffe, Stephanopoulos asked if Democrats would miss Bachmann.

“Terribly,” Plouffe replied, grinning. “It’s fun having her and the Sarah Palins of the world on the scene, because they sort of define this modern Republican party. Now you’ve got others to replace her. Now you’ve got Ted Cruz and others to fill the bill.”

Here's a clip of Rove's commments:

(H/T: Mediaite)