Is Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN), the national Tea Party movement star who is considering a run for president, becoming the LensCrafters of gaffes?
On Monday, in a speech in Iowa, Bachmann declared: “The executive director of Planned Parenthood in Illinois said they want to become the LensCrafters of big abortion in Illinois.” (As CNN points out, Planned Parenthood Illinois CEO Steve Trombley actually said in 2008, “I like to think of Planned Parenthood as the LensCrafters of family planning” — which is a much wider category of health care services than just abortion.)
But besides the facts, Bachmann is also catching objections from some innocent bystanders in this political battle: in this case LensCrafters!
Roll Call reports:
But LensCrafters didn’t like the comparison. A company spokeswoman tells HOH that it contacted Bachmann’s office Tuesday asking that she stop using its name. “She’s using our name without our knowledge or permission,” says Julie Maslov, communications director for Luxottica Retail, LensCrafters’ parent company.
She didn’t cite any legalese but rather says that the request was made “in the spirit of the fact that we have nothing to do with these parties or the debate.”
A Bachmann spokesman says that the request was “perfectly understandable” and that Bachmann would avoid using the company’s name in the future.
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