Where does Michele Bachmann stand on normalizing trade relations with Cuba? Well. It's not particularly high on her priority list, let's say! Not merely because they're dirty commies. But also, apparently, because Cuba is working with Hezbollah to potentially set up missile sites on the island. Perhaps you might even call it a... Cuban Missile Crisis? Or is this something of an exaggeration?

Watch, as she flits about from outrage to uncorroborated report to farce and back to outrage again:

BACHMANN: Why would you normalize trading with a country that sponsors terror? There's reports that have come out that Cuba has been working with another terrorist organization called Hezbollah. And Hezbollah is potentially looking at wanting to be part of missile sites in Iran and, of course, when you're 90 miles offshore from Florida, you don't want to entertain the prospect of hosting bases or sites where Hezbollah could have training camps or perhaps have missile sites or weapons sites in Cuba. This would be foolish.

Okay, so! She's giving voice to an Italian newspaper report from earlier this month about how a handful of members of Hezbollah — who, yes, do have a presence in Latin America — have set up some sort of encampment in Cuba. The report was never backed up in major publications, although a few right-wing blogs certainly enjoyed it.

And the report says nothing about missiles or missile sites! So can you see how her mind was working here? Cuba question... hmm... what was that thing on the Internet a couple of weeks back... Muslims in Cuba... Cuban Missile Crisis = famous scary thing to scare people... Cuba has Muslim missiles pointed at Florida! She is a once-in-a-generation leader.

[via Esquire]