President Michele Bachmann? Better get used to it.

After the Iowa straw vote the Minnesota congresswoman is not going away you know -- all the way through the nominating process next year.

On the morning shows on Sunday she stated confidently that she can win the White House.

One can only imagine the shudders going through the Republican establishment who have long believed she is impossible to elect.

In politics these days perception is reality and Bachmann has built up enough momentum after a single straw poll to stay in the race through the primaries.

It means that Mitt Romney has another person to worry about in addition to Rick Perry who just announced from Texas-- and that Obama can breathe a little easier,

Romney finished behind the write-in vote for Perry in Iowa, a sure sign that red meat Republicans care little for his economic pitch and want real Tea Party stuff.

That is the massive problem that Republicans have this year -- to win the nomination the candidate is going to have to drift so far right that it seems impossible for them to come back to center where the Amerian presidency is won.

Which is why Barack Obama must be smiling after Bachmann's easy win in Iowa.

It makes him far less worried abotu Romney who his people know is the best candidate against him in November 2012.

Instead, there is now a real chance that Michelle Bachmann will be that nominee.

No wonder Obama is smiling.