Bachmann slams Cain for inconsistencies on issues

Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann says she won't comment on rival candidate Herman Cain's sexual harassment scandal, but criticized him in a radio interview for flip flopping on a host of policy issues.

Speaking to conservative radio host Scott Hennen, in an interview that's scheduled to air on Monday, Bachmann avoided discussing the sexual harassment story that has rocked Cain's campaign for several days, and instead turned the conversation to Cain's changing stances on a variety of issues.

"There's been 10 instances in the last month where he's changed his positions on significant issues," Bachmann told Hennen.

"On the issue of pro-life, he said government shouldn't intervene to protect life and then he switched and said 'no they should.' He wasn't for the marriage amendment, and then he said he was. Then he said that he would allow the terrorists to go out of Guantanamo Bay. In other words, he would release the terrorists. Then he changed his mind and said 'no,'" said the U.S. House member from Minnesota.

"He just said this week that China was developing a nuclear weapon. They've had one for 47 years. He said that 9-9-9 would be equitable and fair, and then he changed it to 9-0-9 after people called out his errors," she said.

Bachmann argued that once Cain realized his positions weren't popular with American voters, he changed them. The real issue is not the sexual harassment scandal that's captured the attention of the national media for a week, but whether the former top executive of the Godfather's Pizza chain is ready to be president, she said.

"This is the leader of the free world we're talking about," Bachmann said. "We're in very dangerous times when it comes to our national security and very dangerous times economically. We need to know that our president of the United States is going to go in there and do bold things and know what they're talking about and be consistent."

Bachmann is battling to make a comeback in Iowa, where Cain has overtaken her as the favorite of tea party voters and cultural conservatives. That could change if his campaign continues to be hammered by allegations of inappropriate comments and behavior with female subordinates when he headed the National Restaurant Association in the 1990s.