Palin aide fires back at Bachmann team for criticism

A senior aide to former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) fired back at an adviser to Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) Wednesday for criticizing Palin as unserious.

Veteran GOP strategist Ed Rollins, who is aligned with Bachmann, said during a radio appearance this week that Palin "has not been serious over the last couple of years" and that "she didn’t go to work in the sense of trying gain more substance."

Michael Glassner, the chief of staff at Palin's political action committee, SarahPAC, said that Rollins has a history of making foolish comments.

"Beltway political strategist Ed Rollins has a long, long track record of taking high profile jobs and promptly sticking his foot in his mouth," Glassner said in the statement.

Glassner's comments could add fuel to the fire between the simmering dispute between Palin and Bachmann, who could both compete for the support Tea Party activists should they decide to run for president. 

But he also sought to tamp down talk of a full-fledged dispute between the two potential presidential candidates.

"To no one's surprise [Rollins] has done it again, while also fueling a contrived narrative about the presidential race by the mainstream media," he said. "One would expect that his woodshed moment is coming and that a retraction will be issued soon."

During his interview Tuesday, Rollins drew a contrast between Bachmann and Palin.

"You know, I think Michele Bachmann and others have worked hard. She has been a leader of the Tea Party, which is a very important element here," he said.

But Bachmann and Palin have not publicly feuded themselves. The former said she is "friends" with Palin as recently as last week and the two have a history of being allies: Palin endorsed Bachmann and gave a high-profile speech on behalf of the congresswoman during the 2010 midterm elections.

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