Surrogates of John McCain have also intensified their campaign to paint Barack Obama as anti-American. On Friday, Republican Congresswoman Michele Bachmann of Minnesota appeared on MSNBC’s Hardball with Chris Matthews.

Rep. Michele Bachmann: “Yeah, absolutely. I’m very concerned that he may have anti-American views. That’s what the American people are concerned about. That’s why they want to know what his answers are. That’s why Joe the plumber has figured so highly in the last few days.”

Chris Matthews: “OK. I’m not going to get off this…”

Bachmann: “Because Joe the plumber…”

Matthews: “I want to stay this — what do you mean by…”

Bachmann: “…asked a question that a lot of Americans want to know.”

During the same program, Congresswoman Michele Bachmann said the media should launch an investigation to determine who in Congress is pro-American or anti-American. The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports Bachmann’s comments may end up hurting her re-election bid. Since Friday, her opponent, Elwyn Tinklenberg of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, raised more than $640,000 — more than all the donations he received during the entire third quarter.