Michelle Bachmann

She has led a highly visible life speaking out for tax reform and the sanctity of the family and campaigning against "Obamacare" and same-sex marriage. But there may still be a few things you don't know.

Perhaps more than any other Republican running for president this year, Michele Bachmann has railed against taxes. She says they're too high, and that the current tax code should be repealed. She also worked for the IRS office in St. Paul, Minn., for more than four years as a prosecutor. "The first rule of war," she says, "is know your enemy."

When TV news shows want somebody to enthusiastically rip into President Obama, Michele Bachmann is a reliable choice. The Minnesota congresswoman is a polarizing figure — and a Tea Party favorite. But her first presidential campaign experience came from a place today's political observers would least expect.