Republican presidential candidate Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) defended herself Tuesday against polls showing her lagging ...

Republican presidential candidate Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) defended herself Tuesday against polls showing her lagging behind the rest of the Republican field, said she’s on the “right side” of the issues and she accused both Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich of backing President Barack Obama on health care.

“If you take a look at the top contenders, Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich, it’s very hard for a tea partier to see them as a consistent conservative. They backed Obama’s health care plans, they’ve been for global warming initiatives, they’ve been for the TARP bailout,” she on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”

“I’ve been on the right side of the issues and I’ve been the fighter. I’m the only one that can stand on that stage with President Obama and have a clear, direct contrast, where there’s no compromise,” she added.

The Minnesota congresswoman said that she wasn’t worried about the polls, and that she was still aiming to win Iowa. “I’m think we’re going to place strong, and that we’re going to run first in Iowa,” she said. “We’re seeing that two weeks can be an eternity in a race… I think we’re perfectly situated to be exactly where we need to be on Jan. 3rd.”

Bachmann defended herself against charges that she was clueless on the issues.

“I think I’ve demonstrated just the opposite,” she said. “I’m a federal tax litigation attorney. I have the strongest fiscal background. I’ve started a business from scratch. I’m the only one who sits on the House Intelligence Committee who has current experience with foreign affairs and dealing with terrorism and also on tea party issues and on social issues. I’ve got the most extensive background, so it’s just a matter of continuing to put our message out.”