Michele Bachmann: Hurricane, Earthquake Remarks Weren't Serious (VIDEO)

On the heels of raising eyebrows with remarks about last week's earthquake and Hurricane Irene, Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann sought to do damage control on Monday.

"I don't know how much God has to do to get the attention of the politicians," Bachmann told a crowd of Floridians over the weekend, according to the St. Petersburg Times. "We've had an earthquake; we've had a hurricane. He said, 'Are you going to start listening to me here?' Listen to the American people because the American people are roaring right now. They know government is on a morbid obesity diet and we've got to rein in the spending."

HuffPosts Jon Ward reports on what Bachmann had to say:

Her comments appear to link God's will with those who believe the U.S. government is too large and intrudes too much on people's lives. A Bachmann spokeswoman has not responded to a request for clarification of the congresswoman's comments.

Bachmann's comments come on the heels of remarks that Glenn Beck, the former Fox News personality, made on his radio program last week. Beck said the hurricane and earthquake were warnings to a different group: the American people. In essence, Beck said, the weather events were a dry run for people to prepare themselves for future disasters.

Reuters reports that Bachmann said during a stop in Miami on Monday, "Of course I was being humorous when I said that. It would be absurd to think it was anything else." She added, "I am a person who loves humor, I have a great sense of humor."

Bachmann spokeswoman Alice Stewart told Talking Points Memo that the comments in question from the presidential contender were made "in jest."

Quick Poll

Was Bachmann serious or joking with her remarks?

No joke, she was serious

She was just being 'humorous'

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Comments

[ClausG]

02:53 PM on 09/04/2011

This seems to be a new trend among Republicans - put out something outrageous to excite the "base", then if you are called on the lie,stupidity of the comment, say its a joke (she has no sense of humor) or, as Jon Kyle - "this was not meant to be a factual statement".
I bet Mr. Perry will have to do a lot of this stuff to explain some of the more stupid statements in his ne book...

[Cyn de Harven]

08:40 PM on 09/01/2011

and how many people died during that hurricane?

I'm sure their loved ones thought her remarks were hil-aarious....

[VetKor51]

02:38 PM on 09/01/2011

I think "God" has more sense than to talk through Michelle Bachmann, Sarah Palin, Rick Perry, et al.

[SaraNader]

12:28 PM on 09/04/2011

You HOPE, don't you???!!!

And for the crowd out there who love to say, 'How could God do this?' just remember what he did to his own son...

[Mike in San Pedro]

09:01 AM on 09/01/2011

This woman's campaign probably won't last long. Her thoughtless incorrect remarks will likely send the campaign into meltdown.

[go2goal]

08:10 AM on 09/01/2011

What's Bachmann's godly view on the destructive fires in Texas and Oklahoma the past 2 days where dozens of homes have burned to the ground leaving fellow Americans homeless? Is god sending a message?

OR, is Bachmann merely going after the people along the East Coast where Democracy is managing to hold on...regardless of her best efforts and the best efforts of other extremists like Rick Perry. Obviously Bachmann has a problem with our most Democratic state in the country - Vermont - where most everyone are treated equally...you don't need to be rich to get healthcare in Vermont....as one example.

[We Not Me]

07:51 AM on 09/01/2011

Everything coming out of her corn dog hole is a joke.

[Paul Rooney]

12:28 AM on 09/02/2011

So why are we laughing half the time and in fear of her gaining more power the rest of the time?

[Daryn Guarino]

04:32 AM on 09/02/2011

Because, as it turns out, the stupid people outnumber the smart ones and that's not good. Everyone who wants to vote should have to pass the basic citizenship test we expect immigrants to pass before they can cast their vote. The age of ignorance has got to come to an end! No guns for the monkeys!

[RickJD]

07:47 AM on 09/01/2011

The mere thought of this woman becoming POTUS....terrifies me

[White Raven]

05:05 AM on 09/01/2011

I don't think she was joking, nor do I think she was serious. I think she was yammering like a duck quacks, just making noise to make noise. I think it was a whole series of statements made with no point at all.

[vogonpoet42]

01:55 PM on 09/01/2011

Michelle Bachmann: Full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

[newamericanliberal]

04:25 AM on 09/01/2011

Liar.

NAL

[Aschwin]

03:51 AM on 09/01/2011

"Of course I was being humorous when I said that. It would be absurd to think it was anything else."

yeh very funny to those people who died, their families people who lost their homes and businesses ...... Great sense of humour missy !

[LoyalDem4646]

01:48 AM on 09/01/2011

It's only a joke when it doesn't work. If the Christians would have rallied around her, you can bet she would not have called it a joke. I like it. I hope the Christians are beginning to see the light.

[Kathi Ryan]

12:28 AM on 09/01/2011

Bachmann and Palin must have some really interesting conversations when deciding the will of God. I wonder if they have lunch with Robertson.

[RyansBeard]

10:57 PM on 08/31/2011

I had to vote that her comment was not a joke. I was torn, however, since her entire campaign is a joke.

[knott wrench]

10:47 PM on 08/31/2011

Come on Michelle. God is "Scorching" "Prophet" Rick Perry's State of Texas. Don't ya think he's trying to give him a "Message"?

And it ain't about running for President?

Leave it to Michelle, to not know much about: Geology or be able to read a Weather Chart.

[norepublicanleftbehind]

11:38 PM on 08/31/2011

Lets not forget the crack in the Washington monument.-G must be made at politicians

[bowloforanges]

10:24 PM on 08/31/2011

Freshman GOPer Didn’t Know Government Paid For Her Health Benefits
February 4, 2011

A member of the tea party is receiving a lot of criticism, because she voted to repeal ‘Obamacare’ because she doesn’t think the Government should pay for health insurance, and she had no idea the Federal Government pays for her own Congressional health insurance.

[Rep. Ann] Buerkle (R-NY), who voted to repeal the health care reform act, was twice asked about the health insurance she receives as a government employee. At first she said she couldn’t understand why people were so interested in her health insurance, and that taxpayers didn’t pay anything for it. She later corrected herself after being handed a note from a staffer. Like most employees, she pays for a portion of her insurance and her employer, the government, pays the rest, she said.

Read more at; http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/02/freshman-goper-didnt-know-government-paid-for-her-health-benefit.php

[LaoShur]

02:30 AM on 09/01/2011

Not only do they have THAT taxpayer supported benefit, the top echelon also gets to use our socialised medical facilities at Walter Reed and Bethesda Naval hospital for FREE!!!