Bachmann’s ‘warning from God’ comment about hurricane was ‘in jest’

Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann’s campaign said she was only joking when she described Hurricane Irene and last week’s earthquake in the eastern United States as a “warning from God”.

The Minnesota congresswoman, who has gained media prominence for her fiery attacks on president Barack Obama, said in Florida that Irene was an act of God to get politicians’ attention to the debt and deficit problem.

“Of course she was saying it in jest,” Alice Stewart, a spokeswoman for Ms Bachmann’s campaign, said.

Irene killed at least 21 people and cut power to five million homes and businesses along its path up the eastern seaboard from North Carolina.

A rare earthquake also rocked the East Coast last week.

“I don’t know how much God has to do to get the attention of the politicians,” Ms Bachmann said at an event in Sarasota, Florida, on Sunday.

“We’ve had an earthquake; we’ve had a hurricane. He said, ‘Are you going to start listening to me here?’”

She added“Listen to the American people because the American people are roaring. They know government is on a morbid obesity diet and we’ve got to rein in the spending.”