(CNN) - Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann defended her recent comments about natural disasters in Washington, D.C. serving as messages from God, saying she was joking.
"I have a great sense of humor and I think it's important to exhibit that humor sometimes when you are talking to people as well," Bachmann said Monday at a campaign event in Miami. "Of course I was being humorous when I said that."
The Minnesota Rep. received criticism following statements she made over the weekend that equated the recent earthquake and Hurricane Irene to acts of God.
"Washington, D.C. you'd think by now they'd get the message," Bachmann said at a town hall in Florida Saturday to laughs. "An earthquake, a hurricane, are you listening? The American people have done everything they possibly can, now it's time for an act of God and we're getting it."
At Monday's event, Bachmann said the remarks were intended to tell the president he is not listening to the American people.
Dozens of people dead and millions without power... obviously this is all because God is punishing Obama. Come on, Republicans, stop mixing religion and politics!
Ha, ha, ha...That's so funny now that I know she was joking.
It certainly was not a joke. Bachmann truly believes god is punishing us for having voted for a black and democratic president. And instead of having the elegance of admitting it was a mistake she tries to shove it under the rug. But it is okay. This s c u m b a g will never make it to the WH.
Joking? I don't think so. This fits right in with her "pray the gay away" beliefs. She's an idiot.
If she were a Democrat, no one would have noticed and this article wouldn't exist. What a nitpicky, hyper-sensitive waste of time. Good grief.
That's a real thigh slapper, Michelle. Yet another Tea Party idiot destined to fade away.
Oh, please! Not that I support this dingbat in any other way, but that same joke started making the rounds on the internet the day after the earthquake. Don't slam her for something most of the rest of you have done yourselves!
well she can defend what she wants, but what she said still wasn't funny no matter how you slice it.
People died! Businesses were destroyed and homes were lost! Hahaha, get it?!?
Gilbert Gottfried got fired for a funnier joke about Japan's natural disaster. Can we fire Michelle?
The fact that enough people in this country think she is worthy of being president and she is on the republican ticket scares me. She is a nut case. It says a lot about our society i guess
Michele Bachmann. The definition of dumb.
Stuck On Stupid. Bachmann. I gave her points after the GOP debate. My bad. Currently reminding me of 70's ANITA BRYANT. Meet the same political demise. Stuck on Stupid.
Dear God,
Thank you for giving us Michelle and making her a candidate for president. This sure will help President Obama win a second term without any real challenge.
This is no Pat Robertson. There was no earnestness or gravity here behind her remarks the other day. CNN is supposed to be a place for people who see things differently, rather than just plain left or right. It is changing and it is sad.
Um, actually, if you have to explain that it was a joke, and if millions of people are offended by it, then no, you don't have a "great sense of humor". You're not so hot at damage control either.
How is this a joke? Don't they usually require a set up and a punchline?
Michelle,
Please SHUT UP!!! You're just making it worse and digging a deeper hole for yourself. You're foot in mouth syndrome is appalling and disturbing.
What gets me about the naz-ti party is when they refer to the American people it's always white people ralling for them where are the people of color? When are they going to come into and reach out to the people in the inner cities? We are the American people too!
Get over it. God shouldn't be in politics anyways. He is not real, the economy is.
Sure she thinks this is a joke. But then again, this is the same woman who thinks Abraham Lincoln "just about lost his life" while in office. "Just about"? Seriously, why is anyone backing people like this?
YIKES!
There are 666 comments posted about the anti-Christ and little miss blasphemer!
And on another note...how is this funny? How can you joke about such a serious matter? People dying and billions in damage!!
Hey MICHELE BACHMAN, there's now over 40 deaths attributed to Hurricane Irene. Just how many deaths are needed for you to consider your jokes to be bad taste?
YOU are a jacka ss in the highest order.
Did she not learn to NOT make blatant remarks & then completely back out of them when called out? It's not funny, it's pathetic. Stand up for your own opinion, don't try to play it off when criticized.