Bachmann's prophecy, joke or not, has lots of company

(RNS) Presidential candidate Michele Bachmann is facing a flood of
criticism for suggesting, perhaps in jest, that God sent Hurricane Irene
and the East Coast earthquake to jolt Washington into changing its
spendthrift ways.

"I don't know how much God has to do to get the attention of the
politicians," the Minnesota Republican said Sunday (Aug. 28) at a
campaign rally in Florida. "We've had an earthquake; we've had a
hurricane. He said, `Are you going to start listening to me here?"'

Bachmann's campaign said her remarks were wisecracks, not prophecy.
"Obviously she was saying it in jest," campaign spokeswoman Alice
Stewart told the website Talking Points Memo. Videos show Bachmann and
the audience laughing during the comments.