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At a recent campaign stop in Florida, Michele Bachmann announced that Hurricane Irene and the earthquake in Virginia were sent by God as a "wake-up call to politicians who are spending too much."

During Ms. Bachmann's speech, she said, "“I don’t know how much God has to do to get the attention of the politicians. We’ve had an earthquake; we’ve had a hurricane. He said, ‘Are you going to start listening to me here?'"

She then somehow connected that idea with the American government being on a "morbid obesity diet" and that government programs, such as the Enviromental Protection Agency and the Department of Education, need to be cut:

"So this is what I would do. I would pass a mother of all repeal bills for education, get rid of all of the unfunded mandates that the federal government puts on our local schools — making it very difficult for schools to be effective. … I would have a very busy day, a very busy day. ‘Cause I first have to make a trip to the EPA and after that, I have to go to the Department of Education because I also have to shut the lights off and lock the doors over there, as well."

While in Florida, Ms. Bachmann also delivered a speech at the Florida Family Policy Council, an organization that is considered an "anti-gay hate group." After her speech, wherein she spoke of raising 28 children (bio and foster), of miscarriages, her mother's divorce, and her conversion to Christianity, she was presented with the William Wilberforce Award in honor of her "pro-life, pro-family" cause. Upon receiving the award, Ms. Bachmann called it “one of the highest honors I have ever received in my life.”

Ms. Bachmann now says that her comment about the hurricane were in jest. Either way, joke or not, her comments are in poor taste.