Delayed by rain, Bachmann misses Obama’s speech

Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann missed President Obama's speech on job creation Thursday night, but delivered a response to the president's remarks shortly afterward. She dismissed the president's appeal to Congress as "nothing more than a political speech."

The Republican presidential candidate, who flew into Washington from the campaign trail the night of the address, said her flights were delayed so she listened to the address on the radio. The East Coast was hit Thursday night by severe thunderstorms--the roof of the Capitol building itself was leaking just before Obama took the podium--and several flights at the Ronald Reagan National Airport were delayed.

Bachmann arrived at the Capitol near the end of Obama's speech, she said, and watched the end of it from her office television.

In her remarks after the speech, Bachmann said the plan Obama outlined was "unfortunate" and said that "in all likelihood would fail."

"Our patience for speeches, gimmicks and excuses has run out," Bachmann told reporters after the speech. "The president and vice-president's plan to spend us to prosperity has failed."

Bachmann outlined her own nine-point plan, which included a repeal of the federal health care law passed last year together with the Dodd-Frank financial reform bill. She also called for measures aimed at increasing U.S. exports.

There were some parts of Obama's plan that Bachmann said she could agree with, including tax relief for small businesses.

"I would embrace that," she said. "I would love to be able to work with the president to be able to turn the economy around."