Bachmann channels Bill Clinton, predicts she will become 'comeback kid'

Michele Bachmann said that she intends "to be the comeback kid in this race," hoping to regain momentum she has lost in the 2012 presidential contest since her victory in the Iowa straw poll in August.

"We will be all over the country, and we intend to do very well. We came right back here. We're the comeback kid showing we can do it. So this happens, in races you have ups, you have downs. And we are on the upswing now," Bachmann told reporters after speaking at an event at Liberty University in Virginia.

The "comeback kid" moniker was similarly employed by former President Cinton in 1992, after the he bounced back from the Gennifer Flowers scandal to place second in the New Hampshire primary.

The Minnesota congressman also said that she would welcome the entrance of new candidates to the field, including New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, around whom speculation has been circling all week.

"I think he's marvelous, and I'm pleased with the field that we have. I would be more than happy to see Governor Christie join us if he'd like to," Bachmann said.

At Liberty, Bachmann spoke on the intersection between her faith and politics, telling students "don't settle" in their personal and spiritual lives.

“Liberty is the animating principle not only for our nation, not only for this university … it’s the essence of our Christian life and it’s the essence of the founding of this nation,” she said.

Bachmann also fielded a question about evangelicals who believe scripture prevents them from voting for a female candidate.

"I'm not running to be anyone's spiritual authority — I think that scripture deals with spiritual authority, that's not the position I'm in," Bachmann said.

"I've been a federal tax lawyer, I've been a state senator, I've been a member of the United States Congress, now I'm seeking to be the president of the United States. That doesn't put me in any way in a spiritual authority over man. I'm not in spiritual authority over my husband. I certainly wouldn't presume to be in spiritual authority over any man in the United States. This is a secular occupation."

Bachmann is the second Republican candidate to speak at Liberty during the election cycle; Texas Gov. Rick Perry spoke earlier this month. The university has hosted five of the GOP presidential candidates since 2008.

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