Jamie Johnson, Rick Santorum Staffer, Criticized By Bachmann Campaign For 'Sexist' Email

A staffer to Rick Santorum is roiled in controversy as the Des Moines Register revealed parts of an email he wrote last summer questioning whether a woman could be president.

"The question then comes, 'Is it God’s highest desire, that is, his biblically expressed will,…to have a woman rule the institutions of the family, the church, and the state?' " Jamie Johnson, Santorum's Iowa coalitions director, reportedly wrote.

Pete Waldron, a former adviser to Michele Bachmann's presidential campaign, called the email 'a sexist strategy'. Waldron, who worked as Bachmann's Faith Outreach Director, also demanded that Santorum apologize and fire Johnson.

Johnson told MSNBC that the email was sent from his personal email account and was "blown way out of proportion."

The Bachmann campaign has complained before about sexism in the GOP 2012 race. In November, she accused CBS of sexism after an email leaked admitting that she probably wouldn't receive many questions during an upcoming GOP debate due to her low poll numbers. Waldron also told the Des Moines Register that while Bachmann was still running, several religious leaders complained "that a female could not be a civil magistrate."

Comments

[The Platzner Post]

10:59 PM on 01/17/2012

Sexism is only one part of the conservatives agenda!!!

[Yeoman Roman]

08:25 PM on 01/16/2012

"The question then comes, 'Is it God’s highest desire, that is, his biblically expressed will,…to have a woman rule the institutions of the family, the church, and the state?' "

Hilairous. It might be god's will to have men rule, but fortunately the Founders of the USA and the people who followed them, did not feel a need to check with God when making their policy.

And the world is a better place for it.

"Bachmann's Faith Outreach Director, also demanded that Santorum apologize and fire Johnson."

Santorum is not gonna apologize for his staff, and especially he will not fire him. Santorum hasn't a clue how misguided he himself is, and he has not withdrawn any of his ridiculous statements. Why would he hassle a staffer, especially if he agrees with him, as he likely does?

[kaakaa]

06:09 PM on 01/16/2012

While I dont think any man or woman has any right to tell or decide what a "woman" can or cannot do I dont consider parts of that email to be sexist from what I read. part of it said she probably wouldnt be elected which as we now know is a fact, but since it also quoted the bible we also know its not a fact, confusing huh? But then again the bible itself is sexist based which makes me wonder why bachman (the bible thumpin zealot)objected to it. Also where the hell does the bachman campaign get the right to demand an apology from another politician for a comment made in the campaign. SHE QUIT !!!

[Yeoman Roman]

08:26 PM on 01/16/2012

"But then again the bible itself is sexist based which makes me wonder why bachman (the bible thumpin zealot)obj­ected to it."

Awesome.

[dragnetadam12]

05:53 PM on 01/16/2012

Nothing like in-fighting with the Republicans. The only downside to the conclusion of the Primary/Caucus season is that there will be no comic relief.

[medicallibrarian]

05:51 PM on 01/16/2012

What about those of us who don't believe in a "Christian" God? Why should I listen to someone else's dogma and cultism? I'm an adult not a child.

[tythehound]

05:28 PM on 01/16/2012

Be very afraid of social conservitives ( A-er--an Tal--bn )

[Roguewolf]

05:54 PM on 01/16/2012

Yes please do.

[KMayers73]

05:27 PM on 01/16/2012

Of course a woman can become and one day should become President. The real question should be "Could a Stepford Wife become President?" I don't think so! That would rule out the Palins and the Bachmans!

[rogiec123]

05:25 PM on 01/16/2012

Cry babies crying about cry babies. I hope the people who are reading this stuff are muchmore mature than those posting it.

[Krissi Carson]

06:07 PM on 01/17/2012

Well, most of us readers know better than to go into politics, so that makes us much more mature by default, right? :)

[rogiec123]

06:23 PM on 01/17/2012

I know of two people who went into politics. Both said, after being elected to their first office and seeing what it was like, that they would never go on because of the back stabbing and bad mouthing that went on behind closed doors. One has been involved in politics in Paramus for 25 years, the other has been in for about 10 years and is currently a mayor in Sussex County. So from the start the say one thing and mean something else. That's the nice way of calling them liars.

[exhibitasoho]

05:24 PM on 01/16/2012

Rick Santorum (or any candidate including Barack Obama) surrounded by sexists (of either sex by the way)? Impossible!!!! Duh.

Please can we all just give it a rest? But Santorum should apologize, quickly, and get on to the issues - where he's wrong about just about everything anyway.

[AJP2565]

04:46 PM on 01/16/2012

Funny, I live by the ten commandments and believe the rest is just manmade fairytales. I mean really how can you go wrong living by the ten commandments? I would have voted for Hilary in a heartbeat.

[notfromoff]

04:43 PM on 01/16/2012

Why is this a big surprise? Look at Santorum (google him) and his call to impregnate more women.

[majorg1000]

06:02 PM on 01/16/2012

Sounds like a page directly out of the Vatican playbook.

[dterraman]

04:41 PM on 01/16/2012

women could not do it, not after they saw our young ones die to please the parasitic banksters...only men are that stupid

[MichaelFlorida]

04:31 PM on 01/16/2012

Santorum wants to take away a woman's right to decide what to do with their bodies. He wants to turn them into baby machines. A lot of Conservatives want to take away a woman's right to chose. Is it really a surprise there is sexism in the GOP? I was wondering when Michele Bachmann would realize that. Someone must have finally forwarded her the memo with pictures.

[Elliot Blu]

04:11 PM on 01/16/2012

Having come from a very religious right, conservative back ground, this comment is more than just sexist. It is religious dogma that these politician truly hold as a higher law. It is a brainwashing of sorts and because their "good book" would question the leadership of a woman, they consider it the voice of God and will not go against it. It is fanaticism and God forbid a woman become president of this country. Not because I don't think she would do a fine job, as most that know me, know I think the world would be a better place with more women leading, but because I REALLY do not want to have to listen to the religious right whining about God's wrath on us, every time something goes wrong, because we went against his commandment to not have women leading men. Gag! I just don't think I could handle it.

[Lady1genius]

04:45 PM on 01/16/2012

It is, in fact, more than sexist. It's a GOP/conservative/authoritarian "dog-whistle" to the religiously insane. Ms. Bachmann won't call it that, because she claims to share the same views. And I have many serious doubts that she would do "a fine job." I think she would have been a disaster, and as much as I want a woman president I do not want the likes of Ms. Bachmann.

[Elliot Blu]

06:29 PM on 01/16/2012

Oh , I totally agree. I wasn't meaning Bachamann for prez. Just a woman in general.

[rennycat]

05:18 PM on 01/16/2012

The republican party are the Christian Taliban.

[Elliot Blu]

06:29 PM on 01/16/2012

sad but true :(

[ptrgamb]

04:01 PM on 01/16/2012

This Johnson person is questioning whether the Bible says it's okay for a woman to rule politically? How 15th century of Johnson.