Pawlenty Aide Apologizes For Crack About Bachmann's "Sex Appeal"

Apparently people still can’t figure out how to not make sexist comments when ladies run for political office. They’d better shape up fast, because if we have to defend the candidate who thinks wives should be submissive one more time, our heads might explode.

In the latest gaffe, Vin Weber, a top adviser to Tim Pawlenty’s presidential campaign, said of Michele Bachmann during an interview with The Hill newspaper:

“She’s got hometown appeal, she’s got ideological appeal … And, I hate to say it, but she’s got a little sex appeal too.”

Yesterday Weber apologized in this statement issued by the Pawlenty campaign:

“I made a mistake that was disrespectful to my friend Congresswoman Bachmann. I’ve been a Bachmann supporter in her Congressional bids and I apologize. I was not speaking on behalf of Governor Pawlenty’s campaign but nevertheless, it was inappropriate and I’m sorry.”

Later Pawlenty added his own apology for good measure, telling reporters:

“I don’t believe that he or anyone else should be using as a reference somebody’s sex appeal to judge their fitness for office or the strength of their campaign … It was a wrong statement. He should not have been making that reference.”