Bachmann (Charlie Neibergall/AP)A moderator at last night's GOP presidential debate is coming under fire for questioning Michele Bachmann on what it means when she says she's a "submissive" wife and how it might affect her presidency.
The Biblical phrase came up in a recent Washington Post profile of Bachmann's husband, Marcus, which reported the Minnesota lawmaker had told congregants at her church in 2006 that she'd pursued her degree in tax law only because her husband had told her to.
"The Lord says: Be submissive, wives. You are to be submissive to your husbands," Bachmann said at the time, according to the Post. Her campaign hasn't disputed the remarks.
On Thursday, the Washington Examiner's Byron York, a conservative columnist who was one of the moderators of the 2012 debate, asked Bachmann directly about that quote.
"As president, would you be submissive to your husband?" he asked, a question that prompted the crowd to erupt in loud boos.
After a slight pause, Bachmann smiled and thanked York for his question.
"Marcus and I will be married for 33 years this September 10th," she said. "What submission means to us … it means respect. I respect my husband. He's a wonderful, godly man and a great father, and he respects me as his wife. That's how we operate our marriage."
While Bachmann didn't exactly answer the question, debate viewers, both fans and non-fans of the congresswoman, immediately took to Twitter and blogs trashing the question as "sexist" and unnecessary, suggesting no male contender would ever face such scrutiny.
But the question seemed fair, considering Bachmann had publicly discussed her views on how religion plays a role in her marriage. Her campaign, in fact, didn't seem peeved at all about the line of inquiry. Her pollster, Ed Goeas, told the Des Moines Register the campaign viewed the question as an "opportunity" and implied the audience may have overreacted.
On Friday, Bachmann told NBC's "Today Show" she was "happy" to address the question, though she danced around whether it was appropriate or not. Still, she did seem to be a bit sensitive about using the word "submissive." Asked if she felt the need to clarify her position what it means to be a submissive wife, the GOP hopeful replied, "I think so. I think it's important to talk about respect."
"We've been married for 33 years, and the basis of our marriage is respect," Bachmann told NBC. "I'm just grateful to get that answered and that comment out."
You can watch Bachmann's interview here, courtesy, NBC:
In a Friday interview on Fox News, York defended his question, calling it "serious and legitimate." "Believe me, if she progresses very far in the campaign process she would have been asked this question," York told Fox & Friends.
