Fishing for an Apology

Sam Brownback’s looking for an apology from a Huckabee supporter whose living in the 1950s, but he shouldn’t get one:

Republican presidential hopeful Sam Brownback said rival Mike Huckabee should apologize for a supporter’s “prejudiced whisper campaign” against him for being Catholic.

The supporter, a pastor in Windsor Heights, Iowa, sent an e-mail to Brownback supporters pointing out that Mr. Huckabee is an evangelical Protestant and Mr. Brownback is not. Mr. Huckabee, a former Arkansas governor, is an ordained Baptist minister.

“I know Sen. Brownback converted to Roman Catholicism in 2002,” the Rev. Tim Rude, pastor of Walnut Creek Community Church, wrote in the e-mail. “Frankly, as a recovering Catholic myself, that is all I need to know about his discernment when compared to the governor’s.”

The Huckabee campaign made an obvious statement:

Spokesman Eric Woolson said Mr. Rude is not a campaign staffer and was expressing a personal opinion in what he believed was a private e-mail.

I believe Reverend Rude was wrong. I’m a Conservative Evangelical and have supported Catholic Presidential Candidates in the primary, three of the last four Presidential elections (including this one where I’m blogging for John Cox at his campaign blog, but what I’m expressing my own opinion not that of the campaign.) However, Governor Huckabee can’t control what his supporters say, so Brownback is owed no apology, at least not from Huckabee. Rude already apologized and Huckabee indicated he didn’t agree with the sentiments.

To me, that should be the end of the matter. A Candidate cannot possibly control all of his supporters. Staff is one thing, but the candidate can’t handle anyone who happens to be in support of his effort. Candidates can screen their supporters, supporters screen the candidates. We need our candidates to focus on the issues, not these phony debacles.