E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSSLADY LAKE, Fla. -- What started as a strong and well attended Rick Santorum town hall got sidetracked this afternoon as the presidential hopeful faced a questioner who called President Obama an "avowed Muslim" and protesters disrupted the event.
"He is an avowed Muslim and my question is why isn't something being done to get him out of our government. He has no legal right to be calling himself president," a woman asked, referring to President Obama.
Standing in front of a crowd of more than 250 mostly senior citizens, Santorum did not address the incorrect claim about the president's religion.
"Well yeah," said Santorum. "I'm doing my best to get him out of the government right now and she is right that he uniformly ignores the Constitution."
After the event, the former Pennsylvania senator told reporters it is not his job to correct every false claim that comes up during
questions. “Why do you guys ask these ‘Gotcha’ questions like it’s my job to go out and correct everybody who says something I don’t agree with?" Santorum responded to media inquiring about the exchange.
"There are lots of people who get up and say stuff in a town hall meeting and say things that I don’t agree with, but I don’t think it’s my obligation, nor should it be your feeling that it’s my obligation to correct somebody who says something that I don’t agree with.”
But that was not the only hiccup the candidate faced during his town hall here this afternoon. As the event was coming to a close, a
protester charged toward Santorum and attempted to throw a fist full of glitter at Santorum, but was stopped by security beforehand.
Attempts to "glitter bomb" Santorum have become a frequent occurance on the campaign trail as a way to protest his views on homosexuality.
How much time Santorum will spend in the Sunshine State is still in flux. Today, he indicated that how things go on the trail here over the next several days will dictate how hard he makes a push in the state.
But, regardless of how much he campaigns in Florida, Santorum has been clear that his candidacy will not end after the Jan. 31 primary.
"We're going to be in this race for a long time," he said. "We're planning already for Super Tuesday states and investing resources in states there. So this is going to be a long campaign, and we hope to do well here, but we understand this is a very, very expensive state."
While the Santorum campaign has enjoyed a fundraising boost since his Iowa caucus victory, his war chest still pales in comparison with that of rivals Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich.
Today, he tried to qualm fears that his candidacy might not have the ability to compete in the long term.
"Gov. Romney says 'I can win because I have the most money.' Does anyone doubt whoever the Republican nominee is will have all the money they need to run against Barack Obama? They will," Santorum said.
"There's absolutely no doubt that whoever the Republican nominee is will be backed fully, completely, and in our case enthusiastically by the base of the Republican party, the entire base."
Leave a Comment:
After all, what do you expect from Sanctimonious Santorum, integrity and decency? Sorry, no real Christians allowed in the GOP, only hypocrites.
You stay classy Santorum!!! Pathetic.
There is a reason this "Santorum" lost to Bob Casey by 18 points. He really doesn't have a firm moral or ethical foundation. As has been pointed out, even John McCain corrected the woman who declared that Obama wasn't an American. Santorum is the same sort of leader as the ayatolllahs of Iran.
Why isn't the media chasing down the ignorant POS woman who said that about the president? You can say what you want but not without challenge or ridicule...white trailer trash
Spineless coward! Fortunately hes going no where!
Santorum is an avowed clown. And, don't expect me to correct that claim.
I really can't stand that guy. He's a real Dick (Cheney)
There are two types of lies. One of commission (like Bush did) and one of omission (like Santorum), when a known falsehood is implied (not corrected).
Santorum, like all politicians and Republicans in particular, is a liar.
Example. Gee Rick. I sure am glad to hear you don't really beat your wife and not as badly as I heard.
Not only do they not believe it is their jobs to correct false statements, they believe it is in their best interest to allow the lies to fester. Case in point: do you all know that more people were on food stamps under Bush (500,000 more to be exact) than under President Obama? How long do you think it will take for the republicans to admit they were wrong. (Hint: don't hold your breath).
Truth be told...the republicans still haven't gotten that "truth issue". Further, it has gotten far worse with the election of first African American president. What does that say about the party?
santorum could not get elected as senator in PA so why would we vote for him for president. the citizens of PA know something we don't know and we should listen.
RIck Sanctimonium is at it again. And my parish priest is probably laughing his butt off at him. Three years ago I asked him if it was a Catholic's job to correct people who say things that are factually incorrect. His answer: Emphatic yes. "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor."
I'm white and i like to say to this to my race. W e have got to stop with all this welfare queen(when 60% of folks on food stamps are white). Lazy blacks ( when the country was built off of 250 years of free work from these people). White sports stars refusing to go to the white house(for political reason). When this wouldn't be tolerated from any other race( yes i check, even through the bush years). Claiming the president is from a different country without proof(would we do that to a white president). Yelling at him during the state of the union( saying you lied). Now i do think the race card is played to much, but i feel the only black president(43-1) has had to put up with white disrespect like no president before him. Our race has looked tackie and petty. We look like if our race doesn't win. We don't have to have class in our objection. Of course this is not all whites, but enough i felt like i had to say something. i'm a independent, and don't agree much with obama. Just sick of the way we look in focus groups, town halls, and on talk radio. My slogan for 2012 is if we are going to beat obama. do it in a way my kids can respect me and there skin. Vote with class not Hate.
What is so sad is not that Santorum refuses to act like a Christian, but that there are so many people like the one who asked the question. Because their candidate lost the election, fair and square, they believe all sorts of rubbish about the legally elected and sworn in President of the United States. He has every legal right to call himself the President, in fact, he is the only who has the legal right to call themselves the President of the Unitied States. That person in the audience obviously doesn't believe in the Constitution of the United States either, specifically the last sentence of Article VI, "...but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States." And of course, the First Amendment. Bible Bangers and Constitution Wavers who don't read or practic either!
Yet another religious hypocrite, or is he just a standard coward whoring for a vote?
Republican Pols--
Got Values?
Got Cojones?
Got Backbone?
NOT--
too afraid of the mob mentality.....
Rick Santorum has shown what he is realy all about and it is plain for all to see. He is a phony religious rhite wanger, with fake values. Maybe by 2032 he will have matured enough to run again, it clear that he is not going to win the nomination. He is as big a liars and a racist as the rest of his cohorts. He will be dropping out of the race soon. He can do like huckabeen and go to work for fux news...
Let's face it, Ethic's is Not Rick's Strong side. This guy is a totally Azz. That's why the people in Penn showed him the Door!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I can believe the one left thats not out there beating the bible for votes,so lets see;Mitt's a mormon twitt who can't summon the courage to take a stand,Newt's a toad,removed by his own party whose claim is "only he" can defeat the sitting president,and Rick....well Rick's just a *ick,and Ron Paul just comes across as delusional.Throw in the hair-Don,his puffed-up bloat obvious to the nation,and add Bible Spice herself,and you've got yourself a full"GAGGLE"of gop morons.
Their biggest improvement is the volumnous quantity of late-night comedy material,even then still sad.
So Mitt's a twitt,Newt's a toadie,Rick's a pr*ckie.
Drama's all but over.......
Obama by double digit %....in'12...
That exchange sums up the republicans. Thanks for proving your true colors. He could have corrected her if he wanted to. Their is no defense of his actions, but hey if that gets him the nominee then that is all that matters.
Ringling Bros. has been calling for his return all their clowns are running for P.O.T.U.S.
If only God had offered some type of guidance on these issues I am sure Rick and the pious folks would speak up. And even if Rick thought Obama was a Muslim, why not speak out and say that there is not a religious litmus test that our founders wanted. These people do not realize that so many of our founding fathers were not so big on religion.
that is who santorum is, a coward. goes around talking about how moral he is and does not even know the right thing to do him self. this guy thinks he should be president? no class or morals at all. good thing he does not have a ghost of a chance.
I don't recall Obama correcting false statements either...
Like what? As far as I recall he was ALWAYS respectful toward Mr. McCain. He disagreed with his politics, but did NOT attack him personally. There's a BIG difference.
Diana, how about Obama telling people who run around make false claims of racism to STFU.
Again...dirt-303814...give me something specific? Are you a minority? Married to one? If not you really don't have any idea about the sub-messages sent by the Republican party...and in this case it wasn't even sub-message. It was a flat out lie!
His response is truly what gives the term "Christian" a bad name! Who's responsibility is it then? I'm pretty sure not bearing false witness includes not ignoring it either...this is NOT the type of candidates we want to run our country...not tolerance of anything out of their comfort zone. I did not vote for John McCain and thought Sarah Palin was a joke, but I truly respected Mr. McCain for not stooping to such levels when he was running against President Obama.
Not only does he not feel the need to correct this kind of stupidity and bigotry, he is apparently more than happy to embrace it if it gets him a vote.