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STEUBENVILLE, Ohio -- Facing newfound scrutiny as a frontrunner in the Republican presidential race, Rick Santorum today fired back at national media who he says have given undue attention to comments he made this weekend questioning the president's theology. He also defended comments about World War Two that some saw as linking Hitler and President Obama.
On Saturday in Columbus, Ohio, Santorum told a Tea Party crowd, "It's not about you. It's not about you. It's not about your quality of life. It's not about your job. It's about some phony ideal, some phony theology. Oh, not a theology based on the Bible, a different theology, but no less a theology."
But in front of a crowd of more than 500 people here on Monday, he said the comments were not meant to question the president's religious beliefs, rather a critique of what he called the "extreme" environmental regulations of the Obama administration.
"I referred to it the other day,” he said, “and I got criticized by some of our less than erudite members of the national press corps.”
When pressed by reporters after Saturday's comments, the former Pennsylvania senator maintained he did not mean to suggest that the president is not a Christian. But he did say the president is trumping religious freedoms.
"You may want to call it a theology; you may want to call it secular values,” Santorum said. “Whatever you want to call it, it’s a different moral values. And the president of the United States is exercising his values and trumping the values of the church.”
Today, Santorum did not use the word "theology," instead attacking the president's "ideology."
He was also asked about comments made last night in Georgia that compared America now to Europe during World War Two.
“I’m sure some of you have ancestors who were part of the Greatest Generation,” Santorum said last night. “Why were they the Greatest Generation -- because they were better than we were? Smarter? More courageous? They were they greatest generation, because when their country needed them, at a time of great peril, they met the challenge. Your country needs you. It’s not as clear a challenge. Obviously, World War Two was pretty obvious. But at some point, they knew. Remember, the greatest generation for a year and a half, sat on the sidelines while Europe was under darkness.
“While our closest ally Britain was being bombed and leveled, while Japan was spreading its cancer all throughout Southeast Asia … America sat in 1940 when France fell, December of 1941…Because we’re a hopeful people. We think, well, you know it’ll get better. Yeah, he’s a nice guy. I mean, it won’t be near as bad as what we think. This will be okay. I mean, yeah, maybe he’s not the best guy after a while, after a while you find out some things about this guy over in Europe who’s not so good of a guy after all. You know what … we’ll just take care of our own problems. We’ll just get our families off to work and our kids off to school and we’ll be okay. So with the optimistic spirit of America, sometimes, sometimes it’s not okay. It’ll be harder for this generation to figure it out. There’s no cataclysmic event.”
Santorum defended the comments today. "It’s a World War Two metaphor,” Santorum said. “It's one I've used 100 times."
In response to whether he meant to compare the president to Hitler, Santorum said, "No, of course not."
Those comments were not the only ones from the weekend that the former Pennsylvania senator found himself explaining. In front of the Ohio Christian Alliance, he said the 2010 health-care bill signed by the president encourages aborting children with disabilities by requiring prenatal testing that can detect if a child will not be born healthy. It is an assertion he did not back down from.
"I was criticized for making the comment about prenatal testing when it came to amniocentesis,” he said. “Amniocenteses are done by and large later in pregnancy whether the child in the womb has a disability.” And he claimed, “[A]s we all know, 90 percent of Down Syndrome children in this country are aborted once the mother and father find out that that child is going to be less than what they wanted it to be.”
The candidate, now surging in the polls, has focused almost all his attention on the White House and not so much as mentioning chief rival Mitt Romney. Stumping in Rust Belt states like Michigan and Ohio, Santorum has focused his message on manufacturing and environmental issues like hydrofracking and the Keystone pipeline. Both are issues in which Santorum argues the president has ceded to environmentalists, costing the country jobs.
Just 40 miles outside his hometown of Pittsburgh today, Santorum played up his blue-collar roots growing up as the grandson of a coal miner.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we need someone who understands, who comes from the coal fields, who comes from the steel mills, who understands what average working people in America need to be able to provide for themselves and their families,” he said.
Leave a Comment:
Do teabaggers take responsibilty for anything of the idiotic statements they make?
I have had it with politicians that have to spend days trying to explain away something they say under the guise of no one is understanding what he meant! The "what I meant was" attitude is for the birds. People really do say what they mean and if it isn't what you "meant" then you had better say what you mean CLEARLY!
.... agreed, and better yet, shut their big mouth.
santorum is a complete fool, and that IS the highest possible compliment I could give that low-life, moron.
How much do you think this moron paid some consultant to come up with the brilliant gambit of blaming "the media"?????
Good thought! It makes you wonder what kind of presidential adviser he would pick, does it not? And he wants to lead this country?
every time some dumb ass republican expresses his or her views, it is the medias fault for showing it. talk about a party in denial about it's true beliefs. they should be, they are a bigoted hateful bunch
the media leans to the left, tells you what you NEED to hear, cover up left sided politics, blames the right for everything, let's take gas prices now doubled since Obama took over and no worries America we can all afford $5.00 a gallon when Bush was in office and it went up $0.50 Bush is big oil REALLY?????
Allans, I don´t think this kind of "strategy" is tied to one party, but I think it is typically politician to blame the press.
Oh, american. Good try on the gas prices..lol. ;)
what do you pay Ram? before Oblah I paid around $1.50 gallon now $3.70 where's the humor?
The gas prices didn't even reach the level it was mid-2008.
americangirl - there you go again - "Oblah". Here in Fairbanks gas hasn't dropped below $3.00 since I can't remember when, and in the villages it hit over $8.00 gallon while Bush was in office. "The media" does not lean to the left, reputable media try to provide viewers/readers with facts. The right doesn't like the facts, so the right changes them to fit Fox Non-News. So stick with Fox, and stay in the dark.
I do believe Santorum planted a seed for folks to think about, I still have no clue about Obama, is he even human? More like an alien thing to eliminate this population, old, young, poor, unborn
You are really funny. Now you say Obama isn't even from Earth? Stretching this a bit, aren't you? Wow...must be running out of things to say...lol. He isn't the one trying to eliminate anyone...as opposed to those who want anyone poor or sick to just die.
americangirl, I really try not to commit personal attacks, that isn't nice, but do you really believe the tripe you post? you are most assuredly NOT "american" as you purport yourself to be. Real Americans do not speak with such blatant disrespect for the President, regardless of whether they agree or disagree with what the sitting president does or says. Americans respect the OFFICE of the President. You got the "girl" part right, it is clear you are not yet adult, but I suggest you re-evaluate the "American" part of your screen name.
Forget about her disrespect for the president. That pales in comparison with her obvious mental disorder(s).
Santorum do not back off on anything that you have said....O b@ m@ and crew are thin skinned....McCain backed off and he called Sarah Palin off and look what is in the "Wh ite Ho use"....Do not back down....calling a "sp @ de a sp @ de" is not wrong....except in "O b@ ma@ 's" control of "fr ee sp ee ch".....
LOL,
funny stuff there!
OBAMA 2012
I'm trying to figure out what all the @ and quotations are about. I've seen some pretty bad butchering of English before but Justmee takes first prize.
Sally,
it's hard to translate "crazy talk"...
LOL
Obama did, In Jesus's name
declare his tax hike for capital gains
but not a peep or tweet from the liberal news
It's ok when it's liberlas sitting in the pews.
Obama decried loud and clear that he is in the know,
to share the wealth so the government can grow
He siad, The Bible tells him so.
yet not a word from the media about this show.
The double standard is clear, you see
that the media defends Obama to the Tee
Never pointing to his lack of sucess
which will lead us all to the abyss.
So if you want to listen to them
and blindly follow this lying Dem
then you don't deserve this thing called liberty
And you will no longer be able to claim to be free.
Keep your day job.
If you don´t like what the press has reported
of course, THE MEDIA has is disorted.
Not Sanctorum has misspoken...
well, as a president he is not worth a token!
Nice entertainment anyway...lol.
With posts like that I doubt there is a day job.
Nice poem, but way off the wall.
Santorum the Vatican candidate once again is out of touch with 88% of the people of the USA ..His silly cult beliefs make him ANTI AMERICAN..he will divide the USA not unite us !
O.... already did that fool
Not even close so called americangirl. The Republicans in Congress have succeeded in dividing the nation with their doomsday myths and obstructionist behavior. Are you aware that the Republicans have voted "no" on their own proposed bills simply because the President agreed with them? Obviously you are unaware of many things. Go back to school.
If Santorum is going to run for president and open his mouth in public then the media is going to report it. This is not a new game invented just for him. Being a public figure requires one to think before you speak - a skill that RS has apparently not mastered even after a couple of decades in public life.
When all you can do is misspeak and then blame the media for reporting it, you turn yourself into a whiner and there is little or nothing the public hates more than a whiner. Especially a sanctimonious one.
Cool move Ricky--blame someone else. I'll be in Catholic school when the nun asked who did something you always pointed to someone else even though you were the culprit.
Santorum is the poster child for clueless bureaucrat. Always engaging their mouth before their brain. Willfully saying something stupid, then playing the spin game, not my fault, you all are misunderstanding me, the news is twisting what I said. A million excuses so he does not have to accept responsibility for his failures. As Dirty Harry always said, "A man has got to know his limitations." Santorum is incapable of "Manning Up" and taking responsibility. Same he would do if elected, pass the buck, not my fault. It's what he does. Give me a break.
I'm expecting him to say monkeys evolved from humans...Another Republican halfwit gone wrong. Time running out. What we are telling the World is The Dumbing of America is full throttle.
How are you going to blame the media for something Santorum said regarding this contraception issue He makes me sick.
Rick Santorum: I hope one of your daughters doesn't come home pregnant....and QUIT TRYING TO TAKE WOMEN BACK 100 YEARS YOU JERK!!
Perhaps Santorum shouldn't be bringing up Hitler since the Opus Dei cult Santorum belongs to was pro-Hitler, and derived from European fascism.
Rick, hear your words, you questioned the President's "theology" as not being based in the bible. Nice try with the ecological spin, but YOU SAID WHAT YOU SAID, and it was out of line. Man up and apologize.
apologize for the truth? How does one do that, oh sorry, I told the truth and it hurt a stupid non thinkers feelings.....ok, said
Can you explain what the "truth" is which RS has talked about! Are you refering the "phoney theology" part or that Obama makes an effort to keep America beautiful as most Americans like to trink clean water , breath fresh air, etc. Would you like to go back to the time where the industry could pollute whatever they wanted?
Truthfully I believe Obama has done a rather good job of balancing issues despite The Democrats and Republicans both having there heads up there a$$es. The Media depending on who you listen to is fraught with misinformation and bias. I love reading the comments here. 90% of them are hilarious to say the least. Not much in the Republican Camp for a challenger to Obama. Maybe they need to quit personal attacks and start addressing the issues...Hey thats a new one....
americangirl, santrum's "truth" is not fact based. Please be careful who you call stupid - unless you are looking in the mirror.....
This guy is a moron. To think he leads in the polls among republicans in places is a disgrace to the republican party. This guy's thinking is very twisted. Life is about progression. Life builds on itself and moves forward. This guy wants to take us back 700 years. i have voted republican since I was 18 and now in my 50's. I cannot do it anymore. I cannot be associated with so much hate, small minded thinking and religious non sense. The republican party I knew is gone. This looks more like some collective of the KKK, religious nut jobs, woman hating, 1900 century view of the world party. To see this guy and Newt are even in the conversation is a sad statement to where this party has gone.
Santorum just keeps helping Obama win another term in office. I don't see how anyone other than an ultra conservative would vote for this guy. If republicans were smart they would nominate Romney so they would have a chance at getting at least a couple independent votes.
It would appear that Santorum is an ardent admirer of Roosevelt. After all isolationists held sway in the GOP before Roosevelt had the US declare war. Oy veh, what a tangled web this candidate weaves........
Hey liberal media. Where are all the articles on the rising gas prices? It was Bushes fault 4 years ago. Now its not Obamas fault. Almost every day we heard how it was Bushes fault when he was in office. No wonder the government medias ratings are in the tank.
Is that what Limbaugh fed you guys today?
Its a fact. Your liberal media doesnt want you to know anything. This is proof how they sensor the news so the left lemmings dont know whats really going on.
DD....they sensor the news? I'm scratching my head here a bit on that one..lol. Looks to me as if someone didn't want you to know something...how to use that word:)
It's not media fault that you missed this:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46446824/ns/business-oil_and_energy/
Was the font too small?
Personally, I blame the media for everything I say. Yes it came out of my face, but.....
It is a shame that in the year 2012 we have no better republican candidate for President than Rick Santorum. Electing Santorum for president would be like returning to the one room school house.
Jim, would you run? The media tears any republican to shreads to keep the lefties in office
Oh, american girl. Go on and on...no one shreds anyone but your guys...sure.
Any stupid republican, americangirl! I am sure there are much better potential republican candidates, but WHERE ARE THEY? I rather go with Obama than one of todays "presidential" candidates.
And yes, they all have to face the scrutiny of the press...that is the name of the game...no exception!
but not Obummer why is that?
americangirl, there you go yet again - "Obummer", really? What a clever little thing you are!!! I would love to see serious intelligent Republicans in Washington. As a Democrat, I believe the system needs balance, the pendulum requires both sides to keep it in the middle. Right now, the intelligent Republicans with the right skills to be serious Presidential nominees are waiting this one out. They are waiting for the right wing crazies to go away. And the Republicans are voting all their competent people out of office in favor of no-nothing baggers. Keep up the silliness, child, and the Democrats will be able to make this world a better and safer place to live.
No, Jim. There would be no schoolhouses, one room or otherwise. Remember? Women would stay home, be pregnant while they home schooled. etc.
I beg your pardon, I resent this comment by Mr. Santorum:
"I’m sure some of you have ancestors who were part of the Greatest Generation,” Santorum said last night. “Why were they the Greatest Generation -- because they were better than we were? Smarter? More courageous? They were they greatest generation, because when their country needed them, at a time of great peril, they met the challenge. Your country needs you. It’s not as clear a challenge. Obviously, World War Two was pretty obvious. But at some point, they knew. Remember, the greatest generation for a year and a half, sat on the sidelines while Europe was under darkness."
I served my country for 23 years and still serve, as many folks of my generation has, who does he think he is? "better than we were? Smarter? More courageous?" please, you need to keep your stupid mouth shut!
Obama 2012 baby!!!!
Typical religious zealot; my religion is more worthy than yours, my faith stronger, my God more right than yours. Your either with me or against me. What my God tells me is right, what your God tells you is wrong.
Would anyone like to step forward and introduce me to God. I thought so, no takers.
Here's my prayor for now; God, please save us from your followers.
By the way Rick, there is no man without a healthy earth. There has to be a balance or there will be no habitat for any of us to work in.
This dude is sick, delusional and dangerous.