Rick Santorum’s 10 Weirdest Statements
Last night, former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum (R) became the third Republican to announce that he was forming apresidential exploratory committee, a stepping stone towards officially jumping into the 2012 race. “[T]he test for me is whether we can raise the money that’s necessary,” Santorum told Fox News’ Greta Van Susteren last night. “So I’m going to set up a committee…which you can go to at Ricksantorum.com. And we’re going to determine over the next few weeks as to whether the resources are going to be there to do it.”
But in a sign of how messy Santorum’s candidacy may become, Van Susteren used the announcement to question the former Senator about his claim that abortions have undermined the solvency of Social Security, forcing Santorum to walk back his comments:
VAN SUSTEREN: [Y]ou said on a radio station in New Hampshire that the abortion culture is to blame for the Social Security program’s financial problems. Do you want a do-over on that one, or do you stand by that? [...]SANTORUM: And of course, Social Security is based on, you know, having people working to support those who are in retirement. And one of the problems with Social Security is a demographic problem, which is people are living longer and collecting benefits on Social Security, and those — and we are — our birth rate is lower [...]VAN SUSTEREN: It is weird, though, isn’t it? I mean, come on. You got to admit this is weird.
Indeed, Santorum has a long history of making “weird” or offensive statements about gay people, African Americans, women, and Muslims. Below is a short preview of his record:
GAYS:
1. “In every society, the definition of marriage has not ever to my knowledge included homosexuality. That’s not to pick on homosexuality. It’s not, you know, man on child, man on dog, or whatever the case may be….If the Supreme Court says that you have the right to consensual sex within your home, then you have the right to bigamy, you have the right to polygamy, you have the right to incest, you have the right to adultery. You have the right to anything.” [4/2003]2. “Is anyone saying same-sex couples can’t love each other? I love my children. I love my friends, my brother. Heck, I even love my mother-in-law. Should we call these relationships marriage, too?” [5/22/2008]3. On repeal of DADT: “I’m worried when many people will stand up and say, ‘well whatever the Generals want.’ I’m not too sure that we haven’t indoctrinated the Officer Corps in this country that they can actually see straight to make the right decisions.” [2/20/2010]
RACE:
4. “I find it almost remarkable for a black man to say ‘now we are going to decide who are people and who are not people.” [1/19/2011]5. “Marriage is an institution that’s a bridge too far for too many African-American woman and is not desirable among African-American males….I think [Obama] has to realize that flying to New York is…self-indulgent. Go down to the corner bar and have a drink, a shot and a beer.” [6/2/2009]
WOMEN:
6. In far too many families with young children, both parents are working, when, if they really took an honest look at the budget, they might find they don’t both need to….The radical feminists succeeded in undermining the traditional family and convincing women that professional accomplishments are the key to happiness. ['It Takes A Family,' 7/6/2005]
ISLAM:
7. Santorum responded to the Pentagon’s decision rescind its invitation to evangelist Franklin Graham to speak at the upcoming National Day over his statement that Islam is “evil” by saying that Graham’s comment was “a reasonable statement at the time.” [3/23/2010]8. “I think the Democrats are actually worried [Obama] may go to Indonesia and bow to more Muslims.” [3/23/2010]9. “The creeping Sharia throughout Europe and here in this country and in Canada. The Islamization of Europe that is already on the way and will visit these shores not too soon is a concern for us and something that we need to identify and we need to talk about and we need to fight with every ounce of our being. [2/28/2009]10. “Now we have the Attorney General confirming to Osama bin Laden just bide your time and the effeminate and pampered Americans will cower away.” [2/28/2009]