Octavian Cantilli/Reuters
Rick Santorum speaking at a town hall meeting in Lady Lake, Florida on Monday.
At an event held for Rick Santorum in Lady Lake, Florida today, a voter stated that President Obama is an "avowed Muslim," which Santorum did not refute.
The voter said, "I never refer to Obama as President Obama because legally he is not. [Applause] And well he constantly says that our constitution is passé and he totally ignores it as you know. He does what he darn well pleases. 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."
Santorum responded to part of her question, but did not challenge her statement that President Obama is an "avowed Muslim." He answered, "I'm doing my best to try to get him out of the government. [Applause] And you’re right about — he uniformly ignores the Constitution." Santorum added that the recent recess appointment of Richard Cordray is an example of how the president ignores the Constitution.
When asked why he did not correct the woman, Santorum said that it's not his place to correct everything that he is asked, according to NBC political embed Andrew Rafferty.
"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? I don't think it's my responsibility. Why don't you go out and correct her? It's not my responsibility as a candidate to correct everybody who makes a statement that I disagree with," Santorum said.
President Obama is not a Muslim. He is a Christian.
While on the campaign trail in Minnesota in 2008, Senator John McCain encountered a woman who believed then candidate Obama was Arab.
"I can't trust Obama. I have read about him and he's not — he's not…He's an Arab," she said.
Senator McCain famously corrected her by saying, "No ma'am. He is a decent family man, citizen that I just happen to have disagreements with on fundamental issues and that’s what this campaign is all about. He's not."
Who had the better response? Tweet me your response or drop me a line in the comment section below.
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The reason why he didn't correct her is because he is a two-tongued snake...that's why.
McCain was right and did the right thing, Now for Santorum Even if you don't care about our President He is our President, I don't much care about Obama either but being a American I will stand up and correct anyone who think he is not our President, And anyway Santorum is going the way of Perry.
And all this from Republicans who just a few years ago were arguing that it was unpatriotic (treason, even) to criticize the President during wartime. Are we not still at war, Republicans?
Santorum took the easy way out and realizes it was wrong to do so. The reason it IS his job to correct this woman is because she was using HIS "air" to access the public. No reporters answer would have had equal voice.
McCain had the better response, of course.
Yeah but don't forget that he was booed by his audience for stating the truth.
Probably cost him a lot of votes among the GOP "base"
Well not every politician can have integrity or show a shred of decency I suppose.
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If he'd ever had any integrity, this would be news. As it is, it's not surprising and only goes to further prove his inadequacy as a leader.
I live in Florida and believe me, there are many of us who are doing our level best to make sure president Obama IS re-elected. I have absolutely no idea where this part of Florida is, ( Lady Lake ??) , but if it is near Tampa, then he was just campaigning near a retirement community.
Santorum is an embarrassment to his party. He will not be supported by anyone higher up , nor will anyone throw their endorsement his way. He is FAR to radical of a right winger. And he is a loon. And a liar. And lacking in brains.
He did not correct this woman because he WANTS the vile lie to fester and foster more hate towards our president. He is so UNchristian its pathetic.
When I saw this clip, I immediately thought of John McCain in a similar situation in 2008. He was right to correct such an egregious statement--to let it stand publicly would have been wrong. That Rick Santorum did not correct his questioner and then make things even worse by turning on the press is unacceptable.
I'm more interested in why Obama lost his law license in 2002 and Michelle Obama's law license was revoked by a court order?
Why doesn't the lame stream media ask those questions?
Dug - this is a rumor that has been running around. If you had done research you would have known this. But, most Tea Party Tarts don't research information and prefer to believe BS. Here is the scopes website. Can you read?
Sure, can you....
www.allmilitary.com/board/viewtopic.php?id=28345
Oh boy. Doug... Doug... Doug... Doug.
The lamestream media did not respond to the rumor of the Obamas losing their law licenses because it is not true. All you have to do is google it.
*SQUIRREL*
@Dug FmJamul-5019740 : Get your facts right and you wouldn't say such things:
Come on people is that all you got?
Nobody...I mean nobody 'volunteers' to give up their law license after years of hard work, study and dollars invested in getting that law license.
Get freaking real for once...Obama is hiding something and the lame stream media failed to take him to task on the issue. In fact like most issues MSNBC protects Obama from harsh criticism just like his minions do
Dug did JFK Jr. maintain his law license after he started George Magazine in 95'? Just asking. He doubt very seriously he would have considering he was not practing law at all during that time.
What do I think of Santorum's non-response--he's just as ignorant as the person that asked that question!!!!!!
Hey Rick, You call yourself a Christian..well let me remind of what the Bible thinks about lying:
Exodus 20:16
You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
Leviticus 19:16
'Do not go about spreading slander among your people.
Psalm 19:14
May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.
Psalm 34:13
Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies.
Psalm 37:30
The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks what is just.
A more truthful answer to the "Why didn't you correct her?" question would have been, "Well see, I'm a coward and I have little or no character".
It is disgusting that Santorum would not correct such repugnant comments. He has shown himself to be the racist that he truely is. He claims to be a good Christian and has shown that he isn't even good at that!
I too immediately thought of McCain's 2008 response. Sadly, he will probably have been the last GOP nominee with any integrity. These guys have to remember that when the "I'm more conservative than you" peeing contest is over, they will need to appeal to people who actually think, not just to vile reptiles who will vote for anyone with an "R" behind their name.
Santorum must go ...and his little dog too.
Santorum is a weasel and a religious hypocrite.
How about both were wrong? McCain's response made it seem like Muslims aren't decent, family people. Who cares what religion or no religion the President chooses to follow? Last time I checked, the Constitution didn't include a Christian requirement in Article II. Why aren't the Dems stepping up and stop this use of "Muslim" like it's some sort of disease? Instead, they keep repeating the fact that he's Christian. Way to make us registered Dems feel unwelcome in our own country and party.
It's just gonna be a matter of time when Republicans will bring up the question that Obama is half muslim, Obama forged his birth certificate, Obama is a marxist. It's gonna get ugly.
Yes, it is his job to provide the facts. And Santorum should have corrected that woman on her statement. By not doing so makes his just as complicate in the lies that Republicans spread about him. That air of "otherness" and "illigitamacy" that they cast on the President and that is feeding the hatemongering that is festering in this country.
He didn't answer to correct the voter because he doesn't have any balls. The wife has them in her purse. I guarantee if he said somehting that was wrong about the gop he would have corrected them.
And you expected more from him? If he refutes her claim, she'll get mad and not vote for him...so he sells himself. Pathetic.
Kinda shows you should probably have to pass some kind of basic intelligence test to vote.
I know this is a democratic society and we all have the right to vote, but ignorant people like this lady and the jackasses who were applauding her should be kept away from the ballot box. Where in the hell do people get this crazy bs?