Conservative GOP Presidential hopeful Rick Santorum tangled with “Beyond the Beltway” radio talk show host Bruce DuMont in a 5-minute interview Sunday evening.
The Chicago-based host asked Santorum to compare his criticism of President Obama for “favoring pornographers over children” for allegedly not targeting child pornography with his lack of criticism of Penn State icon Joe Paterno in that school’s child sex abuse scandal or the Catholic church’s child sex abuse scandal.
Santorum, a Penn State alum and a Catholic, said he found the questions “insulting.”
“Do you really believe the president really does not care about protecting children and going after pornographers?” DuMont asked.
“He’s not,” Santorum answered. “The Bush administration had a very active program of going after folks who were purveying pornography to children, and this administration has halted most of those prosecutions.”
DuMont said the nation’s prisons were “over-crowded” with people charged in the nation’s “fastest-growing” area of prosecutions, child pornography. Then, DuMont asked:
“If we were to replace ‘Barack Obama’ with the name ‘Joe Paterno,’ could we say that Joe Paterno seemed to be favoring a child rapist over the Penn State football program?” DuMont asked.
Santorum paused and responded, “That’s sort of an insulting question. It’s a ridiculous question, Sir, and I’m not going to answer it. You’re welcome to ask a question. That doesn’t mean I’m going to answer absurd questions.”
The two talked over each other as DuMont said he was testing Santorum’s “consistency.” DuMont asked, “What grade would you give the Catholic Church on aggressively pursuing child abuse within the church?”
“My job is not to grade the Catholic Church — it to talk about what I’d do as president of the United States … I am concerned about protecting children.”
DuMont let Santorum go after just five minutes, saying, “He has to go to another appointment and he’s probably glad he does.”
One Response
Typical religious fanatic, my religion should be the law, no compromise. Then only acknowledge the facts they want and ignore or deny the rest.
“Mark my word, if and when these preachers get control of the [Republican] party and they’re sure trying to do so, it’s going to be a terrible damn problem. Frankly, these people frighten me. Politics and governing demand compromise. But these Christians believe they are acting in the name of God, so they can’t and won’t compromise. I know, I’ve tried to deal with them.” ~ Barry Goldwater, November 1994