Dealing with a bulldog press on the presidential campaign trail has to be difficult –unless you’re Barack Obama circa 2008. But it will always be bad form to call a reporter’s set up “bulls**t,” and it is unlikely to win better treatment by the press in future outings. But this is precisely what Rick Santorum did on the heels of his near-majority victory in Saturday’s Louisiana primary.
The stress must be getting to him.
At a press conference, Santorum called Mitt Romney ““the worst Republican in the country to put up against Barack Obama.” He was referring to Romney’s record as having implemented a health care law in Massachusetts that requires individuals to purchase insurance. Santorum contends that this cedes the issue of Obama’s health care reform law to the president.
This sound bite can and is being taken out of context, but that is the nature of the game. It is never the appropriate response to evoke any four letter words with reporters when they take casual liberties with statements made on the campaign trail.
“Come on, guys, don’t do this,” Santorum said to reporters as they continually pursued the sound bite outside of its obvious context. “I mean, you guys are incredible. I was talking about Obamacare, and he is the worst because he was the author of Romneycare.”
Pressed further by New York Times reporter Jeff Zeleny on the same issue, Santorum flipped. “Quit distorting my words,” Santorum said. “It’s bulls**t.”
You know what? It is “bulls**t.” Nevertheless, this is the game that Santorum signed up for. He should know better – the former Pennsylvania senator has never received anything that could be construed as friendly treatment from the press. But Santorum’s latest misstep could prove to be fatal.
The president suffers an adversarial relationship with the press (historically). What does Santorum expect to encounter in the unlikely event that he occupies the Oval Office in 2013? Does this cultural crusader believe that this language and behavior from a presidential candidate is an appropriate model for the nation? Of course not, but none in the press corps will be making those excuses for Santorum.
Santorum just conceded his own issue to the president and Romney by extension – Santorum is no longer the “happy warrior.” He is just a human being. That’s perfectly fine for the rest of us, but the presidency unfortunately demands God-like patience and forgiveness with the press corps lest they change the narrative on you. Today, that narrative is well and truly changed for Rick Santorum.
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