As Rick Santorum himself admits, you’re not a true conservative until you criticize the New York Times.
Late Sunday night in Wisconsin, Rick Santorum lashed out against New York Times campaign reporter Jeff Zeleny for “distorting” his words. “It’s bullshit,” Santorum told the reporter. “Come on, man, what are you doing?”
Santorum brushed the comment aside during a Fox and Friends interview on Monday. “If you haven’t cursed out a New York Times reporter during the course of a campaign, you’re not really a real Republican is the way I look at it,” Santorum said, beaming. “We’re out there slugging away … and we’re mixing it up.”
Watch Santorum on Fox and Friends Monday morning:
But early Monday morning, the campaign sent an email blast asking for a $30 contribution — roughly the price of a New York Times subscription. “I’m Ready to Take On the New York Times,” a header in the email read:
Earlier today, while campaigning in Wisconsin, I criticized Romney and Obama for their outrageous healthcare legislation. Predictably, I was aggressively attacked by a New York Times reporter all too ready to defend the two of them, and all too ready to distort my words. Let me assure you, I didn’t back down, and I didn’t let him bully me. I think it is high time that conservatives find the courage to expose the liberal press for what they are, a defender and enabler of Romney’s and Obama’s liberal agendas.
Zeleny didn’t let the exchange rattle him. On CBS This Morning, Zeleny said he was just asking Santorum for clarification after Santorum said Mitt Romney is the “worst” Republican to go up against President Obama. “We’re simply asking questions like we all do,” he said.
Watch the original exchange:
Watch Zeleny on CBS Monday morning:
David Taintor
David Taintor is TPM’s News Editor. He contributes to TPM’s Livewire coverage, among other areas. David is from Chanhassen, Minnesota, where, yes, it gets very cold. Reach him at taintor [at] talkingpointsmemo.com
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