Santorum defends backer after contraception remarks

Updated Feb. 17, 9:30 a.m. ET

Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum responded on Thursday night to comments made by one of his biggest supporters, Foster Friess, about women holding their legs together as a means of contraception. In an interview on Fox News, Santorum also said he morally disagrees with the use of contraception.

In the interview with Fox's Greta Van Susteren, Santorum defended Foster Friess, who is a major financial backer and has donated at least $330,000 to the super PAC supporting Santorum's campaign. He said Friess is "a very good man."

Friess said contraception is inexpensive because back in the day girls would keep their legs tightly shut. "The gals put it between their knees, and it wasn't that costly," Friess said in an interview with MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell. 

When pressed, Santorum told Van Susteren that Friess made "a stupid joke" and that it does not "reflect on the campaign or me."

Van Susteren appeared unsatisfied with Santorum's response and said Friess is "0 and one" in her book.

Santorum backer's contraception tip: Keep legs shut

As for his own beliefs on birth control, Santorum repeated remarks he's come under fire for in recent days. He told the Fox host that he morally disagrees with it. He said contraception is a "downside" to the "whole concept of sexual liberation, sexual freedom."

Santorum has come under pressure in recent days for comments he made in the past about contraception. In an interview in 2006, then-Sen. Santorum said he is "not a believer in birth control."

"I think it's harmful to women; I think it's harmful to society," Santorum said.

An uncomfortable-looking Santorum offered assurance that contraception will be permissible should he become president.

"Not everything that I... disagree with morally should the government be involved in," Santorum said "People have the right to in this country and it certainly will be safe to [use contraception] in a Santorum presidency."

[boaik]

This is the conservative lie of "small, unintrusive government," everyone.

[noloyalisti]

The CONS have no plans to help anyone but themselves and their rich corporate masters. So they have to have these stupid issues that only 1/4 of the American people even care a little bit about.

Whenever Republicons start talking about Gays, Guns and God, you know they have nothing and are all about to lose their jobs.

[The_General_1968]

I wonder if the surveillance plans just recently announced and passed in the senate, calling for up to 30,000 drones flying over U.S. cities, will be used for personal surveillance and policing our bedroom policies?
Enough already of the trashing of the Constitution and the expansion of government into all aspects of our lives!
Google - Power of Nightmares
Google - Money as Debt
Google - Michael Scheuer
Google - Paul 11 Point Plan
Google - Predictions in Due Time
Google - NDAA 1021
Then make an educated choice for freedom, liberty and peace.

[1pheasant1]

Newt wanted Marianne and Callista to hold one aspirin between each other's knee.

[noloyalisti]

What is wrong with the right wing brains of these Republicons? They are so wacked out as soon as the next clown gets in the spotlight, the twisted truth of how they feel comes out. How did their collective brain become so damaged? It's scary. Zombie kind of scary.

[reubenrcbs]

Insert theme from "Twilight Zone" here. Thanks.

[Stephen_Dedalus]

I think Santorum has already made it clear that, between his morality and our rights, he's already made up his mind.

[Dan_in_PA]

Yes your rights win

[RSF-1]

What's wrong with girls keeping their knees together and guys keeping their pants zipped? It worked for years, back when kids still had a childhood and parents were still teaching virtue, instead of schools teaching liberal doctrine.

By the way, there are plenty of places to get contraceptives of every description, including obtaining them without cost. If we're going to pay for some other guy's recreational sex, how about paying for my vitamins every morning, my gasoline on Sunday drives, and my bullets at the shooting range?

The fact is, the whole debate has no more to do with contraception than Obamacare has to do with health. It is nothing less than the latest government power grab, further shredding our First Amendment, and providing yet another distraction from the real issues that mark the complete failure of the Obama regime ... and the desperate need for his replacement.

[Parrots10]

Yeah yeah - liberals are the reasons many republicans and their kids are ******* right now - remember Bristol Palin ?? The dumb dumb Liberals that taught her to ****, while her mother was busy defending Amerikka against Russia ...... Dumb DUmb Rerpugs !!

[ClubbieTim]

It works for 10% of the population. That's great social policy.

[1pheasant1]

by Dan_in_PA February 17, 2012 11:31 AM EST
Did he bring up the topic or did a reporter ask him the question? It looks to me like he was asked a question and he answered it what else should he have done?
*******************************************************
He could have shoved a whole bottle of aspirin between his lips, making it impossible to insert his foot.

[Dan_in_PA]

did you even read the article or just the headline?

[1pheasant1]

Evidently you didn't read the article, Dan.
He said contraception is a "downside" to the "whole concept of sexual liberation, sexual freedom."
I know, I know...
You are...
Penn State!

[KLOQWEST]

Santorum is so far to the "right" that he's literally back in the 19th century. I'm quite certain that the majority of women aren't the least bit interested in going back to the time where men controlled their lives. Contraception should not even be an issue. BUT if the plan doesn't cover contraception, then it shouldn't cover ED medication either. What do the men think of that?

[prs5]

Great...assurances that 'it will be safe to use contraception in a Santorum presidency" are just what we all need to hear in the present diabolical economic invironment.It is always refreshing to know that we might have a president who guarantees that my condom won't break if I can't find an aspirin and my wife is not in the mood to keep her legs together.These are the kind of policy statements that we really need from a president that takes such an interest in our bedroom antics when he needs to raise a few bucks for his election campaign.So much for keeping government intrusion out of our lives,I'll make sure I don't close my bedroom curtains at night now I know you'll be watching my choices in contraception very closely.
Way to go Sanatorium.....Lets keep our focus on the really important policy issues. Maybe you can find some more expert idiots to mindlessly throw a few bucks your way and maybe we will get some more wonderful suggestions like this to entertain and amuse us while you fumble your way through this inexorably painful process that might elevate you to the highest position in the land.