Santorum: Obama lied during contraception debate

Rick Santorum

/ AP Photo/Eric Gay

CHILLICOTHE, Ohio - Rick Santorum intimated Friday that President Obama was lying to the American people by suggesting a recent debate over whether Catholic institutions should have to provide employees with birth control was about access to health care rather than religious freedom.

"I've got no problem with the president. He is a fine man, a good husband and father, he just has a very different view of what makes America great," Santorum said. "And he's entitled to that opinion. He's entitled to make his case to the American public, but don't lie about what the case is. On this issue of health care, to say somehow or another this is about access to medical care It is not. It is about imposing government's will on the American people, and people of faith. It is saying that state trumps faith. State trumps conscience. That is what this issue is all about."

He cited the Senate's vote to defeat the Blunt Amendment, which would have carved out a wide swath of exceptions to the rule about birth control coverage for conscience reasons, as an example that Obama was not telling the truth about the debate. He said the provisions of the amendment had been "exactly the state of play until two weeks ago" in America.

"Now all of a sudden, this is beyond the pale and we are against certain healthcare being delivered to people. That is false. If you're going to stand up and say we know better than you what you what you should believe, then make the argument," he scolded. "Don't mislead the American public about what this debate is about. It is about freedom."

About the other major news story of the day regarding contraception - that conservative talk radio host Rush Limaugh called a female Georgetown law student a "slut" and a "prostitute" for advocating for religious contraception to dispense contraception use at a Congressional hearing - Santorum didn't comment, saying he hadn't heard about the story.

But Santorum didn't focus his criticism solely at the president, also criticizing rival Mitt Romney for the fact that he was awarded an extra delegate by the Michigan GOP after the election, when his campaign contends the delegate count should have been split.

His campaign has alleged foul play, saying a committee stacked with Romney supporters voted to change the rules because they were "embarrassed" by his narrow victory in the state. His campaign on Friday sent a letter to Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus requesting that the RNC's legal counsel investigate the issue.

"My feeling on that is conservatives, Americans, play by the rules. They don't change the rules. I want to win this election, not because I desperately want to be president, I want to win this election because we need someone who believes in the goodness and decency of the American people," he said.

And in the wake of an ABC News report that Romney boasted about his ability to secure federal funds for his state, Santorum called the former Massachusetts governor's actions "hypocrisy." Romney frequently attacks Santorum for his record of requesting earmarks while in Congress.

[DonHudzinski]

Contraception is a marital parasite. A marital parasite is anything that sucks the life out of your marriage. They usually in the form of additions such as drugs, gambling, visual pornography or chemical pornography, which is better know as contraception. They promise pleasure but they are a desease.

[EWRoss]

The free contraception mandate in Obamacare is stalking horse for more ominous policies to come. On Mar 1, in her testimony before the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius made it clear why the Obama administration is pushing free contraception for women and seeks also to curtail religious freedom and force certain Catholic institutions to provide free contraception against their religious doctrine. She said; "The reduction in a number of pregnancies compensates for the cost of contraception." To which Tim Murphy (R-PA) responded, "So you're saying by not having babies born, we're going to save money on healthcare?"—a remark Ms. Sebelius did not take issue with. Free contraception, of course, isn't the only way to prevent the birth of more babies; the next step is free abortions. http://www.ewross.com/the_free_contraception_stalking_horse.htm

[BakersBabe]

Frothy is as wrong on all topics as Sarah Palin is. He is just fact free. Doesn't have to tell the truth. He is just stating the propaganda spoon fed to him from the Heritage Foundation a Republican smear and lie think tank funded mostly from the Koch Brothers and the Catholic Church. Gingrich, Limbaugh and Santorum feed from the same free lie machine to deceive Americans into believing everything the Catholic Church says is for our liberty when it is robbing us of women's rights, women's birth control, a women's rights to choose, and human decency. Women are not dogs and should not be treated so by Republicans or the Catholic Church. Our country has set a standard which these groups fail repeatedly to understand. We are given life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness not Nazi Catholic demigod BS. All people should have the rights of being treated as equals. The Pedophiles that in charge of the Catholic Church are jealous of women since women have better taste in dresses and women don't prefer having sex with underage boys like the priests and bishops.

[stupa5]

Saintorum get a life!You are one big sicko!

[eightsigma]

Tell you what. I'll stay out of your religion if your religion stays out of my life.

[RobAla]

When did it become a RIGHT for some people to demand that other Americans or companies PAY FOR THEIR BIRTH CONTROL CONTRACEPTIVES? We are not talking about some life saving drug. This is a drug related to one's personal sexual activity. This entire issue should have never come about.

We have major problems in the United States. We have a staggering $16 trillion national debt, more than 8% unemployment, we have no idea who is coming into this country through our borders, gasoline is about to hit record highs, Iran may soon be a nuclear power (Iran supplies most of the weapons to terrorists around the world),....etc. WHY WAS "FREE" CONTRACEPTIVES THE CURRENT GOAL OF PRESIDENT OBAMA? When it became important for him to divert attention away from his own failures during an election year - that is what this is all about.

This summer gas prices will cripple the nation's small economic recovery and the Supreme Court will rule that the individual mandate in President Obama's health care law (his crown jewel achievement - the one that he and other progressives crammed down the throats of a majority of Americans who still do not want it) to be unconstitutional. President Obama has NO answers for the major problems we face as a nation, so his only hope is to do something that will focus the attention of Americans on something else.

[eightsigma]

Sigh. It's the same RIGHT that authorizes our government to ensure a safe food supply, or medicines that work, or build roads.

[nearl451]

Rob, when Obama is defeated in 2012, I guees you'll have to get an excercise program to get yourblood pressure up once in a while.

LOL. Your such a partisan hyperventillator.

[sirmarion-2009]

It is not about contraception it is about Religious rights to run their businesses the way they they see fit,not the way the Government wants them to.

[nearl451]

Businesses don't have religious right. Individual people do.

Besides. This is a dead issue.

[nearl451]

Do we really want a President who's sole focus is around controlling the uterus.

I don't think so. Need to broaden your focus a bit Rick.

[BOB-C]

"Paranoia will destroya." - from the musical "Hair"

[UForgotPoland]

If this issue is Santorum's strongest focus, then he a insane man who needs to learn about political priorities.