Occupy Wall St. disrupts Okla. Santorum rally

Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum

/ AP Photo/John Amis

(CBS News) OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - A rally for Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum was disrupted for 20 minutes on Sunday by Occupy Wall Street protestors chanting, "Get your hate out of our state," and "Pro-life, pro-war, what are you fighting for?"

Santorum supporters clashed with the protestors and tried to shout them down with "We pick Rick!" One protester was shoved, but there were no other physical altercations. Santorum was calm, and preached tolerance, but also suggested the protestors should get jobs.

"People are allowed to protest and we respect their opinion. We just happen to believe that folks who are at public rallies should let both sides to be heard," he said, and later commented, "Something that maybe these folks over here could ... maybe working a little bit instead of coming to these events and screaming at people."

Special Section: Campaign 2012

Most of the Republican candidates for president have been targets of OWS protests although they seem to be more frequent and boisterous at Santorum events.

In his remarks, Santorum said Oklahoma's conservative Republicans would be pivotal in Super Tuesday's multiple contests, and said he was looking for the state's "Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval for conservatism."

"You are the conservative lodestar here. You can send a very strong message here," he said. "You go out and give us a win and you will, I guarantee you, we will go on past Super Tuesday. We will go to Alabama and Mississippi and win there and this race will turn around and we will go on and be the nominee."

Santorum also took a swipe at rival Mitt Romney's heavy spending against him on "scurrilous negative ads."

"In the general election, whoever our Republican nominee is, isn't going to be able to outspend Barack Obama 6- or 7- or 8-to-1 to win an election. They're going to have to win this election being outspent. Governor Romney has never won a state in this country where he was outspent. ... What does that tell you about his ability to motivate and rally the people of America for the big change we need coming into the general election?"

[oneloneokie]

I'm still waiting for someone to tell me what link these protesters had to the OWS movement. I live in OKC and regularly visit the State Capitol complex. To date I've never seen a genuine OWS protester. Granted I don't frequent the parts of town they are said to "occupy." REGARDLESS, is everyone who protests now either a Tea Bag'r or an Occupy'r? Just sayin'...

[jessebay]

This has happened at almost every rally Satan err I mean Santorum has put on. His supporters are even more violent than the protesters. They push, pull, yell and cheer as people are physically assaulted, in some cases.

Why are protesters at his rally's as opposed to other candidates? Many people realize that Santorum resembles a modern day Hitler more than he does a president. By the way it isn't OWS there are protesters at these rally's who are every day people WITH JOBS who just don't want religion forced down their throat.

http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2012/02/13/the-rick-santorum-rally-in-tacoma-probably-could-have-gone-better

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hqBMPwfsAg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2GnXWh_H1o

[johnnyrottenapple777]

yawn...

[noloyalisti]

The Wall Street Banksters and other large American corporations are the enemy and the problem to the world. Now you know why there is the Occupy Wall Street and the We are the 99% Movements. You cna either join now or you can join later, take your pick.

[johnnyrottenapple777]

Please move to Canada, or France.

Thank you.

[Jim_NLN]

"Something that maybe these folks over here could ... maybe working a little bit instead of coming to these events and screaming at people."

OK, the protesters are there because they are 'unemployed'. So, why are all of his supporters there? Are they 'unemployed', also?

[johnnyrottenapple777]

The difference is some are unemployed by CHOICE, as they WANT to occupy something, or whine about how unfortunate they are.

Please move to North Korea. They will show you what 50% is all about, assuming that's whatever percentage of something you are looking for. They EVEN everything out for ya. Good luck now.

[noloyalisti]

This absolute nutball Sanitorium wants to have a Christian theocracy in America. The very fact this idiot can even run for an elected office is a sad commentary on how much power the Christian wackos have.

[Martha12345]

I'm not Santorum fan, but to disrupt his meeting is wrong.

[noloyalisti]

At what point do the American people stop putting up with the savaging of America by Wall Street?

[Skylinerbr]

Oh, yeah, wrong, wrong, wrong for anyone or group to express an opinion when all should know Santorum is standing there speaking for God - on Sunday no less. What has happened to our people, no respect, no decency, nothing but rudeness and vulgarity? Oh, I forgot this forum isn't about Limbaugh, is it?

Oh well, back to campaigning.

[Kenhudson]

Too bad they didn't burn the place down!

[dynariffic]

So Rick Santorum tells the OWS Protesters to "GET A JOB" but it is SUNDAY!!! What a damn dork.

[geez-every-name-is-taken]

it wont be long and this will never happen again. Occupy would just be arrested because the only thing these dems and reps can agree on is stripping " We the People" of our Constitutional rights! Patriot act, FDAA, and now http://signon.org/sign/president-obama-dont-4.fb1?source=s.fb&r_by=1017069