Santorum pounces on Romney aide's "Etch A Sketch" comment

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Updated 3:28 p.m. Eastern Time

Mitt Romney Communications Director Eric Fehrnstrom was asked on CNN this morning if he was concerned that the primary challenge from Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich "might force the governor to tack so far to the right" that Romney will alienate moderates who would otherwise vote for him if and when he reaches the general election.

"Well, I think you hit a reset button for the fall campaign," Fehrnstrom responded. "Everything changes. It's almost like an Etch A Sketch. You can kind of shake it up and restart all over again."

Santorum's campaign pounced on the comment in a news release on Wednesday morning, with Santorum Communications Director Hogan Gidley saying, "We all knew Mitt Romney didn't have any core convictions, but we appreciate his staff going on national television to affirm that point for anyone who had any doubts."

"Voters can trust that Rick Santorum will say what he believes, and do what he says," Gidley added. "They may not always agree with Rick Santorum, but they can trust him because they know he is a man of principle. Clearly, the same cannot be said of Governor Romney."

Santorum himself then brought the issue up during a speech in Harvey, Louisiana -- and held up an Etch A Sketch to punctuate his point.

"One of Governor Romney's aides today on television said that Gov Romney, after he wins the primaries, will be like an Etch A Sketch. You take whatever he said and you can shake it up and it will be gone and he's going to draw a whole new picture for the general election," said Santorum. "Well, that should be comforting to all of you who are voting in this primary. That whoever you are going to vote for is going to be a completely new candidate, remove all trace of any kind of marks and be able to draw a new picture. Maybe a picture sort of like when he ran for governor of Massachusetts, not as a conservative. One thing you can say--even my staunchest critics will say--is what you see is what you get."

It's common for presidential candidates from both parties to tack toward the center in a general election in order to win moderates, particularly when they've had to fend off primary challenges from rivals who appeal more directly to their party's base.

But Romney has developed a reputation as "a perfectly lubricated weather vane on the important issues of the day," in the words of onetime rival Jon Huntsman (who later endorsed Romney), largely because he was more moderate as Massachusetts governor than he has been as a Republican presidential candidate. Fehrnstrom's comments may simple acknowledge a widely-accepted political reality, but they also play directly into Santorum's argument that conservatives can't trust Romney to stand up for their beliefs in the general election.

UPDATE: Both Santorum and Newt Gingrich are using the Etch A Sketch as a prop. Santorum's campaign tweeted out a photo of Santorum using the toy with the caption "@RickSantorum studying up on @MittRomney policy positions." Gingrich brought an Etch A Sketch to a campaign event, where he gave it to a toddler and told him that with the toy he could be a presidential candidate too.

With reporting by CBS News/National Journal reporter Lindsey Boerma.

[spiceman22]

Have we not heard that Comparisons are loathsome? It does not imply that an orange is like an apple that it is an apple. There are principles and laws that we cannot compromise ever without hurting every one. This comparison is very "sketchy", not depicting anything but an expression, that when the weather changes you should not forget your umbrella. This will be the case in the general election, we will see that we need to deal with that issue according to the circumstance. This is not a mystery.

[1pheasant1]

by drsam8 March 21, 2012 3:51 PM EDT
Romney is yet to release multiple tax returns dating back to when he was at Bain Capital--and he will be forced do this during the later phase of the campaign. Expect to see that Romney paid little or no taxes.
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Those tax returns were prepared on an Etch-A-Sketch, and somebody mysteriously picked it up and shook it.

[Anybody77]

Santorum only wishes he could reset and regear for the General Election. he cannnot even win his home state senate seat!

[1pheasant1]

Mr. Santorum, today's Etch-A-Sketch assignment (home school) is to produce a picture of women's health-care that doesn't "cross the line."

[arthanyel]

Anyone that wants to be president so badly they will do anything, say anything, or take any position to get elected, is not to be trusted with the office.

[Anybody77]

That should leave Obama out in November! He has flip flopped, etched a sketched and even sent in military tropps to new countrys! Nothing he talked about happened..no promises were kept and transparency..what a joke!

[fastdraw2]

Wow. Big surprise. It's been obvious from the start that Romney wants to be president so bad he will change and position or tell any lie to do it. Because after all, that's what changing your position is essentially: lying. You want a liar for a president? Someone you have no idea of whether they're playing straight with you in any given circumstance?

Then go ahead. Vote for the liar.

[Ben37221]

Every one know that Romney have no core. Santorum is simply stating the obvious fact that Romney is like the weather. He says what he thinks his audiance want to hear. I am not a big fan of Santorum, but even a nut-case like Santorum tells the truth sometime-no substance in Romney.

[1pheasant1]

Santorum draws pictures of the female anatomy on his Etch-A-Sketch. They should be banned!

[longtree-2009]

santorum and gingrich are desperate and clinging onto anything that they can to elevate themselves. this latest desperate move over etch a sketch is just a ploy which comes from their word smithing what a romney aide said, is just so sophomoric on the part of santorum and gingrich. it's not presenting as presidential an is undignifed on their part. santorum and gingrich have to realize that this race for the nomination is serious business, not a frat party. definitely will vote against santorum and gingrich now as a result of this silliness over etch a sketch remark.

[1pheasant1]

It sounds like somebody has their magic undergarment in a wad!

[Zign0n]

This is politics and another example of someone taking a simple mispeak and twisting it to their advantage. Do I think he could've used better words? Of course.. Was the message he stated taking out of context? Of course.. If you listen to his whole thing it basically states that you have to reset your campaign at the next round to take on a new competitor but not change your message or how you stand. @RickSantorum is taking something out of context yet again because he got destroyed in Puerto Rico and now lost by a relatively good size margin in Illinois. The fact of the matter is that he MAY very well walk away with 0 (that's ZERO) delegates from his own state of Pennsylvania even if he won the popular vote.