To John McCain’s credit, and Sarah Palin’s chagrin, John McCain did correct people in the audiences of his speeches and town halls who wrongly believed that the President was a Muslim. To someone like John McCain, where integrity, honor and truth seem to matter a great deal, I suppose not doing so, and allowing such malicious disinformation that is fostered on many corners of the right to grow, was a rubicon he could not cross.
Rick Santorum has no such trouble.
In case you cannot watch the video, here’s what happened:
“He is an avowed Muslim and my question is why isn’t something being done to get him out of our government. He has no legal right to be calling himself president,” a woman asked, referring to President Obama.
Standing in front of a crowd of more than 250 mostly senior citizens, Santorum did not address the incorrect claim about the president’s religion.
“Well yeah,” said Santorum. “I’m doing my best to get him out of the government right now and she is right that he uniformly ignores the Constitution.”
Not only did Santorum not correct her about the President being a Muslim, he essentially confirms her belief with the “she is right that he uniformly ignores the Constitution.” Now, Santorum was probably referring to some other fantastical lie that he and other right wing radicals have dreamed up, but the audiences and that bigoted woman will believe he is referring to the lie that the President was born in Kenya and thus constitutionally ineligible to be President.
After the event, the former Pennsylvania senator told reporters it is not his job to correct every false claim that comes up during questions. “Why do you guys ask these ‘Gotcha’ questions like it’s my job to go out and correct everybody who says something I don’t agree with?” Santorum responded to media inquiring about the exchange.
Uh, excuse me, Senator, you didn’t say you disagreed with it. In fact, you said you agreed with it. And that makes you a liar, Senator, because you know full well that the President is a Christian. And yes, it is your job to correct somebody who says an untruth, if you know it to be an untruth. It is your job as a Christian. I do believe the Ten Commandments have something in them about lying.