We thought that children were off limits when it came to political candidates. Not for Rick Santorum! The Republican Presidential candidate was on Glenn Beck’s radio show and criticized Obama’s parenting after news got out that Malia, 13, was vacationing in Mexico with classmates.
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Santorum said:
“What I would say is that the president’s actions should reflect what his administration is saying. If the administration is saying that it’s not safe to have people down there, then just because you can send 25 Secret Service agents doesn’t mean you should do it.
You should set an example. I think that‘s what presidents do. They set an example. And when the government is saying this is not safe, then you don’t set the example by sending your kids down there.”
Obama’s campaign has responded to Santorum’s comments about Malia’s school trip to Mexico. Stephanie Cutter, deputy campaign manager, told MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell that she was “surprised” Santorum would drag the president’s children into the political crossfire.
Cutter said:
“I think that children, for candidate purposes, have always been off-limits in presidential campaigns, and really any campaign, I’m surprised that Rick Santorum wouldn’t agree with that.”
The White House has an unwritten rule urging the media not to report on the private activities of presidential children, but made an exception and released a statement Tuesday after an earthquake hit Mexico to announce that Malia was safe.
Politics is a dirty game and Santorum stooping to such levels to bring the President’s daughter into the conversation is unacceptable.
