Rick Perry Calls Out Rick Santorum On Earmarks (VIDEO)
Senator Rick Santorum has responded to Governor Rick Perry’s allegations of “prolific earmarks."
In an interview on Fox News, Santorum rebutted Perry’s comments that he is a “prolific earmarker” who “loaded up his bills with Pennsylvanian pork and voted for the Alaska Bridge to Nowhere.”
Santorum told Fox News, “I’ve defended my earmarks in the sense that I’m proud of the money that I did set aside for things that were priorities in my state…but I’ve recognized that the American public has sort of seen this as a pox upon the Congress, and that’s where the American public is today.”
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He then added, “As a President, it’s sort of easy for me to say I’ll oppose congressional earmarks.” This goes against Santorum’s earlier statements that say, “I’m very proud of all of my earmarks…I will defend earmarks.”
Earmarks are known as ways to channel federal funds into a congressperson’s state or a specific program. According to a report by the Office of Management and Budget, there were over 55,000 earmarks in 2010 alone.
Perry, who made his remarks about Santorum’s earmarks at a campaign stop in Cedar Rapids, issued a warning and said, “Earmarks are the gateway drug to the spending problem that they have in Washington, D.C.”
Perry’s campaign has issued a new radio ad specifically targeting Santorum’s earmarks. Analysts speculate that Perry is going after Santorum because he (Santorum) is currently surging in the polls.
A new NBC-Marist poll shows that Santorum has leapt from six percent to 15 percent in the past month, while Perry has only increased to 14 percent. Mitt Romney still leads the GOP presidential hopefuls, with 23 percent of those polled. Ron Paul is at a close second, with 21 percent.
Some Christian Evangelical groups are supporting Santorum as he enters the top-three category of candidates. Pastor Steven Andrew of USA Christian Ministries has issued a voter’s guide stating: “Only two candidates have been bold enough to stand up for God time after time.”
Those two candidates, Andrew says, are Michele Bachmann and Rick Santorum. Andrew is not alone in endorsing Santorum. Last week it was announced that Family Leader CEO Bob Vander Plaats and Chuck Hurley personally endorsed Santorum.
Notable political figures have also voiced their support for Santorum. These include Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck, Mike Huckabee, and Rush Limbaugh.
