The real reason the Santorums left Italy
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The real reason the Santorums left Italy
When Rick Santorum virtually tied for first in the Iowa caucus, I watched his "victory" speech and -- don't fall out of your chair -- I thought it was the most positive moment of the GOP race so far. Although I don't agree with Santorum's policy solutions, his meditation on his father fleeing Mussolini's Italy in the 1920s and pursuing his dreams in America was moving and uplifting.
It's interesting that there's more to the story:
On the campaign trail, Santorum often touts his grandfather’s flight from Italy “to escape fascism,” but he has neglected to publicly mention their close ties with the Italian Communist Party. “Rick’s grandfather Pietro was a liberal man and he understood right away what was happening in Italy,” Mrs. Santorum told Oggi. “He was anti-fascist to the extreme, and the political climate in 1925 was stifling so he left for America. After a few years he returned to Italy with his wife and children, including Aldo, Rick’s father, who passed away late last year. It’s a shame he won’t have the joy to see his son’s success in his bid for the White House.” She goes on to explain how the family then became pillars of the Communist Party in Italy.
The matriarch lauds her distant relative as a “masterpiece” of the family, whom she calls a man of high intelligence and integrity. “He would be a great president,” she told Oggi. “But if he wants to make it, he will have to soften some of his positions. To take a stand against homosexuality or to oppose divorce is harmful. Principles count, but in politics one must have the capacity to be open-minded.”
The Oggi piece also quotes an angry cousin who preferred to voice his dissent anonymously, remembering the time when high-ranking Communist Party members frequented the Santorum household in Riva del Garda. “There are Santorums who would roll over in their graves to hear [Rick’s] rhetoric,” he said.
Some people are spinning this as a Santorum "gotcha" story but I don't see it that way. One element of the American Dream is personal freedom to pursue your own ideas about politics, even if they differ 180 degrees from your ancestors. I do wonder this, though. Last week, Santorum's most moving riff was about his grandfather's funeral after a long and successful life in the coalfields of western Pennsylvania. Given his grandfather's political bent, I wonder if he was active in the trade unionism that made it possible for coal miners to thrive in what was once a booming American middle class. That's part of the story you won't hear Santorum tell in the Tea Party-powered Waffle Houses of the Palmetto State this weeek -- but he should. It's hard to imagine this immigrant's grandson rising in life to run for president as an ultra-conservative -- without the progressive policies that spawned him.
Somewhat liberal here and I don't think Santorum's grandfather should have any consequence or relevance to his bid for the presidency. He is a separate person. The "sins of the father" mentality doesn't sit with me.
But, I have to laugh when I see so many people whine that this newspaper is anti-Santorum. Santorum provides all the news and soundbytes reported by the paper. Santorum is the one who is constantly shooting himself in the foot. This piece is anything but anti-Santorum. Actually, I think it humanizes him a lot more and shows what a smart woman his mother is. But, she's probably liberal.
Yeah, he's a social conservative, which when running for president is not a good thing. This country isn't comprised of one type of people. There's got to be a happy median - particularly socially. Santorum sits so strongly to the right on so much that he's his own worst enemy.— PotteryPete- I wonder why Will Bunch of BS never asked these questions about his fiscally irresponsible idiot poster child OBAMA.... NO one from any lamestream media including the stinky inky ever veted the heavenly OBAMA.... according to the WILL BUNCH of BS and others Obama crapped rose petals— fbpdplt
- Hey Will lets see the same kind of in depth research into Obama's family tree....— fbpdplt
- This newspaper's obsession with Santorum is creepy.— Disco Dave
- How about the obsession with Christie as well? It's like they wait until a Republican surfaces onto the political scene and then try to pick them off with hit pieces. — Bob1
Hey Will, Rick Santorum's great aunt once cheated during a bingo game at a church in Verona, Italy. Please get your crackerjack staff to do an in depth story on that. I'm sure that Rick will bow out when that is released.
By the way.....when will all those school records, college and school transcripts and all the other documents that Obama had sealed be open to the public? It seems that our president has something to hide since he has taken such great pains to hide so much of his past.
Perhaps during a meeting at the CPUSA you and fellow comrades might think about urging Comrade Barack to be more "transparant"— Yermak29
Now I understand his roots more clearly. Sorry for his family history of prejudice and what it has to do with his beliefs. Makes sense now.— Ben Fan
Comment removed.- It's amazing how many morons we have here, eager to defend that frothy mixture in his absurdly hopeless bid for the worst job in the country, against a little bit of, you know, FACT.
No doubt all suburbanites and NJers, though...— tinkdnuos - Can you people even read? This piece is no "hatchet job" at all. You'll obviously never let the facts get in the way of a nasty, pointless rant.— Paul G
- I'll never get over the rush to judgment, especially by those who claim to know The Truth.— Paul G
- Actually, DonQ, according to Newt, yes it does. Specifically that your views and inclinations are most likely to resemble those of your father's or father's father.
— Dave in Cincy - Geez, my grandfather fought for Mussolini's army from 1940-1943 before the Italians collapsed and signed an armistice with the Allies. And then he died as a POW in a Nazi prison camp. I am sure Bunch can spin this against me if I ever run as a republican for office somewhere.— Domenic
- My grandfather was injured for life on San Juan Hill. Tell us about your grandfather, Pantload, if you know who he is.— philly2flag
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