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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.