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.Comments (63)
///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///
So, Will, you wonder if a topic you are unsure exists will be discussed and then conclude that the topic won't be discussed even though it might not exist. And somehow you find fault with the Tea Party for probably not discussing a topic that may or may not exist, as though they are trying to hide it (even though it may not be hidden because it may not exist).
And you wonder why people call you a joke, Will?— General Turgidson- I'm just amazed how Santorum trashes his grandfather everytime he claims socialism is the root of all evil. What's amazing is that anyone is even covering this nobody. Anyone who thinks creationism should be taught in science class is too stupid to be president.— MikeP
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So, today is Bash the Family day...ok:
Barack Obama's uncle has been arrested and held as illegal immigrant. President Barack Obama's aunt, Zeituni Onyango, at a closed immigration hearing last year. Onyango, half-sister of Obama's late father, moved to the United States in 2000 and she was ordered deported in 2004. Source: AP
Barack Obama's father (1936–1982). Government economist in Kenya. In addition to President Obama, Barack Obama Sr. fathered one daughter and at least four sons
Luos are given names related to the circumstances of their birth and Akumu means mysterious birth, a conception after a birth, but before resumption of menses. She took the name Habiba upon her conversion to Islam. A photograph of her holding her son, Barack Sr, on her lap is on the cover of her grandson's memoir.
Abo is a mobile phone shop manager in Kenya. He was barred from entering the United Kingdom after receiving a police caution for a public order offence; he was also accused of but not prosecuted for sexual assault. At the time he had been living illegally in the UK.
Bernard converted to Islam as an adult and has said: "I’m a Muslim, I don’t deny it. My father was raised a Muslim. But it’s not an issue. I don’t know what all the hullabaloo is about." He currently resides in Bracknell, England, with his mother Kezia.
Sarah Obama herself is "a strong believer of the Islamic faith,” in her words.
You Libs set the BASH topic and your folks will always come up BIG and UGLY!!!! LOL!!!
— sarah89 - My grandfather was injured for life on San Juan Hill. Tell us about your grandfather, Pantload, if you know who he is.— philly2flag
- 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
- 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 - I'll never get over the rush to judgment, especially by those who claim to know The Truth.— Paul G
- 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
- 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 
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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
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- 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 lets see the same kind of in depth research into Obama's family tree....— fbpdplt
- 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
- 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 - Bunch, I thought you'd be overjoyed by a Communist success story.— DC
- This was very common in Italy in the 1920s.Italy's "Communist Party" was a bit of a joke.It joined forces with the Social Democrats( akin to our Republican Party)along with all the other social groups who opposed Mussolini's Fascists to counter that destructive ideology.Not many of the old people who survived Fascism are still alive,but for all of you who are Italian American,ask them.Santorum is a classic reactionary,but his Old Country story is not unusual,including family communist ties in 1925.It means nothing.— red rock
I'm just waiting for the anti-Ron Paul columns by this tool.— kjuggs77- Why is Ok for a liberal writer to call someone a hater and use Nazi images, but the guy who sings the MNF theme lost his job for making a comparason like Bunch is? The left had a heart attack but Bunch basically called Santorum someone with Nazi blood in them. The one way media at work again - bloogers like Will really have no morals or codes of ethics at all it is an embarrassment to our country as to how low we have stooped in life we are pathetic..........— reddog44
- I'm assuming you meant boogers - LMAO — philly2flag
- I can only assume that Mr. Bunch would vote for Mr. Santorum if only he espoused the communist ideology of his grandfather. Lets also remember that his grandfather held these views before the experience of communism in the 20th Century and the inevitable mass murder and starvation of untold millions that it was responsible for!— cujat13
- This newspaper is anti-Santorum because Santorum is a walking, talking nosebleed.— bbk713
- Santorum lost me with his actions in the Terri Schiavo Case. But Will Bunch is still a schmuck.— The Monk
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- Stick a fork in Ricky. He failed as a Pennsylvania senator and the people of New Hampshire saw him for what he is: a stooge of the totalitarian wealthy who wants to be remembered as a demagogue. That's fine by me. The people of South Carolina will see him as what he is, too. Let him raise and spend a mountain of money on a lost cause. At least the campaign professionals will earn a few bucks while they can off the Dead Candidate Walking...and shooting his mouth off about how God is showing him the Golden Path for America. The only path Ricky is walking will take him past the sign that reads "Abandon All Hope, Ye Who Enter Here," right after Saint Peter says, "Well, Rick, you go to Hell."— bbk713
- whats the point anyway. The communist party in Italy was the only real alternative to Fascism in those days. Who cares what his grandfather did.— Lil Bobby
- I copied and pasted something the mayor said and was printed in this paper but it obviously has been deleted. I will resubmit with a more appropriate word. . . . The mayor has asked adults not to act like idiots and Will Bunch's. What's next? Finding out his great great great grandfather married a 14 yo and trying to paint the family as sexual preditors? What is wrong with you with you attacks on someone I had not heard of till recently? You should be slapped.— towman
- Wow. These posts reflect poorly on primary education. Did you guys read this or just see the byline and freak out? The picture is fine. RS says his family was fleeing fascism.— TomH1
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- I could care less about Senator Santorum. What is not suprising is the yellow journalism attempting to smear him, hence the picture of Mussolini and the swastika armband wearing individual to his right....
The problem with this picture at the front of the story is that Il Duce was a Fascist.....not a communist. I thought most knew that and that is why I suppose we are all doomed to repeat the same mistakes of our predeccessors..just a weak attempt at a smear article if there ever was one!— DelawareRiverRat - Have to dig pretty deep Willy boy to find some dirt to spread. You are deplorable cheap shot artist. I'll bet your family history speaks volumes. Don't throw stones Willy boy.— dogman5
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- Santorum is Italian? he's a shame to the culture.— Tyrone Biggums
- I'm just curious:
what is it about Santorum that has the paper so terrified?
do they really think he has a snowball's chance in the oven?
why put any effort into trying to discredit him or his run?
or is it just a desperate attempt to make PA part of the national story, even when it isn't?— ekw555 - Billy Boy will research the Santorum family tree back to the '20's in a weak attempt to impugn Rick. But he won’t look 4 years back into Barack Obama's past. Bunch is so bad even my parrot stopped crapping on his paper column. He has standards.— tooly
- the 13 commenters before this scored very, very low on the reading comprehension portion of the SAT.— AndyReidsMustache
- Funny how the Conservatives always fail to remember that is was the Policies of Liberals the made it possible for there immigrant ancestors to come here and succeed to the point where they could afford to send their kids (like Santorum) to college and get the education needed to succeed at a high level in America.— Grapost
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- unbelievable. a new low.— bobbyd24
- Santorum is a horribly corrupt man, and this is coming from a moderate Republican (whatever that is these days). It's not even funny to think anyone would vote for this scumbag. It's terrifying.— mayspot20
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- Funny. They provided his birth certificate. We're still waiting for George Bush's national guard records to surface. By the way genius, can you even define communism without Googling it? — dontlikeneocons
- George Bush's military records are readily available on line. Included in these are his Enlistment Package, Discharge Package, Grade Determination, Performance Grade, Performance Points, Reassignment/Split Training Records, Security Clearance and School Training. Collerctively they represent hundreds of pages of DoD paperwork. The MSM invented a story regarding special treatment - (indisputably) forged documents to support this story and were caught. Equally indisputable is that at least one of the birth certificate(s) (there have been two) released by the White House could only have been prepared using the layering features of a graphics software program that didn't exist when Mr. Obama was born. — tooly
- "George Bush's military records are readily available on line. Included in these are his Enlistment Package, Discharge Package,..."______Please provide the links to some of these on-line records so those none-believers can see for themselves. Thanks.
— snad264 - My paternal grandfather fought in the Spanish army in the Spanish-American War. Does that make me an enemy of the U.S.A.?— DonQ
- yes it does. you need to be deported...quickly — Speedqueen Mistress
- Wow, the liberal media is so smart now that they know more about person than tht person knows. Amazing. They are all knowing. We should all just become robots for them and live happily ever after.— CD75
- "Some people are spinning this as a Santorum "gotcha" story ...."
I agree. This newspaper actually has an anti-santorum agenda.— scootch - Just hurling any kind of mud you can, aren't you, Will? I'm assuming you get off on this sort of stuff...— dpcoz
- Good thing his grandfather never stooped so low as to be a "community organizer", and just stopped at being a dirty communist.— Mr. Smith
- Where are all the "Will Bunch is a commie leftist GOP smear-er" comments?— WillieNelson
- Why do you think Will The Shill wrote this semi-positive piece on Santorum? Because Rick has some of Will The Shill's fellow komrades in his family tree. They are his brothers.
- Todays unions are nothing like the trade unions from Santorums grandfathers era. Get real.— michael_b
- Yeah i know santorum should be supporting the conservative pro-management unions of today against the progressive/liberal unions of the past that actually created the middle class. — eraske
- Fascinating! It sure puts a new spin on Santorum's Italian saga.— wendycontos
- Rick is a social conservative. He is NOT a fiscal conservative. I'm tired of people not seeing the difference.— MattPSU
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