FLORENCE, S.C. – Texas Gov. Rick Perry referred at least twice to Rick Santorum’s Catholic faith Tuesday as he criticized the former Pennsylvania senator’s record as a conservative, an intriguing signal to send in a heavily evangelical Protestant state.
Perry, who an evangelical Christian who is in a battle with Santorum was asked by reporters to contrast his record with Santorum’s.
“Rick Santorum is a good man,” Perry said. “He is a good father. He is a good Catholic. But he hasn't always been a good conservative.” He ripped Santorum, a noted opponent of abortion access and same-sex marriage for voting to confirm “pro-abortion” Justice Sonya Sotomayor to the U.S. Court of Appeals several years ago, putting the liberal jurist on track to her present position on the Supreme Court.
“On the fiscal side, Rick, he has a horrid record when it comes to earmarks and defending spending,” Perry said. “The idea that you can vote for all those earmarks and call yourself a fiscal conservative is just ludicrous on its face. That is why we have a tea party today...So like I said, good man, good father and husband, good Catholic, but not always a good conservative.”
South Carolina is one of the most religious states in the nation, measured by attendance at worship services, according to various surveys. Yet only 10 percent of South Carolinians identify themselves as Roman Catholics – one of the lowest percentages in the nation, according to a massive 2010 Gallup Poll analysis of religious beliefs across the nation.
Now, there’s nothing especially nasty about mentioning Santorum’s religion, and it is factually true that he's Catholic. But the polls show that both Santorum and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, also a Catholic, are leading Perry overall and among Christian conservative voters.
Maybe the man from Paint Creek, Tex., who often talks about how he accepted Christ as his savior at age 14, just wanted to make a subtle cultural connection with his fellow southerners.
Yesterday on Rachel Maddow, MSNBC, she described how a group of religious leaders got together and wanted a strong conservative. They did not want Mitt regardless of the fact that he wasn't married three times like the Devout Catholic Newt! But Newt the Catholic got the vote! He could not be found! The group was told they could go home, but not all did - a group of Catholics (let me repeat that, Catholics) went for a third vote after the others were told they could leave and guess who was nominated - none other than that Devout Catholic Rich Santorum who just happened to be there!!! Well, we all know how Rick lived in a Virginia mansion as a senator from PA, and how he billed the PA Department of Education $100,000 to educate his kids in Virginia. So, if this is a Devout Catholic no wonder the Catholic Church is spending millions on an ad - Catholics Come Home, we are one BILLION strong - or so they claim. Devout - has certainly taken a new definition when used by Catholics or those praising Devout Catholics.— Bob Washick- Try to limit your venom to three lines or less Bob. It's a fact that very few people read such long diatribes.
— Cardinal Fang - With the constant immigration assault on our southern borders, it is no wonder that the United States of America isn't part of Latin America. The Conference of American Catholic Bishops has supported unlimited Latin immigration and illegal immigration...
The idea of America as a Protestant nation is over...we are part of Latin America with a sprinkling of Protestants here and there...
With Catholic Europe's bloody history...I think we are in for a bumpy ride in the 21 century...
s— Rollie Kenmore - rollie,ever hear of Olliver Cromwell. Go look him and see how "christian" he was, especially to Ireland. America was never a protestant nation, something the FOunders went out of their way to avoid. Guess you missed History class. BTW, under Obam, less immigrants have come over the southern border and many thousand hve been deported. Sort of ruins your day, doesn't it? — mike l
- Rollie-Is anything in your comment true? If so, what? At least in your mind. — prenestino
- santorum is a good catholic if you only read the old testament. if you read both he really isnt. but if u only read the old testament your not really a catholic anyway. nahwhutimsayin?— OhOkay
- Perry will be out of the race on Saturday night. He's just grandstanding so Mitt will ask him to be VP.— journalismIsDead
- amazing how the right using fear tactics have turned on their own. perry trying to turn the protestants against catholic santorum who tries to use catholics to turn against gays.
the right wing platform: fear and blind faith— the lopez! - I want a good leader who's looking out for the working man....I don't care if he's Vulcan.
have a nice day!— ghostmarine - America is not a Christian nation.. Thank God for that.— cybersport
- Dog whistle.— potus
- the lopez! You're right. When Perry finally drops out of the race and, eventually, Santorum follows, they'll all be praising the selected one. It's sickening. Dems do it too. It's not a right or left tactic.
ghostmarine: I agree with you too. Why should his religion have anything to do with anything? People who are not religious zealots are morally fine too. By being religious they're exclusive and there should be NO room for that in politics.— PotteryPete - None of the the candidates ever seem to pay attention to Matthew 25:40:
‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
The sad fact is that the republican party is not interested in the least among us.....— Owatagoofiam 
Comment removed.- Rick Santorum would bring back the Inquisition if he could. Despite Church teaching, most American Catholics use birth control.— orange rhino
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