White House & RNC Issue Gag Order on Santorum Issue

Harrisburg News and the Hotline ^ | April 24, 2003 | Chuck Todd and Vaughn Ververs

[ewing]

The Harrisburg Patriot News Decoursey reports that Senator Rick Santorums (R-PA) defenders are now under gag order.

White House and Republican National Committee officials told GOP insiders yesterday by conference call, voice mail and e-mail not to comment about Santorum's comments letting them speak for himself.

[ewing]

I think we win on this issue by Rick laying low and keeping his leaderposition while North Korea grabs the headlines.

[js1138]

Who do you think is digging a hole here?

For one thing, the press started the "scandal" with a fabricated quote, fabricated by the spouse of a Kerry staffer disguised as an AP reporter. Eventually the republicans will start using tis line.

[ewing]

Jon Stewart? Hasn't he rumoured to be bixsexal for the longest time..

[Jhoffa_]

Why regulate sodomy if you have no intention of enforcing laws against it?

By the same token, why regulate at all then?

But if we are going to regulate, why should homos get a pass and not the other deviants?

[Remedy]

IF YOU CAN'T WHIP THE HOMOSEXUALS, HOW DO YOU EXPECT TO DEAL WITH N.KOREA.

[truthkeeper]

Notice it says "Senator Rick Santorum's (R-PA) defenders are now under gag order." What about his attackers, like Snowe and Chafee? Not to mention, do the WH and RNC really think the Democrats and leftist media will let this slide?

Thank you. My point EXACTLY.

[plain talk]

What would Gray Davis say if he were a Republican? Perhaps "I'm sorry I can't comment on that matter because it involves an issue that is in the courts" or "I'm sorry, that's a legal matter I can't discuss".

[ewing]

North Korea doesn't have 10 major liberal media organziations salivating and ready to go on witchhunts at a moments notice at any GOP leadership misstep (partly kidding)

[RightWhale]

I don't recall the name right now. It's the one that does character voices and lets callers debate with the characters. You know, the obnoxious one who is smart when he isn't doing stupid bits.

[ewing]

The lights would be off in California as a result of his policies... so 'Grey out' couldn't read the court opinion!

[ewing]

What did they say when you called them today?

[k2blader]

Let's take this a little further...

*If* it's true that the strategery is to get the story off the headlines, what happens if/when the strategery fails?

[ewing]

At least we are trying something that we didn't do for Trent Lott.

That shows that Rove is learning and trying new things for a different outcome.

[hchutch]

Rush Limbaugh's website is reporting that the reporter, Lara Jakes Jordan (married to Jim Jordan, formerly with DSCC and now John Kerry's campaign manager) added (gay) to the comments.

At best this was a mistake by the reporter. But one must wonder if this wasn't intended to be worse, given who she is married to (a Democratic operative).

Here is the transcript of the interview:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2003/04/22/national1737EDT0668.DTL

And here are his comments later on:
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030423/ap_on_go_co/santorum_gays_12

Look at how Santorum was quoted in an EARLIER article:

"If the Supreme Court says that you have the right to consensual (gay) sex within your home, then you have the right to bigamy, you have the right to polygamy, you have the right to incest, you have the right to adultery. You have the right to anything," Santorum said in the interview, published Monday.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030422/ap_on_go_co/democrats_santorum_4

--

The difference between Lott's comments and Santorum's comments is quite simple. Lott was f***ing stupid to say what he said. Santorum was misquoted by a reporter who is married to a Democratic operative running a campaign. It is POSSIBLE that the misquotation was deliberate, but that could be my suspicion of Rat dirty tricks.

[ewing]

What!! Is this really the case..unbelieveable

[MHGinTN]

So who's digging the hole, Sinkspur, Senator Santorum or the apologists for deviancy trying to distract America from the administration's policies and success with this specious assault on the truth Santorum stated?

[TLBSHOW]

Lott was f***ing stupid to say what he said.

excuss me but what was stupid was republicans teaming with the liberal commie rats against Trent.

[mabelkitty]

They are right.

He can handle it himself, and having everyone running around like chickens with their heads cut off only makes us look like we are afraid.

We aren't.

[Cedric]

Following Hootie Johnson's courageous example, this is an opportunity for the "Right" to say, "Trent Lott was the last scalp you're gonna get."

[RAT Patrol]

They just thanked me for calling.