Obama campaign 'surprised' Santorum 'wouldn't agree' candidates' children are off-limits

The deputy campaign manager for President Obama's reelection bid expressed surprise Wednesday that Rick Santorum would include one of Obama's daughters in an attack on the president.

"I think that children, for candidate purposes, have always been off-limits in presidential campaigns, and really any campaign," said Stephanie Cutter, deputy Obama campaign manager, on Andrea Mitchell's MSNBC show. "I'm surprised that Rick Santorum wouldn't agree with that."

Santorum, who has seven children of his own, on Tuesday criticized Obama for failing to "set an example" by allowing teenage daughter Malia to accompany friends to Mexico for spring break.

"When the government is saying this is not safe, you don't set the example by sending your kids down there," Santorum told conservative Glenn Beck.

Santorum went on to suggest Obama's permission set him "above the law."

Malia's trip to Oaxaca actually does not fall under the State Department’s warning against traveling in Mexico.

Her trip to the Mexican state was considered off-limits by most media outlets, due to a policy of privacy for presidential children.

The White House did confirm that Malia was in Mexico, and safe, following an earthquake on Tuesday.

“We would reiterate our request that the media respect the privacy and security of the Obama children and not report on or photograph the girls when they are not with their parents," White House spokeswoman Kristina Schake told The Hill in an email.

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