Santorum: Biden played ‘race card’ with ‘chains’ remark

Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum (R) accused Vice President Joe Biden of playing the “race card” during a speech last week where he told a mixed-race audience GOP economic policies would “put y’all back in chains.”

“I mean, ‘y'all’ is ‘y'all,’” said Santorum on CNN’s “State of the Union,” questioning Biden’s language. 

“It is very easy when you are in a group of people that, you know, when you are in a south or in up in different areas of the country and different groups of people, and you develop an affinity with the group that you are speaking in front of,” he continued. “He was trying to develop that affinity and he did so in a very horrendous way.”

Santorum said Biden should apologize but noted that the tone of Biden’s remarks was “exactly the tone of this campaign.”

Santorum, a one-time GOP hopeful, fought a bitter fight against Romney in the primaries, before exiting the race and eventually endorsing the presumptive party nominee.  

On Sunday, Santorum, who himself was once the target of sharp attacks from Team Romney, came to the defense of his former rival when asked if Romney was unfairly complaining about negative attacks.

“I don't get the sense that Gov. Romney is complaining about negative attacks, I think he will tell you as much as anyone else, I mean, you are in a political race and you are going to take your blows, you're going to go after each other, and that's all fair game,” said Santorum. “I think what's he's talking about is the tone of the Obama campaign, which is divisive.”

Santorum is scheduled to speak at the GOP convention in Tampa, Fla. later this month.

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