Rick Santorum had a heated exchange Sunday night during an interview with a reporter, accusing him of "distorting" the candidate's words.
The incident took place after a speech in Wisconsin where the former Pennsylvania senator reportedly said that Mitt Romney "is the worst Republican in the country to put up against Barack Obama."
"Pick any other Republican in the country," Santorum
said, according to The Associated Press. "He is the worst Republican in the country to put up against Barack Obama."
Santorum was asked by
New York Times reporter Jeff Zeleny whether he really thought that Romney was the "worst Republican" to face Obama. In response, Santorum said that Zeleny was "distorting" his words.
"Quit distorting my words. It's bulls--t," Santorum said.
Santorum said that he was only referring to Romney on the matter of healthcare. Santorum has repeatedly argued that because of the Massachusetts healthcare reform law put in place while Romney was governor, his GOP rival is uniquely incapable of being an effective candidate against President Obama. Santorum charges that the law is too similar to the Obama administration's federal healthcare reform law.
"On the issue of healthcare, yes, that's what I was talking about," Santorum told reporters later on. "ObamaCare, as you heard me say."
On Monday, Santorum attempted to shrug off the exchange.
"If you haven't cursed out a New York Times reporter during the presidential campaign, you aren't a real Republican," Santorum said in an interview with Fox News.
