Geeze, here I go ranting about the press sleeping through the right-wing coup, and Will already has this pointed deconstruction of the New York Times Magazine love letter to Rick Santorum.
From the article:
Santorum’s energy, intelligence and self-confidence — he is a man of convictions, not doubts — all serve to enhance his power. His leadership position puts him in charge of ”message.” Lately he has been talking about issues of poverty, and the initiatives he put forward in March, bundled in the Senate Republican Poverty Alleviation Agenda (tax breaks to increase giving to faith-based and community charities; a ”level playing field” for faith-based groups; programs to promote fatherhood, strengthen families and mentor children of inmates), were consistent with his conservative values.
That’s simply not how it is — Rick Santorum doesn’t care about poor people. The article is forced much lower down to mention the seeming contradiction that this self-styled poverty fighter pushed for a measure that would raise the minimum wage by $1 less than a Democratic plan, while changing overtime rules and exempting small businesses, all to the detriment of nickeled-and-dimed low-wage workers.
It doesn’t mention at all that Santorum fought to exempt restaurant workers from a minimum wage hike — just days before Outback Steakhouses hosted a fundraiser on his behalf.
Now, why doesn’t Will have a national column?
Does he shout at people and call them names? I’ve noticed that people who shout at others and call them names often have nationally syndicated columns. Apparently it helps.
I once heard Santorum on TV slip and use the word ‘poor.’ He immediately corrected himself: ‘persons of low income.’
Some Catholic.