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Rick Santorum Confused by U.S. Constitution, Gays; No One Surprised

By Sarah Carlson | Videos | July 23, 2015 |

By Sarah Carlson | Videos | July 23, 2015 |


Not a lot of conservatives stop by Rachel Maddow’s MSNBC for a chat, so when Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum agreed to talk with her, she seemed downright giddy.

Actual footage of Maddow learning she’d booked him:

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And who could blame her? She got the chance to ask him whatever she wanted — all while being polite, as she always is — and most pointedly, she asked: “Do you believe people choose to be gay?”

The former U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania did his best to dodge giving a direct answer, saying he doesn’t know the answer. First, he talked about how the U.S. Congress has the right to decide what’s constitutional and that the Supreme Court is “not the superior branch of government.” “It’s clear from our founding documents, that the Congress has a right to way what’s constitutional,” he said. “The president has a right to say what’s constitutional. The president has a right to say what’s constitutional. And that’s part of the dynamic called checks and balances.”

Actual footage of viewers watching/listening to this:

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“You’re fundamentally wrong on civics,” Maddow replied. “If there’s a question as to the constitutionality of a law, it gets adjudicated. And the second syllable of that word means it gets decided in the judiciary — the Supreme Court decides whether or not a law is constitutional.”

He argued back, saying Congress passes laws, to which she replied (paraphrasing), No kidding, but then the law would end up before the court and it would be struck down because that’s how this works for the love of all that is holy how is this happening? To which he replied (paraphrasing), Whatevs, if I were president, I’d try and get a completely new roster of judges who would agree with me so there! OK then. Vote Santorum!

They go back to discussing gay rights, and after he says he knows “people who have lived the gay lifestyle and no longer live it,” she gets him to say he regrets controversial “man on dog” remarks he made in a 2003 interview discussing homosexuality.

You … you just have to watch it to believe it.

I hope he doesn’t regret going on her show. I hope he stops by again. I hope beyond hopes Donald Trump comes calling, too.

Actual footage of me watching the GOP primary, the best theatre around:

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Sarah Carlson is Television Editor for Pajiba. You can find her on Twitter.