Santorum Blasts Politico's Palin Coverage

The lead-up to the Republican campaign for president next year is getting testy. Former GOP Sen. Rick Santorum, a likely candidate in that campaign, is taking Politico news service to task for a story it published with negative comments by him about fellow potential candidate Sarah Palin.

At issue is Santorum’s response to questions asked by S.E. Cupp, a conservative commentator who hosts an online radio show on Glenn Beck’s website. Cupp asked Santorum about Palin’s decision not to speak at CPAC (the Conservative Political Action Conference) this weekend.

Santorum responded that the former Alaska governor has “other business opportunities” occupying her schedule, Politico reports.

“I have a feeling she has some demands on her time, and a lot of them have financial benefit attached to them, so I'm sure that she's doing what's best for her and her family,” he said.

Asked whether he would have turned down a CPAC speaking role, Santorum said, “No, I wouldn't have turned it down, but I don't live in Alaska, right, and I'm not the mother to all these kids, and I don't have other responsibilities like she has.”

Santorum launched his attack on Politico via Twitter. “This article is garbage,” he tweeted, linking to the Politico story. “All I said was- she is VERY busy, PERIOD. Reporter trying to create something out of nothing.”

Palin and her staffers haven’t yet responded to Santorum, but some of her allies are firing back. “Some say Santorum *wasn't* smearing Palin? His message that Palin is opportunistic & not serious is clear & patronizing in print & audio,” conservative radio host Tammy Bruce writes on Twitter.

“Truly peeps, what part of 'she makes decisions based on $$'’ & ‘she's a mom so she can't do serious things' isn't a smear? Hmm. ... Make note: The ‘All she wants is money’ & attacks on her motherhood are the new line against Palin. It's patronizing crap, nothing less."

Palin has turned down every invitation to speak at CPAC, reportedly because of a spat with David Keene, president of the American Conservative Union, which sponsors the event.

CPAC begins Thursday in Washington, D.C, and is slated to include appearances by potential presidential candidates Santorum, Michele Bachman, Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney, Mitch Daniels, Tim Pawlenty, Rick Perry, Haley Barbour and John Bolton.