Rick Santorum has to be the winner of the Worst Politicization Of Nelson Mandela’s Death Award. In a discussion about Republican prospects in 2016, Santorum – a presidential hopeful – was so eager to move off the subject of Mandela’s death a few hours earlier and on to bashing ObamaCare, that he actually likened ObamaCare to apartheid and ObamaCare foes to Mandela. (H/T Raw Story)
The discussion occurred on the December 5th O’Reilly Factor, shortly after Mandela’s death had been announced. O’Reilly tried to argue that just as he was able to admire Mandela despite their vast differences in political ideology, Republicans should put aside their differences and unite against the Democrats in 2014 and 2016. O’Reilly told Santorum:
Nelson Mandela just died. I don’t know whether you’re aware, but 95 years old. Nelson Mandela— I spent some time in South Africa. He was a communist, this man. He was a communist. Alright? But he was a great man anyway. What he did for his people was stunning. The sacrifices that he made! He could have repudiated it, and got out of that prison, he wouldn’t do it. He was a great man. But he was a communist.
But I would never attack Nelson Mandela. I mean, I told Bishop Tutu, “I disagree with you and with Mr. Mandela,” because Tutu’s that way as well, “but I respect you.” So why can’t you guys in the Republican Party bring that to the fore?
O’Reilly’s analogy – comparing his political differences with Mandela to Republican differences among themselves – is more than a little far-fetched. Can there be any doubt that O’Reilly’s magnanimity toward Mandela would almost certainly vanish if he were an American Democrat and/or an American civil rights leader?
So I’ve got some sympathy for Santorum here in having to respond to what was, essentially, nonsense. But Santorum’s reply was far more ludicrous:
Well, Nelson Mandela stood up against a great injustice and was willing to pay a huge price for that. And that’s the reason ...he is mourned today, because of that struggle that he performed. But you’re right, I mean, what he was advocating for was not necessarily the right answer, but he was fighting against some, some great injustice. And I would make the argument, that we have a great injustice going on right now in this country, with an ever-increasing size of government that is taking over and controlling people’s lives, and Obamacare is front-and-center in that.
And I agree with (you that) the center focus of the 2014 election must be Obamacare and all of its aspects. And the cool thing about Obamacare is it’s not only bad for the economy, bad for people’s health, it’s also bad for freedom of conscience. It’s also bad on a whole variety of issues that will energize all across America.
The “cool thing” about ObamaCare is how bad it is? Does Santorum think that Mandela thought apartheid was cool because it advanced his political career? Or does Santorum vew all public policy first and foremost through the prism of his own fortunes?
No shock coming from the guy who once compared displaying his campaign bumper sticker to military service in Iraq.
“And I agree with (you that) the center focus of the 2014 election must be Obamacare and all of its aspects.”
Really, Ricky?
I thought, for you neoKKKon teabagging wingnuts, the center focus of the 2014 election was going to be BENGHAZI
.
Come back on Father Morris. We need you to refute the new pope’s words.
If he had any common sense at all, he’d renew his career as an altar boy, maybe serving homophobic Timothy “Chuckles the inflatable Cardinal” Dolan.
Or he could be a speechwriter for right wing Catholic attack dog Donahue, penning rants on why no woman should be allowed an abortion under any circumstances.
Play it over and over again until all the masses memorizes it verbatim.
