MORE ON SANTORUM

I think Stanley Kurtz really nails it today. Check it out. The conclusion puts it into perspective:

There is something terribly wrong about the way that the Democrats and the press are treating Santorum. As I've argued, much of this stems from partisanship and bad faith. But there is something more. This vexed issue of homosexuality and public policy truly does bring out the worst in our press. The profound ignorance in the mainstream media about conservative arguments on social issues — be these arguments constitutional, sociological, or religious — hamstrings the press's ability to perform its job with even minimal fairness. Above all, it is the secular character of the mainstream media which is blinding . (For more on this, see the extraordinary piece, "Our Secular Democratic Party," by Louis Bolce and Gerald De Maio, in the Fall 2002 issue of The Public Interest.)

Nowadays, it is fashionable for liberals to complain about the rise of the conservative counter-media. Supposedly, the mainstream media does their best to be fair, while the conservative counter-media are free to be partisan. Had the mainstream media honestly opened itself to conservative reporters, as it has to liberals, things might have turned out differently. But so long as the mainstream media keeps producing the sort of partisan and ignorant nonsense it has deployed in its effort to destroy Sen. Santorum, it will deserve all the criticism from conservatives that it gets.

And for the record, Kurtz believes the laws in question should be abolished, just not via Supreme Court fiat. I think he's on good federalist grounds there.

I think people, especially from the right, who have jumped on the anti-Santorum bandwagon need to tread very carefully here. Santorum offered up a legal point that is based on his Catholic faith, a faith shared by millions of Americans. To argue that his faith should have no role in his decision-making on this or any other issue is forcing him to sideline his core beliefs, and for what? How then should he, or anyone else, approach an issue like homosexuality or any other concern that crosses legal, moral and social lines? Should we Christians be forced to ignore our world view, yet not expect the same of people who do not agree with us? It's illogical and unfair to single out Christians in this way. It amounts to creating a tyranny of the minority when it comes to social issues. Given where the Democrats and liberals stand politically right now, it makes sense for them to try and create such a tyranny, but we on the right are fools if we let them.

UPDATE: Hmmmm. Rush has uncovered an interesting angle:

Before you analyze the comments made by Senator Rick Santorum, check your emotions. Too many people out there are waiting to be offended - on all sides of the political spectrum. These people have been manipulated by a misquote fed to them by Laura Jakes Jordan of the Associated Press - who's married to Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry's campaign manager. Did you know that?

This looks like a political hit-job to me.

YET ANOTHER UPDATE: In the comments Henry Hanks pointed me to a Just One Minute blog post about Teresa Heinz Kerry and her laser-beam focus hatred for Santorum (which automatically elevates Santorum in my eyes...) I guess the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy is out to flank Keinz Herry, Heinz Kerry, whatever--Jay Nordlinger's Impromptus column today relates this interesting note:

"Folks, this story is so weird — on so many levels — I think I'll just reprint it, without commentary. I find myself almost mute, stupefied, at the sheer incredibleness of it. [How's that for an intro?]

"'Sen. John Kerry's wife Teresa Heinz is getting a top media handler to help with her image, sources confirmed. [She has recently gone Heinz Kerry, I believe.] [Recall, too, that, at a certain point, Hillary Rodham went Hillary Rodham Clinton — and then just Clinton. I think she's back to the three now.] The Heinz Foundation has hired ex-CNN White House correspondent Chris Black. According to a source, Black had been wooed for months to help "rein in Teresa" in anticipation of Kerry's expected 2004 presidential run. Heinz caused Kerry to fidget and sigh during a June Washington Post interview in which she raged against Sen. Rick Santorum and mimicked Kerry having a Vietnam nightmare. Another source, however, said Black's job is simply to bolster communications for all Heinz philanthropies.'
(emphasis mine)

Why is this relevant? See the first update, above--the reporter who "broke" this story (by inserting the word "gay" into Santorum's answer, thereby changing the meaning) is married to Kerry's campaign manager. There's more to this story than meets the eye, folks.