Rick Santorum says he wasn't criticizing President Obama's faith when he said the President has a "phony theology". Obama political adviser Robert Gibbs called it an attack on the president's "character and faith." Judge for yourself: Santorum said “It’s about some phony ideal, some phony theology. Oh, not a theology based on the Bible, a different theology. But no less a theology.” We've asked the question before, but we'll ask it again: Why do Republicans treat President Obama with such disrespect?
Santorum also said that the federal government should have no role in public education. Folks, this is a guy who's far to the right of the far right of the Republican party.
Meanwhile Mitt Romney has clawed back to within four points against Santorum in Romney's home state of Michigan, 37% to 33%, in a new PPP poll. And Romney's still haunted by his op-ed from 2008 titled "Let Detroit Go Bankrupt." If Santorum wins Michigan, that op-ed will be a prime reason.
And if Santorum wins Michigan, expect the Republican establishment to really start calling for someone - anyone - other than the current field of candidates. Politico takes a look at the likelihood of various scenarios - from a late-entry into the race to a brokered or contested convention in Tampa.
And with everything else seemingly going his way, President Obama has one bit of bad news to contend with: The rising cost of gasoline. How politically vulnerable do higher gas prices make President Obama?