Another Day, Another Chance For Santorum To Distance Himself From Bush

[JABBS]

In his latest step to distance himself from the Bush Administration, Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) said Saturday that he doesn't believe "intelligent design" belongs in the science classroom.

Speaking at Geneva College in Pennsylvania, Santorum said that while intelligent design -- the faith-driven belief that a higher power, rather than evolution, best explains the complexity of life on Earth -- is a "legitimate issue," that "science leads you where it leads you."

It's a shift from a position Santorum took several years ago, when, in a Washington Times editorial, he wrote that intelligent design is a "legitimate scientific theory that should be taught in the classroom."

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As JABBS noted just a few days ago, Santorum this fall made a noticeable effort to distance himself from President Bush, including on Friday, when he was too busy to attend Bush's Veterans Day speech in Tobyhanna, Pa. Instead, Santorum said the war has been "less than optimal" and "maybe some blame could be laid" at the White House.

Santorum, a Senate leader in helping pass Bush's first-term agenda, has made his move as Bush's popularity tanks to new lows. Meanwhile, Santorum continues to trail Democrat Bob Casey Jr. by a wide margin in his run for re-election next year.

But with "intelligent design," Santorum may be reacting to something else.

A federal trial just wrapped up in which eight families sued Dover Area School District in eastern Pennsylvania. The district's school board members tried to introduce teaching intelligent design into the classroom, but the families said the policy violated the constitutional separation of church and state.

No ruling has been issued on the trial, but Tuesday, all eight Dover School Board members up for re-election were ousted by voters.

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This item first appeared at Journalists Against Bush's B.S.

[IkeWarnedUs]

1. all together now . . .

"Rick Santorum is a flip-flopper!"

[yellowcanine]

2. All Ricky has to do is look in the mirror and he knows ID is a joke so he

gets no kudos from me for stating the obvious.

[cliss]

3. This is SO funny -

Bush should INSIST that he will help Rick Sanitarium with his re-election campaign. Bush should ask Rove and other analysts to help with the planning and strategy.

At campaign speeches, Bush should come along, wrap his arm around Sanitorum, and smile at the audience.

After all, that's what friends are for.