Local columnist goes after Santorum for using his kids in ad

[PA Democrat]

The column is fashioned as a letter to Allegheny County's Office of Children, Youth and Families questioning child labor practices of the "exceptionally smug Republican U.S. senator from Pennsylvania."

<snip>

The ad opens with Johnny "Damian" Santorum telling a big lie: "My dad's opponents have criticized him for moving us to Washington so we could be with him more."

Johnny's disingenuous characterization is followed by Daniel "The Hammer" Santorum's glib summary of the Penn Hills cyber school kerfuffle: "And they criticized us for attending a Pennsylvania public school over the Internet."

Oh, out of the mouths of babes came two big lies. Never mind that the criticism Johnny alluded to wasn't about Mr. Santorum's "family values," but his willingness to saddle the taxpayers of Pennsylvania with the cost of educating his kids when they now live in Virginia.

Elizabeth "Gingham Dress" Santorum chimes in with a complete non-sequitur:
"And he votes in Washington almost 40 weeks some years. And when he's not voting ..." Peter "Mad Lisp" Santorum finishes his big sister's sentence: "... Dad's traveling all across Pennsylvania, 67 counties." Patrick "The Lego King" Santorum shrieks "that's a lot," though it sounds like he said "that's a lie."

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06258/722043-153.stm

[MADem]

1. Heh, heh...this guy is friken BRUTAL!!!!!

It's a remarkable performance for allegedly "apolitical" children who, in all likelihood, were probably coerced with threats of withheld porridge and other necessities, just like in a Dickens novel.

Still, the question remains given the level of taunting his children would be exposed to: What possessed Mr. Santorum to drag six of his 15 kids into the already heated Senate battle with Bob Casey Jr.?

Does Mr. Santorum have any concept of how much shame his kids will feel once they're exposed to people and opinions outside the Santorum compound?

And where are the other members of the senator's tiresome brood, especially Beauregard Santorum, Little Festus, Ishmael Lee and Baby Lucretia? Will they appear in commercials as Election Day draws near and the attack ads take an even darker tone?.........

[RedStateShame]

2. Of course Santorum's kids will shill his re-election campaign...

...you think they want to have to look for work?

[AlinPA]

3. Some LTTEs in the same issue critical of Santorum's use of kids in ads.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06258/722016-110.stm

[MountainLaurel]

4. Anytime someone uses their family to advertise

I'm immediately suspicious, because it means they're not talking about the issues. (Also, I had a personal experience with such a "family values" candidate who asked my best friend to go home with him after he bought her a beer or two.)

[RB TexLa]

5. I've never seen a reason for kids or spouses to be in an political ad

Is there anyone who looks at the ones who put pictures of their children on ads and say "oh, he or she raises children, that makes them more qualified for the office."

[MountainLaurel]

6. Alas, some would

Probably not the sort of folks who would be voting for our candidates anyway, but this country is full of people who wonder what's wrong with a grown adult who hasn't married or procreated.