Daily Santorum 4/13/11

With the buzz building for a potential exploratory committee announcement tonight by Senator Rick, the media Powers That Be seem to be somewhat dismissive of a Santorum bid. New York Times blogger Nate Silver says Santorum's run doesn't fit any category and calls it "odd." Washington Post columnist (and former P-G intern) Dana Milbank today dubs him: "Rick Santorum (R-Fugheddaboudit)."

National Journal's Alex Roarty, who knows a thing or two about Pennsylvania politics from his time at PoliticsPA, says in a video piece (sweet blazer, Alex) that Santorum is a "fringe candidate" mostly known for his social views, but shrewdly notes "If there’s a place where social issues still trump economic issues, it might be in Iowa."

For the most colorful Santorum-related quote of the day, though, we go to Alan "310 Million Tits" Simpson, the former Republican senator and co-chair of President Obama's fiscal commission. On MSNBC, Simpson had some less than kind things to say about the Republican presidential field and Santorum in particular. The way Simpson sees it, the candidates should leave social issues out of it.

"Then you've got homosexuality," he continued. "You've got 'don't ask, don't tell.' We have homophobes in our party. That's disgusting to me. We're all human beings, we're all God's children. Now if they're going to get off in that stuff -- Santorum has said some cruel things, cruel, cruel things about homosexuals. Ask him about it. See if he attributes the cruelness of his remarks years ago. Foul."

Simpson added that "I'm not sticking with people who are homophobic, anti-women, you know, moral values while you're diddling your secretary, while you're giving a speech on moral values. Come on, get off of it."

Schedule: Santorum is "On the Record with Greta van Susteren" tonight, then back to New Hampshire on Thursday for trip No. 14.

Polling: In addition to his Greenville, S.C. straw poll win over the weekend, Santorum also topped the field at the Pacific Homeschool SuperConference, garnering 28 percent of the vote.