Washington, (CNN): Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum is clarifying â but not stepping back from â surprising comments this weekend in support of former Olympian Bruce Jennerâs decision to come out as a transgender woman.
âIf he says heâs a woman, then heâs a woman,â Santorum told BuzzFeed during a roundtable discussion in South Carolina on Saturday.
Santorum continued: âMy responsibility as a human being is to love and accept everybody. Not to criticize people for who they are.â
The potential Republican presidential contender said while he believes itâs fine to criticize people âfor their behaviorâŠas far as for who they are, you have to respect everybody.â
Say WHAT?!? This is from the mouth of Rick Santorum?!? Has he been reborn on transgender issues? Found God about gays? Dropped the LBGT demagoguery? Has Rick Santorum seen the light?!?
Donât be so sure.
Letâs parse this construction a bit, shall we?
âIf he says heâs a womanâŠâ Not exactly a vote of confidence, there, is it? Itâs a step away from âIf you say soâŠâ A subtle affirmation that still leaves a whole bunch of doubt and also raises questions about Bruce Jennerâs integrity. Nice.
The real tell for me is, ââŠitâs fine to criticize people âfor their behaviorâŠââ Let us never forget that Rick Santorum is the man who said this:
Documentary film maker Kristina Lapinski attended Thursday nightâs Granite State Patriots Liberty PAC candidates forum in New Hampshire and asked Rick Santorum how he would react if she â a lesbian â were his daughter. The former Pennsylvania senator said he would love her, before claiming, âlike anything in life, it is your choiceâ:
âWhat would you do if I was your daughter?â
Santorum smiled, âI would love you!â
âWould you want me to get married and have a family?â asked Lapinski.
âOnly if it were with a man.â
âBut I am not attracted to men,â Lapinski retorted.
âBut it is your choice,â Santorum insisted.
âRick, it is not my choice!â Lapinski argued.
He continued with great authority: âLike anything in life, it is a choice. You may feel this is the way that it is supposed to be; you make decisions in life, and you choose what is right.â
Unless Santorum has changed his belief that homosexual behavior is a choice â and there is no indication of that â then Iâm not buying any newfound benevolence toward the LGBT community. Santorumâs Jesus has not been very compassionate toward gays, so why should He be compassionate toward a transgender? Intent tells. And as weâve seen over and over, Rick Santorumâs intention is to keep the gays away.