Santorum says only woman he ever sat on a couch with was his wife

Roz Helderman of The Washington Post reports from the campaign trail in South Carolina today that former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum told a Spartanburg crowd that the only woman he’s ever sat on a couch with is his wife — a not-so-subtle dig at former House speaker Newt Gingrich, who appeared seated next to Democrat Nancy Pelosi in a 2008 ad urging action on climate change.

“The new line drew hoots of laughter from a crowd gathered at the Beacon Drive-In barbecue joint, as Santorum stepped up efforts to paint both Gingrich and front-runner former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney as willing to sell out conservative caucuses to fit popular opinion,” Helderman wrote.

“He cited the 2008 Wall Street bailout plan, backed by leaders in both parties including Romney and Gingrich; Santorum was opposed.

“Judgment matters,” Santorum said. “When the winds are blowing, what we’ve seen with Romney and Gingrich is that they put their sails up and they go. I tack against the wind. I stand up for the values that I know are true.”

Just two weeks ago, Gingrich was nearly bragging about what a good friendship he and Santorum have shared for many years. Now the former House speaker is borrowing from the Democrats (again) to repeatedly level one of the most damaging criticisms of Santorum: He lost his 2006 Senate race by the largest margin in Pennsylvania history among incumbents.

 Now, Santorum is hammering Gingrich for his “hubris — and I might even go so far as to say arrogance” in publicly urging the former senator (and, at this point, probably a former friend) to get out of the race.

You can read the entire story here.