CNN's John Berman didn't mince words with Rick Santorum this morning.
"The president said hours before the relationship with Russia has been bad because of the U.S. The Rick Santorum that I know would find that deplorable, would demolish him for saying that on foreign soil," he said.
"I would agree that the relationship with Russia has been bad, but not because of -- well, look, the United States under Barack Obama let Russia get away with --" Santorum said.
"Look, I understand, we were certainly not tough. I love, I'm encouraged that President Trump's activities with respect to Russia are bringing Democrats and Republicans together like we have not seen before under Russia. For a long long time, Democrats were close to where Donald Trump was with Russia than where Republicans have been."
(Tell me more about the hard line against Russia by the Republicans in Congress, Rick. I must have missed it!)
"So I'm encouraged by the hard line talk," he continued. "I think it deserves to be hard line. I never would have countenanced a statement from an American president like the one that Donald Trump made, but we have an opportunity here with President Trump to do some things they think are very positive. Why? Unlike prior presidents, there is a national security team that is hard line."
"They will not be in the room for the first 90 minutes. and we believe two interpreters. Based on this statement, blaming America, running down the United States of America for Russian policy going in, do you trust the president alone with Vladimir Putin will carry out the policies that you're advocating?" Berman said.
"No, I don't trust that he will," Santorum said.
"I think the president will do what he tried to do with the North Korean leader. What he tried to do with other enemies of the United States, which is somehow, this interpersonal skills, you saw the same thing with China, using interpersonal skills to try to develop a relationship so things can be reset."
In other words, we don't trust him to do the right thing, we'll give him an E for effort, it won't work, but at least he's not a black Democrat. Right?
