Santorum Backer Offers ‘Stupid Joke’

Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum responded on Thursday night to comments made by one of his biggest supporters, Foster Friess, about women holding their legs together as a means of contraception. In an interview on Fox News, Santorum also said he morally disagrees with the use of contraception. In the interview with Fox’s Greta Van Susteren, Santorum defended Foster Friess, who is a major financial backer and has donated at least $330,000 to the super PAC supporting Santorum’s campaign. He said Friess is “a very good man.” Friess said contraception is inexpensive because back in the day girls would keep their legs tightly shut. “The gals put it between their knees, and it wasn’t that costly,” Friess said in an interview with MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell .  When pressed, Santorum told Van Susteren that Friess made “a stupid joke” and that it does not “reflect on the campaign or me”/ Leigh Ann Caldwell , CBS News. More here. (SR file photo: Santorum meets press during Coeur d’Alene stop this week)

Question: Are candidates responsible for controversial things said by financial backers?