Santorum pulls the latest version of the oldest (and cheapest) trick in the speaker’s book

To sum up: Rick Santorum has a speechwriter named Seth Leibsohn but he claims he doesn’t, and in any case, he has declared that any speech read from a teleprompter is inherently disingenuous.

“See, I always believed that when you run for president of the United States, it should be illegal to read off a teleprompter,” Santorum said yesterday (in unscripted remarks). “Because all you’re doing is reading someone else’s words to people.”

He continued: “You’re voting for someone who is going to be the leader of our government,” Santorum said. “It’s important for you to understand who that person is in their own words, see them, look them in the eye … hear what’s (in their) heart.”

Oh, and one more thing. It’s not only not okay to read a speech from a teleprompter, it’s not okay to read a speech at all.

“You’re choosing a leader,” Santorum said. “A leader isn’t just about what’s written on a piece of paper.”

As a default defender of speechwriters, I suppose it’s my responsibility to feign high dudgeon over this. All I can muster—and I’m sure Lorne Christensen and John Barnes, the speechwriters who helped me build this item, will understand—is weary resignation to the idea that speakers will always be literally or symbolically tossing aside their carefully written script to “speak from the heart.” And some feeble-minded members of their audience will be charmed.

Whatever, Rick: Just keep the direct deposit coming. Oh, and when your entirely-unmemorable-except-for-the-gaffe public rambles net you no bounce from your primary victories and convince no one of your point of view who doesn’t already agree with your values—well, don’t come bitching to us. —DM