Rick Santorum almost calls Obama the N word...

[TheatreDiva90016]

Wow...

He really needs to step away from the mic...
Linky Poo

[StockardFan]

Hmmmmmmmmm............

[SNAFU]

neophyte, he was gonna say Neophyte I tell you!

[Reginald Tresilian]

Nobody loathes this man more than me, but I have to say it actually sounds to me like "anti-war govenment-nik." Like he was trying to make a "peacenik" type compound word and realized it made no sense (hence his stumble afterward).

[FindingNamo]

"Don't Re-Nik! 2012"

[themysteriousgrowl]

I'm pretty far left, but I'm no knee-jerk reactionary.

And if I may flaunt my subjective credentials for a bit, I listen for a living. I spend 12 hours a day listening to videos, many of them much like this one, and trying to make sense of them. I've got a pretty reasonably trained ear.

I listened to this thing about 30 times, and I'm not hearing "-nik." There's no hard "k" sound there.

I've no idea where he thinks he was headed -- and I can't believe even Rick Santorum is stupidly unguarded to make the mistake people are spectulating on -- but I can totally understand why this is going viral and people are asking the question. It sounds TERRIBLE.

[Reginald Tresilian]

I don't know if it's the power of persuasion, but it does sound more like a "g" to me now. (I'm also listening on a different set of speakers.)

God knows I have no interest in defending this man. It's just so hard to believe.

[FindingNamo]

He's probably got that OCD thing where he thinks, "People probably think I am a horrible racist and are expecting I say awful things like 'nigger,' and OH MY GOD I BETTER NOT ACCIDENTALLY SAY THAT..." et voila!

[ChildrenwillListen]

I would probably call him that to his face. Or something else

[FindingNamo]

I do wish you would.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Namo,

I bet someone was telling him a joke before hand, and used the word in the joke.

I hate it when someone sings you made up lyrics to your solo and then you go out on stage and it comes out of your mouth.

[henrikegerman]

We will never know. I wouldn't put it past him. What I find most damning about it is the way he stopped himself.

But the fact is this is far from making a conclusive or convincing case that that is what he was about to say.

I think those of us on the left have to be very careful not to engage in drawing the kinds of unfair and or unpersuasive conclusions that those on the right bombard us with every day.

That's not only sinking to their level, but it has the unfortunate result of making them look better, fairer and smarter (than us and also than they are) when they fire back and say - quite rationally - that we are being unfair and unpersuasive.

[PalJoey]

For the life of me, I can't figure out what the hell he thought he was going to say.

"Anti-war government-nik" makes as much sense as anything.

I say it's a sudden case of Tourette's.

[Wilmingtom]

Surprise, surprise. And all this time I though Santorum was tolerant.

[MTVMANN]

And then there's the guy who thinks the Russians are our biggest enemy...

[Kad]

So between the two candidates, we've got all the worst aspects of the 50s covered. How retro!

[MTVMANN]

No kidding...what's the hottest issue right now? Birth Control!!!

[Jon]

To me, it sounds like "anti-war government Ninja".

Yeah, that makes sense!

[JoeKv99]

Apparently, in some circles, the term "Government N*gga" refers to a black person who has no means of support other than welfare, food stamps, etc. I myself have never heard this appellation, but that is what folks are saying.

I personally, describe that type of lifestyle as "Living off the government tittie."

[Reginald Tresilian]

Someone else suggests--then shoots down--the "-nik" possibility.
Link

[TheatreDiva90016]

Someone needs to get a few drinks in him and then let him do the speech again. I'm sure it will come out then.