Sarah Palin Strikes Back At 'Neanderthal' Rick Santorum (VIDEO)

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin took a minute Wednesday to counter an earlier claim by Rick Santorum that she might be skipping the annual Conservative Political Action Conference this week because she had more lucrative options on the table.

While she prefaced her comments with the disclaimer that earlier reports about the former Pennsylvania senator's statement may have been slightly overblown, as Santorum himself contended, that didn't stop Palin from getting in a jab. The former vice-presidential candidate said she wouldn't call Santorum "the knuckle-dragging neanderthal that perhaps others would want to call him, I'll let his wife call him that."

Palin also appeared to take issue with Santorum's suggestion that her parenting duties might have kept her from attending the conservative conference.

"Just because I'm a mom, that does not mean that I didn't want to be there," Palin said in an interview with Fox News's Sean Hannity. "I'm the proud mother of five. My kids don't hold me back from attending a conference."

On Wednesday, Santorum called the story about his comments "garbage" that was making "something out of nothing." According to Politico, he made similar attempts to resolve to situation in an interview with Fox News's Greta Van Susteren later that evening.

"She has family obligations. It is halfway around the country. There's nothing more to it than that," Santorum said. "I know she has obligations to do other things outside of the work she does at Fox. I said I assume she has other things to do."

WATCH via Politico:

Comments

[Elizabeth Anderson]

10:04 PM on 03/13/2011

I think that people who have 5 kids shouldn't be running around the country chasing $$, and picking fights

[RebeccaFransway]

02:38 AM on 02/19/2011

She just can't let a perceived slight go, can she? She doesn't even have the character to keep her issues straight!

[Roxee]

10:54 AM on 02/14/2011

That's very interesting. Knuckle-dragging neanderthals are one of the steps we have travelled through on our way to being the advanced primates we are today. I didn't know Mrs Palin was a supporter of evolution. Welcome to our side Sarah.

[David Wilson]

11:25 AM on 02/13/2011

It's going to be entertaining watching the GOP, Tea Party and far right eat itself this election cycle.

[drcrank]

10:50 AM on 02/13/2011

Alternate headline: "Palin's Sharp Tongue Whips Santorum Into Froth"

[cmdr hlamb]

09:03 AM on 02/13/2011

if this lady didnt have someone to "go after" her life would have no meaning.....

[baileywick]

04:49 PM on 02/18/2011

Bingo.

[DickClark]

08:23 AM on 02/13/2011

....Conservative cannabilism continues..........I love it!!!

[trainer3]

04:59 AM on 02/13/2011

Uncle Zeke didn't think Aunt Patty would be at the barn dance because it was a 7 mile walk and 'she had her milkin' chores to do.' Aunt Patty told Elder Hezekiah the gossip was unfair, she had always worked twice as hard at chores the day of the dance and pretty soon, there was a meeting where they dunked old Zeke till he was a soakin'.

[onwisconsin]

01:19 AM on 02/13/2011

Wait! Sarah Palin doesn't believe in Neanderthals. To do so would be to admit the earth was older than she thinks it is.

See, there were these 6 days 6,000 years ago...

[David Speakman]

12:51 AM on 02/13/2011

I sense the 2012 GOP ticket right here.

[nkurland]

12:24 AM on 02/13/2011

So Santorum's a "neanderthal" and Palin's a pit bull. Santorum's a bigoted ignoramus whose quick to judge and Palin feels qualified to comment on everything. Today's GOP is truly a ship of fools.

[feed the enemy]

10:39 PM on 02/12/2011

Don't worry, Sarah. No one thinks you would let family matters get in the way of your self promotion.

[TomUpton]

01:59 AM on 02/13/2011

Funny, I like it. It's True!

[justobserve]

10:38 PM on 02/12/2011

People just said something and Palin had to respond with her very own blood libel. That's Palin's personality, she can't help it!

[dragonladywaltham]

10:38 PM on 02/12/2011

Bring out the pop corn. This is fun to watch!

[btbthomson]

09:50 PM on 02/12/2011

Well, seems pretty apparent, Santorum has gone and done a blood libel. Bloodshot eyeball? Clanging Cowbell - Molotov Cocktail - whatever - he did something and Palin has thankfully pointed out he pals around with terrorists.