Could you imagine a Democrat making this claim, instead of a Republican presidential contender?

Now comes presidential candidate and “enhanced interrogation” supporter Rick Santorum arguing on Hugh Hewitt’s radio show that McCain simply “doesn’t understand how enhanced interrogation works.” Yes, he’s talking about the same John McCain who, in his five and a half years as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam, was interrogated during a program of beatings and torture.

Here’s the full context of what Santorum said (via Salon):

HH: Now your former colleague, John McCain, said look, there’s no record, there’s no evidence here that these methods actually led to the capture or the killing of bin Laden. Do you disagree with that? Or do you think he’s got an argument?

RS: I don’t, everything I’ve read shows that we would not have gotten this information as to who this man was if it had not been gotten information from people who were subject to enhanced interrogation. And so this idea that we didn’t ask that question while Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was being waterboarded, he doesn’t understand how enhanced interrogation works. I mean, you break somebody, and after they’re broken, they become cooperative. And that’s when we got this information. And one thing led to another, and led to another, and that’s how we ended up with bin Laden.

Let’s put aside the fact that McCain knows torture better than anyone in this country after his five year ordeal as a POW. Forget that first hand experience of being the receiver of torture. Instead let’s look at John McCain the Senator. He has served on the Armed Services Committee forever and is the ranking member. Santorum never served on any military or intelligence committees. That means McCain is privy to far more information on America’s torture policy than Santorum ever was. McCain has more insight into our policies and the outcome of them then Rick Santorum can even dream of.

But back to the original point. If a Democrat had made this claim, the media and right wing blogs would be in a frenzy. Since it was a Republican, who gave one of the most low-blow blasts to an American veteran, we hear crickets from the media and right. Memeorandum is a perfect indicator of that. No right wing blogs even took time to mention this. I wouldn’t be shocked if they start claiming that the left’s support of McCain on this horrible insult isn’t proof that McCain is a RINO.

I just wonder what we would hear if someone on the left claimed that Santorum doesn’t know what it’s like to lose a baby.