Here is The New York Times:
Rick Santorum, the former Pennsylvania senator and Republican presidential candidate, has been dropped from his role as a CNN political commentator amid controversy over recent remarks in which he seemed to erase the role of Native Americans in U.S. history.
Matt Dornic, head of strategic communications at CNN, confirmed in an email on Saturday that the network had “parted ways” with the former senator.
Mr. Santorum’s departure from CNN came after comments he made about Native Americans at a Young America’s Foundation event last month.
“We birthed a nation from nothing — I mean, there was nothing here,” Mr. Santorum said at the event. “I mean, yes, we have Native Americans, but candidly, there isn’t much Native American culture in American culture.”
Days after the event, Mr. Santorum walked back his comments on CNN’s “Cuomo Prime Time.”
“I misspoke,” Mr. Santorum told the program’s host, Chris Cuomo. “I was talking about the founding of our country. I had given a long talk about the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence and the ideas behind those, and that I was saying we sort of created that anew, if you will. And I was not trying to dismiss Native Americans.”
In a statement on Saturday, Mr. Santorum said: “When I signed on with CNN, I understood that I would be providing commentary that is not regularly heard by the typical CNN viewer. I greatly appreciate the opportunity CNN provided me over the past four years and I am committed to continuing the fight for our conservative principles and values.”
Read the rest here.
People will say that CNN is “cancelling” Santorum. The way I see it, CNN should say that they are firing Santorum for incompetence. He doesn’t understand American history.
In the end, almost all political commentary is grounded in a particular view of American history. I wish more people would see the connection between the validity of a particular piece of political commentary and the history that undergirds such commentary.
