On CNN’s Starting Point Thursday, John McCain kindly knocked Rick Santorum for going after earmarks while in Congress:
I respect all of the candidates. And I respect their willingness to run. It is very tough to do that. It is a grind that is hard to describe unless you have been part of it. I respect Senator Santorum. He and I had very strong differences on earmarking and pork barrel spending. I believe that earmarking is a gateway drug to corruption. Senator Santorum supported it and engaged in it as much as he possibly could. I strongly disagreed with it. That was a fundamental difference we had in the Senate. But I still respect him.