I came across GOP presidential hopeful Rick Santorum’s criticism of GOP frontrunner Rick Perry with regard to Israel. (H/T Katrina Trinko at National Review.) In his typically blunt manner, the former junior Senator from Pennsylvania said of Perry’s position on the Jewish State:

I’ve forgotten more about Israel than Rick Perry knows about Israel. There he is, reading a speech that I’m sure he didn’t write, and has never taken a position on any of this stuff before, and [the media is] taking this guy seriously.

Frankly, this makes Santorum look petty and small. It’s also patently untrue. Perry has been making regular trips to Israel going back to 1991 when he was Texas Agriculture Commissioner. During a 2009 visit, Perry criticized the Obama Administration’s hostility towards Israel stating, “Israel does all the giving and the other side does not reciprocate. What I don’t understand, is this administration’s hesitancy to recognize the sovereignty of Israel.”

Surely Santorum is capable of more substance than what he exhibited today. After all, he gave a stellar performance during the GOP debate in Tampa last week making pointed criticisms of Perry’s heavy handedness with his handling of the HPV vaccine without going all Bachmann on him. Unfortunately for Santorum, his candidacy just isn’t resonating with Republican voters and he is reduced to complaining about the lack of media coverage he’s received. This was put on full display this morning during an interview Santorum did on Fox News with Bill Hemmer. I don’t have a video clip available but Santorum came across as if he was entitled to press coverage. It’s not the sort of thing that makes me want to jump up and donate money or time much less cast a vote for him.

To begin with, Santorum’s personality is sullen and abrasive. Add a touch of Jon Huntsman’s snarkiness and you’ve got one dud of a candidate. With that said, Santorum does have qualities which could serve this country well. Given all the nonsense with the Palestinians bid for statehood at the United Nations, I think Santorum would be a perfect Ambassador to that misguided institution. He would really shake up that place. Hell, he’d make John Bolton look milquetoast. I am sure President Perry would be prepared to let bygones be bygones and see fit to appoint Santorum to this post.