Rick Santorum: ‘There’s no problem between Sarah Palin and me’

Former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) said Thursday he has spoken with former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin within the last 24 hours, dismissing a dust-up between the two over her not appearing at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC).

{mosads}”I’ve had exchanges with Sarah Palin, not for public record,” Santorum told reporters after addressing CPAC attendees Thursday. “There’s no problem between Sarah Palin and me on this issue.”

Earlier this week, Santorum suggested in an interview that Palin was skipping CPAC because of “demands on her time,” while noting that many of them, “have financial benefit attached to them.” Santorum also added that Palin is a mother of five children.  

Santorum has said his remarks were taken out of context, but Palin fired back Wednesday night on Fox News, saying, “I will not call him the knuckle-dragging Neanderthal,” but that others, perhaps Santorum’s wife, may call him that instead.

On Thursday, Santorum declined to say whether he reached out to Palin and was visibly annoyed by the question, telling reporters contact was made “through an intermediary.”