Rick Santorum's robocall to Democrats: A 'dirty trick'?

The Romney camp is outraged that Santorum is trying to win Michigan by getting Democrats to vote in the Republican primary

Conservative Rick Santorum's campaign is robo-calling Michigan Democrats with a message that is "supported by hardworking Democratic men and women, and paid for by Rick Santorum."
(Image credit: Bloomberg News photo by Scott Eells)

Mitt Romney is accusing Rick Santorum of using "dirty tricks" in Michigan by making robocalls to Democrats urging them to vote for Santorum in Tuesday's too-close-to-call Republican primary. "Romney supported the bailouts for his Wall Street billionaire buddies, but opposed the auto bailouts," the automated call says. So "join Democrats who are going to send a loud message to Massachusetts Mitt Romney by voting for Rick Santorum for president." The kicker? "This call is supported by hardworking Democratic men and women, and paid for by Rick Santorum." The rules do allow any voter to cast a ballot in the GOP contest, and Santorum's campaign says the automated phone calls simply reach out to Reagan Democrats. Is this smart politics, a little sleazy, or both?

Santorum is simply doing what it takes to win: Romney should stop whining, says Michelle Malkin at her blog. Santorum is just "fighting for every vote — as any candidate intent on winning should." Romney insists these robocalls are a "new low," but he has admitted to casting his own ballots for weak Democrats in past primaries to help Republicans. Romney has based his campaign on the argument that he's "best equipped to appeal to the very Reagan Democrats" Santorum is wooing. Let him prove it.

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