This morning Atrios linked to these excerpts from Rick Santorum's new book, It Takes a Family: Conservatism and the Common Good:

"In far too many families with young children, both parents are working, when, if they really took an honest look at the budget, they might confess that both of them really don’t need to, or at least may not need to work as much as they do... And for some parents, the purported need to provide things for their children simply provides a convenient rationalization for pursuing a gratifying career outside the home." (It Takes a Family, 94)

"Many women have told me, and surveys have shown, that they find it easier, more 'professionally' gratifying, and certainly more socially affirming, to work outside the home than to give up their careers to take care of their children. Think about that for a moment... Here, we can thank the influence of radical feminism, one of the core philosophies of the village elders." (It Takes a Family, 95)

I find this really amazing: Santorum's about to run for reelection in a swing state, he's behind in the polls -- and this is what he puts in a book.

These are the most insulting things said about non-"traditional" women by a politician facing reelection since Dan Quayle insulted single mothers in the 1992 Murphy Brown speech. Surely you recall how that turned out.

It's been argued that John Kerry was too much in thrall to the "radical wing" of his party (i.e., Michael Moore), and that's why he lost in 2004. But if Santorum is publishing this as he gears up for a tough campaign, then it's clear he listens to no one who's not on the right these days and he really has no clue how anything he says sounds to people who aren't conservative. Maybe he thinks he, like Bush, will ride a heavy zealot turnout to victory, and thus he doesn't need to tack to the center. Problem is, at least some voters pulled the lever for Bush with reservations, because he was a "war president" and we "shouldn't change horses in midstream." Hate to break it to you, Rick, but nobody thinks you're an indispensable "war senator."