Al Sharpton: ‘Nice Guy’ Rick Santorum’s ‘Scary’ Views May Cause Him To Lose His Luster

On Wednesday’s Morning Joe, fellow MSNBC host Al Sharpton came on to discuss the latest twist in the Republican primary race. According to a new poll, Rick Santorum leads Mitt Romney, 36% to 29%. If his new “Rombo” ad is any indication, Santorum is feeling pretty good about himself.

Relative to his opponents, Sharpton remarked that Santorum’s biggest strength is that he is authentic. He is “not playing the regular guy, he is the regular guy.” Sharpton went on to say that the GOP hopeful’s biggest weakness, however, is his extreme, “way to the right,” stance on social issues, including contraception and gay marriage.

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Especially with the recent health care debacle, Sharpton said the Republicans were wrong to turn the debate away from religious freedom and into a fight about contraception. Though host Joe Scarborough argued the president highlighted the birth control issue, Sharpton argued the Republicans “played into it.” At some point, he said, “you have to let it go.”

This is the kind of extreme take on issues that Sharpton said will cause problems for Santorum. He went on to add:

Then you make it easier for the other side. I think that’s the danger with Santorum. When we get by the nice guy and deal with the issues, does what he represent become so scary to people that he loses his luster?

Watch, via MSNBC:

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