Last night, Santorum was caught up in a critique of Mitt Romney record on health care and said, “Pick any other Republican in the country. He is the worst Republican in the country to put up against Barack Obama.”

Shortly afterwards, New York Times reporter Jeff Zeleny reported on Twitter that he asked Santorum about the question and got a heated response.

"I ask Santorum if Romney is "worst Republican" to run. He says: “Quit distorting my words It's bulls****." He says he was talking health care," Zelany wrote.

Team Santorum quickly responded early this morning with an email to supporters asking for help to defend him from the "attack" from the liberal press.

Predictably, I was aggressively attacked by a New York Times reporter all too ready to defend the two of them, and all too ready to distort my words. Let me assure you, I didn't back down, and I didn't let him bully me. I think it is high time that conservatives find the courage to expose the liberal press for what they are, a defender and enabler of Romney's and Obama's liberal agendas.

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