Quote Originally Posted by RadiomanATL View Post
So basically Santorum made up the meaning in what Kennedy was trying to say and called it a paraphrase as a thin veil of an excuse for totally changing the meaning?

And all of Santorum's posturing ignores completely the context of what was going on at the time in the nation and in Kennedy's campaign. As one of the first (actual first?) catholics running for POTUS, Kennedy was facing a whispering campaign against him. People were saying that the office of POTUS would wind up being just an extension of the Vatican...papists were going to take over our government, etc.

By saying what he did, Kennedy was attempting to say "Yes, I am catholic, but my personal beliefs should not and will not take precedence over the law of the land and the duty of upholding the constitution". In effect, a wall between the government, and (his) church.

Also, if Santorum is all about saying that Kennedy's thoughts on the subject were wrong I wonder what he would have to say about these other people and the views that they had which mirrors Kennedy's.
Those are different from what Santorum's paraphrase of Kennedy. Kennedy, apparently, would take no advice from someone of faith which is completely different than the church/state separation. Perhaps the actual words of Kennedy would be helpful here because your paraphrase is different.