Santorum on shirtless photo: ‘I apologize...I'm sure that's not a pretty sight'
Daily News ^ | 3-17-12 | Shahid
Posted on Saturday, March 17, 2012 6:02:05 PM by VinL
As if Rick Santorum's campaign trip to Puerto Rico couldn't get any more cringe-worthy.
The Republican presidential candidate is red-faced after a tourist snapped a less-than-flattering photo of him sunbathing poolside on the island.
"I know I probably should lose, 15, 20 pounds, but I'm working on it," Santorum said during a radio interview on the Steve Cochran Show on Friday, after the flabby photo made the rounds.
The picture was first posted by Buzzfeed.
The former Pennsylvania senator said he snuck some sun in during an hour he had to spare between campaign events ahead of Sunday's primary in Puerto Rico.
Santorum said he was simply trying to "catch a few rays," adding, "I didn't know that anyone was taking a picture of us. I apologize to all of those because I'm sure that's not a pretty sight."
The embarrassing photo comes the same week Santorum came under fire for declaring English would have to be Puerto Rico's official language if the U.S. commonwealth wants to become a state.
He later sought to clarify his remarks.
"Obviously Spanish would be the language here," he told reporters in Puerto Rico on Thursday.
"We understand that you know the people of different cultures speak different languages but we have a common language, and that's what I was saying yesterday,” he added.