Va. Gov. Defends Women in Combat

Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, father of a female soldier who served in Iraq, does not share Rick Santorum’s concerns about women serving in combat. Santorum commented last week that putting women on the front lines might create “a compromising situation where people naturally may do things that may not be in the interest of the mission because of other types of emotions that are involved.” Despite Santorum later insisting that he was referring to the emotions of both male and female soldiers, McDonnell said Monday, “I like Rick Santorum a lot. I just disagree with any inference he might have made that somehow women are incapable of service in the front lines and serving in combat positions.” He explained on CNN that his opinion is based on his daughter’s experience as a platoon leader in Iraq. “Yes, I did get emotional, but she didn’t. She got the job done.”