Santorum defends calling Obama a ‘snob’

Republican president candidate Rick Santorum defended his statement from Saturday that President Obama was a “snob” because he has said he wants everyone in the country to have the ability to go college.

Appearing on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday, Santorum said he does not believe that going to college is the only way to become successful.

{mosads}”What I’ve said is I want everyone to have the opportunity to go to college, or whatever other higher training skills,” he said. “But it doesn’t mean you have to go to a four-year college degree… I think everyone should have the opportunity. It’s about what’s best for you.”

In a speech to the conservative Americans for Prosperity group in Michigan Saturday, Santorum said Obama’s views on higher education made him a “snob.”

“President Obama once said he wants everybody in America to go to college,” Santorum said during his AFP speech. “What a snob. There are good, decent men and women who go out and work hard every day and put their skills to test who aren’t taught by some liberal college professor that tried to indoctrinate them.

RELATED: Santorum: JFK speech on church, state makes me want to ‘throw up’

“I understand why [Obama] wants you to go to college,” Santorum continued. “He wants to remake you in his image.”

Santorum, who has both a bachelor’s degree from Pennsylvania State University and advanced degrees from the University of Pittsburgh and the Dickinson law school, said he has encouraged his own children to go to college.

However, he quickly added: “But you know what…going to a trade school or learning to be a carpenter or a plumber…all of those are [noteworthy] professions that we shouldn’t look down our nose [at].”

“I have seven kids,” Santorum continued. “I can tell you who would do very well and excel… and there’s some who have different skills.”

RELATED: Santorum urges Michigan voters to ‘shock the country’