The Hill News

Rick Santorum appeared to lose his cool on Sunday night during an interview with a reporter.

After a speech in Wisconsin in which the former Pennsylvania senator reportedly said that Mitt Romney "is the worst Republican in the country to put up against Barack Obama."

"Pick any other Republican in the country," Santorum said according to the Associated Press. "He is the worst Republican in the country to put up against Barack Obama."

Santorum was asked by New York Times reporter Jeff Zeleny whether he really thought that Romney was the absolute worst Republican to face Obama. In response, Santorum said that Zeleny was "distorting" his words.

"Quit distor! ting my words. It's bullshit," Santorum said.

Santorum said that he was only referring to Romney on healthcare. Santorum has repeatedly argued that because of the Massachusetts healthcare reform law put in place while Romney was governor, he is uniquely incapable of being an effective candidate against President Obama. Santorum charges that the law is too similar to the Obama administration's national healthcare reform law.

"On the issue of health care, yes, that's what I was talking about," Santorum told reporters later on. "Obamacare, as you heard me say."