Rick Santorum’s speech at the Christian Liberty Academy in Arlington Heights Friday was interrupted by a prolonged same-sex kiss from a pair of men in the crowd. The stunt began when the two protesters, Timothy Truss and Ben Clifford, interrupted the presidential candidate’s speech by shouting “Mic check!” Upon stealing the attention of the crowds and the cameras, the two young men shared a long kiss, while the crowd jeered and chanted “U – S – A,” before the two took an ostentatious bow for their performance as security escorted the pair out, where 50 other protesters were demonstrating outside.
2,100 Santorum supporters were in attendance at the event, and were not impressed by the stunt. When reporters asked the two about their sexual orientation, Tross and Clifford deferred commenting on if they were in fact homosexual, saying, “I don’t think the message should be about what my sexuality is. It’s the message that [Santorum’s] saying about sexuality matters.” Santorum has taken a stance against legalizing gay marriage. The pair did not elaborate more on the kiss.
Santorum kept his dignity and continued making his speech without commenting on the disturbance. His speech was a criticism of President Barack Obama’s stance on entitlement programs. Santorum was speaking in Illinois that day in preparation for the March 20 primary.