GOP candidate Rick Santorum spoke in Illinois today continuing his rhetoric on government overreach and his perception of Obama failures and misguided approaches to the current economy.

But, it was at one point in his stump that he stepped into a comment that he is sure to be called on many times in the future of the race. He told his audience in Moline:

“We need a candidate who’s going to be a fighter for freedom. Who’s going to get up and make that the central theme in this race because it is the central theme in this race. I don’t care what the unemployment rate’s going to be. Doesn’t matter to me. My campaign doesn’t hinge on unemployment rates and growth rates. It’s something more foundational that’s going on. We have one nominee who says he wants to run the economy. What kind of conservative says that the president runs the economy? What conservative says I’m the guy, because of my economic experience, that can create jobs? I don’t know. We conservatives generally think that government doesn’t create jobs. That what government does is create an atmosphere for jobs to be created in the private sector.”

The gaffe he made on not caring what the unemployment rate is going to be was quickly picked up by his competitor, Mitt Romney. Although in his statement, he did not mention Santorum by name, but it wasn’t needed as the gaffe took off like fire. Romney said at Bradley University Campus in Peoria today:

“I’m concerned about the people who are out of work,” Romney said. “One of the people who’s running also for the Republican nomination today said that he doesn’t care about the unemployment rate, that doesn’t bother him. I do care about the unemployment rate, it does bother me. I want to put people back to work, I’m concerned about those who are out of work. One of the reason I’m running is to get my expertise in place so we can put people back to work and get Americastrong again with a strong economy.”

Santorum’s comment today may very well buried any chances he may have had for the nomination as employment is the number one consern right now in the country.