Denver – Rick Santorum offered a lengthy verbal rebuttal to Gov. Rick Perry (who was scheduled to take the Western Conservative Summit podium right after him) over 10th Amendment arguments on gay marriage — something Perry said he was “fine with” earlier in the week, but subsequently sought to clarify following an increase in attacks from social conservatives and Santorum himself.

“We have this issue before us again today and it’s within our party, and we need to talk about it,” said Santorum. “There are some in our party who say, ‘Well, if New York wants to pass same sex marriage, that’s fine with me.’ Some who say, ‘I’m not going to get involved in what states do, it’s their business.’ Abraham Lincoln said it best. ‘We do not have the right to do wrong,’” Santorum concluded to a smattering of applause.

Santorum, who was clearly referring to Perry, continued, “States do not have the right to destroy the American family. It is your business. It is not fine with me that New York has destroyed marriage. It is not fine with me that New York is setting the template that will cause great division in this country.”

“There are not 50 definitions of marriage,” Santorum declared. “Nor should there be. There is one definition of marriage.”