March 1, 2012 | Online

Santorum ain't what it used to be

In the good old days, all you had to do was google Santorum and the first result was always spreadingsantorum.com.

The site was created by columnist Dan Savage in 2003 after Rick Santorum likened gay sex to man-on-dog sex. Savage called on supporters to create a definition for santorum, and with the winning result in hand (see above) he created the website. Before long, that site became the top result in a Santorum search.

Rick got all constipated about the whole affair. He recently demanded that Google stop listing the site. Google refused.

Then something strange happened. This week, spreadingsantorum.com was no longer being listed in the top spot. Were Rick's prayers finally being answered?

Again, Google said no.

"We make more than 500 changes to our algorithms in a typical year," a spokesman for Google explained. "With each of those changes, sites will shuffle to different positions in our search results. We have not manually taken action to change the ranking of the site."

There's a new number one in town (or should that be number two?). Google Santorum and you get the official Rick Santorum website. That's no fun!

Now you have to scroll down a few entries to find the Urban Dictionary's definition of santorum, which is a little wordier than the original: "The sometimes frothy, usually slimy, amalgam of lubricant, stray fecal matter, and ejaculate that leaks out of the receiving partner's anus after a session of anal intercourse. Named, by popular demand and usage, after legislator Rick Santorum because of his homophobic political statements."

Yuck! Almost as yucky as the man himself. 

'Spreading Santorum' vanishes from Google [Seattle PI]

Google Wipes 'Spreading Santorum' from Top Search Results [Towleroad]