The big issue right now in U.S. federal politics is the future of social security. (Everything you want to know about how this is shaking down is covered diligently at Talking Points Memo.)

The Republican mantra as they plan to privatize large swaths of the program has been that it’s the only way to save Social Security.

So listen to the chant by Young Republicans serenading Senator Rick Santorum… and ask yourself if Karl Rove isn’t banging his head on his wall today. (Or an assistant’s head — Rove’s an extrovert.) (Get the details on the incident here if you don’t have time to download the video. All this by way of TPM.)

The lesson for Americans: Young Republicans sure don’t think the Bush plan is about saving Social Security.

And the lesson for spin doctors: your allies can blow you off-message just as surely as your opponents.