Senator David Vitter (R-La.) is apparently making a habit of awkwardly running from his constituents.

After last month refusing to answer questions about his tacit support of a bigoted Louisiana marriage official, choosing instead to duck into a well-timed elevator, this past weekend found Vitter again fleeing a tough line of inquiry.

Faced with a rape victim interested in his opposition to preventing the federal government from hiring contractors who deny rape victims the right to bring their cases to court, Vitter first tried to dodge the woman's questions. Perhaps you'll recognize his "But so-and-so did it!" defense from your own elementary school days:

WOMAN: But how can you support [a law] that tells a rape victim that she does not have the right to defend herself?

VITTER: Ma'am The language in question did not say that in any way shape or form.

WOMAN: But it is unconstitutional to have a law that says a woman does not have a right to defend herself.

VITTER: You realize Mr. Obama was against that amendment that his administration was against that amendment

Reasonably unsatisfied, the woman continued pressing Vitter, at which point the senator literally scampered out the back door.

Vitter running scared is pretty pathetic, but more interesting to me is the way he initially attempted to sidestep rational criticism by invoking Obama's name. It was a mini-exposition of the latest obnoxious tactic Congressional conservatives are employing to stymie health care reform: Rather than respond directly to issues and work toward a solution, just try and villainize Obama as a socialist, a Nazi, or even, in this case, as a right-wing sympathizer. And if that doesn't work, run.