Republican presidential hopeful Rick Santorum is being challenged more frequently now about his anti-gay positions, including by conservative media.

In a live interview Wednesday, Fox News host Bill O’Reilly warned Santorum that he would be “demonized” nationally because “some of your positions are extreme, according to the polls.” O’Reilly noted that Santorum wants states to be able to ban some contraception while “98 percent of Americans” think it should be available.

“They’re gonna come after you on gays in the military, that you want to rescind that,” said O’Reilly. “They’re gonna come after you on gay marriage, that you would have the federal government rescind marriage licenses already given….This is going to be put on you–that you’re an extremist, out of the mainstream. How are you going to reply to that?”

Santorum dodged.

“Well, I don’t think that being for marriage between a man and a woman is that extreme, Bill” said Santorum.

“Rescind licenses already given?” asked O’Reilly, interrupting, and shaking his head. “That’s a big deal.”

Santorum’s forehead furrowed and he looked strained.

“Uh, the federal government would have to pass a constitutional amendment and if the constitution says that marriage is between a man and a woman,” said Santorum, “then things that are inconsistent with that would be inconsistent with the constitution.”

“Would you be doing that, if you were elected president?” asked O’Reilly. “Would you be, you know, campaigning for a constitutional amendment in that way?”

Santorum hesitated, then started to answer, “Well, if you passed a constitutional amendment…” but O’Reilly cut him off again.

“But would that be in the forefront of your administration?” asked O’Reilly.

“As you know, Bill, if you’ve been following me out on the trail, I haven’t been talking a lot about this…”

“No,” said O’Reilly.

“…though I strongly believe in it.” Santorum said he’s been talking about the economy, his grandfather, faith, and family.

When asked about his statements that he’d want to abolish the 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, Santorum said he meant that he would want to split up the 9th Circuit states into two different circuits. He said he’d put California and Hawaii in one circuit, and the other states in another circuit.

The next day, Santorum was asked again to explain his position in opposition to same-sex marriage.

The event was a “College Convention,” a gathering every four years of hundreds of college and high school students focused on learning about democracy. This year’s event was held in Concord. According to the New York Times, a member of the audience asked Santorum to explain his opposition to same-sex marriage.

“How about the idea that all men are created equal,” said the student, according to the videotape posted by the Times. (The two-and-a-half-minute video was provided by ThinkProgress.org and is identified by the organization as a “compilation.”)

“So, are we saying that everyone should have the right to marry?” responded Santorum. Several voices in the audience call back, “Yes!”

“OK,” said Santorum, “…so anybody can marry several people.” Someone called out something and Santorum, waved his hands and beckoned the audience to “Wait a minute. Stop. This is not participa– we are not going to do this. I’m going to ask the questions. If people want to respond, I’ll be happy to call on you….

“Everybody has the right to be happy, and so if you’re not going to be happy unless you’re married to five other people, is that ok?” Someone in the audience responded, but, again, Santorum waved them off, saying he was posing the question to the woman who originally asked about same-sex marriage. The compilation video was a bit choppy, but it seems to indicate the woman responded that two men should have the same right to marry as a man and a woman.

“Well, what about three men?” asked Santorum. A number of people in the audience responded simultaneously.

“Stop!” said Santorum, who said he was going to “give people one more chance” to answer his question.

“If it makes three people happy to get married,” said Santorum, directing his question to the young questioner, “based on what you just said, what makes that wrong, and what you said right?”

“How do you justify your beliefs based on these high morals about all men being created equal when two men who want to marry–“

“But what about three men?” said Santorum, interrupting.

“That’s not what I’m talking about,” said the woman.

Santorum looks away, shaking his head and grinning.

“It’s important if we’re going to have a discussion based on rational, reasoned thought,” said Santorum, “that we employ reason. OK? And reason says that, if you think it’s OK for two, then you have to differentiate with me as to why it’s not OK for three.”

An independent news poll of likely Republican voters in New Hampshire on January 3 (the day of the Iowa caucuses) and January 4 showed Mitt Romney with 41 percent, Ron Paul with 18 percent, Sanorum with eight percent, and Newt Gingrich and Jon Huntsman with seven percent each. (Margin of error: 4.4)