Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum’s big mega-donor kicked up a controversy over the issue of contraception today when he urged a return to the good old days when gals had a simple solution for it: aspirin between the knees.

We’re not kidding.

Wealthy entreprenuer Foster Freiss, who’s backed Santorum’s Super-PAC, made the statements to MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell today, after being asked if his candidate has expressed some extremist views on contraception.

He appeared to express wonder that women even have to worry about the issue of paying for contraception these days, Politico reports.

“On this contraceptive thing, my Gosh it’s such [sic] inexpensive,” he added. “You know, back in my days, they used Bayer aspirin for contraception. The gals put it between their knees, and it wasn’t that costly.”

Mitchell, a seasoned reporter, looked momentarily stunned.

“Excuse me, I’m just trying to catch my breath from that, Mr. Friess, frankly,” she said.

But then she followed up, noting that Santorum has made statements that sex is for procreation, and that has suggested women are not best served by using contraceptives.

“Aren’t we going back decades with some of the social issues that he’s espoused?,” she said.

Freiss was unfazed.

“Who cares?” he shot back. “Do you honestly think that if Senator Santorum becomes president, we’re going to get rid of contraceptives?”

“I’m amazed at some of the approaches that [you] come up with,” he added. “I think the media has created this ‘extremist’ idea.”