Update: A top official for President Obama's re-election campaign criticized Rick Santorum today for his comments Tuesday knocking Obama for allowing his daughter to go on a trip to Mexico.

Deputy Campaign Manager Stephanie Cutter told MSNBC that children should be off-limits: "I'm surprised Rick Santorum wouldn't agree with that, and I'll leave it at that."

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Not even presidential children can avoid getting dragged into campaigns these days.

Republican candidate Rick Santorum criticized President Obama today for allowing daughter Malia to take a spring break trip to Mexico at a time that the State Department has issued travel warnings about the country.

"If the administration is saying that it's not safe to have people down there, then just because you can send 25 Secret Service agents doesn't mean you should do it," Santorum told talk-show host Glenn Beck.

"You should set an example," Santorum said. "I think that's what presidents do. They set an example.

Note: Only part of Mexico is under a travel warning; the school trip in question appears to be in an area not under a travel warning.

Santorum and Beck learned about the trip from news accounts. The White House initially would not confirm that Malia was in Mexico and asked some news organizations to remove stories about the trip, citing safety concerns.

The White House later confirmed that Malia was in Mexico after an earthquake struck the country, issuing a statement saying she was safe.

Santorum, who has seven children himself, said he wasn't criticizing the president's daughter, but the president himself because he has a "higher duty" to set an example.

The former Pennsylvania senator faces a big primary test tonight in Illinois against Mitt Romney.