Santorum Iowa Visit May Portend Presidential Aspirations

Townhall.com ^ | August 12, 2009 | Jillian Bandes

[Kaslin]

Former Sen. Rick Santorum is making a trip to Iowa that screams “I’m running for President.”

In the state with the crucial first presidential primary competition, Santorum will attend a smattering of events on October 1, with a stop at America’s Future Fund PAC and Iowa’s Right to life group. He’ll do a hit on a Des Moines radio show and cap it off with a speech about the future of the GOP in front of a live audience.

John Brabender, a longtime advisor to the Senator, was moderate in his characterization of the Senator’s visit.

“This is not necessarily a signal of anything other than he’s going to Iowa to give an important speech. He gets many requests,” he said.

But Brabender acknowledged that the trip did have significance in terms of preparations for a possible Presidential announcement.

“The reason he’s going to Iowa now is that he knows it gives him a national platform,” he said. “This isn’t the start of a long Presidential run, but certainly he understands the significance of going to Iowa.”

Santorum himself has repeatedly ducked accusations that he’s actually making a bid for the top seat, though the move is very clear; almost every politician with Presidential credentials who has taken a trip to Iowa has eventually entered the race. At least three Republican Governors have made the trek so far, in addition House Minority Conference Chair Mike Pence (R-Ind.) and other state politicians.

“Your voice becomes more amplified when you go to a place like Iowa or New Hampshire,” Santorum told the Politico on Tuesday. Santorum most recently lost his Senate re-election bid to Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., as part of the big GOP losses of 2006-2008.

If Santorum runs, it seems that he will face an uphill battle for his party’s vote. A New Hampshire poll released today showed Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney far ahead of any other possible Republican contenders, with over 50 percent of Iowa Republicans pulling for Romney. Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee each received 17 percent.

“I’m very concerned about the state of affairs in this country and how Republicans are dealing with [issues], so this is an opportunity for me to go out and talk about things I think we need to be doing to turn this country in the right direction,” Santorum told the Politico.

Brabender said that as of now the trip is scheduled to last only one day, but that the phone has been “ringing off the hook” with requests for the Senator’s presence at even more events.

[MrEdd]

Go away Rick. Take Mitt and Juan McCain with you.

[Westbrook]

Stay home.

No more RINOs, please.

[Old Teufel Hunden]

Being a Pa resident, I know Santorum’s work pretty well and he’s a solid conservative who was a victim of Bush’s unpopularity and because he did not hedge on his support for the war. I think he could make a great President some day and he’s still young. I think he would be better off running for Governor in Pa. Rendell is term limited out and it will be an open field. He could use that as a stepping stone to the Presidency.

[Old Teufel Hunden]

You don’t know Santorum well if you think he’s a RINO. Name one position he’s held that is not a conservative position? I don’t think you can.

[Patrick1]

Duncan Hunter has a better chance.

[teg_76]

How ‘bout his position on supporting Specter over Toomey in the 2004 election?

Yes, he’s a true conservative alright.

[Old Teufel Hunden]

I agree. That’s why I said in my post that I think he should run for Pa Governor first. Use that as a stepping stone to run for President.

[Roccus]

Santorum backed Specter against Toomey. Some will say it was a “big picture” endorsement, but look how that turned out.

[SoConPubbie]

How about these votes?

From OnTheIssues:


They have him listed as a hard-right conservative, however, given the votes I have highlighted below, I am not sure just how hard-right he is.

1. Voted NO on prohibiting job discrimination by sexual orientation. (Sep 1996)
2. Voted NO on banning affirmative action hiring with federal funds.
3. Voted NO on ending special funding for minority & women-owned business.
4. Voted NO on setting aside 10% of highway funds for minorities & women.
5. Voted NO on repealing tax subsidy for companies which move US jobs offshore.
6. Voted YES on targeting 100,000 hydrogen-powered vehicles by 2010.
7. Voted NO on killing a bill for trade sanctions if China sells weapons.
8. Voted NO on banning lawsuits against gun manufacturers for gun violence.
9. Voted YES on limiting self-employment health deduction.
10. Voted NO on restricting business with entities linked to terrorism. (Jul 2005)
11. Voted YES on allowing another round of military base closures. (May 1999)
12. Voted YES on cutting nuclear weapons below START levels. (May 1999)
13. Voted YES on banning chemical weapons. (Apr 1997)
14. Voted YES on restoring $550M in funding for Amtrak for 2007.

[Old Teufel Hunden]

"How ‘bout his position on supporting Specter over Toomey in the 2004 election?"

That's not a position he held. That's a choice he made. When I refer to his position, I'm talking about his views on taxes, government spending, foreign policy etc. He made a poor choice supporting Snarlin Arlen. He should have stayed out of the Republican primary. It's one of the reasons that he lost in 2006 because conservatives were mad at him. I was mad at him for that, but I'm not stupid enough to believe that Bob Casey represents me better in the Senate.

[TomGuy]

Rick needs to try Newt’s tactic:

Every few months put out a news item that he is considering a run .... if people will beg him to run.

[Newt has been using this tactic since around 2006. He still has few who are begging him to run.]

[Servant of the Cross]

I'm not a PA resident but I have met Rick Santorum. I've come to know that there is a vocal FR anti-Santorum segment but IMO he's no RINO, not even close. He was instrumental in getting the partial birth abortion ban passed and he was the DNC's primary Senate target to beat in 2006 due to his resolve, youth and growing national presence. Boxer, Clinton and Feinstein hated him and demanded that he be targeted by the national DNC. Know him by his enemies.

That said, the last thing I'd want him to do is throw his hat into the POTUS ring, particularly if it helps Romney in any way.

[TomGuy]

better off running for Governor in Pa

Yep.

The presidency should be held by those with strong executive experience.

We don't need another Senate bloviator as president. Senators don't make good presidents.

[Old Teufel Hunden]

"They have him listed as a hard-right conservative"

Exactly. I'm sure you can pick apart the most conservative member of Congress votes and find some things that don't seem to line up with conservative ideas. There are all kind of pre-votes, negotiations etc. Look at the overall body of work in the House and Senate and you will find that Santorum was a very reliable conservative. So where do you think he would be on the current health care debate? Do you have any doubts he's better on it than Casey?

Go look up Tom Colburn's record and I'm sure there are some head scratching votes in there.

[Nonstatist]

Santorum backed Specter against Toomey

So what. He's one million times better than Romney and Huckabee is not even a conservative. Political misjudgements like that are trivial compared to what he actually does. Nobody else out there has credibility , IMO, except maybe Palin ; so I wouldnt rule this guy out.

[Old Teufel Hunden]

"I've come to know that there is a vocal FR anti-Santorum segment but IMO he's no RINO, not even close."

There are some people on this forum that want to throw overboard a good conservative if he makes one mistake. He made a political decision to support Specter over Toomey in the 2004 Republican primary and now he's persona non gratis here. It makes no sense. I'm surprised some people on here like any public conservative figure. I'm sure they've all made bad choices so might as well throw them all overboard.

[Doc Savage]

I am hereby asking all Conservatives on FR to join me in pledging NOW that they will NOT vote for any RINO / NON-Conservative candidates - Again!

I put forth my criteria:

1. Must strengthen the military.

2. Must secure the borders.

3. Must stop abortion.

4. Must fight the war on terror.

5. Must reduce spending.

6. Must reduce taxes.

7. Must enact tort reform.

8. Must overturn all of Obama's destruction of the Constitution.

9. Must pledge to support capitalism and a free economy.

10. Must hold Conservative values and support the Constitution.

NO MORE RINOS no matter what POS the Demonrats run! No Compromise!

[Old Teufel Hunden]

I think he could be a good President actually. I just think that he has no chance in the 2012 primary. He needs to get that executive experience and build more of a national base from there for a later run.

[SoConPubbie]

Exactly. I'm sure you can pick apart the most conservative member of Congress votes and find some things that don't seem to line up with conservative ideas. There are all kind of pre-votes, negotiations etc. Look at the overall body of work in the House and Senate and you will find that Santorum was a very reliable conservative. So where do you think he would be on the current health care debate? Do you have any doubts he's better on it than Casey?

Go look up Tom Colburn's record and I'm sure there are some head scratching votes in there.

Now you are just covering for yourself.

Your original question dealt with being able to name any non-conservative positions he may have.

I've provided them and you are spinning away.

[Servant of the Cross]

Yep, and I believe his decision to back Specter was due to both the White House and the GOP asking him to do so. He is loyal, to a fault in this instance.

Santorum is light years away from the worldview of Collins, Snowe, Voinovich, Martinez, Graham ...

[Doc Savage]

Dear old teufel, you need to post on the ghost website, Free RINO, not Free Republic. You’re just old and confused, but that’s ok. All your RINO buddies are over at the other site waiting for you. Think of it, unlimited musing about John and Megan McLame, Mitt and all the others. It was nice having you stop by, but you are going to be a BMOC over there! Good luck and adios!

[Sig Sauer P220]

He’s not cool, hip, a rock star.

[chimera]

Santorum is a good man but from a political tactics viewpoint it would probably be a mistake to run him on a national ticket. He was soundly beaten in his last run in his own state. I just don't see how he can use that as a springboard for a run in a nationwide campaign.

Beating Obama in 2012 will be a tough enough challenge as it is. It will take a candidate with name recognition and a strong base of national support and a broadly-based appeal, with veritable boatloads of cash.

[Darnright]

Santorum has a PETA past:

Santorum pushing online pet protection
Airs calling for monitoring of breeders in Internet sales
Wednesday, November 09, 2005
By Maeve Reston, Post-Gazette National Bureau

WASHINGTON — Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum showed his softer side yesterday, advocating for legislation that would create new protections for puppies and kittens sold directly to customers over the Internet.
Mr. Santorum’s Pet Animal Welfare Statute — shortened to the warm and fuzzy moniker of PAWS — would alter the Animal Welfare Act, which sets standards for the handling and treatment of animals by commercial breeders.
The proposal would require federal agriculture inspectors to monitor the practices of anyone who breeds more than six litters of puppies or kittens each year, or more than 25 dogs or cats. Current law regulates wholesale pet sellers and breeders, but it was written long before the Internet made it possible for tens of thousands of families to purchase pets directly from sellers online, who are not regulated.

Some opponents of the legislation fear that it will adversely affect small breeders, but the legislation’s supporters — which include the Humane Society, the American Kennel Club and the American Veterinary Medical Association — say Mr. Santorum’s proposed changes to the act provide a much-needed tweak.

Dr. Henry E. Childers, president of the American Veterinary Medical Association, or AVMA, said some of the Internet sellers are engaging in overbreeding and inbreeding animals, failing to give them adequate veterinary care and allowing them to live in overcrowded conditions without adequate food or shelter — meaning new pets are arriving on Americans’ doorsteps with illnesses that cannot be cured.

“The high-volume breeders and importers that this statute will affect have profit as their only goal,” Dr. Childers said. “Neither morals, nor ethics guide the misery they breed. ... They have been exempt from the law. [AVMA] believes this must be corrected. Congress has the power to do that.”
But dozens of dog ownership groups ran an advertisement in a Capitol Hill newspaper yesterday urging lawmakers to vote against the bill and charging Mr. Santorum with barring its foes from testifying at yesterday’s hearing of a Senate agriculture subcommittee that he heads. Groups ranging from the Poodle Club of Alabama to Southeast Bloodhound Rescue to the Greater Pittsburgh Labrador Retriever Club were listed in opposition in the ad in Roll Call.

Christine Miele, president of the National Golden Retriever Club of America, said her club’s main concern was that the legislation is unclear, and she questioned how overstretched U.S. Department of Agriculture regulators could take on additional duties without more resources.

Frank Andrews, a club member from Tallahassee, Fla., said he believed that Mr. Santorum’s legislation could drive small breeders out of business. “Every dog organization in the country is opposed to it, except for the American Kennel Club,” Mr. Andrews said, adding that the bill would only harass people.

Other opponents feared that it could create new regulations for rescue operations that take in dogs and find homes for them, because some charge adoption fees. But Mr. Santorum said that was a misconception, and legislative aides were redrafting the bill’s wording to state explicitly that the changes would not affect those operations. The president of the Humane Society said the notion that the legislation would adversely affect those operations was a “tremendous stretch” because they generally do not operate for profit.

But even groups supporting the legislation have complained about some vagaries in Mr. Santorum’s proposal. A representative from the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council, or PIJAC, which represents companies throughout the pet industry including importers, exporters, wholesalers and retailers, said the group could not yet support the legislation.
Michael Maddox, PIJAC’s legislative director, said his group was concerned that the law would create new restrictions for pet stores, which are often monitored through local and state regulations but not federal laws. Mr. Maddox also said some provisions suggested that a person who sells a single animal, such as a hamster or guinea pig, could fall under new regulations.
But Mr. Santorum, who owns a 3-year-old German shepherd named Schatzie, emphasized that the act would not invite USDA inspectors into the living rooms of Americans who breed a litter of puppies. (His dog has delivered two.)

Mr. Santorum said he hopes to have his bill passed this session once the disparate groups agree on final changes, but it was unclear when the Agriculture Committee might bring it up for debate.
To silence critics who have suggested that Pennsylvania’s junior Republican senator has taken up cuddlier pursuits in anticipation of a difficult re-election campaign, Mr. Santorum noted yesterday that in the 107th Congress he had sponsored a Puppy Protection Act, which did not gain final passage, as well as a ban on cock-fighting that was approved by the Senate this year.
Mr. Santorum’s proposal is co-sponsored by Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Ill.. A companion measure in the House has 67 co-sponsors, including Rep. Tim Murphy, R-Upper St. Clair.
First published on November 9, 2005 at 12:00 am

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05313/603008-84.stm#ixzz0O4cNSoWZ

[Old Teufel Hunden]

"Your original question dealt with being able to name any non-conservative positions he may have."

No, I'm not trying to spin away. Again, using Tom Coburn as an example he voted for Bush's first bailout plan in October of last year. Would you call that a conservative vote? No, but you would not say that he does not hold the conservative position overall on taxes, spending etc. would you? Are you going to claim Tom Coburn is a tax and spend liberal? According to your criteria, he is because he made one bad vote.

Here's another one. Ronald Reagan is the father of modern day conservatism, yet as a governor he passed gun control bills to restrict the bearing of arms at the state capitol grounds. Is Ronald Reagan a gun control lefty? According to you, I guess so. However, the truth is he advanced our 2A rights overall.

My statement was name one non conservative position he holds, not one non conservative vote he ever made. If you judge every policitician on every vote they ever made then they are all flaming liberals using your criteria.

[Kaslin]

*rme* What is wrong with that?

[Born Conservative]

No thanks. Just another RINO.

[Servant of the Cross]

Um Doc. Old Teufel Hunden is German for old "Devil Dog". This is a nickname and apt description of the valor of the United States Marines due to their bravery in World War II at Belleau Wood. I thank Old Teufel Hunden for his service and his opinions at FR. He is no RINO. Yell at me for having a similar opinion, but IMO he does not deserve your post.

[Born Conservative]

He is a SOCIAL conservative, but it ends there. Take a look at his votes in post #10.

[Servant of the Cross]

It would be easier for a conservative to be elected nationally than in PA. Hell, they keep sending JOHN MURTHA back.

[Old Teufel Hunden]

"You’re just old and confused, but that’s ok. All your RINO buddies are over at the other site waiting for you."

Wow, I support a solid conservative and now I'm a RINO. I guess by your moniker you are a fan of Savage. I guess that makes sense since he seems to hate all other conservative talkers on the radio. Let me ask you something, which politician in your mind is conservative? The reason I ask is because I'm sure whoever it is, I'll be able to find a vote or decision he made that was not conservative.

There's a huge difference between flip flopping Mitt Romney, Juan McCain and Rick Santorum. Santorum has never flip flopped on abortion issues. He did not support illegal immigration and wrote articles against it. He also voted no on McCain/Feingold. You can't find a major position that he has taken that was a leftist/socialist position. At least none that I can think of.

But go ahead and hate a good conservative. It's a free country at least for now.

[chimera]

It’s just a harder slog to mount a successful national campaign coming off of a home loss. That doesn’t leave you in a strong position. Not impossible, but, as I noted, it’s going to be a tough enough fight as it is. We’re going to need to bring our “A” Team playing their “A” game to have any chance against Obumwad and his army of media sycophants.

[Old Teufel Hunden]

Thanks for the support servant. Some people get so rabid on this site that they would throw their own mother overboard if she held an opinion that did not live up to their “conservative” standards. This guy probably does not know much about Santorum at all but is willing to throw him overboard for a bad decision he made in supporting Arlen Specter.

Another poster mentioned that he was being loyal to his President and I really believe that is why he did go out and campaign for him against Toomey in 2004. I’m not making excuses, I’m just stating the reason he did it. It was still wrong, but understandable and I was angry at him for a while because of it.

[SoConPubbie]

Here's another one. Ronald Reagan is the father of modern day conservatism, yet as a governor he passed gun control bills to restrict the bearing of arms at the state capitol grounds. Is Ronald Reagan a gun control lefty? According to you, I guess so. However, the truth is he advanced our 2A rights overall.

My statement was name one non conservative position he holds, not one non conservative vote he ever made. If you judge every policitician on every vote they ever made then they are all flaming liberals using your criteria.

Sorry, but Santorum's votes reflect his positions.

Once again, you are spinning.

[Eva]

You made some good points regarding Santorum. He was not only a victim of Bush’s unpopularity, he was a victim of Bush’s influence. Santorum supported Specter at the behest of George Bush. That is what really did him in.

Santorum is one of the brightest and most conservative politicians that have come out of the Republican party in recent years. His written statements regarding the Texas Gay rights case were both brilliant and courageous. He took a lot of flak for saying that the ruling could lead us down the path to approving bigamy or any other such behavior.

[LeonardFMason]

I like Rick. I voted for Rick. Having said that, he doesn’t have a chance of winning a National election. He got destroyed by Bob Casey Jr. who might be the least dynamic and articulate Senator I have ever seen.

[Old Teufel Hunden]

Kaslin,

I agree, I don’t understand what was wrong with that legislation. Call me a softy I guess, but I see a role in the government regulating some of these breeders. Some of these people are badly mistreating animals, not to mention delivering inferior products to their customers due to inbreeding.

I enjoy hunting so I’m no PETA guy. However, that does not mean that we should mistreat animals. Just because you believe animals should not be mistreated does not make you a PETA lefty and thats what this legislation looks like to me.

[Old Teufel Hunden]

"Sorry, but Santorum's votes reflect his positions."

So that same logic applies to Tom Coburn and Ronald Reagan right? Okay, in that case I was wrong. Tom Coburn, Ronald Reagan and Rick Santorum are all flaming lefty RINOs. Thanks for helping me see the light.

[Antoninus]

It’s over, Rick. Stay home.

[Bulldog1967]

If by chance he gets the nod, he will lose the general election. Count on it.

[Antoninus]

I'm not a PA resident but I have met Rick Santorum. I've come to know that there is a vocal FR anti-Santorum segment but IMO he's no RINO, not even close.

I used to be a huge Santorum supporter. One of the most persistent of his defenders here on FR with a long track record to prove it.

That said, there's just too many red flags around him for me to support him anymore. First off, his chief of staff as a senator was a homosexual. Considering that the homo lobby groups were working the hardest to see him evicted and have often bragged about how they have gotten their flunkies into high positions on Republican staffs, you'd think he would have known better.

Second, he endorsed Romney in 2008.

Third, he trashed Sarah Palin on Fox recently.

All these things indicate to me that he's become an establishment Republican of the type that is responsible for the mess we're in today.

Sorry, Rick. I've got no more time or money for you.

[Welcome2thejungle]

I saw Santorum last night on Greta’s show. She asked him the question. He said he was invited to Iowa by former Gov. Brandstad to speak at a pro-life event.

After getting his clock cleaned running for re-election in 2006 he would be foolish to run for president.

Perhaps a better idea would be to move back to PA and reclaim his old congressional seat. Only by taking back Congress can we stop BHO’s socialist agenda.

[Darnright]

Oh, I don’t know. PETA is such a pro-capitalist, freedom loving institution. Oh, I forgot to mention they are anti-terrorist and pro-medical advancement.

[Impy]

A bill isn’t *automatically* bad just cause those PETA loons are for it.

[Impy]

Well he’s certainly better than Romney, Huckabee, Pawlenty et all.

But he was creamed in his home state. And did follow the party line on Specter. I like to hear him give a “my bad” on that.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2009/04/28/santorum_on_specters_party_switch.html

Those are his remarks after the switch. He was not asked the question of whether he regretted his 2004 support of Specter.

[iowamark]

Santorum is most likely trying to raise his national profile to get a better media job. He has a newspaper column and is a Fox News contributor but both are very low profile and, probably, low pay.

He was almost unique in the Senate, speaking very bluntly against abortion, homosexuality, and illegal immigration. The Left succeeded in painting him as a dangerous nutcase Christian.

[nonliberal]

He supported Spector over Toomey. Thus endeth his career.

[nonliberal]

Um, Bellau Wood was WW1.

[nonliberal]

Casey was pro-life. That took away Ricky’s only issue.