Santorum Still Not Ready to Endorse

National Journal ^ | April 16, 2012 | Rebecca Kaplan

[svxdave]

Former presidential candidate Rick Santorum on Monday sounded no closer to endorsing Mitt Romney than when he dropped out of the race last week, telling supporters on a conference call that he hasn’t even had a chance to speak to his onetime rival.

Santorum said he has talked with former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. “I haven't had a chance yet to talk to Governor Romney, but we'll be talking to both of them and we’re going to go out and do what we believe is in the best interest of our country,” Santorum said in the call, which had at least 4,000 participants at its peak, according to host and Santorum aide Mark Rodgers.

To crystallize the point that he isn’t going to make an endorsement in the immediate future, Santorum told his supporters that it was entirely up to them whom to vote for in next week’s Pennsylvania primary. “I haven’t supported any candidate at this point,” he said.

When Rodgers, acting as the call's host, asked him in jest whether he would un-suspend his campaign if enough people voted for him in Pennsylvania, Santorum offered little in the way of advice.

“I would just say this: The best thing that they can do is stay tuned, and we really are serious about making sure that the issues that we brought up during this campaign are continued going forward,” he said.

Throughout the call, the former senator from Pennsylvania alluded to having plans to build a conservative movement outside of the framework of the presidential election in order to make sure his message is still heard. He said he was working through ideas for a “structure to promote these ideas” and promised an announcement in the next week or two. As for delegates, those may not be released even if he does back another GOP candidate.

“We still have delegates, many of them committed, and we want to make sure that our delegates get a chance to go to the convention and have a say,” Santorum said.

Reflecting once again on the reasons he exited the race, Santorum tried to downplay the importance of his financial troubles -- a “very, very small piece of the story,” he said -- but suggested for the first time that his campaign had actively, and unsuccessfully, tried to convince other candidates to drop out and support him.

“We sought to get a coalition of the rest of the conservatives in the race to join in, the other candidates who were still in the race; we solicited them to see whether they might be willing to join our team and help us be successful in a coalition of conservatives,” Santorum said. It was almost certainly a reference to Gingrich, the other candidate considered to be a more conservative alternative to Romney.

Santorum’s comments come amid warnings from the likes of Iowa conservative leader Bob Vander Plaats, who recently told the Sioux City Journal that the base of the Republican Party may stay home on Election Day.

But that doesn’t seem to worry Santorum. In the meantime, he’s been spending time with his family. He was joined on the call by his wife, Karen, and his three-year-old daughter Bella -- who was hospitalized shortly before he dropped out -- could be heard in the background as she ate dinner. And like so many Americans, Santorum said he spent the weekend finishing his taxes.

[svxdave]

Santorum could endorse Newt but he won't.

[BillyBoy]

Newt could have endorsed Santorum when it clear he had the best shot at stopping Romney, but Newt didn’t.

[max americana]

Rick doesn’t need to endorse anyone at this moment after a brutal year of campaigning. Just allow the guy to chill with his family and get politics off the table.

[Gator113]

“Santorum could endorse Newt but he won’t.”

Santorum can’t endorse Newt, Newt is a conservative.

[Lazlo in PA]

Santorum could endorse Newt but he won't.

You mean the same way Newt endorsed Rick before he dropped out? Oh. That's right. Newt said that Milt was going to be the nominee on Face the nation.

[svxdave]

Newt and Santorum took each other out.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Which minor cabinet post or ambassadorship is he negotiating for in exchange for his delegates and endorsement?

[berdie]

I agree with you...completely.

Time will tell.

[JCBreckenridge]

Well, the votes are breaking away from Newt. Newt’s almost back up to where he was before MS and AL, about the same as Ron Paul. Romney’s got about 3/4ths of Santorum’s support.

Seems that his strategy was a failure. Imagine if his supporters had actually cheered for Santorum instead of cheering for Romney.

[true believer forever]

You mean the same way Newt endorsed Rick before he dropped out? Oh. That's right. Newt said that Milt was going to be the nominee on Face the nation.

You mean the same way Rick endorsed Newt before he left the field in Florida?

Newt did not say Romney would be definitely the nominee. He said it was very likely he would be, but there was still the possibility that things could happen, as they sometimes do in politics..

Are you deliberately misrepresenting what he said, or do you just regurgitate what people tell you...

How's it feel to support a folder?

Newt's still on teh battlefield, bloodied, battered and fighting on...

[true believer forever]

Well, the votes are breaking away from Newt. Newt’s almost back up to where he was before MS and AL, about the same as Ron Paul. Romney’s got about 3/4ths of Santorum’s support.

Seems that his strategy was a failure. Imagine if his supporters had actually cheered for Santorum instead of cheering for Romney.

That's a really interesting bit of information you just posted, especially since everyone has been noting that there haven't been ANY polls since Santorum dropped out..

Where'd you get the numbers, in the fevered corners of your addled I-supported-a-loser-and-a-quitter-and-now-I-have-to-make-things-up-so-I-don't-look-like-a-fool mind?

You are pathetic.

[JCBreckenridge]

I thought you’d never ask.

http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2012/images/04/16/rel4a.pdf

[true believer forever]

Santorum can’t endorse Newt, Newt is a conservative.

Santorum will endorse Romney. Meantime, instead of putting his supporters to work for Newt, he is going to try and build some kind of conservative movement, so he can keep his hands clean.

The only missing part - and this should be interesting to watch - is how well and how long he withstands Romney's and the GOP's commands to endorse... he wants to put it off as long as possible, but he obviously is not a man of any kind of strength... And they will make him promises, and then threats...

[Lazlo in PA]

Newt is having discussions on the Sunday Morning programs about how Milt and him are both grandfathers who care for the country. How do you call that “fighting on”? It came off as a tacit endorsement to everyone listening.

Rick folded because he was done and he was in much better shape that Newt. Can you please explain to me this path to the nomination in front of Newt? He can’t even explain it with any confidence.

[JCBreckenridge]

How does it feel to support a stalking horse?

[true believer forever]

I don’t open pdf folders, what does it say?

[JCBreckenridge]

On page 8 it says the following:

Based on 473 Republicans, Error +/- 5.

“Please tell me which candidate you would be most likely to support for the Republican nomination for President. Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, Texas Congressman Ron Paul, or former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney (RANDOM ORDER)”

April 13-15 Mar. 24-25 Feb. 10-13
Romney 57% 36% 32%
Gingrich 19% 15% 15%
Paul 18% 17% 16%
Santorum N/A 26% 34%
Someone else (vol.) 3% 1% *
None/ No one (vol.) 3% 2% 2%
No opinion * 2% 2%

[true believer forever]

Newt is having discussions on the Sunday Morning programs about how Milt and him are both grandfathers who care for the country. How do you call that “fighting on”? It came off as a tacit endorsement to everyone listening.

Rick folded because he was done and he was in much better shape that Newt. Can you please explain to me this path to the nomination in front of Newt? He can’t even explain it with any confidence.

Okay I am going to say this as slowly and clearly as I can, so perhaps even you can understand...

CBS was trying to bait him to say something negative about Romney... anything negative about Romney, and Newt didn't bite...

"Rick folded because he was done..." he was sure was done. Mission Accomplished. He cleared a path for Romney, and it hasn't even been a week, adn they are about to coronate romney. America should never forget Santorum's contribution to the downfall.

I hope this explains the path to the nomination, as you call it, for Newt... Maybe you should grab a cup of reality and humility and support a brave adn true patriot for once.. (I won't hold my breath)

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[Gator113]

JCBreckenridge
Since Mar 10, 2012

[JCBreckenridge]

And a good morning to you as well, Gator.

Peace + Blessings.