Posted on 01/27/2012 4:27:15 AM PST by tcg
...I was concerned the event would degenerate into a petulant verbal battle between Gingrich and Romney. However, Rick Santorum drew applause - both from the live audience and probably from viewers around the country - when he called on both of the candidates to stop their petty personal politics.
"The bigger issue here is, these two gentlemen, who are out distracting from the most important issues -- we have been playing petty personal politics, can we set aside that Newt was a member of Congress and used the skills that he developed as a member of Congress to go out and advise companies -- and that's not the worst thing in the world.
"And that Mitt Romney is a wealthy guy because worked hard and he's going out and working hard? And you guys should leave that alone and focus on the issues"
Santorum then invited the moderator, Wolf Blitzer, to focus on the real issues. Unfortunately, that took awhile...
However, the way Santorum handled that entire matter changed the progress of the debate and established him for the rest of the evening as the man with the most substance...
...His explanation of the Declaration of Independence as the "Why" of America and the Constitution the "how" was brilliant. His ringing defense of the Creator as the source of our unalienable rights - and the role of the Government to recognize and protect those rights - downright inspiring.
Finally, his explanation on the ways in which his religious beliefs would affect the way he would execute the office of the Presidency was outstanding.
While most of the pundits were expecting either Romney or Gingrich to win this important debate; clearly, this was Rick Santorum's night.
(Excerpt) Read more at catholic.org ...
Indeed. It takes a good deal of arrogance to ask a candidate who still has a chance to drop out of the race just so your candidate can win.
It was truly Rick Santorum’s night!!! Florida Republican voters, you have the opportunity to strike a posiitve blow for Freedom, Liberty & Opportunity. All you have to do, is to get out and vote next Tuesday by the “Millions”. It does not matter who you vote for, be it, Santorum, Romney, Gingrich or Paul, they all are100% better then, failed “America Destroyer”, POTUS Barack Hussein “Muslim Brotherhood Lover” Obama!!!
I take my hat off to Mr. Santorum, number one, for coming forward to squash the foolish, idiotic bickering between Gingrich & Romney which no one really gives a hoot about!!! And.....number two, for his eloquent outline of our “conservative” cause. Thank you, rick Santorum!!!
The objective here folks, is to defeat Barack Hussein Obama and destroy the Democrat Party politically!!! I want both Gingrich and Romney to stop their infighting....and, doing nothing other to attack, attack attack, the would bedestroyer of the American Republic, Barack Hussein Obama!!! as a matter of fact, if i had the opportunity to vote in the Florida primary, my vote would be wholeheartly cast for Rick Santorum. I have just about had it with both Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich. I do not give a darn about their past, whatsoever!!! I care about one thing and one thing only, defeating Obama so we can save our country for our children and grandchildren, period!!! Gingrich & Romney, get real, deadbeats!!! Rip the political heart and soul out of “Dirt Bag” Obama, not yourselves, and the Republican Party!!!
“Please explain which candidate better aligns with Tea Party values.”
I’ll let Jim Robinson explain it to you. Read it here:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2835082/posts
I’m officially endorsing Newt Gingrich for President today.
I’m watching the dvr recording now. So far you seem right. These are GOP debates are becoming circular firing squads.
-—I take my hat off to Mr. Santorum, number one, for coming forward to squash the foolish, idiotic bickering between Gingrich & Romney which no one really gives a hoot about!!! And.....number two, for his eloquent outline of our “conservative” cause. Thank you, rick Santorum!!!——
This was entirely due to the questions asked. CNN won this debate.
The RNC is to blame.
I second the motion. Santorum owned them. The adult in the room.
>> Maybe the two quarreling children should take one for the team, and for conservatism, and support Rick.
Rick isn’t a conservative. He’s a right-to-life big spending big government nanny-stater. Kinda like Huckabee who at least had the good sense not to run. Then again, Huckabee could at least pull off victory in his own state.
I agree with the previous poster — take one for the team, Rick. Drop out and endorse Gingrich.
Think back to the debate in SC. That debate was much more substantive because in it they discussed the problem of patent and copyright theft, abortion, gay marriage and other real problems.
In each case, Santorum stated that there should be FEDERAL legislation to solve the problem.
When Santorum was in the senate, he cosponsored a bill will Elizabet Dole that would have changed the ability of animal owners, specifically the owners of dogs, forever. Clearly a matter for states. Clearly not one of the powers enumerated in the Constitution.
He spouts off about the wonders of the Constitution, but in fact he is a big time statist. In short, a rino.
He did better than ever. I have watched every debate, and this was the first one in which he showed some fire.
Keep it up, Rick!
>> I think we are seeing the emergence of SDS (Santorum Derangement Syndrome) on many threads yadda yadda
You got it, son! Tell you what: add “and Ron Paul” everywhere you wrote Santorum, and you nailed my feelings exactly.
News flash: this isn’t a run-of-the-mill election. This one is a watershed. It is now civil war time and we’re fighting for the future of America.
Gingrich is a Patton: brains, guts, and a bulldog tenacity.
ALL of the rest (including Santorum) are losers — in my generals metaphor, their analogous to those silly fag-loving New Age generals that the ‘Rats like to appoint to the command. Ineffectual losers.
There were candidates I preferred over Newt, but time is now of the essence. I’ll take my chances on a fighter with brains like Gingrich over ANY of those other remaining losers. Warts and all!
So, yeah, get the hell out, Santorum. Get the hell out, Paul. It’s wartime and we don’t have the time or energy to waste on your BS, particularly when the measly ten percent of the vote you siphon off shafts the most effective leader and throws the race to Romney (and thence Obama).
If you want to call that a “derangement syndrome”, then knock yourself out! I’m proud of it. I call it “common sense” myself.
...Palestinian Republican (whatever that is)....
&&&&
Yeah, I wonder if Wolfie’s people planted that loser.
I think Wolf set the stage for this.
&&&
Wolfie, the Chinless Wonder, just can’t help himself.
False choice argument. Of course I’m not saying that.
Perhaps I should have spelled it out like so:
“Santorum believes strongly in right-to-life, but nearly all other aspects of his principles, and PARTICULARLY his voting history, point to big-government big-spending nanny-statism.”
Yes he was quoting, almost word for word, one of Newts' speeches.
Aren’t all of the issues you listed ALREADY at the federal level, including the PAWS bill?
Only issue that scares me with all of them is SOPA/PIPA/ACTA. Haven’t heard any of them take a hard stand of those, but really that’s up to us to elect better Congressmen to make sure those bills don’t even get to the prez
So you’re ok with his right-to-life stance? In a post (and a single sentence) where you were ripping him for being non-conservative, I’m still not sure why you even mentioned right-to-life then.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.