Posted on 04/09/2015 2:59:38 AM PDT by iowamark
One candidate flew to Des Moines on a Boeing 757, a $100 million private jet with gold plated seat-belt buckles. The other took a cab from O’Hare airport in Chicago to Midway to catch a Southwest flight to make it to Des Moines for his planned appearances. Donald Trump and Rick Santorum both spent the better part of the day in central Iowa yesterday, but their visits couldn’t have been more different.
Trump was treated like the celebrity that he is, with people he came in contact with stopping to get their “selfie” taken with him, and yes, that even goes for some people in the media. Trump had a full itinerary on Wednesday. The morning began with a press conference aboard his private jet, followed by an event at Simpson College that was attended by over 500 people.
In the afternoon, he would visit with both Republican caucuses in the statehouse and headline two private fundraisers in Ankeny. Despite the fundraising events being only a quarter mile apart, over 250 people turned out for a fundraiser for State Senator Jack Whitver, and another 100 or so turned out for the Polk County Republican Party.
What Trump provided with glitz and swagger, Santorum countered with substance. At a luncheon with about 50 people at the Bull Moose Club, Santorum spent considerable time talking about foreign policy issues but also touched on rebuilding the middle class and commented on the religious liberty debate that gripped the nation last week.
Santorum also met with a group of Des Moines labor leaders and, like Trump, he also visited the State Capitol to meet with Republican lawmakers. Wednesday night, Santorum spoke at the Dallas County GOP’s speaker’s series before holding a book signing for his latest book, “Bella’s Gift,” the story of the Santorum’s seven-year old daughter who wasn’t expected to live because she has Trisomy 18.
At Trump’s morning press conference, I asked him what would be the top three agenda items of a Trump administration. He answer was 1) stop nuclear proliferation, 2) repeal Obamacare and replace it with something better, and 3) build a strong military while also making sure our veterans get what they deserve. At the three Trump events I attended throughout the day, Trump’s policy proposals were pretty much inline with those of most other GOP candidates, but he never really provided any depth or details.
Santorum admitted in his remarks that he could speak about Iran for hours, and to those in attendance, it was abundantly clear that he wasn’t exaggerating. Santorum explained that the biggest difference between the 2012 and 2016 campaigns is national security. “The last time around, there were 23 debates, I participated in 22 of them, and there was one debate on national security,” Santorum said.
Santorum then reminded the audience that Republicans have lost five of the past six presidential elections, the only one in which they won the popular vote was in 2004, which was the last election where foreign policy was on the national stage.
Santorum not only talked at length about Iran, but also about the growing foreign policy problems in Central America. “The only two countries that we have a better relationship with now than when Barak Obama came into office are Cuba and Iran,” said Santorum. “Both of those countries are doing horrible things in their regions of the world,” he added.
The State Department on Wednesday requested that Cuba be removed from the United States’ terrorism list, a move that the Obama Administration will easily welcome as they wish to normalize relations with the communist dictatorship.
Santorum explained, “Cuba used to not be allowed to participate in the Organization of America States because they were a dictatorship.” Santorum also claimed that Castro has helped facilitate other dictatorships in the region. “This is a disaster for us economically because we are losing our influence in a part of the world where we had tremendous trade with Central and South America. That’s being eroded because of the Bolivarian Revolution and the implant of China and other countries in that region that are anti-American,” Santorum added.
The contrast between Trump and Santorum couldn’t have been more noticeable. While Santorum didn’t draw the attention that Trump did, those who did get a chance to listen to him came away impressed. Donald Trump’s answers to questions are what you would expect to hear on radio and TV interviews, but Santorum’s substance and knowledge on critical subjects is what you want in a leader.
Get the alcohol outta our gas.....
Santorum has shown he will sell out to the political establishment.
Neither of them flutters my putter.
Both of these are has-beens!
We need new blood. Not the next in line.
“Neither of them flutters my putter.”
Agree. I’m sick of both of them and their perpetual “I’m thinking about running” prognostications. Just go away I say.
“Neither of them flutters my putter.”
Agree. I’m sick of both of them and their perpetual “I’m thinking about running” prognostications. Just go away I say.
Nice writeup. I would like to see more of our candidates able to speak knowledgably like Santorum on foreign policy issues.
No...I think campaigning, if only to keep issues on the forefront IS valuable. Personally, I’d like to see Justice Santorum...Secretary of Energy Palin; Dr. Ben Carson in charge of dismantling ObamaCare.
The Right has a solid cast of learned candidates...the next President (Cruz2016!) should utilize them.
Could you be a wee bit more specific?
Neither has a chance.
Both would love to be spoilers.
Both are running to sweeten their book/media deals.
If it weren’t for the dead weasels artfully hot glued to Trump’s head, it would be really hard to tell them apart.
I’d like to say people couldn’t possibly dumb enough to support trump, but we’ve seen them steal the last two residential elections.
Santorum just has no chance.
Santorum had his chance. He blew it.
I don’t have anything agains’t Rick Santoroum but when he was a Senator he embraced all the big govt legislation. He adds to the conversation but I don’t want him for President.
I don't mind it, as long as I have the choice.
And right now, E85 is cheap enough that I'm using it.
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