Lack of Skill and Composure Lead to Unsurprising Santorum Face-Plant in Crucial Phoenix Debate

Reaganite Republican ^ | February 23, 2012 | Reaganite Republican

[Reaganite Republican]

While there are varied degrees of criticism, it does seem all but unanimous this morning that Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum blew a major chance  to convince the skeptical in our party that he's got what it takes to beat the Obama machine this fall.... 

Instead, Ricky Wonder Bread choked (for at least the first half of the debate), confirming the worst fears: unprepared for attacks he should have known were coming, uncharismatic, unconvincing as a debater- while unsettlingly showing flashes of temper and immaturity, serious flaws in a candidate for what is sure to be a brutal, negative battle.

Not only did Mittens have him on the ropes (in a hall stuffed with Romney supporters by the AZ GOP), Santorum was easily ruffled and repeatedly put back on his heels both by Mitt and Ron Paul, appearing quite angry for being asked to defend his past decisions and actions. As heard here time and time again, this one ain't got what it takes to make it in The Bigs, so glaringly obvious after watching him whiff like this... maybe after a few years on the farm team, but not this season. 

Hey, Santorum seems like an OK guy, I myself am a church-going Catholic and yes I do like most all his platform... he simply will not beat Obama in November if nominated, that's all.

Newt Gingrich -while laying off RS completely- actually delivered one of his better performances, hitting Romney as a hypocrite re. earmarks while mainly focusing on Obama, in particular his great enthusiasm for abortion. Combined with Santorum's failure to deliver in the clutch, it will be interesting to see how it plays out in the polls as ST approaches.

But catch this: Ron Paul again joined with Romney in trashing Santorum... while nary a peep about Mittens' (99% opposite of his) foreign policy.  Hmmm, well if that strikes you as exceedingly odd, you're not the only one: some see a pattern in this over the last few debates: since Paul's positions on Iran and such make him nonviable as a candidate himself, speculation is growing that he's in the race as a spoiler at this point, in order to split the right and drag-down Gingrich and Santorum.

Why would über-idealist Ron Paul want to go and do a thing like that... collaborate with Flipper, you ask? Rumors also rife the (unprincipled after all) old man is maneuvering to get Rand Paul on the ticket as VP (with unabashed statist Romney!). If true, this would be a hypocrital sellout of the first order... bet you Paulbots never saw this one coming- 

Now we're back to asking all of you take yet another fresh look at Newton Leroy Gingrich: all I can tell you is if Newt is unable to capitalize on Super Tuesday, I will be looking to an open convention in order to nominate a candidate who can go out there and lay into the Obama in the way that it needs to be done: Dear Leader's whole gig is based on maintaining his smiley-faced-mannequin facade while ramming-through a hidden (Marxist, racist) agenda as fast as possible, by-hook-or-by-crook... this reality needs to be exposed thoroughly in order for the Republican Party to win back the White House (as demonstrated by the Former House Speaker last night):

Video/more at Reaganite Republican

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CNN   MarkAmerica   American Power   h/t Riehl World View   Maggie's Notebook

[cripplecreek]

Santorum is an honest man in an increasingly dishonest world. I’m stickin with Rick.

[biggredd1]

It’s apparent to many that ron paul and romney tag teamed santorum and have been aligned for awhile. Seems like obamney/RAND paul VP is the DEAL. Santorum lost some glitter and needs to align with Gingrich. The real battle now is obamney vs gingrich.

[dforest]

Anything is possible. If Newt rises, he will once again go through the ringer though.

He certainly didn’t shine in the two Florida debates when he was kicked around by Romney and the media.

I worry now that nobody will be able to rise fast enough to stop a Romney roll.

This morning, the media is fawning over Romney and his “so called” consistent debate performances.

If Romney wins Michigan and Nevada, and does fairly well on Super Tuesday, it could be about over.

[TomGuy]

CNN last evening and FoxNews this morning are indicating that last night’s debate may be the final one for the GOP primary season.

The question is whether Gingrich can capitalize on Santorum’s weak debate showing. If Gingrich’s numbers do not soar as today’s polls come in, he becomes the huck-hanger-on.

Romney may have managed to improve his showing and squeak out a win in Michigan.

Santorum’s Big Mo may have been daunted by the debate.

But, for Gingrich, he MUST show a win in at least one state before SuperTuesday. Without that, he falls further behind in the delegate count. Even if Santorum and Romney split AZ-MI, that doesn’t help Gingrich, especially since Gingrich is struggling in GA.

[StAnDeliver]

"I sometimes wonder if Sarah Palin has anticipated a brokered convention, and if so, is she lying in wait."

More like Fatty Arbuckle, er, Gov. Christie waiting for the buffet to open.

[wtc911]

why do I need to give him any chance after that when I feel Gingrich is ten times the man, makes Santorum look like a child, actually.

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Ten times the man????

No bias on your part at all.

Sorry but you have disqualified yourself as a legitimate commentator.

[St_Thomas_Aquinas]

——I worry now that nobody will be able to rise fast enough to stop a Romney roll.-——

Both Rick and Newt need Rick to take Michigan. If he doesn’t, there’s still hope, but not much.

[Reaganite Republican]

If not Newt I demand open convention

Mitt won’t repeal ObamaCare and Santorum would get trounced... what else is there to consider

[Reaganite Republican]

“Santorum’s Big Mo may have been daunted by the debate”

GOOD, he’s a guaranteed loser from where I’m standing.

If not Newt we need Palin or somebody else to step up at the convention, plenty of thinking people know Santorum is not going to cut it

[dforest]

If Mitt gets the delegates, demanding ain’t going to happen. Remember, Ron Paul will probably throw his delegates to Mitt Romney.

So it isn’t going to happen.

[Toespi]

Santorum defended his liberal voting record by telling us, “politics is a team sport.” His explanation of supporting Spector would have put a lot of athletes in prison........you know throwing the game because you made a bet against your team.

[Reaganite Republican]

>Ten times the man????

No bias on your part at all.”

---

Never claimed to be unbiased, few are

BUT you can forget what the candidates are saying, just compare the records of accomplishment... Newt’s conservative legislative victories are historic and HUGE, he’s one of the best debaters on the planet, and his IDEAL economic plan (#1 issue with US voters BY FAR) has been endorsed enthusastically by none less than Reagan’s economic guru Art Laffer.

Meanwhile, Santorum has done next to nothing but talk, really- how ironic then he’s such an atrocious debater, lol

[jimbo123]

Christie will be Mittens’ pick for VP and hatchet man.

[dforest]

Yeah, I know. Doesn’t look good right now. It might help if we all quit slamming our own.

[Reaganite Republican]

“Santorum defended his liberal voting record by telling us, “politics is a team sport.” His explanation of supporting Spector would have put a lot of athletes in prison........you know throwing the game because you made a bet against your team.”

A-men

[vg0va3]

The problem is that with this GOP leadership it will not be “open”. Those that manage the convention are the same 25-30% that have supported Romney since 2008.

At this point, I feel certain, the leadership would love an “open” convention. They will simply work their magic to give us Romney. That is why we are here today. Those that manage the process are managing the process in their chosen direction.

Note that MSNBC Morning Joe heads are all jumping on the Romney wagon. They know where that leads.

[Reaganite Republican]

Was counting on Mittens falling short, but that’s far from certain... the Paul angle sends a chill down the spine, tho... amazing

[cripplecreek]

Yeah the horros of supporting Spector is more than enough to disqualify any candidate right?

Gingrich ‘Deeply Upset’ That Scozzafava Endorsed Democrat After He’d Supported Her (ROFL)

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2376848/posts

Newt: “I am, however, deeply dissapointed that she has chosen to back Owens over Hoffman.”

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2376172/posts

Jarrett: Dems want Scozzafava nod (Newt? Newt?)

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2375959/posts

Right To Work Prez Calls Out Newt’s Hypocrisy

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2375483/posts

Group Calls on Gingrich to Rescind Endorsement of Scozzafava

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2374566/posts

Who Lied to (RINO) Newt Gingrich?

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2373633/posts

Newt Gingrich - “King of the RINOs”

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2373107/posts

Gingrich: A Vote for Hoffman Is a Vote for Pelosi

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2373068/posts

Farewell To GOP’s Squishy Gingrich Wing

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2372160/posts

Are you kidding me?

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2372078/posts

Gingrich calls GOP support for Hoffman a ‘purge’

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2371959/posts

Newt on Greta talking about Scozzafava

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2371587/posts

Newt Gingrich: Doug Hoffman support a ‘mistake’

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2371188/posts

[Toespi]

Well we aren’t talking about Gingrich right now, are we?

[wtc911]

You define a man by his politics? Some of us define a man by his dedication to his family...iow...his character. Kinda hard to argue Newt over Santorum in that area or define Santorum as a boy.

And, I have and do support(ed) Newt. My objection is to your blatantly prejudiced attack being passed off as legitimate commentary....it is not. But, there's a lot of that going on around here these days.