Posted on 09/13/2009 2:33:46 PM PDT by NYer
ORLANDO, FL, September 12, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Speaking to a room full of prominent US Catholic leaders Friday night, Senator Rick Santorum was challenged to run for the Republican Presidential nominaion. Responding to a room already thick with applause, Santorum revealed that he was indeed "thinking about it" but asked for prayers and detailed his thinking on the matter.
His remarks came after his address to the closing dinner of the 12th annual Catholic Leadership Conference - an invite-only gathering of Catholic leaders from academia, law, media, medicine, and politics, as well as leaders of movements within the Church such as pro-life, pro-family and evangelization. Posing the challenge was long-time legal, political, and media activist Keith Fournier.
Santorum is not only a Catholic in name but a faithful one who is noted for his strong pro-life activism and work to bring decency back to America. He revealed that he has seven children, with one in college. The reason why the sixth is not college-bound is the fact that his 16-month-old 'Bella' was born with Trisomy 18, a genetic disorder which is fatal before birth in 90 per cent of cases.
Santorum referred to Bella as "our angel" marveling at how she changed his life, and that of his family for the better. Speaking of children like Bella, he said, "They teach you things you can't even imagine."
Here Santorum turned to abortion describing his reason for fighting against it politically saying, "I think of we treat these people in society and how we destroy them. 86% of Down syndrome children are aborted - killed. And Down syndrome is 5 times better than what Bella has."
Considering how his children may themselves be the targets of nasty politics, as has happened in the recent past, gives Santorum pause. "That weighs on me," he said. "When you stand up for the things I do and say the things I say, they brutalize you and they won't stop at you."
Those are the things, he explained that "as a father I've got to think about."
"On the other side," he added, "as a father, I've got to think about whether they are going to have a country to live in … Are they going to be able to practice their faith in a way that's consistent with what the Church teaches."
The last consideration in favor of his run was on the practical level. He said: "Six months ago I would not have spent ten seconds on your question, but it's not six months ago. I see that, I hate to be calculating, but I see that 2012 is not just throwing somebody out to be eaten, but it's a real opportunity for success."
In closing he said that while he was "thinking about it", it is the first time his ambition which is, as he said, "in his DNA" was checked by a resistance saying, "no, I'm not sure."
Ending the session, Catholic political powerhouse Deal Hudson (President George W. Bush's Catholic advisor for a period of time) cited Plato's famous saying that the best governors are those who do not wish to govern.
:)Good come back ((((Hugs)))))So you hate him .
Roberts was confirmed 78-22, and Alito was confirmed 58-42, so your statement doesn't make sense. Specter didn't recommend them, and wasn't the deciding vote on either of those justices -- they would have won confirmation by comfortable margins whether Specter or Hoeffel (or Toomney for that matter) was holding the Senate seat at the time.
What does my location have to do with the subject of Santorum’s support of liberals ? And I know where you live, you’ve told me... repeatedly. BTW, did you know Santorum is no longer residing in PA ? He lives in Virginia. He spent 16 years in DC, I think he caught Potomac Fever, and it poisoned him. Now he lives very close to DC, a lot closer than the Pittsburgh area.
It was Dr. Sivana that implied Santorum had endorsed Kirk, unless I misread what he wrote. I’ve been trying to locate that info online, but haven’t tracked it down. If he has not, that’s good, but it still doesn’t change his two prior endorsements of Specter and Slick Willard. The latter alone disqualifies him for any future office in my estimation (he claimed to speak to him for an hour on the phone, and that “cinched” it for him - talking to a world-class liar and master manipulator - so either Rick believes in supporting liberals is A-OK, or Rick is a stupid man who can be easily fooled. Either way, I think he has jumped the shark).
:”Catholic voting for an infamously wicked pro-abort “He did it for a reason,Alito and Roberts.I thank him.
I suggest you call it a night. You're not doing yourself any good.
I don't post to waste time but that's what I believe I've done with you here and I'm finished.
I love facts.When was Specter voted back in.These facts mean nothing .Why do you fight me.:)I’m right ,you are wrong.
I would agree on that point, but simply note that I opposed Fred Thompson in the primary for similar reasons, his track record of vocally supporting RINOs in primary elections (McCain over Bush, Chaffee over Laffey, Simmons over Schiff, etc.) because the beltway crowd wanted them. Your excuse is the past was it's okay because Fred was simply a patriotic guy "trying to help the Republicans maintain a majority". How's that any different from the Santorum apologists on this thread are say? Basically it's -- Gee whiz, Rick only supported Specter because he was polling best against the Dems and Rick, being the good Republican he was, wanted to make sure the seat stayed in GOP hands so they could keep the majority".
I agree that Romney is a slick talking RINO but I'm with the majority of freepers who feel McCain is even worse than Romney, and Chafee is even worse than Specter. Fred did the exact same thing for Chafee that Santorum did for Specter, he quite vocally stumped for him in the primary over a real Republican, and mislead GOP voters to believe that the RINO scumbag was "agrees with me on most issues" and is "with us when it matters"
On the one hand you pat Fred on the back for "keeping TN's Senate seats in GOP hands", on the other hand you constantly decry how both of TN's senators are now squishy borderline RINOs. You can't have it both ways.
You do seem to always hold your hero Fred to a different standard than you hold all other GOP senators. What's the difference between Santorum's support of RINOs, and Fred's? I can't see any.
Call it a night and put down Santorum-sleep well.
Billy, do we really need to go over this again ? I never said Fred was right all of the time, but I never questioned his intent or what he was trying to accomplish (meaning, never any willful malice on his part and deliberate attempts to sabotage Conservatism or the GOP - and never did I see anyone go out of his way to help other candidates as he did, when there was nothing in it for him, he could’ve just hung it up and retired, but he was always out there for the party’s candidates).
The difference here is that Santorum KNEW the Conservatives preference in ‘04, he saw the tide, and he willfully and maliciously acted to help Specter, a known liberal (and he actually, naively, believed that Specter would help him out, which was shocking). I think he harbored some level of jealousy towards Toomey, who perhaps he felt would overshadow him. It’s the intent here that is the difference. His actions were RINOesque, and one occasion is one thing, but he did it twice, with the second time demonstrating he clearly is not very bright.
How do you know BillyBoy?
I agree you posted a lot of gibbrish on a wonderful pro- life person.Not good.Sleep well as you wished his family.
This is a quote from one of his books: “The notion that college education is a cost-effective way to help poor, low-skill unmarried mothers with high school diplomas or GED’s move up the economic ladder is just wrong.” Though it isn’t really cost-effective with too much of the dole now going to education, try explaining that to the brain-dead out there who were originally too stupid to say “no” to their boyfriends.
I suggest you take your own advice, madam. And wash out your mouth with soap while you’re at it.
:)Love it.Hehehehhe
Are you hitting abuse on my posts?I only said Fu.
Do you not agree spreeding rumor and saying a prolife person voted for sin is a sin-hello-calimy Hold your head up high as you beat him down but I known the truth.
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.