Yes. Rick Santorum was a good man, and reliably pro-life and pro-family. He was persuaded by Bush and Rove to support Arlen Specter, whom they insisted had a better chance to win than Pat Toomey.
I’m sorry he did that, because I think it lost him the next election, because his conservative base was angry with him. He did it at the urging of the party leaders, Bush and Rove. And he also said he did it out of loyalty because Specter had earlier supported him.
I blame Rove for that as much as anybody. Specter was predictably a disaster, and Rick lost the election for doing what he was asked to do by the party leadership.
Since the Tea Party revolt, people have been more willing to revolt against the party elite, but that was not the case back then.
Still, I don’t know what possible purpose Santorum can have for saying this stupid stuff now. I think he’s hoping one day to get his job back. But this ain’t the way to do it. Not now.
> Still, I don’t know what possible purpose Santorum can have for saying this stupid stuff now. I think he’s hoping one day to get his job back. But this ain’t the way to do it. Not now.
Yours was possibly the best spin on where Santorum stands, but I’ll never forget his comments on libertarians even before the Toomey thing. He’s in the John Kasich traitor territory for me... Kasich got the first assault weapons ban passed for Clinton.
We have to remember, though, it was 2006 -- a "wave" election -- that carried a lot of weight toward his loss. We lost a high number of GOPers that year. Plus.. Bob Casey disguised himself as a pro-life "moderate," giving PA voters an illusory alternative to Santorum.
If McCain turned against republicans in 4 years, and became a democrat, I doubt anybody here would hold it against Sarah Palin, so I don’t know why they don’t understand what you explained about Rick Santorum.
I don’t think he’s the best conservative in the world, but he seemed a good enough guy not to be dumped on by conservatives like he is.