Posted on 01/20/2012 5:18:17 PM PST by chessplayer
Rick Santorum walked a fine line in his response to questions about Marianne Gingrich’s accusations against her ex-husband and Santorum’s GOP rival, Newt.
“Personal matters are personal matters, but they are matters that are — particularly when you are in public life as he was at the time and the people involved were also in a sense in public life — those issues are issues that people will look at,” Santorum responded.
“I believe in forgiveness, I’m called to believe in forgiveness,” he continued. “I do believe having some accountability to a higher calling other than self is a very, very important aspect and perspective that is important for leaders.
“To make the final comment, these are issues of character and these are issues that people will consider based upon the time, when, where, how all those thing will factor in and I’ll let people make that decision, I’m certainly not going to make it for them,” he said to a crowd of about 150 people.
Accomplishments? Like what?
Shovelling pork out the door?
Zero, count ‘em, zero balanced budgets, despite what we know now to be a booming economy.
I don’t see any difference between his term in congress and the much maligned Bush years, except for the fact that both ran up big deficits, but Bush had a war and a terrible economy and Newt?
Peace and the best economy we’ve never seen this last 12 years. So yeah, let’s give Newt credit for not stashing some in the kitty when he had the chance.
Not one accusation against Cain was ever proven. Not one.
Then you can happily show me proof that Cain committed adultery.
Show it too me, dirtboy. Show me the proof!
I find it hilarious that you’re savaging Cain over unsubstantiated allegations but giving Newt a pass over his affairs.
But then that’s what it’s been about since day one? Destroying the conservatives?
And no, I’m not playing into Mitt’s hands, you are. Don’t you see. Once the conservatives are out, Obama wins and can go back to playing hoops again. Obama is laughing his ASS off at the Republican primary in South Carolina choosing Newt.
He also engineered the GOP takeover in 1994. And brought forth some significant legislation such as welfare reform.
But you can pretend those aren't real accomplishments. Just like you can pretend that Newt is like Clinton, although Clinton got impeached for lying under oath, not for his affairs.
Quit being angry at folks for not buying into Santorum’s slow, plodding, petulant, unimpressive self righteousness. About 90% of Republicans are not into it. I am not responsible for that simply because I recognize it.
Nor am I responsible for the fact that Santorum is not a good conservative on a lot of issues of limited government and unions and other fiscal issues. That is not my fault either.
Some forgiving christian Santorum is! Give it up man...you are not fit to be president...too spiteful!
What sunk Cain to me (and I was inclined to support him) was when he revealed that he had not told his wife about the money he gave to the last accuser.
How he thought he could keep that bottled up is beyond comprehension. He should have cleared his past with his own wife before running. Showed a major lapse in judgement and a complete unawareness of the meat grinder he was entering. Stupid.
That's pretty funny coming from a guy savaging the conservative frontrunner.
“The budgets were the closest to being balanced during Newt’s tenure than in any recent time.”
As I said, the economy was coming off 12 year sustained growth, hitting the peak in 2000, a peak that we’ve not seen since wrt inflation.
They were close, not because of Newt’s efforts, but becuase the economy was doing so well. Had we taken Newt’s policies into the Bush years, we would have run up even larger deficits than Bush.
“He also engineered the GOP takeover in 1994.”
Just like Boner did in 2010?
“And brought forth some significant legislation such as welfare reform.”
Finally, an actual accomplishment. Which is why he also signed off on stuff like Fanny + Freddy, and all the mortage credit bubble. How’d that work out?
Yes, he passed some good legislation. I’ll give him that, but he also signed off on some terrible, terrible legislation.
“Just like you can pretend that Newt is like Clinton”
Yeah, he is just like Clinton a serial adulterer. BTW - If the argument is that he hasn’t cheated on anyone recently, that’s not a very good argument is it?
“although Clinton got impeached for lying under oath, not for his affairs.”
Which is why he’s just like Clinton. Need I bring up all the ethics violations that drove Newt out of office?
Tell me what the delegate count says.
You mean the ethics violations that were found to be without merit - save one, which was more of a technicality than anything?
The difference was, Clinton WAS guilty of lying under oath.
Boy, you sure love spraying the slime, don't you?
I see I am debating a delusional fool, which is a waste of time. Santorum will be way behind when the results from SC come in tonight. It will be over for him. Later.
I’d wager he trusted his friend to do the right thing. I know I’ve helped people in the past, and there isn’t anyone who knows what I’ve done other than that person, me and God.
For me, I think it’s telling that she was unwilling to reveal the contents of what Cain wrote to her. If there’s smoke, then let’s see them. Cain was willing to open them all up, which tells me that he was pretty sure there wasn’t anything there.
Now, for those of you who weren’t there - Cain’s grandchildren were receiving death threats. That is why he pulled out, to protect his family. Even his own bodyguard resigned, stating that he wanted Cain to have even more protection than he could provide.
I see a whole lot of circumstantial evidence, with nothing solid.
I helped my own ex-wife out several times. I didn't hide it from who I was dating at the time. I would never hide such a thing from my wife.
Like I said, it was stupid on Cain's part to not clear everything with his wife before getting into the race. It showed he had not thought through what he was getting into, even if the money he gave that woman was done without any underlying affair.
After he quit and went running home and gave up. Speaks volumes to me. He’s supposed to be the big alpha dog here?
I just don’t see it. If they had no merit, then he should have fought and stayed on. But when the going got tough, he quit. When Clinton called his bluff on the government shut down, he caved rather then see it through. He gave Clinton the ammunition every single time.
What’s going to happen when he suspends his campaign? Or calls on Rudy G or somesuch (since he’s already got the conservative support), to be his running mate?
If he couldn’t beat Clinton, how’s he going to beat Obama?
“Like I said, it was stupid on Cain’s part to not clear everything with his wife before getting into the race. It showed he had not thought through what he was getting into, even if the money he gave that woman was done without any underlying affair. “
I think he just trusted his friend. I have folks that are pretty tight, and I know I’d feel the same way if they backstabbed me.
I just don’t see why not telling his wife about something he did to help someone else is the same as cheating on your wife, twice, and then marrying your mistress both times. Cain’s been married 40 some years, and you don’t go that long without a serious commitment to her. Let’s look at the big picture here.
Now we don’t have Cain, and the conservatives who you are insisting must support Newt, are supporting Santorum. Is that really the outcome that we were hoping for? No.
So who really won here? Conservatives, or the Axelrod/Obama crew?
And don’t blame me when the ship sinks and Obama is re-elected.
That’s why you’re voting for him, right? Because he might just maybe in some time in the future, get enough indies to make up for the base walking out and voting for him?
So far nobody’s pulled the Newt trigger yet. Didn’t happen in Iowa, and didn’t happen in NH. Remains to be seen if it will happen in SC.
I will not blame you for anything. But if you don’t think the Newt surge in SC is real and if you don’t think it is driven by the base, then I think you’re in for a real surprise today in SC. I certainly do not know for sure, but that is my hunch. Either way, Newts support is base driven. It’s the base who remembers what he did for base principles in the 80s and 90s and who think he is recommitted to those principles.
And if he wins the nomination, his appeal to the indies better be what Reagan’s was and what Newt’s was in 94: convince them we are right, not try to convince them we agree with them.
Maybe you would reserve following Jesus' instruction only when it involves those with whom you agree politically. If so, that's your business. But you are in error assuming all Christians would.
God first. THEN Country.
Very fair question. I'd say YES.
Two questions for you: 1. Isn't the moral code contained in the Christian bible a MAJOR source of the founding principles of our United States of America? yes or no?
2. Isn't forgiving those who ask for your forgiveness a major aspect of Christianity, and therefore a major part of being Pro-Family and Family values? yes or no?
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