Posted on 01/31/2012 5:59:50 PM PST by tcg
...While Mitt Romney "carpet-bombed" Newt Gingrich with merciless attacks; while Newt Gingrich succumbed to the temptation to respond with similar efforts, one candidate demonstrated the singularly most important trait we need in a President, character. His name is Rick Santorum, Bella's Dad.
There was a book of essays on Presidential leadership written in 1996 entitled "Character Above All" The book contained an excellent essay by Peggy Noonan on Ronald Reagan...
"In a president, character is everything..."
People like me, "former" Democrats, were inspired by the courage, character and manner of Ronald Reagan. His was the kind of "conservatism" which made sense to people like us - who never thought we were "conservatives". ...
We were not then - and are not now - comfortable with the "Nelson Rockefeller" blue blood image of the old Republican Party. Sadly, the image seems to be at work again in the coronation effort of the Republican establishment in Florida. ...
Sadly, this Republican primary has degenerated into a brawl. It just seems to get worse - at least between Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney. Many people like me who are following this campaign are eager to replace the current occupant of the Whitehouse for many vital reasons. However, we do not want the "establishment" candidate for many reasons...
While "Mitt" and "Newt" were wresting in the mud (and I favored Newt in that match) Presidential candidate Rick Santorum stayed out of the fray. In fact, he went home to care for his beautiful daughter Bella. She had been hospitalized and was in a critical condition.
The very act of his leaving the campaign - while the pundit class was interpreting his exit as a sign of his demise - reveals the character of this good man...
(Excerpt) Read more at catholic.org ...
Perpetuating the fantasy of Ross Santorum will only drag us further into the weeds.
I can understand that.
But that has been leading the country down the path it has been going. It’s nice your conscience is clear, but how are you going to feel when you have lost your country?
There are times when you have to vote for the person most capable of turning things back, despite that it might weigh on your conscience a bit to do so.
Santorum and his vulture groupies can go f@ck off.
Like I said, they are just rooting for Romney from the sides in some pathetic effort to justify him still being in the race.
Nice job!!!!!!!!!
Sorry, but if Bella were my daughter, I wouldn’t be wasting this precious critical time with her by running for president. I’d be home enjoying every minute.
“Arlen was bad.... so was Dede Scozzafava”
One was a senator that reeked havoc in a close Senate.
The other was a no name from a poudunk congressional district that didnt swing a vote either way.
>> I think people should have choices. They should vote for the candidate closest to their views.
And sometimes it’s a matter of bucking up and preventing the worst case scenario.
I don’t want to hear a single sanctimonious thing from any Santorum supporter tonight. Rick has thin skin and no one’s attacked him yet. How do you think he would act, and how do you think his poll numbers would hold up, if his big government liberalism was exposed with 99% of Mitt’s ad expenditures. That’s right, 99% of Mitt’s ads were aimed at Newt.
You think Rickie boy continues to play nice if he starts getting attacked? Yeah, right.
Then you just aren't aware of what truly is at stake in this race.
Yep those solid conservatives will step in that booth and vote straight ticket democrat.
Maybe they’ll just stay home, as they often do, when they feel they’be been betrayed.
They may not even have enough money to finance a Primary by the time it gets to you. Broke in March says the Comptroller.
Yep, Ron Paul is a stinker. But he's a "Crazy Uncle" idealist stinker, a type much easier to like than a sanctimonious religion-on-his-sleeve altar boy like Santorum.
You Santorum fans are overlooking a huge factor here: Santorum has so far been given a pass on any kind of serious vetting in the MSM as well as by his GOP rivals. Doesn't that raise any red flags for you?
To make matters worse, it's likely Gingrich actually does have the kind of honor Santorum pretends to have, and Gingrich would probably be loath to fire both barrells at Santorum, whereas Santorum -- well, we'll see how far he goes in his negative attacks against Gingrich in Nevada. So far they appear to be honest and sticking to policy, which is fair enough. But how much will Santorum deliberately misrepresent the truth in order to miscast his former ally? And how does it compare to Gingrich -- where has he willfully misrepresented truth in accusing his opponents of bad policy, let alone bad "values"?
How are you going to feel when you find out that Santorum is as tarnished in the ethics and honor department as Gingrich? With a MUCH shallower record than Newt's?
There are no perfect candidates -- Santorum included. The guy is a SET UP for being steamrolled -- he is a babe in the woods whose support base seems to be top-heavy with Pollyannas emotionally invested in a religious "righteousness" that is as fragile and fallible as a cheap dinner plate. Gingrich is not stuff for Pollyannas. He's ugly, battle-scarred, and tough. And has a list of solid accomplishments behind him that make Santorum look like the puppy he is.
Santorum is a set-up, folks.
(By the way, Jonty, I agree with your post, and think you do a great job of helping Santorum fans see the bigger picture.)
LOL! {^) Touche! Good point, JDB!
Rick Perot?
-PJ
Rush, Levin,Hannity, Palin all have said they would support Romney if he were the nominee. How about you Romney or McCain?
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