Rick's Missing Message

The American Spectator ^ | March 8, 2012 | Ross Kaminsky

[Cincinatus' Wife]

....SenatorSantorum's other reference [to jobs] hits a level of self-absorption that even the patrician Mitt "I'm not worried about the very poor" Romney has not, at least when taken in context, come close to reaching:

"Karen and I have seven children, ages 20 to three, not exactly the best time to be out running for president of the UnitedStates. We've given up our -- our jobs. We're living off our savings. Yeah, we're making a little sacrifice for a very, very big goal…"

Yes, during his Tuesday evening speech, RickSantorum's only mention of someone losing a job was about him and his wife voluntarily giving up whatever they were doing.....

Talking about "living off our savings," something many unemployed Americans only wish they had as a fall-back position, also struck a discordant note from the Republican most trying to portray himself as a "man of the people."

Note to Rick: It was your choice to have seven children. (We certainly cannot question your opposition to contraception.) Don't use them as an excuse for your financial woes; we don't want to hear it, especially while you drag them around the country like a traveling circus act.

Other important issues during this campaign season include debt (Romney mentions: 3, Santorum:0), unemployment (Romney 3, Santorum0), economy (Romney 9, Santorum 1), tax (Romney 9, Santorum0) and perhaps the biggest threat to the economy, Obama (Romney 9, Santorum 2).

.....Instead of drifting from economics to birth control to the size of government to being a fighter, instead of complaining about being outspent, his own "sacrifices," or the unfairness of having opponents who won't do him the courtesy of dropping out (when he selfishly wouldn't do the same for them), Rick Santorum needs to get a message -- any message -- and stick with it...

[Guenevere]

Don’t know why you think I was referring to you?

[C. Edmund Wright]

You won’t understand this, but I’ll respond to you for the sake of others.

Governor Palin is the mom, not the dad. Governor Palin’s campaign was what, 60 days in length? Santorums is already what, a year? And counting? There is also a huge difference in how Palin used her family and how RS is. There are so many differences.

But you’ll never get it. Go buy another sweater vest.

[Guenevere]

I really don't get you Newt supporters?????

Some of you spend all day, every day tearing down Rick Santorum....

..and very little effort for your own candidate.

If Newt is so wonderful........why do you feel threatened by Santorum?

What earthly pleasure does it give you to make fun of him , his wife, his children...what he wears....and everything else you don't like about him.

I get it----you don't like him.

But what kind of mindset enjoys verbally bruising, kicking and spitting at another man or his family?

I don't do that to Newt, and have no intention of doing so.

What gives?

[Lauren BaRecall]

Rational Thought’s point is easily grasped, and twisting the meaning of the post doesn’t make the reader doubt his understanding of it.

[C. Edmund Wright]

Are you being obtuse on purpose? Or do you just don’t get it?

To say we are tearing down RS’ family is perhaps the stupidest thing I’ve seen on the internet in, well, hours. Now, we think it’s a bit shameless how the family is being used as a prop. We think it is beneath contempt to try and compare RS to Sarah or Reagan. And we think it’s almost comical how many in Santorum nation swoon over things that don’t make a tinkers damn worth of a difference. Which may be you, BTW.

But no one is tearing down his family. We are capable of looking past the critical issue of how picturesque The White House Christmas Card greeting would look with clan Santorum in there. We face much bigger issues, including a general electorate that will REALLY get nasty.

[C. Edmund Wright]

Will you post a picture of your Pharisee Member in Good Standing Card. I’ve never seen one. I figure you for Platinum membership.

[Lauren BaRecall]

That Santorum should have dropped out before the first primary when he was below 5%. Instead, he stubbornly stayed in and by a stroke of luck after Romeny spent millions destroying Newt, the base very blindly and stupidly dropped everything and made Santorum the front runner.

Yeah, that and 400 Santorum town hall meetings.

[Eva]

Daniel Henninger of the WSJ disagrees. He says that Santorum has exactly the right message for this campaign, the ONLY right message and that message has nothing to do with social issues.

Santorum and Freedom

This is a big switch for Henninger, all of the WSJ people have been supporting Romney. Henninger is supporting Santorum.

[PSYCHO-FREEP]

Oh, I don't “feel” threatened at ALL by Santorum. He is simply a fraud and phony, who has duped the ignorant voters in the party, like yourself.

His record is clear, many of us have repeatedly pointed it out, yet you remain brain dead by choice. That's your deal. You support who you like. But stop the Religious purity facade and stick to the facts. And don't fault those of us who look for the truth as well as the real facts.

And stop with the guilt trip. We are not making “fun” of Santorum over the things you claim. We are merely illustrating the mundane and superficial image you are trying to sell the rest of us, when the threat that we all face is completely ignored or overlooked.

[Lauren BaRecall]

Good piece of writing. Henninger captures the same things I see in all those videos of Santorum events I’ve watched. Thanks for the link.

[j.argese]

I don’t chew my cabbage twice.
Good day.

[b9]

Agreed. What I think of them using Bella as a prop...

The timing of Rick's exit from his failing Florida race was too, too convenient. He wrapped up the sympathy vote and has been riding it ever since.

He's a millionaire, parading as a working stiff. Google Rick Santorum millionaire.

Good for him, being wealthy.
Shame on him, pretending he's not.

[IWONDR]

“...All the Santorum family is charming, engaging and genuine!”

And, will that be enough to defeat BO in November? unfortunately not, i’m afraid.

[Irenic]

Just curious....did you complain about Sarah Palin and her family....traveling around with her 3-1/2 years ago?.....just wondering
********************

I don’t recall seeing her children as often as Santorums and I also wasn’t posting on FR when Palin was running as VP. But I did comment this more recently:
___________________________________________________________
Sarah Palin Will Not Run for President
Wednesday, October 05, 2011 5:48:52 PM · 84 of 303
Irenic to uncbob

Joe McGinnis—Mission Accomplished
************************
heck no! That fool man couldn’t take Sarah out, I think she is doing what is best for her family. I respect that.

That is another thing I totally disrespect in Obama, making his young daughters grow up this way. JMO
Post Reply | Private Reply | To 69 | View Replies
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I suppose we could also make note of Santorums comments about Sarah and the kids, he has no problem commenting on someones kids or their making money...

*snip*

“I have a feeling she has some demands on her time . . . and a lot of them have financial benefit attached to them,” he said. “So I am sure she is doing what is best for her and her family.”

He continued, “I’m not the mother to all of these kids and I don’t have other responsibilities like she has.”

[Irenic]

But what kind of mindset enjoys verbally bruising, kicking and spitting at another man or his family?
**************************

Enough. I didn’t kick, spit or bruise his family. I commented on his family as he uses them as part of his campaign. I wonder about Bella because I don’t see her, it is a big empty hole. I find that sad, I commented.

That isn’t an insult but it is funny that Santorum feels no problem using the family but if anyone comments—all L breaks loose. He talks up family and family values and if someone holds a different view on family, holy cow!

I have commented often that I think it cruel Obama didn’t wait until his children were older to run, he’s a young man. I think living in the bubble that is the White House with all the Secret Service up your rear 24/7 is a terrible way for children to grow up.

*I have an opinion*, I comment...I’ve not said people must live the way I believe but when they are running to be my president or are my president—I think I am allowed an opinion and the ability to comment.

They certainly have no problem telling me how they want my family to live or signing into law things that have direct consequences for my family.

A comment on difference of opinion about parenting, which are a few thoughts typed out on a forum, or words hanging in the air for a split second. They will go to bed and wake with my words causing no change to their lives.

I usually don’t get too nasty about Santorum, though if one doesn’t post glowing comments or articles about the man, that seems to be considered an attack.

I do admit that last night and today I have been a bit more biting—I have had a bellyful of Santorum camp and their calls for Gingrich to drop. Then Santorum and camp give all sorts of contradicting statements about doing it. It is spineless, weaselly and lawyer like.

Also, Santorum camp was whining about Romney camp disenfranchising primary voters by touting delegates. What the heck does Santorum and camp think THEY are doing, asking Gingrich to step aside? That more strongly takes away choice for voters. Psssh...

I am sure if Santorum made it to the WhiteHouse that Amadenajad will only ever speak kindly of Santorum, his sweater vest and family. Nope, Santorum and pals won’t need a thicker skin. No sir!

[gogogodzilla]

What this is doing is exposing the realities of each of us.

Some are showing that they value freedom and a small government... and want that boon granted to all Americans.

And others are showing that they like the idea of using government to force the unwilling to be just like they are.

IE: this is a battle between the statists and freedom-lovers within the conservative wing of the Republican party.

Newt and Paul represent differing levels of freedom... whereas Santorum and Romney represent differing forms of state control over your life.

Unfortunately, it looks like the moderate wing of the Republican party is all for state control over their lives... and about half of the conservative wing has also swallowed that bilge as well.

It's as if everyone has already forgotten that the TEA parties were a desperate shout about just how much control the government has over us, and that we aren't happy about it.

[Bigg Red]

Sorry for the confusion. No, it is not vile to say that RS talks too much. I was alluding to various comments I have read on various threads.

What I truly dislike is that a lot of people are just attacking the various candidates and calling them names. It seems that most of that has been aimed at Romney.

I don’t support Romney, but I don’t think he is evil. He is too far to the left for me, but I do not question his motives, as I think he probably is basically a decent person who thinks he is doing what is right for the country. I would say the same about Gingrich.

There has just been so much nastiness and there have been far too many sound bites produced for Obama’s campaign.

[Bigg Red]

Please see my answer to another at 77.