Posted on 03/10/2012 7:48:30 PM PST by Steelfish
Santorum Blasts Gingrich Over 'Romneycare'
Chris Welch Springfield, Missouri (CNN) – It's a common aspect of Republican Rick Santorum's stump: attacking Mitt Romney for creating - and then "recommending" - "Romneycare" to President Barack Obama.
But Saturday, fresh off his projected win in the Kansas caucuses, Santorum added that GOP presidential rival Newt Gingrich is "honestly not a whole lot better."
"For 20 years when I was pushing medical savings accounts, he was pushing a federal mandate for health insurance," Santorum said. "And when 'Romneycare' passed, he sent out a glowing statement talking about how this wonderful bill had just passed in Massachusetts."
Santorum argues that Obama, Gingrich and Romney all line up on the same side when it comes to their support for an individual mandate.
The campaign points to a 2006 newsletter Gingrich wrote for his consulting firm, the Center for Health Transformation, in which he praised Romney's Massachusetts health care reform.
"The health bill that Governor Romney signed into law this month has tremendous potential to effect major change in the American health system," Gingrich wrote, according to the report.
Also in the newsletter, Gingrich expressed his support for the individual mandate in Massachusetts, but only for those making at least $54,000 a year. And while he commended Romney's effort in building the plan, he acknowledged the bill will likely face "tremendous scrutiny" from those who doubt the law will work.
(Excerpt) Read more at politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com ...
I’ve read them carefully. What I see is someone pitting conservatives agaisnt one another.
It's a campaign decision made by both candidates. I just don't see it as being the best decision.
Oh. You mean like women should be home taking care of their children? (Said in regard to Sarah Palin, IIRC.)
Those one liners don’t just come from Gingrich. How about, “I like firing people.”
Hmm Rick Santorum a Stalking horse. I think it may have started that way but his Tri-Fecta make him think he actually can win this election.
Pure speculation but he made Some really half Arsed attempts to get on many state ballots.
I don't want this to get into a protracted discussion of or analysis of Newt's personal life. Yes, I raised the issue here, but not so much in reference to his personal matters, but to his public explanations. If you look at my reply at #76 my take on it, which is obviously different than yours, will be more clear.
Yes, Newt is personally in a hard place, but he has some degree of culpability in his being there.
Here is what Newton had to say on the subject: “I really appreciate the leadership Rev. Sharpton is showing all across America.”
I live in the tri-state area so I am very aware of the exploits of the right Reverend Al. Crown Heights, Howard Beach, Freddies Fashion Mart, et al. I guess you being a diehard Newt guy love the right Reverend though for his "leadership" in those situations.
Newt’s been concentrating on Obama. Mitt and Rick on Newt.
Mine or Newt's?
You cannot run a “southern strategy” plan in a national campaign. He did little in MN, MO, CO, WA, MI, OH except to siphon off crucial votes allowing Romney to make squeaker wins in these states. Gingrich got only 7% of the vote in MI and allowed Romney to barely hold onto his state with a 3% margin. Had Romney lost MI, this game would have been all over and at most it would have been a Santorum v. Gingrich match. Just listed to the conservative political commentariat, and Gingrich is spoken off only in terms of being a “spoiler” and foil for Romney. This is what conservative members of Fox Panel are saying in Judge Jeanine to the Laura Ingraham show as well as others. Tune into the Mark Levin show on Monday.
almost every thread, someone calls you out for being blatantly dishonest.
Santorum has never said he was wrong to support Specter. he said "sometimes you have to take one for the team".
You really need at least a casual acquaintance with reality and the truth.
You act as though there aren’t a gazillion zingers we could throw at oscramble. That is just a stupid argument.
You are spot on. These one liners will be used.
Well how about Santorum Shacking with his wife before they were married while she was shacking with an Abortion doctor before Roe v Wade made abortion legal. She had “shacked” with him six years what did she think he was doing.
Talking about the pot calling the kettle black.
Sheesh
I wasn't aware he said his love of country caused him to do so. When did he say that?
Good HONEST post about a not so honest candidate. Santorum hasn’t been vetted. His supporters refuse to do it. So they should thank you.
Yours. Maybe Rick could ask Obama to create a “Morals Czar” position for him. Then his supporters here could drop any pretense about limited government. They’re primarily nanny staters that want their guy in the White House hence their OVERWHELMING focus on Newt’s personal life, and his alleged moral shortcomings.
Gingrich moved over for santorum in MI. Some people steadfastly and stubbornly voted their principles anyway. You gonna blame Newt because rick couldn’t bring home the bacon?
Here we go again. Just like Rick “blame everyone else” Santorum. Rick didn’t lose Michigan or Ohio because of Newt. He lost big leads in both because he’s inept.
Romney isn’t splitting the conservative vote but his counterpart, Rick. He NEEDS him in the race to get those votes away from Newt.
That’s the way it was designed from the beginning. Before this election in ‘08, he got him to campaign for him. Buddies. ‘One for the team’ Rick.
Not only was Newt in favor of health care mandates he FOUNDED the Center for Healthcare Transformation in 1999, an outfit headquartered in DC, with IIRC two floors of staff, all working essentially to promote something like Obamacare. Note their url: www.gingrichgroup.com, this is essentially Newt, Inc. I attended one of Newt's presentations on this four years ago. He was pushing the same kind of material as Romney and Obama on the subject, but his presentation was better organized and delivered than anything I've seen from them. No doubt, Newt is smart! He was scary smart - I just wish I could say 'scary good' - that day.
Newt just flipped a switch and said his past twelve years were a mistake. Few realize it. Be assured Obama would find enough of video on the subject to make John Kerry seem steadfast by comparison. We'd be seeing the shellshocked Newt of the final FL debate again. At least Mitt's been hemming and hawing about health care for four years, the public is used to his hypocrisy . I'm sure Romney's machine has similar Newt videos, but can't figure out how to play them without drawing unwanted attention to Romneycare. Mitt did mention in one debate that he got the idea for Romneycare in part from Newt, which is sadly true.
Obama and his MSM allies may or may not be able to con the public that the economy is getting better and remove that issue. FDR pulled it off, twice, and Obama intends to try. But Obamacare is an open sore the public detests enough to bring him down, if the GOP will just attack it. Obama's only hope is we'll run a candidate who can't, either Mitt or Newt. If either is our nominee Obama won't even have to lie, he'll just run commercials of them endorsing his position. Only Rick can nail him on that issue. Obama hitting Rick on social issues deepens the color of already red and blue states, but won't trump a clear attack on Obamacare in the purple ones where the race will be decided. Voters there may be unsure on Rick's social issues, but they are sure on Obamacare and will vote the imminent issue over the hypothetical one.
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