Posted on 03/22/2012 7:06:45 AM PDT by PSYCHO-FREEP
Somewhere, buried in Rick Santorum’s fatally flawed campaign messaging, were winning words. Had he committed to them, the former senator could have derailed Mitt Romney’s path to the GOP nomination. Despite Romney’s overpowering resources and organization, Santorum’s potent argument — that the party could not throw the issue of healthcare away by nominating someone who had supported mandates — was his key to victory, but he threw it away.
As he transformed from Senator 2 Percent to the last credible alternative to Romney, Santorum often made the point that nominating Romney — or Newt Gingrich — would take the issue of healthcare off the table and benefit President Obama, as both Gingrich and Romney had declared support for mandates to purchase healthcare during their careers. Santorum also repeated, early on, that Gingrich and Romney had both supported the Troubled Asset Relief Program as well as cap-and-trade proposals, making him the only true conservative in the race.
With little money or staff, Santorum won Iowa and then three surprise victories on Feb. 7 in Colorado, Minnesota and Missouri. He rocketed from the bottom as a passionate, articulate, indefatigable campaigner who took every question from every eager voter. It was the pivotal moment in the race none of the Romney rivals who preceded him had achieved — and Santorum blew it. He veered off course, and out of this millennium, enthusiastically bemoaning birth-control pills, free prenatal testing and college education. He insulted Obama, calling him a snob, and President Kennedy. Santorum, a devout Catholic, said Kennedy’s insistence on a strong separation of church and state made him want to throw up. (snip)
(Excerpt) Read more at thehill.com ...
But he strayed, and lost Ohio by 1 percentage point. Then he strayed again, decrying the dangers of porn, claiming the Obama administration “seems to favor pornographers over children and families” because it has “refused to enforce obscenity laws.” So this week he lost Illinois by more than 11 points. He won’t recover.
Oddly, before he “strayed” and lost Ohio by 1%, he lost Michigan by 4%, and was crushed in Arizona.
what is this author talking about? Santorum has been pounding away at that very message.
It's too late to complain now, the stupidity of the Lemming stampede (”Perfect” Conservatives) from Cain to Santorum, without an ounce of research, has caused us to lose the bigger prize.
Don’t expect the neo liberals to actually tell the truth.
LOL! “Pounding”?
That’s funny, more like babbling.....
I call that hypocritical. You would probably commend him for that betrayal. (And since you know everything about everything, you would somehow spin that into a brilliant strategy.)
What a coincidence.
Here's a thought - maybe the media reporting had something to do with it.
Rick needed more than just saying he was against Obamacare and Romneycare or Gingrichcare for that matter. He needed to focus on jobs and the economy. He tried to do that actually and when he did he caught my ear. I happen to like zero coporate taxes while we try and rebuild our lost manufactering base. I like that he wanted to relate his campaign to working men and women who love God and want a way to prosperity.
He did not lose me with the social issues. They are important and can be articulated to gain a broad base support. But there was something ‘preachy’ the why he went about it. It did not connect with anyone outside the groups who aready believed the way he did. He was not winsome to groups who were either on the edge of social issues or were people who could have been won over.
In a sense, he lost support the same way he did in Penn. when he lost the election badly the last time he ran for re-election. He lost those who do not see things quite as black and white as he does. He did not need to give up his convections he just needed to frame them in a way that more people could understand what he was talking about. I know many of you will jump all over this, but he really does need to become a better politician, in the best sense of the word. A politician in the mold of Ronald Reagan who had a way to not only gain support of those who agreed with him, but also gain the support of those who could be won to his side with the right words. Rick Santorum has no ‘voicec’ outside his nature base of support. No one can win like that. No one.
You are quick to point that out about Newt, but Santorum should be left alone and not be fully vetted.
Got it!........
Odd how so many who are pushing Romney seem to have selective memory.
Just try to stay awake through one of his speeches, if you doubt the facts in regards to his candidacy.
I never criticised Newt, because I think its counterproductive - and just stupid - to skewer anyone who might prevent the bottom feeder Willard and the Kenyan Kommie from winning office, who should be our true enemies.
Its a shame you never could grasp that.
yes, the media plays a role in all this, but Rick did most of this to himself.
many will not believe me, but I tried very hard to like him and give him a chance, since my candidate Newt did not seem to be going anywhere.
he lost me because he could not broaden his support beyond the groups who naturally align themselves with him.
and because of that he had ‘no’ chance in the general election.
I will vote for Rick if he is the nominee, I pray that I will not have to.
And NO, I will not support Mitt Romney even a little bit. There are people out there that I really like other than Newt. I can’t get excited about Rick Santorum, because I am tired of losing.
At least you’re no longer urging Santorum to pray for forgiveness.
IF Santorum does not become our nominee because people seem to gravitate towards Romney which is totally crazy but anyway. The next Republican election in 2020 (assuming we have 2 Republican administrations) Santorum will be “next in line” and he will be young enough. I am not giving up on this incredible family values Christian man. He is incredible. I know you don’t think that because you are not quite as conservative as many here. You are conservative but I would call you a moderate conservative.....no social issues for you, just economic issues which is a horrible idea.
LOL! Obviously, you don’t know a thing about me. I have a very firm “grasp” on things.
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