Santorum: Might as well have Obama over Romney

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer / The Associated Press ^ | Will Weissert

[2ndDivisionVet]

Presidential candidate Rick Santorum on Thursday said Republicans should give President Barack Obama another term if Santorum isn't the GOP nominee and for a second day compared rival Mitt Romney to an Etch A Sketch toy.

Santorum reiterated an argument he has made before: The former Massachusetts governor is not conservative enough to offer voters a clear choice in the fall election and that only he can provide that contrast.

"You win by giving people a choice," Santorum said during a campaign stop in Texas....

[matthew fuller]

Little Ricky screwed the pooch, he’s done, toast, kaput. Now we’re down to a two man race!

[NavyCanDo]

Obama would slaughter Santorum, there is no doubt in my mind on that. He could not win one of the dozens of GOP debates. The only one he was even noticed in, was one of the first when he blew his cool. And Newt with is dismal delegate count stands no chance of making it to Tampa. So we have the hand we are dealt. Really not much different than this time in 2008.

I remember posting on FR about this time in 2008 that a McCain yard sign would never cast its shadow on my front lawn. I wasn’t going to sit out in November, but I certainly wasn’t going to lift a finger for him or show my support in any way. That changed with one helluva fantastic VP pick. Being a big fan of Palin long before he chose her, I was doing cartwheels when he picked her. I was immediately trying to find where I could get McCain/Palin signs, buttons and bumper stickers. And I was donating that very night.

Who I wonder could be Romney’s Palin? He better start giving that some deep thought.

[irishjuggler]

As usual, the media is distorting Santorum's remarks. And it's disappointing to see people here on FR eagerly lap up the media's distorted propaganda. Here's what Santorum said:

"You win by giving people the opportunity to see a different vision for our country, not someone who's just going to be a little different than the person in there... If you're going to be a little different, we might as well stay with what we have instead of taking a risk with what may be the Etch-A-Sketch candidate of the future."

Santorum never said that he personally prefers Obama to Romney. His first three words provide the context: "YOU WIN BY..." His obvious point is that you beat an incumbent by offering something clearly different, not something only slightly different. When he says "... we might as well stay..." he's surmising how voters in general will respond when presented with the choice of a known quantity (Obama) and unknown quantity (Romney) that's only slightly different. It's the same point that numerous commentators (including the majority of participants here) have been making for months. We're not going to beat Obama by being Obama Light.

Yes, Santorum is himself a weak candidate. And, yes, it's a shame that Santorum's off-the-cuff remarks lend themselves so easily to being taken out of context, but let's not swallow every ridiculous distortion that the media throws our way.

[Kevmo]

Santorum endorsed Romney in 2008. That’s a matter of public record. I consider it to have been a mistake.

Who did Gingrich endorse in 2008?

[Kevmo]

Just as soon as your candidate exhibits the same level of courage.

[Cringing Negativism Network]

Romney’s only way to heal this party, is to in fact nominate: Sarah Palin.

Nothing less will absolve him, and the party establishment, of their slime. Karl Rove’s slime. All of it.

Nothing less.

[Iron Munro]

Rick, That has got to hurt!

[Kevmo]

Then why choose to post to me, if it’s been posted over and over and over.

Your Concern about this same stuff is duly noted.

[Kevmo]

Romney’s only way to heal this party, is to in fact nominate: Sarah Palin.
***I wonder if that would work this time around. I’m a Palin fan, but RINO + Palin might not be enough any more.

[matthew fuller]

"When we have such a loser for president, why are we about to put a dweeb like Romney up?"

Because that's what Republicans do! 08= McCain, 96= Dole, 88+92= GHWB, 76= Ford, 72+68+60= Nixon. The only keeper was 80+84, Reagan. 64=Goldwater might have been a keeper, but he lost to LBJ.

[2ndDivisionVet]

This is what happens when you run for the highest office with nothing that even resembles executive experience. Mr. Obama was lucky in 2008 to have the press covering for him. Surely Senator Santorum didn’t expect the media to help him this cycle, did he?

[ReneeLynn]

If he’s still in it I’ll vote Newt. I don’t think Santorum is going to win his own state. Unfortunately, Romney is getting a lot of endorsements in PA.

[2ndDivisionVet]

If Governor Romney is as smart as many claim he is, his “Palin” this year would be the same as Senator McCain’s in 2008!!

[Girlene]

It’s getting pretty goofy.

[NavyCanDo]

Another could be New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez. Conservative and would take the Hispanic vote away from Obama. And if they go after her like they did Palin, the damage they would do to themselves could be unmeasurable.

[Bailee]

Vote Newt then. The only thing we can hope for is a GOP-e vs Conservative blood bath in Tampa. They have to learn they cannot take our votes for granted.

[Magic Fingers]

“Nobody will convince me any of our candidates will be worse than Obama.”

Me either, but heaven knows some here won’t stop trying.

[matthew fuller]

I don’t think that Palin would consider a run with Mitt. He would be helped more by Rubio, but Mitt will lose the general election to Obama.

[entropy12]

Your suggestion makes a lot of sense. It would be very difficult for MSM to attack a Hispanic woman. They will of course try for sure, but they will look foolish, obviously biased and it will backfire.

[Christie at the beach]

Newt has the brains to be a statesman.

Santos is in over his head.