Posted on 03/17/2012 11:01:02 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
IN THE SUMMER OF 1989, Rick Santorum and a fellow associate at the Pittsburgh law firm of Kirkpatrick and Lockhart left work to drive to Three Rivers Stadium for the firm's annual softball game. Sitting behind the wheel, Santorum popped in a tape, and on came the reedy voice of a man lecturing as if to a classroom.
“Listen,” Santorum said. “Newt Gingrich.”
“Who the hell is Newt Gingrich?” the co-worker asked.
Santorum explained that Gingrich was a congressman from Georgia, and that he was the guy to listen to if you were considering a future in politics. “At the time,” says the co-worker, “I had no idea that was something Rick was interested in.” As it turned out, Santorum was already telling people he was running for Congress in the upcoming election. The tape was something he had ordered from GOPAC, Gingrich's political action committee, full of do-it-yourself campaign tips for aspiring candidates.
In recent years, of course, Gingrich's tutelage of Santorum has taken on a much more direct nature. Last September, Santorum, at 37 a Republican U.S. senator from Pennsylvania, managed the Senate floor debate as it passed its welfare bill, all the while working closely with Gingrich, now speaker of the House of Representatives and the country's most powerful Republican. Santorum, who prior to his election to the Senate last year served two terms in the House with Gingrich, is in fact known on Capitol Hill as Gingrich's protégé and his point man in the Senate. The two meet weekly for early-morning swims at the House gym.
Much of Santorum's record, thus far, has been a series of tantrums. More than a dozen times in his first few months in the Senate, Santorum took to the floor to trash Bill Clinton for not drafting a balanced-budget proposal...
(Excerpt) Read more at phillymag.com ...
>> I have no idea why he’s running for president, and no idea what his central message is.
He seems to represent the frustrated “Conservative” voice in America. Big on attitude, low on substance — political drag-netting.
>> Please, this is Bullshit! Rick Santorum is Pro life.
Agreed.
No it’s not Cringing....I’m very glad to see people coming out finally and telling it like it is with Rick. I’m from Pa. and know how the guy operates....these folks are calling it right...I know Santorum supporters don’t want to hear this stuff...but it is as this article speaks of. And that’s just how Rick is.....so keep you’re eyes open because he is still doing the same things now.
We had heard people wouldn’t speak out in Pa. because they stand to get the gravy if Santorum can pull this off. Favors could be had as well. So I’m very pleased they spoke out at last!!!
Obama care = Romney care = Commie care
Santorum, Gingrich. Gingrich, Santorum. I"ll take either one of them. Both have their bad points. But neither is no where near as bad as Romney. Anyone but Romney.
All the theater with Wasserman Shultz and Obama getting agitated and worried about the prospect of running against Romney is a ruse. Make no mistake about it, Romney is Obama's tag team partner. Comrades. After Obama runs a second term by proxy through Romney, the United States will be fully on the way to being a nation of the government, by the government and for the government. The people will serve the government. The government will no longer serve the people.
I didn’t say a word about his position on abortion....however it’s from his own mouth, and other than this article, that he was not always against abortion.
Remember that he said the ONLY thing he didn’t have in common ‘with moderates’ was his opposing abortion...and that was later on when he ran for congrees he took that stand. He admitted this on a video.
I hear ya’.
Go Newt!
This is Romney probing for a weak spot. Even though Santorum may not be the best known candidate, he has a rock solid image of being a social conservative and boy scout. That makes it very difficult for Romney to attack. He spends millions trashing Santorum but it only gets him a win by the skin of his teeth.
That is completely the opposite situation with Newt. The millions he spent, combined with Newt’s baggage, took Newt down until he could be managed and Romney could count on a win whenever he spent the money. With Santorum it’s flip a coin. He could spend and spend and still not be sure of a win. So he has to attack people’s perception of him first. Romney tries to tear people down to make himself look better in comparison. He’s done that to Newt. He tried to do it to Ronald Reagan. It looks like he’ll keep trying with Santorum.
But there is a danger to doing that. People know that Romney spends and spends trashing people so they tend to discount it now. Plus, social conservatives have no love for Romney’s liberal past but he needs them to vote for him. If he is seen as trashing someone who is a known champion for social conservative causes, that, along with his anti-social conservative past, will keep him from ever having their vote.
I am awake, you can read my post above of my thoughts. This thing is going too far for Rick Santorum. People showing up at these caucuses with children and babies thinking that this man is some kind of purist. I am sorry, it’s worrisome to see good people getting pulled into his act of being pure. We don’t need another lawyer like the Clintons, the obamas..it’s not the kind of leader in which we need. He is not experienced enough. The religious right is going down a road with a not so good destination. Part of Newt’s base will not support him/he is getting cross over democrats/ those will go back in Obama’s camp-please understand that his base is not solid. If it were Newt would not be gaining more donors who are wanting him to stay in. Think about it, Newt’s supporters are fully committed to him even as the bias media ignores Newt.
Gingrich / Santorum is sibling rivalry.
Romney is causing this. Romney is the problem.
Why don't you back it up to the story-saying that he was pro choice until he entered politics. The concern to some of us is that he has portrayed himself as Always being pro life. So, no, it's not bull for us to have a concern..he's made this to seem he has always been pro life..
Here in Pennsylvania I had the honor of voting for Santorum for senator three times. In this area (Philly Democrat news media) you could tell how conservative (and effective) Santorum was by the spitting hatred the liberals had for him.
I'm not trolling, I really want to know: Tell me what Gingrich did conservatively between his time as a congressman and when he began running for president. The best I can tell he was a cocktail-circuit Republican. Pushed Cap-and-Trade with Pelosi, was involved with Fannie and Freddie, opposed the Ryan budget, opposed the Tea party fave for Dede, didn't oppose Obamacare,... I know he was excoriated here for a long time until he began running for president then it magically went away. I just want to know why all of a sudden he's back to the 1994 Gingrich that we all loved.
And your comment about Newt's wives was uncalled for. But knock yourself out doing your drive bys of his former marriages since you cannot discuss issues; go for personal remarks about someone's sad times in their lives. I hope that you never go through a bad marriage. I have not. Though, I have friends who have. It's not good but it is good for the people to settle to good places. One of his former wives have; the other is bitter and destructive to herself. I see by your actions in this alone, I am on the right side.
President Reagan had two marriages. How did he ever get anywhere with all that “baggage” do you think?
Rick said this very same thing awhile back so now, the story just backs up what he has said. He has said on the campaign trail that he has always been pro life. Make of what the reader can/will. It also gives a great insight of Rick Santorum coming into politics. I am thankful to know more of him. I am still trying to understand what he meant by opposing the Tea Party; very similar to Mitch McConnell's view.
No, he said he was pro-choice until 1995.
Do some homework.
Nobody but nobody took up the cause of pro-life in Congress like Santorum. Nobody else even came close. So go ahead and get all concerned and proclaim your curious need to discuss whether Santorum, as a young man, allegedly shrugged that he was “pro-choice” before running for office. Personally, I don’t buy it.
I am happy as a clam with either Gingrich or Santorum as president, and therefore either one of them as the GOP nominee. In fact, I actually lean Gingrich. But I will never post comments bashing either candidate (except maybe as wise-ass retorts to moronic posts like yours). Bash Romney all you want, every day - - I sure do - - but leave Gingrich and Santorum alone, especially if you don’t know what you’re talking about.
I do wonder if the earlier poster was right, that there are Romney trolls here, pretending to support one of the two conservative candidates in order to smear the other conservative candidate. I just don’t get kicking either one of the good guys.
C-Span will air Dr. Mark Levin’s Reagan Library appearance tomorrow at 11am & 10pm
* Sunday, March 18th at 11am (ET)
* Sunday, March 18th at 10pm (ET)
* Monday, March 19th at 2am (ET)
THIS SHOULD BE EXCELLENT! have a great Sunday everybody!
“That’s where I stopped reading. Whatever follows is garbage and lies, guaranteed.”
Dittos to that!
Seven page super hit piece.
...shortly after, however, my heart was totally changed when my Lutheran pastor sent me to a pro-life rally to report back/
From that day forward, I literally went to the mats to defend the life of the unborn.----and as Rick Santorum passionately did on the floor of the Senate!
People can genuinely change!
Are you Newt aficionadoes so deperate that you would dredge up a 17 yr old article...to once again paint Rick Santorum with your wicked brush?????
This is pathetic.
Your post is intuitive, well written!
...I don't think even the Newt fans would write a post as vile as yours.
She was single & in her twenties!...and she has been interviewed publicly professing doing foolish things when she was single.
Most of us here did foolish things when we were single!
Maybe you don't understand this concept.....and I hope someday you do....but when people repent, ask forgiveness of our Lord and Savior...they are forgiven.
She has proven herself an exemplary wife and mother.
I feel sorry for you.
But the catholic leadership in the US had rebelled against Saint John Paul the Great — pushing their college grad leftist dogma. They sent all kinds of mixed signals to the flock.
And I assume Santorum was a college grad, as are all GOP frontrunners. The big question is always this: Who suffered the least damage from college leftist propaganda?
People say that “cash is king”. Well, cash is broadcasting king. It amplifies your speech, but you darn well better have something compelling to say.
Yeah, it’s too bad Santorum went to college and was exposed to the very crap that got our nation so screwed up! Thank God he has purged himself of it. I’m sorry, J, but we don’t have any highschool dropouts running for president. It’s a crying shame, but that’s about the only pure soul you will find, someone who rebelled against leftist creepo teachers from Day One.
Don’t play the “Romney Troll” card with me. I was single and in my twenties once too and I never, NEVER, supported abortion.
Sometimes the truth is vile.
I don’t get it. They spend a hell of a lot more time going after Rick for being socially conservative than they sepnd going after Romney for being liberal. Santorum is the best chance we have to beat Romney, and people are attacking him. Why? Gingrich? He has only won 2 states and isn’t even competitive in key states we’ll need in November.
So he cut his teeth (politically speaking) after reading Gingrich.
I’d much rather have the guy who literally wrote the book. Go Newt.
Whose taking care of the little girl? Isn't his wife staying on the campaign trail with Rick? This little girl is not expected to live long and it doesn't seem like the little girl sees either of her parents very much.
Rick Santorum once told Sarah Palin to go home and take care of her kids. (That's when Sarah made her Neanderthal comment about Rick). Sarah's children are healthy and she often had them on the campaign trail with her.
| The Lord's Teaching to the Heathen by the Twelve Apostles: 1 There are two ways, one of life and one of death; and between the two ways there is a great difference. 2 Now, this is the way of life:… ...do not practice magic; do not go in for sorcery; do not murder a child by abortion or kill a newborn infant. " |
Thanks for posting this 1995 article. I had heard about his pro-choice stance, but hadn’t seen any articles to prove it. Anyone who doesn’t think this will be all over the media if Rick wins the nomination is fooling themselves.
That his wife lived with an abortionist before Rick is also not well-known.
I’ll take Newt’s warts.
One would think if this had veracity, the source - such as an interview with an editorial board - would be mentioned. I didn't see it. And given the clear disdain implied for Santorum's methods in working at Newt's direction, it's pretty clear that the author has his own agenda here.
Philly liberals loathe Santorum. They are not above twisting facts or even making them up wholesale to attack him.
They have round the clock care for her & have since her birth, paid from their own pockets.
Reporters have noticed and mentioned that Karen Santorum hasn't been on the trail like Mrs.Romney, who has grown children or Mrs.Gingrich, who has no children.
Mrs. Santorum is supportive of her husband and does her part whenever she can.---She also homeschools her other children.
..the oldest child is taking a year from college to help her dad.
Elizabeth Santorum is a tribute to her family....gracious, articulate and when filling in, can give voice to her dad's policies.
The children are well behaved and supportive.
Excuse me....what was your gripe again?
Yes, we know, Santorum has......Tantrums”.....
Read the article. There is no source stated for the money quote.
And that's the point of a hatchet job. Most folks read the headline, maybe a couple of paragraphs, and the desired impression is made to undermine the politician among his base. The headline quote isn't mentioned until deep in the article. I saw nothing in there that indicated, with a hard source, that Santorum was pro-choice. He didn't raise abortion as a campaign issue when he ran for the House, but it wouldn't be the first time that social issues took a back seat in a given campaign.
I look instead at Santorum's voting and legislative record regarding fighting abortion and those are stellar. I think it is absurd for FReepers to swallow this liberal hatchet job because of a sense of giving partisan advantage.
Newt has asked forgiveness for all his past transgressions, which were not that bad in the first place, but your side has refused to grant him that respect. This double standard is why this election has become such an out of control, mess.
OK, now, in the article, show us the source for the quote that became the headline.
"I Was Basically Pro-Choice All My Life, Until I Ran for Congress" (1995)
Well, that's certainly a...
Nixon: Jeeeesus Christ.
...moment in the 2012 race to gOpieville.
You are hardly the one to lecture the Santorum camp about fairness.
OK, you’ve read the headline. Now find the source for that quote in the article.
LOL! You forgot to mention that they heal the sick, raise the dead and walk on water! But then, you must have been a bit rushed on that one.
My goodness, man, you are drawn to a quote for a guy who worked for three of the biggest GOP-E members in PA? The GOP-E had issues with Santorum because he showed a conservative could win statewide in PA.
Quit being such a jerk.
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