Bernie Goldberg: Time to Go, Rick

BernardGoldberg.com ^ | March 23, 2012 | Bernard Goldberg

[2ndDivisionVet]

It’s time for Rick Santorum to go. He’s getting more whiny than usual and it’s getting tiresome.

Like Newt Gingrich, he’s not going to win the nomination, and I suspect he knows it. But I get the impression that he doesn’t really care who wins in November – unless it’s him.

Where did I get an idea like that? From Rick Santorum himself.

On the campaign trail in San Antonio, he said: “You win by giving people a choice,” 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.”

He’s got every right to take a shot at Mitt Romney. And he’s got every right to believe he’s stands a better chance of defeating President Obama than does Romney, even if he’s wrong. But what he said next was just plain petulant.

“If they’re going to be a little different,” he said, “we might as well stay with what we have instead of taking a risk of what may be the Etch A Sketch candidate for the future.” That was a reference to a Romney adviser’s comment that “everything changes” when the campaign begins in earnest in the fall. “It’s almost like an Etch A Sketch,” the adviser Eric Fehrnstrom said. “You can kind of shake it up and we start all over again.”

Usually the politically dumb statements come from Romney himself. Does this gaffe feed into the image that Romney is a waffler who will say anything that serves his political purposes at the moment? Yes. It’s Romney’s biggest weakness and for good reason: he is a waffler. But Santorum went way too far in saying Romney is no better than President Obama, prompting this entirely accurate headline in the Washington Post: Santorum says voters might as well re-elect Obama because Romney offers little difference

(Hit with a barrage of criticism from Republicans for his comment, Santorum now says the “we” in “we might as well stay with what we have …” refers to “we, the American people” — the American electorate — who he says would figure, why not stay with President Obama if Romney is the GOP nominee. ”I would never vote for Barack Obama over any Republican and to suggest otherwise is preposterous,” Santorum explained. This is how politicians walk back their mistakes. I suspect no one will buy it.)

I could never picture Rick Santorum in the Oval Office. He always struck me as the annoying goody two shoes kid in high school who you wanted to slap around simply on principle. Then when he began sharing his religious beliefs with the American people I started believing that if this guy could snap his fingers or wave his magic wand, he’d turn the United States into a theocracy. That may not be a fair characterization, of course, but that’s the impression he gave me – and I suspect it’s the impression he gave a lot of others who will decide if Mr. Obama stays or goes.

Those of us who want Barack Obama to go should now also want Mr. Santorum to go.

[Steelfish]

This is called “fig-leaf” reasoning to bolster support for Romney’s candidacy. You take a comment with a ring of careless ambiguity made during a hectic campaign schedule that the mainstream media pounces on as providing support for Obama (a construction that Santorum and all know is “absurd”) and then use it as cover to provide a rationale for why Santorum should quit. This too is absurd.

[2ndDivisionVet]

You might be able to spin a lot of Ricky’s earlier gaffes and mis-statements, but this one is going to be difficult to scrape off of your collective shoes.

[Politics4US]

How can people vote for Romney after the videos have come out that he’s not a Republican from 2002?

[Steelfish]

You’d be a good recruit for MoveOn.org

[Yosemitest]

WRONG!

Wait until you figure out Romney.
If we nominate Romney, Romney will lose.
On another thread, WhiskeyX's analysis is very good on

Republican Primaries being manipulated by RINOs, and mind-numb Democrats following marching orders from the left.

" The Democrats-Progressives-socialists-communists-whateverits have a political tactic in the elections in addition to their typical vote frauds.
What they do is
have a Democrat pretend to run for election as a Republican in the general primary election against a genuine Republican challenger
who threatens to unseat an incumbent Democrat.
In the general primary election they then instruct nearly all of the Democrat voters,
their zombie voters in the graveyards, their captive nursing home voters, and voters in the prisons
to vote as Republicans for the Democrat running as a Republican in the general primary election.
Then the fake Republican candidate puts up a token campaign which loses
to allow the Democrat incumbent to win the General Election in November.
In this way the Democrats get to run only Democrats in the General Election,
leaving no genuine Republicans for Conservatives to vote for in that election.
Romney is represented as a former independent voter turned Republican,
but he serves the same purpose as the typical Trojan Horse Democrat running for election as a Republican. "

Very well described!
Maybe it's time we got some DINOs to copy this evil plan against Democrats.
But who would soil their name and credibility, to do such an evil thing against the real evildoers? "

"Mitt, It's Time To Quit!"



Mitt. It’s time you quit!
Your credibility isn’t worth spit.
RINOs, the “Establishment”, and Democrats all agree,
But in the General Election, to Obama they’ll flee.
Against Obama, liberals and moderates know you’ll lose.
But conservatives, Romney they’ll never choose.

Mitt, our loyalty you can’t buy.
Back to Massachusetts, you’d better fly.
Just like Gerald Ford, Bob Dole, and John McCain,
Nominee Willard Mitt Romney will result in the same.
As a Governor, your record isn’t that great.
Out of 50 states, your popularity was number 48.

Your experience, the “Establishment” types tout.
Defending federal bailouts and FDIC loan forgiveness will find you out.
Democrats and RINOs cower from their liberal wives,
Supporting Romney with nothing but lies.
In 1994 Ted Kennedy showed Willard to be a great bane,
With Mitt’s Bain, and Bain Capital, Obama will do the same.

Damon Corp, with Romney paid $119 million in a fine.
Yet Willard says, for his leadership, it’s time.
He claims jobs he can create and taxes he can lower,
47th out of 50 in growth he rates. Can it get any slower?
$740.5 million dollars a year, fees and taxes under Mitt increased.
Will the half-truths and lies from Romney ever cease?

For Liberty and Freedom, we don’t need “Flakes”,
But Romney says Healthcare responsibilities belong to the States.
Conservatives stand for “Self-responsibility, Self-accountability, and Self-reliance.”
But against these things, Willard’s actions scream in defiance.
“Establishment Republicans” thinks Romney can help take back the Senate,
But they know that for President, Mitt can NOT win it.

Like everything the “Establishment Republicans” try to do,
It leads to failure, and we get the bill, as well as the screw.
In their corruption, little change do they seek,
They don’t want our Freedom to peak.
Their craving for power has pushed their bravery,
To ignore our Constitution, and sell us into economical slavery.

So Willard, don’t lecture us on the need for “patience” and “compromise”.
Romney, be selfless. Conservatism is on the rise.
Choosing the lesser of two evils, isn’t what we desire.
You let them rewrite the language. Where’s your fire?
Romney, they accuse us falsely, and you do little.
Where’s your response, or can you only twiddle?

Mitt, you don’t have what it takes to lead.
So with you I plead.
Do you really want to go from Obama-care to Romney-care?
With you, this nation will pull out its hair!
Go somewhere and quietly think … and sit.
“Know your own limitations!” Mitt. It’s time you quit!



By Yosemitest, Mar 15, 2012

[entropy12]

Santorum will soon reach a point when it will be impossible for him to reach 1144 delegates.

http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/22/introducing-the-romney-magic-numbers-calculator/

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2863157/posts

[lonestar]

I agree 100%...and I don't like Romney. I'm just plain sick of Rick, who has no more experience than Obama and shouldn't have run for POTUS to begin with, IMO!

"Goody two shoes"...is an accurate description of RC...I have said "holier than thou." I like "goody two shoes" better but haven't heard it years. It fits.

[moonhawk]

The point is not that he, or Newt, who I support, can win 1144 delegates before the convention, the point is for them both to stay in and together deny Romney the 1144.

If either drops out, some percentage of their votes will go to Romney, so best they both stay in.

[entropy12]

I agree completely. I want both Newt & Rick to stay. I am simply stating the reality of the situation that Rick can not get 1144 delegates.

http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/09/how-daunting-is-santorums-delegate-math/

[ReneeLynn]

Rick gets out you vote for Newt. Bye bye Romney AND Obama.

[Steelfish]

Oh, is is that why Santorum leads Obama in the recent USA Gallup while Romney is behind Obama and Gingrich trails so far behind that Obama loses him in the rear view mirror. When would the Newties realize that their “permanent lunar-colonies within 8-years” guy has bitten the dust?

[TBP]

This is being misinterpreted, especially by the pro-Romney crowd, which is desperately grasping at any straw to erase the Etch-a-Sketch remarks.

Romney is too much like Obama — that Mitt is a RINO whose record looks like that of Obama and thus, you can choose either one and get essentially the same thing.

You might remember that Mittens voted for Tsongas.

Romney has said that he is for a national health mandate (Obamacare), even though he is denying that right now. You can find him saying that he is for a mandate on a NATIONAL level, on Youtube.

*Romney ran as a PRO-CHOICE candidate for Governor

*Romney supported Cap and Trade

*Romney supports a national healthcare mandate and is the creator of Romneycare (the blueprint for Obamacare)

*Romney helped give Massachusetts gay marriage

*Romney believes in man-made global warming

*Romney was for the bail outs

[2ndDivisionVet]

Yeah, I’m a far-left hippie liberal. You caught me!

[GeronL]

Absurdity.

Santorum was pointing out that Obama-Romney is not much of a choice and many independents will opt to go for the more authentic of the two liberals.

[Catsrus]

Judge not lest ye be judged. If Rick is serving God and living a clean life, then I suspect statements such as this mean you aren’t. I’m very sure Rick doesn’t think he’s holier than thou, but, I do think he lives as good of life as his core values allow.

At least he has been with the same wife. Can we say that about Newt? No, we can’t. And, I’m not judging Newt, because if he has been forgiven by God, then its none of my business - however, I’m sick of his supporters calling Rick names.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Ever notice how many of Ricky’s most stalwart fans are relatively recent arrivals?

[SoConPubbie]

Stuff it Goldberg!

Both Rick and Newt need to stay in the race to deny Mitt the opportunity of gaining the nomination outright.

[SoConPubbie]

Oh, is is that why Santorum leads Obama in the recent USA Gallup while Romney is behind Obama and Gingrich trails so far behind that Obama loses him in the rear view mirror. When would the Newties realize that their “permanent lunar-colonies within 8-years” guy has bitten the dust?

This coming from the coward wanting to concede that Mitt was going to win.

[Thunder90]

Who cares? A brokered convention is the best we can hope for at this point. I don’t want Santorum OR Romney.

[scottteng]

We forget the track record of the GOP at our peril this years #2 will be the frontrunner in 2016

[dontgivein]

Stuff it, Goldberg.

[heye2monn]

)))))))) I started believing that if this guy could snap his fingers or wave his magic wand, he’d turn the United States into a theocracy. That may not be a fair characterization, of course, but that’s the impression he gave me ))))))

Good grief, Mr. Goldberg. What a nasty insinuation about Santorum. You conservative secularists are giving conservatism a bad name.

Santorum has some dreadful faults, to say the least, but he is not a theocrat. He is a smart, articulate, experienced politician making a devastating case against Romney/Obama/Care. The more Santorum punishes Romney on socialized medicine, the more Mittens will be forced to back away from his health care boondoggle.

[jilliane]

Amen. Santorum’s naval-gazing blathering has become intolerable.

[heye2monn]

He’s gazing at the U.S. Navy? Why?

[dforest]

What this is really all about is a hurry to get rid of the other candidates.

It is going to get really ugly until the non Romneys are out.

The pressure and mud slinging will heat up.

[jilliane]

LOL...good one! oops.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

‘zackly.

[man from mars]

I think we are going to have to start our own party, Then McCain, Dole and all the other rhino’s wood never get elected. I am very mad that Romney is running 3 to 5 million dollars negative ads. I would support any Conservative in the race, Rick or Newt. I will not vote, campaign or finance another Rhino.

[norwaypinesavage]

"Santorum’s naval-gazing blathering has become intolerable."

You've nailed it, there. A good candidate picks a few key issues and focuses his entire campaign on them. For Reagan, it was three: beat the Russians, rebuild the military, and cut taxes. Santorum seems to pontificate, endlessly, on any question, no matter how trivial, that someone in the media poses. The result is that no one knows what the core focus of his presidency would be.

I tend to like Santorum as a person. However, there is a reason he lost his last election by 18 percent. Besides, he gazes at his belly button too much, too.

[PalmettoMason]

Do we really have to stoop to discussing “rhino’s wood” here?

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Stay in Rick. Stay in Newt.

The goal now is a brokered convention.

If there is a brokered convention, it means the RINO elite have lost control of the situation.

The worst that could happen in floor fight is that they shove another RINO down our throats like they always do.

But there is a chance that they might lose that fight too.

[lonestar]

Judge not lest ye be judged....and then you judge me! No surprise you would support "Do as I say, not as I do" Rick Santorum.

Apparently Rick thinks it's okay to take money from a school district in PA to homeschool his kids in a house he owns in VA. I think that is theft.

I can't stand the hypocrit, Rick Santorum!

[Raider Sam]

Well, Mitt is going to win. He is the only one left who has a realistic shot at the delegates. And if he falls short of the required delegates by a couple hundred, where do you think the unbounds would go?

The third place guy is out at this point, and unless the 2nd and first are within a few percentage points in delegate totals, the vote will go to the guy in first. If it gets brokered, they will either choose the guy in 1st or someone not in the race, but since Jeb Bush just endorsed Romney and there isnt a groundswell for someone like Daniels, I dont see a possibility that anyone but Mitt wins.

[jilliane]

Wish I could give you a thumbs up “like” button...exactly how I feel. His Illinois loser speech was obnoxiously long. Exactly how I felt/feel about Obama’s intoxication with his own words. P.S. I oops’d on the navel spelling; thanks for not mentioning it. haha :-)

[Keith in Iowa]

The more the “establishment types” like Bernie say someone has to go, the more inclined I am to tell the establishment to whizz-off.

[Kazan]

If either drops out, some percentage of their votes will go to Romney, so best they both stay in.

It isn't working that way in Louisiana. Gingirch's presence in the race is preventing Santorum from going over 50%, taking all the delegates and denying Romney any delegates.

[Kazan]

How can people vote for Romney after the videos have come out that he’s not a Republican from 2002?

Most conservatives aren't voting for him. But, any viable alternative to Romney is consistently ripped apart by one conservative faction or another, allowing the moderate/liberal wing of the part to pick the nominee and paving the way for Romney to be the nominee.

[Kazan]

Rick gets out you vote for Newt. Bye bye Romney AND Obama.

The day Rick drops out is the day Romney clinches the nomination.

There is no scenario where Gingrich wins the nomination. It's pathetic to hear of his supporters pawning their possessions (and eating cat food?) to give money to a campaign that has been over for weeks. It's like watching a little old lady being conned out of her money by a corrupt TV evangelist.

[Kazan]

However, there is a reason he lost his last election by 18 percent.

There is also a reason he won twice in a blue state.

[Kazan]

Apparently Rick thinks it's okay to take money from a school district in PA to homeschool his kids in a house he owns in VA.

Kudos to any parents doing that, although know how that is possible.

[lonestar]

Santorum was sued by the school district and they got some $$$ but not all that he and his wife had gotten fraudulently.

They applied for funds in a district they didn't live in. I have no respect for the man...that's all I need to know about the Santorums.

[skeeter]

All this proves is Bernie knows who’s signing his checks.

[gogogodzilla]

I hadn’t, actually. But thanks for the tip.

I’ve noticed, over time, that more and more of the Freepers care little about the Constitution and of a small-government. More and more posts point to a love of government diktat, as long as it’s *OUR* diktats.

And that gets me *VERY* hot under the collar.

(It was very noticable with the Perry threads... and was the very reason why I started to support him. Any person that elicits that level of vitrol from statists has got to be doing something right.)

[trappedincanuckistan]

“There is also a reason he won twice in a blue state.”

Because he supports big labor, big government, and his family values could care less about his support for the first two?

[trappedincanuckistan]

* family values voters

[Kazan]

Because he supports big labor, big government

Then, why does he have an 88% lifetime rating from the American Conservative Union?

And, given you live Canada, why in the world do you care?

[trappedincanuckistan]

You’re right. I’m Canadian. The conservative movement is none of my business.

[rolling_stone]

Romney is for Romney

[stpio]

Yes, Romney even sells his own mother, telling the people of Massachusetts about her past. The whole video, there are no
words.

I wish more people would see this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BTOxZUlF-I