Posted on 09/13/2009 2:33:46 PM PDT by NYer
ORLANDO, FL, September 12, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Speaking to a room full of prominent US Catholic leaders Friday night, Senator Rick Santorum was challenged to run for the Republican Presidential nominaion. Responding to a room already thick with applause, Santorum revealed that he was indeed "thinking about it" but asked for prayers and detailed his thinking on the matter.
His remarks came after his address to the closing dinner of the 12th annual Catholic Leadership Conference - an invite-only gathering of Catholic leaders from academia, law, media, medicine, and politics, as well as leaders of movements within the Church such as pro-life, pro-family and evangelization. Posing the challenge was long-time legal, political, and media activist Keith Fournier.
Santorum is not only a Catholic in name but a faithful one who is noted for his strong pro-life activism and work to bring decency back to America. He revealed that he has seven children, with one in college. The reason why the sixth is not college-bound is the fact that his 16-month-old 'Bella' was born with Trisomy 18, a genetic disorder which is fatal before birth in 90 per cent of cases.
Santorum referred to Bella as "our angel" marveling at how she changed his life, and that of his family for the better. Speaking of children like Bella, he said, "They teach you things you can't even imagine."
Here Santorum turned to abortion describing his reason for fighting against it politically saying, "I think of we treat these people in society and how we destroy them. 86% of Down syndrome children are aborted - killed. And Down syndrome is 5 times better than what Bella has."
Considering how his children may themselves be the targets of nasty politics, as has happened in the recent past, gives Santorum pause. "That weighs on me," he said. "When you stand up for the things I do and say the things I say, they brutalize you and they won't stop at you."
Those are the things, he explained that "as a father I've got to think about."
"On the other side," he added, "as a father, I've got to think about whether they are going to have a country to live in … Are they going to be able to practice their faith in a way that's consistent with what the Church teaches."
The last consideration in favor of his run was on the practical level. He said: "Six months ago I would not have spent ten seconds on your question, but it's not six months ago. I see that, I hate to be calculating, but I see that 2012 is not just throwing somebody out to be eaten, but it's a real opportunity for success."
In closing he said that while he was "thinking about it", it is the first time his ambition which is, as he said, "in his DNA" was checked by a resistance saying, "no, I'm not sure."
Ending the session, Catholic political powerhouse Deal Hudson (President George W. Bush's Catholic advisor for a period of time) cited Plato's famous saying that the best governors are those who do not wish to govern.
I see him as a pure political animal who has mined the Pro-life movement - which I believe he firmly supports - for every bit of support he can get. After that he'll do anything to get and hold on to political power.
What's he doing now? Get a real job Rick! See what you and your cronies in the Senate have foisted on us.
If you want to lead show me what you're going to do to defeat Specter in 2010 by working FOR Pat Toomey. Prove it's not 'just about you' - cuz it's not.
Regards,
TS
“She still has a long way to go before she is ready for the White House.”
FOR CRYING OUT LOUD, WILL PEOPLE STOP REPEATING THAT LIBERAL LIE AND QUIT DRINKING THE KOOL-AID?????!!!!!
SARAH accomplished more in her 2 years as Governor than most Governors accomplish in 2 TERMS or Senators/Congressmen accomplish in their entire CAREERS!!!!
Need I list her accomplishments as Governor?
1. Created a petroleum integrity office to oversee safe development.
2. AGIA—gasoline project-—succeeded ($40 billion Natural gas pipeline)
3. ACES-—breaks monopoly of North Slope oil production
4. Cleaned up previously accepted unethical actions
5. Ushered in bipartisan ethics reform
6. Slowed the rate of government growth
7. Worked with the legislature to save billions of dollars for the future
8. Made no lobbyist friends
9. Took government out of the dairy business and put it back into the private sector
10. Did education initiatives
11. Filled long-vacant public safety positions
12. Created a sub-cabinet on Climate Change (NOTICE: CLIMATE CHANGE-—DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE GLOBAL WARMING, BUT INSTEAD SAID THAT THE PLANET IS IN A NATURAL CLIMATE CYCLE!)
13. Broke ground on a new prison
14. Eliminate personal luxuries like the jet, the chef, and the junkets
15. Governor & Lt. Governor both said “No” to pay raises
And you say that she’s not ready for the White House???? If those accomplishments don’t help qualify someone for the White House, then I don’t know what does!
What qualified Obama to get into the White House, huh? He had/has ZERO accomplishments. HE DOES NOT BELONG THERE; SARAH PALIN DOES!!!!!!!
I AM SUPPORTING SARAH PALIN FOR PRESIDENT IN 2012, 100%, AND I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO JOIN ME!!!!!!!
I dont know much about DeMint but he seems a better option
Granted anyone running for president will be dissected in the public forum, along with his family, are you suggesting that only thieves, scoundrels and vultures should run for office? Have you lost all hope of returning our country to decency?
What about someone directly from the business world. Someone smart and who knows how to manage well.
Sort of a Ross Perot without the flakiness?
Perhaps I missed the announcement. Is she running?
She needs a running mate who is like her and who has the ability to draw enthusiastic crowds and stands up for what is right! That person is Michele Bachmann!
Naw..... Palin will draw her crowds but what she needs is someone to balance the ticket for her and draw from the middle/left, independents, disaffected democrats, etc. Just like she helped McCain she needs someone to pull those she don’t reach/register with.
“Is she running?”
Oh, it hasn’t been OFFICIALLY announced yet, of course, but it will happen. She WILL run! She really doesn’t have a choice in the matter, LOL!
She’ll likely run because of the legions of support she has and because she knows she is needed. If she doesn’t, she will be DRAFTED!!!
Bottom line: We need Sarah in the White House!
You believe he supports it?
He and his wife eschewed the easy way out abortion and carried to term a severely disabled son who lived for mere hours, dying in his loving parents' arms.
So, yeah, he does more than just mine the pro-life movement.
Unfortunately, Santorum is damaged goods for any national run, just like Sarah. The media and the liberals have ripped them apart and they can not be rehabbed.
I hope all those conservative purists are enjoying Sen. Casey. Especially when he votes for Obama's health care plan.
The perfect should not be the enemy of the good.
“Just like she helped McCain she needs someone to pull those she don’t reach/register with.”
I hope you’re not suggesting that we do the RINO kowtowing again! That has been tried before and it doesn’t work.
We need to go right and stay there. The LAST thing Sarah needs to do is to put an Olympia Snowe on the ticket.
“Unfortunately, Santorum is damaged goods for any national run, just like Sarah, just like Sarah.”
Wow, you’re optimism is inspiring...../sarc off.
WHERE’S YOUR HOPE AND OPTIMISM, PEOPLE???? Sarah Palin has the ability to defeat Obama! We need to rally around her! DON’T LISTEN TO THE RINO-INFESTED GOP!!!!! DON’T GIVE THEM A SINGLE PENNY!!!!!!
Don’t be discouraged and don’t back down! We’ve gotta fight for our country!
Out of all the potential GOP candidates, ONLY Sarah Palin has the ability to draw HUGE crowds on a two-day notice.
We’ve gotta support her, 100%!!!!
Santorum just doesn’t have “It.” And he was only a Senator. AND he supported Arlen Specter over a pro-life Republican.
Sarah has “It.”
Palin/Bachmann 2012
That’s a great bumpersticker:
YES, SHE CAN
Blind-eyed optimism isn’t a virtue.
Sarah can inspire the base. she isn’t going to pull together a winning coalition.
LLS
And if there's one thing we don't need as the nominee in 2012, it's a loser.
I like Petraeus/Palin best of all.
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