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.
No more senators!
Neither is conceited cynicism.
Attempts to diminish the astounding effect of Palin's addition to the McCain ticket do nothing but diminish the critic's credibility.
No, it’s just that his kids are very young.
Remember what Sarah Palin’s kids when through? Rick should think long and hard about what Sarah and her family were put through before making that decision.
He is great and I think he is wonderful.
Not true,Casey ran on his Father’s name and as a pro-lifers.:)We know how that turned out.
Did we want to see them.?I was supprised to see DeMint and Pence.People’s movement means people-real people getting a message out.
Why is he “Santorum is damaged goods for any national run”?
What's not to like about that. Sarah is the executive. Michelle knows the legislative. They both know how to set boundaries for children.
Nonsense. Your "analysis" sounds like a teenage girl sizing up a rival.
Forget it, Ricky. You endorsed Specter and then Slick Willard.
You clearly don't know what the hell you're talking about.
How dare you say Specter was his buddy.We kept Specter and got Alito and John G. Roberts, Jr.” Chief Justice of the United States, was born in Buffalo, New York, January 27, 1955. He married Jane Marie Sullivan in 1996 and they have two children - Josephine and John. He received an A.B. from Harvard College in 1976 and a
J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1979. He served as a law clerk for Judge Henry J.Friendly of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit from 1979–1980 and as a law clerk for then-Associate Justice William H. Rehnquist of the Supreme Court of the United States during the 1980 Term. He was Special Assistant to the Attorney General,
U.S. Department of Justice from 1981–1982, Associate Counsel to President RonaldReagan, White House Counsel’s Office from 1982–1986, and Principal Deputy Solicitor General, U.S. Department of Justice from 1989–1993. From 1986–1989 and 1993–2003, he practiced law in Washington, D.C. He was appointed to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in 2003. President George W. Bush nominat”
:)
I’m from Pa,who is Slick Willard?
I'd love to see him. But I agree. The left went after him hardcore to effect his loss in the last election he was in, it was disgusting, the smear campaign, the local MSM smear, and on and on.
You’ve been on Free Republic for 9 years and you don’t know who Slick Willard is ? The repulsive charlatan RINO Socialist ex-Governor of Massachusetts who failed to purchase the Presidency (or VP) in 2008, and who is going to try once again in ‘12. Slick Willard Myth *omney, the scourge of the GOP.
“I’ll pray for you Rick. FOr good health, happiness, etc. BUT STAY THE HELL OFF THE PRESIDENTIAL trail.”
Reasons?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.