[Yossarian]

Santorum would have been far wiser to simply not state anything verbally, and simply travel around with his family in moderately high visibility as a way of expressing his fidelity.

Gingrich's personal moral failings should indeed - and certainly will - come into voter's consideration when it comes to their choice. But to bring the matter up explicitly makes Santorum look desperate.

[gov_bean_ counter]

Newt has settled Commandment #7 with his maker. Get back to me when Ricky has done the same with #9.

[kimoajax]

Santorum is a sanctimonious self-serving blue-nosed jerk.

He will end up playing the same role the Huckster played in the last GOP primary, namely splitting the conservative vote giving the GOP a easily bested moderate who will not have the necessary passionate conservative grass roots support.

[Saundra Duffy]

I like Santorum; I think it took guts to say what he said because it’s not the popular line. The popular line is to overlook Gingrich’s past abuse of wives. It shows a lot of hypocrisy, though, on the part of the blow-hards who condemned Clinton for his womanizing but are willing to turn a blind eye and deaf ear to Gingrich’s sleazy activities.

[Minus_The_Bear]

The bigger problem is that Santorum wants to personally act as God.

Any person that wants to control the internet and the flow of information should not be elected dog catcher... let alone President.

Santorum blew it by supporting SOPA.

[svcw]

He needs to stop talking about this issue.
It would serve him better to just be quiet.

[TwelveOfTwenty]

“To make the final comment, these are issues of character and these are issues that people will consider based upon the time, when, where, how all those thing will factor in and I’ll let people make that decision, I’m certainly not going to make it for them,” he said to a crowd of about 150 people.

He's right. Time is getting short, and if Newt turns out to be our choice after SC them I'm in.

But we need to make sure we can defend our choice when his past is brought up, so let's chose carefully.

[AnotherUnixGeek]

“Personal matters are personal matters, but they are matters that are — particularly when you are in public life as he was at the time and the people involved were also in a sense in public life — those issues are issues that people will look at,” Santorum responded.

Better answer: "It's none of my business".

[MIchaelTArchangel]

Santorum should have eliminated all the words from “but” to the end of his little speech. While the accusations are issues of character, they say much more about Marian Gingrich (who was investigated by the FBI for influence peddling from 1995 to 1997) and about John King, CNN, and the Lamebrains in the Media who ran with the accusations with utterly no proof. Oh, and did I mention that Santorum aligned himself with those of low character by not mentioning these are accusations by a woman scorned who appeared to be delivering a script written for her by someone else (maybe for $$$$).

[Tribune7]

Santorum sounded like a hack.

[Cyber Liberty]

Note to Santorum. Butt out.

[ansel12]

Romney’s personal failings and immorality are vastly greater than Newts.

We live in PC times when watching Mitt Romney speaking to millions of Americans, children and families, and young women, promoting abortion with a moving, emotional appeal, involving the death of a young family friend, and then fighting and clawing his way into elective office to create free abortions for that TV audience, doesn’t count as a scandal.

[Doc Savage]

Hey Ricky, I’ll give you an issue of character you retard! Arlen! All you had to do you weak spined little twit was stand up to him the GOP, but you’re are coward you sniveling little prick!

[patriot08]

From DRUDGE:

Rick Santorum said Friday he will continue his campaign on into Florida regardless of how he does this weekend in South Carolina’s primary, saying the last 24 hours have been so dramatic they could alter the race in fundamental way.

And he said he wants to see how Thursday’s other events — Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s withdrawal from the race, and new allegations of marital and temperament problems with former House Speaker Newt Gingrich — play out.

http://www.drudgereport.com/

RINO voter Santorum needs to set aside his ego, place his country before himself, drop out and endorse Newt.

( see What A Big Government Conservative Looks Like http://www.redstate.com/erick/2012/01/06/what-a-big-government-conservative-looks-like/)

[true believer forever]

During a recent debate, an ABC News commentator passed a bag of stones to Republicans on stage. Every candidate, except for one,  grabbed a handful of rocks, to throw at the man they considered the sinner amongst them.  In a scene right out of, well, the Bible, Republican candidates - again and again - pelted the sinner, a great sinner, to be sure, with stones; all the while, reassuring the audience: they, the upstanding candidates, were nothing like the sinner.  Each of them, they made it clear, were more fit to the hold the office. Their sins were small, not the large sort the sinner was guilty of;  humans of quality, they.

In another scene, right out of, well, the Bible, Jesus once spoke to those with great confidence in their own goodness: "Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a dishonest tax collector. The proud Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: `I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else, especially like that tax collector over there! For I never cheat, I don't sin, I don't commit adultery, I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.'

But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, `O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.' I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God."

This sinner.  Old as the Message is, it is so new and wonderful, if rightly presented, as to awaken astonishment in the weary, imperfect hearts who hear.  When babes in Christ give themselves to the Lord - justified through the Redeemer's sacrifice, brought into the family of God, begotten of the Holy Spirit - it means a great change for these. It means a Miracle.  Old things pass away; all things become new.

Only Now, just like Then – whited walls, the outside-of-the-cup crowd,  invested in the appearance of good conduct and their "core" principles,  make the Precious Savior, Bringer of Peace,  Lifter of Burdens, unapproachable, uninviting, intimidating, to sinners seeking forgiveness, desperate for a second chance.  The Rick Perrys, the Michelle Bachmanns, the Ron Pauls, the Rick Santorums and Mitt Romneys of today's world, their banners of spiritual pride waving high, keep multitudes of  sinners standing afar off, sure they are unworthy to approach the only One who can make them new.

On that stage, that night, there was not one word - not one word - from the political Christians about the miraculous saving work of Christ Jesus, sufficient to change, to make all things new, to transform the worst sinner, even Newt, into a new creature. 

America is full of sinners, who love their country, many of whom would die for it, and according to the purity test of  the republicans on stage that night, they probably couldn’t run for dog catcher.  Steve Deace sees things a little differently: sometimes the greatest sinners, "the most broken people are the ones God does the most tremendous work through." 

No one has walked a mile in Newt's shoes, except for Newt.  No one on that stage knows the crowded corners of Newt's heart.  There is only one thing every believer truly knows about Newt... he is forgiven. 

forgiven

[Yashcheritsiy]

Sweet! the Santormoniousness never ends!

[Yaelle]

It’s ok to support newt.

But santorum is still in the race, he’s a conservative, and some of us feel that Newt’s marital failings are symptomatic of what there is to fear about Newt. Character does matter. But if you support Newt, you have to play down character. Santy’s not perfect but he can comment on the character issue if he wishes. He’s got that bit over Gingrich so he might as well use it.

[vortigern]

I have not considered Rick viable since he endorsed Arlen Sphincter.

[Christie at the beach]

This seems kinda odd for him to complain about Newt when he is on record many times praising the Speaker for being the person who got things done in Washington. ??!! See Special Report site- Fox news showed some examples of this very thing. Rick Santorum decries big government though he supports a new structure of more laws which would be in control of the internet. Also, that control of the government impacting the flow of all information in which we all are able to/not to/ pursuit. During the previous debate, he came across as very desperate to me. He is telling news reporters that he is not getting out of the race even though the anchors are telling him that he is splitting votes (which they like to see happening-Imo). It is only helping Romney to split votes. He is hoping that Newt will collapse and he will be there standing. I am praying that does not occur because Obama wins. Rick Perry left in time for unity.

[Randy Larsen]

Since Santorum wants to talk about issues of character, their is that endorsement of Arlene Spector that caused him to get kicked out by the voters of his own state.

In other words, he was willing to go against his own beliefs of which he is so proud of, to help a truly corrupt turd get re-election!

That endorsement got his a$$ thrown out on his ear!