Rick Santorum visiting Amicks Ferry Fire Station in Chapin, S.C., on voting day. [Kirsten Luce for The New York Times]
Posted on 01/21/2012 7:42:16 PM PST by SunkenCiv
Rick Santorum said he would be pleased with a third-place finish in South Carolina Saturday but vowed to stay in the presidential race through the Florida primary no matter what.
He also blasted his "desperate" rival Mitt Romney for perpetrating "cheap stuff" as Mr. Romney's position as front runner here melted away the past week...
"We finally were given the victory in Iowa," Mr. Santorum said. "If we had had it two weeks ago, it might be a very different situation. It might have been a very different race."
Mr. Santorum also said he was disappointed in Mr. Romney after some South Carolina voters were subjected to so-called "robo calls" -- automated messages -- that said Mr. Santorum had endorsed Mr. Romney. (He did endorse Mr. Romney -- in 2008, as the calls stated, but obviously not this time, and the calls made no mention that Mr. Santorum is no longer endorsing him.)...
Mr. Romney was "2-and-0 going into South Carolina and looking like 3-and-0," Mr. Santorum said, adding that, now, that "may be a 1-and-2 -- and a not a particularly strong 1-and-2."
(Excerpt) Read more at thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com ...
Rick Santorum visiting Amicks Ferry Fire Station in Chapin, S.C., on voting day. [Kirsten Luce for The New York Times]
One and done?
“We finally were given the victory in Iowa,” Mr. Santorum said. “If we had had it two weeks ago, it might be a very different situation. It might have been a very different race.”
Too bad you still looked more like 1 guy lost in a field of 8 instead of looking like a winner.
Rick did get a raw deal in Iowa. I think his chance is gone now, but I do understand why he is reluctant to fold up quite yet.
Rick I love you, but this is bigger than you. America is at a crossroads and Romney or Obama sinks this nation. We need to defeat Romney and your candidacy at this point can only benefit Romney.
Get out.
I wholly agree with his views on family and he’s a great man...but I do think for the better of conservatism he should endorse Newt and quit.
Drop out please.
LOL
That’s cruel dude
I prefer Rick, but even if I didn’t I think that this is a reasonable decision. It’s still early. Only a very small percentage of the delegates have been selected. If it looks like his remaining in the race will throw it to Romney, I would assume that Rick will exit. But Newt is somewhat of a loose cannon, and he has some baggage—both personally and ideologically. If he proves unpopular with the general public, it would be good to have a fallback position in Rick.
it’s reasonable that RICk wants to stay in. He ought to go somewhere that NEWT is not mounting a challenge and start fresh taking on MITT. Not sure where that would be. MINN? MICH?
Florida makes no sense.
Wholeheartedly agree.
I think he’ll endorse Newt, depending of course on the deal he’s offered from Romney — and he will be offered some kind of a deal. Newt won’t offer him anything, not least because Santorum vomited up some crap about how the ex-wife’s allegations about Newt spoke to issues of ethics or character or whatever it was.
If he drops out, Rick Santorum *should* endorse Newt Gingrich. If he’s not able to raise money (and it’s likely that he’ll have some trouble now), he won’t be competitive. Hence, I’d prefer that he drop out now, ahead of Florida, endorse Newt, condemn Mitt, and get a nice talking head job on one of the networks for the duration of the campaign.
The point of a primary is to give the voters of the party a choice, some people seem bound and determined to deny us that.
That pic? Yeah, that was what they had though. :’D
It’s reasonable to conclude that Newt’s roller-coaster ride will continue until either the convention, or until he calls it quits because of the math.
Hey, you’re the only one who knew I was a candidate. Oh, you mean Rick. ;’)
That’s for sure. Oh, you mean the election thing... ;’)
People can still vote for any name on the ballot, plus any they can write in. When “some people” become “most people”, it’s called democracy.
Time to get out. Way past time to get out. Do it now. Don't embarrass yourself in Florida.
You didn't come in third, you came in second last. One from the bottom.
Can’t improve on what you said.
Santorum is a good man, and good men are motivated by higher goals than ego and vanity. I think this will be reconciled with his graceful departure sometime in the next week.
He could hang in with what little money he has, but I think he will realize that he should not.
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