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In the Wake of the Florida Fiasco, Time to Consider Bella Santorum's Dad, Rick
Catholic Online ^ | 2/1/12 | Keith A Fournier

Posted on 01/31/2012 5:59:50 PM PST by tcg

...While Mitt Romney "carpet-bombed" Newt Gingrich with merciless attacks; while Newt Gingrich succumbed to the temptation to respond with similar efforts, one candidate demonstrated the singularly most important trait we need in a President, character. His name is Rick Santorum, Bella's Dad.

There was a book of essays on Presidential leadership written in 1996 entitled "Character Above All" The book contained an excellent essay by Peggy Noonan on Ronald Reagan...

"In a president, character is everything..."

People like me, "former" Democrats, were inspired by the courage, character and manner of Ronald Reagan. His was the kind of "conservatism" which made sense to people like us - who never thought we were "conservatives". ...

We were not then - and are not now - comfortable with the "Nelson Rockefeller" blue blood image of the old Republican Party. Sadly, the image seems to be at work again in the coronation effort of the Republican establishment in Florida. ...

Sadly, this Republican primary has degenerated into a brawl. It just seems to get worse - at least between Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney. Many people like me who are following this campaign are eager to replace the current occupant of the Whitehouse for many vital reasons. However, we do not want the "establishment" candidate for many reasons...

While "Mitt" and "Newt" were wresting in the mud (and I favored Newt in that match) Presidential candidate Rick Santorum stayed out of the fray. In fact, he went home to care for his beautiful daughter Bella. She had been hospitalized and was in a critical condition.

The very act of his leaving the campaign - while the pundit class was interpreting his exit as a sign of his demise - reveals the character of this good man...

(Excerpt) Read more at catholic.org ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: fiasco; fl2012; gingrich; paul; romney; santorum
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To: GR_Jr.

Well said! Rick has gotten a free pass and he doesnt need to run as Bella’s dad. While prayers are up for his child...he doesnt get a sympathy vote. This is for the heart and soul of this nation and Newt has the conservative record. Santorum is a big earmark king, voted to fund the National endowment of arts and wants to allow felons that are rapist and drug kingpins to vote. NO thanks! GO NEWT! go home to your family Rick.


21 posted on 01/31/2012 6:19:30 PM PST by katiedidit1 ("This is one race of people for whom psychoanalysis is of no use whatsoever." the Irish)
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To: Keith in Iowa
I can never vote for Romney. His decision to take the low road may just have negative consequences in November.

I can't vote for him now, I don't care what he says about 'pulling together'.

22 posted on 01/31/2012 6:22:37 PM PST by skeeter
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To: tcg

I love the way Santorum cares for his family, however he has started the same negative ads against Gingrich as Romney.
I will no longer consider him.
When the primary gets to California I will vote for Gingrich.


23 posted on 01/31/2012 6:24:15 PM PST by svcw (For the new year: you better toughen You up, if you are going to continue to be stupid.)
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To: Jonty30

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2650195/posts

The link above will take you to the FR HTML sandbox.

You can “practice” and not disrupt anything else on FR.

I learned A LOT by going there.

I hope you will too!!


24 posted on 01/31/2012 6:24:33 PM PST by musicman (Until I see the REAL Long Form Vault BC, he's just "PRES__ENT" Obama = Without "ID")
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To: napscoordinator

Only if all Santorum voters voted for Gingrich.


25 posted on 01/31/2012 6:27:15 PM PST by nickcarraway
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To: Jonty30
Santorum should also realize, that if he does screw over Newt, there will be a lot of Conservatives who will not vote for him because of it, no matter where he runs

...which is why he's where he's at in this primary because of what he did the last time. I'm almost certain that if he drops out he will endorse Romney again and do it claiming "he is the only one that can beat Obama"

Sorry Rick, that's not good enough for me.

26 posted on 01/31/2012 6:27:27 PM PST by tsowellfan (If its between Obama and Romney, there isnt all that much difference - George Soros)
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To: Patton@Bastogne
Henry V ... in his St. Crispin's day Speech ... stood on the same kind of earth we see today ...
To the Ann Coulters, and her traitorous breed ... the Nikki Haleys, Mark Steyns, Bob Doles, Chris Christies ....
We "American Patriots" respond with:

"The (Traitor's) passport shall be made, and crowns for convoy put into their purse ...
"We would not die in their company whose fellowship they fear to die with us" ...

Aye! Huzzah!

27 posted on 01/31/2012 6:27:42 PM PST by Fiji Hill
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To: nickcarraway

The fact that he doesn’t come across as an angry guy helps Santorum a great deal. My grandmother says he reminds her of Coolidge.

My congressman ran a nice guy campaign and the democrat incumbent and unions threw their worst at him and in the end it all just slid off as he killed them with kindness and took the seat.


28 posted on 01/31/2012 6:29:16 PM PST by cripplecreek (What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul?)
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To: svcw

Santorum’s ads in Iowa were even more negative than those of Romney; Santorum was actually the idea guy in the nasty campaign.

I think Santorum is prissy, spiteful, controlling and Bloombergish, his ideas are either non-existent, incoherent, or the same old same old big government, and I think he’s working hand in glove with Romney because he wants to be Romney’s VP.

Santorum lost his last election by 700,000 votes. That shows you what the good people of PA thought of him.


29 posted on 01/31/2012 6:29:33 PM PST by livius
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To: nickcarraway

Only if all Santorum voters voted for Gingrich.

That is very true....which not every one would have. However, tomorrow we will hear stories about how Santorum ripped Newt off on Florida......they have been sounding like Democrats today for sure. Especially the nasty Bella talk. UGH!!!!


30 posted on 01/31/2012 6:30:24 PM PST by napscoordinator (Go Santorum!)
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Comment #31 Removed by Moderator

To: katiedidit1
IMO, Santorum is just another bleeding heart, nanny state social conservative. Don't need any more of those.
32 posted on 01/31/2012 6:33:19 PM PST by gov_bean_ counter (Yo Mitt - Money can't buy you love...)
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To: GeronL

Do I need to explain this to you?

Each vote Santorum gets is, probably, 0.60 of a vote Newt could have had, because though not everybody voting for Santorum would vote for Newt, but a majority of them probably would vote for Newt as a viable second. So, if Santorum wasn’t a factor, Newt could get 3 votes of every 5 of the Santorum votes.

Santorum will likely not win another state. But enough people will cast their votes for him, state by state, Romney will walk up the middle because Newt and Santorum will split enough votes between themselves that neither will have enough votes to win.

Now, I know you might suggest that Newt drop out, so that many of those voting can then vote for Santorum. But in simply raw politics, I see nothing that suggests that if Santorum were the only alternative to Romney, that he could take the vote. Romney would still win.

Of all those running, Newt is the only one that has a chance to beat Romney. But it’s unlikely that Newt will win if Santorum keeps playing spoiler.

My criticism is the same with Ron Paul, but Ron Paul is running for Ron Paul and no other reason.


33 posted on 01/31/2012 6:35:46 PM PST by Jonty30 (What Islam and secularism have in common is that they are both death cults.)
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To: tcg
We had a "character president" already. Man, did that work out great. His name was Jimmuh "Ah'll nevuh lah tuh yew" Carter.

This article is obscene.

34 posted on 01/31/2012 6:36:25 PM PST by hinckley buzzard
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To: tcg
Not so minor point ... Santorum went home TO DO HIS TAXES. He just happened to be around when Bella was hospitalized. It speaks nothing about his character.

The race may be far from over, but I will not be supporting Ricky unless and until he becomes the only thing standing between Obama and the oval office.

35 posted on 01/31/2012 6:36:47 PM PST by JustaDumbBlonde (Don't wish doom on your enemies ... plan it.)
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To: tcg

I voted for Santorum today and it was the first time since I voted for Reagan that I felt good about my vote.

Conservatives need to finally make a stand and stand with a candidate of this character caliber.

I would love to see Obama faced with defending his record and not handing him a punching bag he can spend $1 billion deflecting through negative ads.


36 posted on 01/31/2012 6:37:09 PM PST by surfer (To err is human, to really foul things up takes a Democrat, don't expect the GOP to have the answer!)
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To: GeronL
How many Santorum voters would have stayed home if it was only Newt and Myth?

Good question. How many summer soldiers and sunshine patriots abandoned Washington in the winter of 1776?

37 posted on 01/31/2012 6:38:55 PM PST by hinckley buzzard
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To: musicman
Thank you.
38 posted on 01/31/2012 6:39:54 PM PST by Jonty30 (What Islam and secularism have in common is that they are both death cults.)
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To: Jonty30

I think people should have choices. They should vote for the candidate closest to their views.


39 posted on 01/31/2012 6:43:00 PM PST by GeronL (The Right to Life came before the Right to Pursue Happiness)
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To: tsowellfan
Santorum endorsed Romney already, in 2008. Nothing since has happened to suggest he will do differently this time around.
40 posted on 01/31/2012 6:44:56 PM PST by hinckley buzzard
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