With Romney Closing In, Santorum Airs His Grievances

CHILLICOTHE, Ohio -- Rick Santorum is sounding a bit like Newt Gingrich did when he was on the ropes in Florida and Mitt Romney was poised to overtake him in polling there. There was a tone of grievance in his voice that underscored the words he chose on the stump here Friday.

"I know sometimes I can get wound up," Santorum told a group of supporters at the Chillicothe High School gymnasium. But, he said, "the words out of my mouth are my own. They're not written by some poll-tested speechwriter."

I don’t know why these guys can’t understand that whining doesn’t help them win the election. It may be therapeutic, in which case they should do it with their staff or family. But few of them seem to be able to stay on message.

They need to act like they’re performers at Disneyland whenever they are out in public. Afterwards they can scream, cuss, and kick the dog.

It’s the culture of their advisors. A good advisor would insist that his or her candidate not watch a single ad on TV or listen to a single radio ad run by opponents or opponents super PACS. Just prevent them from being exposed to it, so the candidates could stay on Obama.

Imagine if Newt had such advisors after winning SC and heading into Florida. IT would be a whole different ballgame today. Totally different.

Imagine if Newt had such advisors after winning SC and heading into Florida. IT would be a whole different ballgame today. Totally different.

Good points. Sounds like you have done this stuff before. And you are right, had Newt listened to that kind of advice after SC he might still be leading the pack today and on his way to the nomination.

Not sure it would help Rick though. He is a man who is most alive, most energetic, most passionate and speaks with the most conviction on the very issues that would damage his viability as a candidate most. That is the problem he has being known almost entirely as a social warrior. I am sure he knows, and that his advisers remind him, to stay focused on economic issues and ignore opposition advertising and such - but he is not very disciplined and can be easily sidetracked on the social stuff because it is obviously what he most deeply cares about.

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