Posted on 03/20/2012 8:05:14 PM PDT by lightman
After an hours-long wait for some in Gettysburg, a GOP presidential hopeful took the stage there for a rally just after 9:30 p.m. The line to get into the Gettysburg Hotel on Lincoln Square to see candidate Rick Santorum speak stretched down the street, past the Majestic Theater, around 8 p.m., according to reports. It appeared the crowd was too large for everyone to get inside for the speech, which was to focus on freedom.
Mitt Romney beat Santorum handily in Tuesday's Illinois primary.
Santorum was set to speak on those results, and in advance of Pennsylvania's upcoming primary in April.
A full report on those remarks will be forthcoming.
Even more than an hour in advance of Santorum's rally in Gettysburg, local residents, national media and others had begun to crowd Lincoln Square in anticipation.
News vehicles were jammed along the historic downtown streets and more than 100 people gathered around the square around 6 p.m. in advance of scheduled remarks from the GOP candidate.
Some of the early arrivals spoke to reporters about their support of Santorum's platform of traditional family values, while others were planning to protest the event saying the candidate is out of touch particularly with female voters.
One woman from Long Island, N.Y., said she is attending the rally Tuesday night because she can't make up her mind between the Republican candidates.
"Anyone but Obama," she said.
A contingent of 50-plus protesters gathered on Lincoln Square just before 7 p.m., and police asked the group to remain respectful. Some of the female protesters had signs with bras stapled to them, and others spoke out against Santorum's conservative stance on abortion rights.
The line to get into the ballroom, where the rally was to take place, stretched down the street. One hotel official said the room holds 300, and some people might have to be turned away.
It was unclear at 8 p.m. if all those wishing to get inside to hear the candidate would fit.
At one point a tense situation was made tougher, when an automatic fire alarm went off downtown at the Donald Wills House.
A fire official said that call, just after 7:30, was caused by a power outage at the site. Responders sent only one truck to the scene, because of the cramped conditions.
As the night wore on, tension rose outside the hotel, with Santorum supporters and protesters exchanging barbs, and in an a few cases seemingly almost coming to blows.
The Gettysburg Police Department met with Secret Service agents on Monday afternoon to discuss security at the rally. The Gettysburg Police offered assistance, but security will be handled mostly by Secret Service and the Pennsylvania State Police, according to Gettysburg Police Chief Joseph Dougherty.
Santorum's rally, which is open to the public, will mark a renewed focus on the themes of freedom and empowerment as the campaign moves into the second half of the primary season, according to a recent news release. "We are again fighting for freedom," said Hogan Gidley, the campaign's national communications director. "But this time we are not asking the American people to put on the uniform of their country, but stand up as citizens."
Political opponents, though, are condemning the strategy and claim Santorum is taking advantage of the Gettysburg identity. Early reports from the scene said picketers are beginning to gather.
Santorum was a Pennsylvania senator from 1995 to 2007, when he lost to current Sen. Bob Casey. He was active in many Gettysburg projects during his time in office.
You consistently produce fact filled, link filled, encouraging posts that educate and inform!
For my part, I'm the cheerleader.....different perspective with lots of hope and support!
I did come across some wonderful you tubes with interviews of Elizabeth, and Sarah Maria and John Santorum.....Wonderful interviews.
Those young adult Santorum siblings are such a credit to their parents...
..respectful, articulate, charming and so committed to helping their dad!!
You consistently produce fact filled, link filled, encouraging posts that educate and inform!
For my part, I'm the cheerleader.....different perspective with lots of hope and support!
I did come across some wonderful you tubes with interviews of Elizabeth, and Sarah Maria and John Santorum.....Wonderful interviews.
Those young adult Santorum siblings are such a credit to their parents...
..respectful, articulate, charming and so committed to helping their dad!!
Hey Guen, although I’m for Newt, just wanted to say hi and to say I admire your fire for Rick.
“The election in 1860 was about whether these united states, which is what it was mostly referred to prior to the election of 1860, would become the United States, whether it would be a union, a country bound together to build a great and prosperous nation, a nation based on a concept, a concept that we were birthed with, a concept birthed with our founding document of the Declaration of Independence”
So much for States Rights.
Thank you! Expect wonderful things.
I live near Gettysburg and Adams County is extremely Conservative. The handful of protesters who tried to disrupt Santorum’s appearance were either anti-war ex-hippie types or Libertarians, and they got drowned out by the massive pro-Santorum crowd.
They were indeed local Rat and Libertarian protestors carrying the rainbow flag.
Thanks for the encouragment!
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for
the evidence of things not seen
Thank-you for the gracious post....you're always such a gentleman.
you're always such a gentleman
I'll try to remember that. You call me on it if I fail to do so, OK?
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