Rick Santorum Smart to Bash Romney on the Way Out

Yahoo News ^ | April 19, 2012 | Calvin Wolf

[Engraved-on-His-hands]

Former Republican candidate for president Rick Santorum blasted presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney in the final days of his campaign, sending a sharply worded fundraising letter to Iowa voters.

The letter reiterated many of the most popular criticisms of Romney, labeling him a "Massachusetts moderate" and claiming that Santorum was frightened to think of what would happen if Romney became the GOP nominee. Once again, the former senator from Pennsylvania portrayed his rival, the former governor of Massachusetts, as having little or no contrast from the Democratic incumbent.

Now that Santorum is headed home, was his last-minute bash of a triumphant Romney a good thing? Of course it was, and for several reasons.

[Friendofgeorge]

I find the idea that Santorum is somehow next in line, very depressing

[sthguard]

“The letter reiterated many of the most popular criticisms of Romney”

In other words, Santorum yet again tried to do what Newt has been doing for months, except Santorum has nothing to back up his whining except more whining. What a useful idiot.

[hinckley buzzard]

"A good thing?" To be sure. This bitter clinger diatribe accomplished important objectives: One, it insures that this despicable hypocrite will never run for office again. Two, it exposes for all to see what happens when a semi-psychotic with delusions of religiosity gets anywhere near the civil process leading to the levers of power.

[no dems]

Then why did Rick endorse Romney in 2008? Rick dropped out because he knew he was not even going to win his home State of PA in the GOP Primary. He would have had more class had he gone out gracefully instead of spitefully. But, unfortunately Rick is not a Christian who espouses Grace. He’s one of those hard-nosed, hell-fire and brimstone Christians.

Move on down the road Rick. It’s time to go get a real job and support your family.

[Idaho_Cowboy]

Then why did Rick endorse Romney in 2008?

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Because the other option was McCain.

[TigersEye]

Because the other option was McCain.

That is true, understandable and really depressing.

This is not at all understandable...

Rick Santorum is unfit for ANY public office

[cubreporter]

I had high hopes for him. However, he seemed to go off the deep end somehow.

[cubreporter]

yes...he seemed to get angry and bitter and even his expressions in the debate were “mad” looking. He came off as “holier than thou” and that was looking down on a lot of good people so...that’s not the way to present yourself.

[Irish Eyes]

yes...he seemed to get angry and bitter and even his expressions in the debate were “mad” looking. He came off as “holier than thou” and that was looking down on a lot of good people so...that’s not the way to present yourself.

Each of the Republican candidates had their 10 minutes of fame. It just happened to be Santorum's turn while people were voting. He was just the flavor of the day.

[TBP]

Technically, Rick is still a candidate. Since he did not withdraw, but suspended his campaign, he can still raise money, can hold onto his delegates, and I believe can acquire new ones.

[TBP]

Does anyone find it curious that this letter’s arrival was somehow delayed and then it arrived just after he suspended? We know how the Romney operatives work.

[TBP]

The same reason some conservatives endorsed GW Bush, who was never one of us either.

[TBP]

Santorum would be a much better President than the “progresive” Etch-a-Sketch. Mittens has no core. The best we can expect from him is to slow things down a bit.

Etch-a-Sketch has the advantage of running against, as Glenn Beck said this morning, “a Communist who eats dogs.” Otherwise, he’d be toast.

[Hostage]

Rick Santorum answered the question of why he supported Romney.

He said it was because Romney convinced him of his conservative bonafides but right after the endorsement he saw that Romney changed his tune.

In other words, Romney lied to him and Rick believed those lies. Many of us can sympathize with Rick because we can see that Romney is a deliberate liar. But although we can sympathize, we need not agree that Rick is Presidential.

Rick also jumped into believing the lies about George Zimmerman.

Rick pulls the trigger too soon before he has the facts in hand.

[BillyBoy]

>> Then why did Rick endorse Romney in 2008? Because the other option was McCain. <<

By my latest count, at least 90% of the freepers here who bash Rick Santorum for endorsing Romney in 2008 when the options left were Romney, Huckabee, Paul, and McCain... did exactly the same thing as him. That's probably why crickets chirp whenever I asked them who THEY endorsed at that stage in the race.

Interesting, isn't it? One thing I've noticed is Santorum bashers really love hurling stones in glass houses.

[Pinkbell]

The Santorum bashers bashed Rick, and now he’s gone. What are we stuck with? Romney. They couldn’t care less that Rick was the best hope for stopping Romney. Now that Rick is gone, what they doing? They’re STILL bashing Rick. It’s quite pathetic.

[BillyBoy]

And after trashing Rick and his supporters nonstop, they whine that we won’t “get behind” Gingrich to “stop Romney”. Gotta love the irony of that one.

[napscoordinator]

Santorum endorsed Mitt in 2008 to keep the idiot McCain from the nomination or at least try too. Now in 2012, he doesn’t have another McCain vs. Romney so he is not endorsing him. I will NEVER stick up for Romney ever. He will lose and lose bad if he ends up the nominee. I don’t want Romney to even step foot in the White House. I know you don’t like Santorum but I do. He would have brought back morals into the White House and now we are not going to have that no matter what happens.

[Diogenesis]

Romney lies about endorsements.

Romney is perpetual liar.
He claimed the NRA supported him to be Governor.
IT DID NOT.

He claimed....
They did not.

Romney is a disgusting liar.

[Diogenesis]

Perpetual backstabber Romney has a HISTORY of lying about endorsements
and making up FAKE ENDORSEMENTS.

Typical Romney falsehood: "I also was pleased to have the support of the NRA when I ran for governor."

Typical Romney falsehood: "I told you what my position was, and what I, what I did as governor; the fact that I received the endorsement of the NRA."

The truth:

Etch-a-Sketch Liar Romney:
"“That’s not going to make me the hero of the NRA”
Boston Herald (1994)

Romney: " “I don’t line up with the NRA.”
Boston Globe, January 14, 2007

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More Truth about Romney faking endorsements:

"Behind the empty gestures and deceptive rhetoric, Romney was not pro-life
or a defender of marriage by any stretch of the imagination.
He was a disaster," said O'Gorman, of the board for Massachusetts Citizens for Life.
He said Romney "deceptively" claims to have been awarded
a pro-life award from the group.

"The award Romney arranged for himself with the local Pioneer Valley Chapter
was the Mullins Award for Political Leadership, not a pro-life award
and not approved by MCFL's state board of directors," he said.
"We're blowing the whistle to warn voters…"

[Family leaders call Romney 'disaster' - Letter criticizes 'deceptive rhetoric' around candidate]

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Myth Romney, plagiarist, taking credit for Duncan Hunter's fence, without attribution.

[Diogenesis]

FR did NOT endorse Romney in 2008 like you claim.

Romney is hated by conservatives who recognize
his lies and deceptions quite clearly.

Other than few pathetic RomneyBOTs, here is who
is for the backstabbing, liar Myth Romney:

IT’S UNANIMOUS FOR RINO ROMNEY
From the Kennedy Seat in Massachusetts to the entire DNC

Mitt Romney wins much coveted Jimmy Carter endorsement

Gore Praises Romney's 'Climate Protection Plan'

Carville(D):
"It's a feel-good story, this Romney thing.
Romney is an ascendant guy."

Sen. John Kerry (D) to Don Imus on RomneyCARE:
"I like this health care bill".

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D) on RomneyCARE:
"To come up with a bipartisan plan in this polarized environment is commendable."

[Pinkbell]

No kidding, and Gingrich vote spliting cost Santorum key states like Michigan and Ohio and delegates in Southern states (even though Santorum won them). Santorum was bashed relentlessly here as well as his supporters, and now that he has suspended his campaign, we’re supposed to jump on the Gingrich train? Forget it. I don’t like Gingrich and his ego, and I don’t like Romney. Unfortunately, barring a miracle, Romney is now who we are stuck with.

[Mozilla]

Well Newt has no chance now. I think the GOP is becoming damaged. The GOP is about ready to collapse.

When “conservatves” are attacking other “conservatives.” I.E. people attacking Bachmann, Cain, Santorum, Gingrich, Perry, DeMint, and even Palin. The house is divided beyond repair.

Just about everything I figured would happen did and it is even worse than I imagined. I said two years ago in August 2010 that if many tea party leaning conservatives ran they would all want to win and would start turning on each other and that a Rino Romney would help drive the division because he would benefit and win. Then people would be divided and split the conservative vote.

Also I had not forseen how the Palin factor would hurt the race so badly because she never got into it but people kept expecting her too because she would not make up her mind. So it was a 50/50 shot, but when she did not enter then things collapsed on the field because some people had attacked the entire field as weak compared to Palin instead of giving tea party candidates a chance.

And frankly I too have engaged in this because I became confused on who to trust. And this particular site went from attacking Newt as people did when he endorsed Dede Scozzafava to supporting Newt to having a split house.

So my only point is the GOP and the conservative base is a bit divided now. Thus etting the stage for the collapse because it has gotten to where peopel can’t agree who is “ conservative” when Newt supporters attack “Santorum” and people attack “Bachmann” who to me was the best one in the field, so the long knives are out.

I could go on and on about all that happened as it is too long and complicated. I just know that the GOP is in a cold war of sorts.

As such I am voting Constitution party, if they make the ballot in my state, for president because Romney is a bridge too far. And we got it because of many reasons but chief among them a conservative base who could not coalese around a real tea party conservative candidate and it still can’t as evidenced by the divisions between most “Gingrich” and “Santorum” supporters which were similar to the divisions between “Perry” and “Bachmann” supporters earlier in the campaign or something like that.

[Idaho_Cowboy]

I certainly hope that the Republicans have learned a lesson since 2008. I admit my thinking was different, and I was even willing to hold my nose and support McCain. I have also seen that doing so gained us absolutely nothing for the conservative movement. Having had that experience I decided never again would I compromise my principals to support any candidate. So can I criticize Santorum for making the same mistake I did? Nope.

[Idaho_Cowboy]

yes...he seemed to get angry and bitter and even his expressions in the debate were “mad” looking. He came off as “holier than thou” and that was looking down on a lot of good people so...that’s not the way to present yourself.

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When the fate of the only true free nation in the world is at stake I appreciate a man who actually has passion about the issues.
Do you really think Patrick Henry was a smiling milquetoast when he spoke? We don't need men who smile like idiots as they read from a teleprompter we need honest thoughts from the heart.

[mosesdapoet]

Check private mail

[BillyBoy]

>> FR did NOT endorse Romney in 2008 like you claim. <<

I did not claim "FR" endorsed Romney in 2008. I claimed most of the posters who were here in 2008 and currently trashing Santorum were the ones who backed Romney in 2008.

JimRob, the founder and owner of FR, endorsed Fred Thompson and then reluctantly endorsed Huckabee after Thompson dropped out.

Most freepers backed Thompson as well, but sadly ignored JimRob's recommendation on Huckabee. After Thompson dropped out, most freepers threw their support behind Romney and argued we had to support him to "stop McCain". Furthermore, once McCain won the nomination and was searching for a running mate, the most popular recommendation posted here was Romney.

I OPPOSED Romney in both the primary and as a choice for running mate during the 2008 election cycle, but my views were in the minority. (I STILL oppose Romney in 2012, but now most freepers agree Romney sucks)

If you're having trouble remembering these events and you're going to claim I'm "lying", I can give you some links to 2008 threads that might refresh your memory.

For example, here's a live thread from Super Tuesday 2008. You can read for yourself who most the Santorum bashers were voting for back then, and their candidate wasn't named John McCain, Ron Paul, or Mike Huckabee:

LIVE THREAD Super Tuesday 2008

[Impy]

You know it’s too bad Romney didn’t win the nomination in 2008, he probably would have lost by a slightly larger margin than McCain and hopefully would not have been given a second chance.