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Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Rick Santorum suspends his campaign for the GOP nomination...

5 comments:

  1. I did not agree with everything Rick Santorum said. I thought he killed his chances of actually winning the nomination when he failed to get support beyond his core base (which he absolutely needed to be a contender). But he ran a lean campaign (which I admire) and did expound some decent conservative fiscal positions.

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  2. He seemed to revel in red meat social conservative issues that might be popular with evangelicals in Iowa but the rest of the country???

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  3. It was baffling. I think he would have been a good president. But he was not a conservative like Reagan or Goldwater. I think Glenn Reynolds said his political career and positions more like Mike Huckabee's (but without the charm). I think one of his worst moves was saying he wanted to drive libertarians out the GOP (I think he meant Ron Paul supporters, but he said it a lot broader than that). But even driving Paul supporters out would be a terrible idea (as Jim DeMint and Sarah Palin noted).

    But he generally ran an honorable campaign and did not decent in the stuff Romney and Gingrich engaged in.

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  4. I thought he was simply a politician. His personal views on social issues resonated with a lot of people. It seemed that, when Newt began to sink again, Santorum tried to emulate Newt's angry/zealous/cranky persona, but he couldn't pull it off. And that's why I say he came across as simply a politician--trying to market himself to whomever he's speaking to at the moment. Completely insincere. Never cared for him, figured if we managed to win, he would be the first President not to win his home state. Pennsylvanians tossed him out in the worst Senatorial defeat of an incumbent in something like 100 years. He was whiny. I suspect whatever he does with his delegates will be to his benefit, not the party, the nation, or the other candidates.

    Depending on who you favor now, Santorum is a hero or a heel. I think he peeled off some of Newt's support. It will be very interesting to see if Newt's numbers start rising again.

    Romney represents the dregs of the party. We've had four years to select Obama's replacement and instead are still searching for McCain's.

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    1. There is some truth in what you say. Santorum decision to drop out was reality check, he has a young family, bills to pay and virtually no chance to win the nomination. While I doubt Pennsylvania was the sole reason for his decision, if Mitt outspent him in Pennsylvania and did win, it would have hurt him badly.

      His delegates do not mean a lot now (other than perhaps a chance to shape the platform and as a foil to Ron Paul). Mitt will clinch before the convention. Newt defeated himself. Newt may rise slightly, but I doubt it will be anything significant. Rick will get a prominent speech to give at the convention. He will not get the Veep nod.

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