Rick Santorum was on Bill Bennett’s radio show this morning, the only show the former Pennsylvania senator plans to do today. (“I said what I wanted to say last night, and that is all I want to say until I get to New Hampshire.”)
For two years, Santorum was a regular Friday guest-host for the show (which I co-guest-hosted with him a time or two).
Bill’s producer, who worked with Santorum on the show, produced the senator’s cell phone number this morning and Bennett subsequently, inadvertently, woke the near/effective winner of last night’s primary up as they went live for the unscheduled interview. “I just called Rick Santorum’s cell and I woke him up. I feel terrible!”
Bennett, the former education secretary and drug czar, thanked Santorum for “the linking between the economic and the social” on the campaign trail. For Santorum, Bennett said, “the family values doesn’t stand by itself, as some kind of nostalgia … but hard-hitting policy. ‘If you want to succeed as an economy … you have to strengthen families.’”
Borrowing from his stump speech, Santorum said: “You can’t have limited government without strong families. You can’t have a successful economy without strong families.”
About his campaign, Santorum said:
I didn’t do this because I just woke up or dreamed all my life that I should be president. I do this because of the things I believe in, because of the causes I that I think are just. I do believe this isn’t just a message that sells in Iowa. This isn’t just a message that sells in South Carolina. And we’re going to go up to New Hampshire and we’re going to surprise a lot of people.
Listen here.
If he wins the nomination all Obama has to do is play that "contraception is wrong" speech of his to make him seem like a loon. 60-40 blowout.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThe only reason why the National Review doesn't understand why Santorum is unelectable is because many of the people who write for the magazine believe Santorum is right about contraception.
That's the eye opener.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseTwo things:
- The media will now focus attention on Santorum (and it will be rough).
- Mitt's SuperPacs delivered Iowa to Santorum on a silver platter. Without it, Gingrich bests Santorum by a wide margin.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI fired up my iTunes a few minutes ago and tried to listen to the podcast of Bennett's show. But -- immediately -- my gag reflex set in. Bill and Rick...a mutual, man crush thing. Very tribal. (Too bad K-Lo couldn't be in on that call.)
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseHa, this will be highly entertaining. Good luck Senator. I can't wait to see how Rick "No Right to Privacy" Santorum does in the "Life Free or Die" state, where religious commitment is far below the national average, and same-sex marriage ("I will die on that hill!") has been legal for two years.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseHow did Pat Buchannan do in New Hampshire in '96 with a similar message?
Oh, that's right, he won.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseDid he run on "contraception is wrong" and was gay marriage even an issue then? Northeastern conservatives are more "mind your own business/fences make good neighbors" conservatives. No sale!
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseRegarding Santorum's support from the Tea Party faithful.
From the TeaParty Insider
"A particular point of contention is whether Tea Party leaders should register as lobbyists, a profession despised by the rank and file. Correct or not, lobbyists are commonly perceived as buying legislators’ votes through large campaign contributions, expensive dinners and lavish trips. In return, narrowly-written bills directly catering to the lobbyist’s client are introduced. Fighting that "institutionalized corruption" is a major Tea Party endeavor."
So how does this square with Rick Santorum's involvement with the K-Street Project? Read External Link
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI am looking forward to all the "surprises" former Senator Rick springs on people. His campaign promises to be even more entertaining than Professor Gasbag's.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSanctimonious jackanape. Thanks for those additional 6 years of Snarlen Arlen, Rick.
If this fool somehow gets the nomination, I'll vote for him because he fits my crierion of "not Obama", but I will not be happy.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseYou could vote for Gary Johnson. I certainly would. And that's why it will not come to that.
Most of the other GOP possibilities are either good, OK or hold-nose in my book.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseRooting for you, Rick! I hope you do surprise N.H!
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSantorum has a difficult tightrope to walk in managing expectations in NH this week. Romney is going to win and will come out of it as the front runner. Santorum just needs to go into SC and FL looking viable. Underplay his hand and he won't consolidate enough votes to appear viable. Overplay his chances of winning and he's the next incarnation of a fallen challenger to Romney.
From a rhetorical standpoint, "surprise a lot of people" is probably about right.
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