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CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. -- Rick Santorum this afternoon became the first presidential candidate to touch down in Florida after the South Carolina primary, making the case that last night's results prove conservatives do not need to coalesce around just one Republican candidate to successfully challenge Mitt Romney.
"The inevitability of Romney has now been whipped away," Santorum said after holding a rally here in front of nearly 200 supporters. "The idea that conservatives now have to be united to beat him -- I beat him, Gingrich beat him, the only state he won is his back yard," he said.
Making his case today after an unimpressive third-place finish in the first-in-the-south primary, Santorum continued to play up his Iowa victory, calling himself the only candidate thus far to win on neutral turf.
"We've had three races, one in [Mitt] Romney's backyard in the state of New Hampshire. He owns a home in New Hampshire, he campaigned there for six years, and as I said before, he was a governor of the neighboring state. Last night, we had a race in South Carolina.
"Right across the border from where Newt Gingrich was, and pretty much his backyard and where he staked his claim," Santorum said.
"They were able to win in their backyard. Well, there was one race that was in nobody's backyard, there was one race where you had to go out, and on a level playing field compete, and we won that race," he said.
But while Gingrich heads into Florida with a full head of steam after a decisive victory in South Carolina, Santorum is facing speculation about the future of his candidacy after weak finishes in the two most recent primaries and a war chest that is dwarfed when compared to his better-funded opponents. Gingrich's win Saturday night was a blow to Santorum's case that he is in the best position to be the Romney alternative.
Santorum continued his sharp critiques of Gingrich, who he will be competing with to win over many of Florida's most conservative Republicans.
"When Newt was speaker of the House, well within three years, the conservatives in the House of Representatives tried to throw him out.
"In the fourth year they did. Why? Because he wasn't governing as a conservative. He didn't live up to all of the hype," said Santorum.
The former Pennsylvania senator repeated many of the same jabs at Gingrich that he employed during his South Carolina swing, one of which is calling Gingrich's attacks on Romney's time as CEO of Bain Capital as an attack on capitalism. Gingrich and former presidential candidate Rick Perry received blowback from conservatives who saw those attacks on Romney's private sector background as an attack on free markets.
But the former Massachusetts' governor's wealth has become an issue on the campaign trail, specifically his ambiguity about whether or not he would release his tax returns. Today Romney said he would release the records, and responding this afternoon, Santorum he too would release his records this week.
After today's stop in Southern Florida, Santorum will head to the central part of the state on Monday before participating in a debate in Tampa co-sponsoroed by NBC News.
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Thank you Jaysus!
Finally, little Ricky's feet are back on the GROUND!
carrot top.... it's almost 8pm Illinois time! I figured you to be hitting the local truck stops by now. Two for one boilermakers!!!! And if someone else is paying, all the better, lmao!
Countdown to the end of the regime!
Now THAT was some funny stuff right thar....lol
Couldn't agree more
bill, are you talking about feisty? Be careful my friend.... she's not gonna like being outed! But heck, the old gal rarely has a coherent thought, maybe it is the boiler makers!
I've always liked Newt as a viable opponent to oblumber! Despite his flaws, he is smart, knows the ropes, and has the ability to wipe the floor with the community organizer in any political debate.... teleprompter or no teleprompter. Romney has always been a little to moderate for my taste. Time for a change!
Just be cool with 'ol Crusty Carrot Top......she's got some pretty thin skin.
?.....and she eats a buttload of *popcorn* too....?
I suppose, what else are ya gonna do in your apartment all day after "da check" hits the bank??
Lean Forward Baby!
lol, I'm more afraid of an obama second term, than a funny old lady that has no life beyond First Read.
Feisty Redhead Roselle, IL
Pray, do tell me girl,
What would little Ricky have his feet in the air for?
Somebody should put a stamp on Santorum's ass and send him back home. He is no good for anything anyway.
Rick Santorum this afternoon became the first presidential candidate to touch down in Florida after the South Carolina primary...So, in other words, he'll be the first one to take a dump in Florida. Slow news day I suppose.
When santorum touched down, did he stick. I hope you all can wash it off.
That sounded like a frothy landing !
....only if he was unlucky enough to land on carrot top! yechhhh.....
OMG why is this news?
Football game is making me tense. Now I read Santorum is here and the rest of the GOP field is to follow. My tension level (already high) is now through the roof! Ah well, I guess it is my state's turn for the fun and games. Wonder which candidate will be first to punt? (Did I mention how much I hate political ads and mailers)
... and great sweeping brings the final rock onto the button and the Saskatoon Sallys beat the Thunderbay Thistles 6 to 5 ... WOW!!!! YEEHAW!!!!!
I love curling.
SO the GOP choices are: a Religious nut, a corporate raider/Mormon and a Lobbyist!
The GOP are trying to lose it seems.
But this time Dems need over 60 votes so we can fix things properly,
throw in some progressive while we are at it.
Lets not forget the crazy old coot either.....(you liberals always seem to overlook him)
It does seem like the Republicans are trying to lose, doesn't it?
They may need 60 in the Senate, but they won't get them this cycle. There aren't enough Republican seats up to give the Democrats 60 even if they win all of them, and they won't. But there are certainly enough Democrat seats up to switch the Senate over to Republican control with a better than 50/50 chance of the Republicans winning at least two. This will also be the case in 2014 also, the Democrats don't have any chance to take the Senate this cycle, a slim one next cycle but only if they don't lose it now. (they can't afford to lose a single seat, their best chance is in 2016, but that will also be highly doubtful, just want to make sure we get the facts out there)
Throw in some progressive? oh, I thought you meant progresso, well, either way I'm down for that!
And you have a guy who has shown nothing of what he is except a hood organizer in chicgo and doesn't have a clue on whats going on except get more money to his master (george sorus) the season is started and Obama has a billion dollars to spend, how much of that is from the trillions he has stolen.
Liberals need to ask (who is this guy) with differnet names, travelled around the world on a passport that nobody can find. etc etc. If the conservatives had a person like him, the media would tell yo what color socks he wore in 3rd grade.
think about it ; who or what else do you have in your disjointed collection of presidential hopefuls. look at the mess BUSH put this country in. and now bushe's twins want to come in and finish us off. lay back, take a deep breath and THINK. reality can be a cruel intruder
yep, the 2010 mid-term election cycle reality was a REAL cruel intruder. ;-0)
You fools need to leave Feisty alone. She can take care of herself, as you'll find out some day.
Whatever Santo does or says is NOT news.
Just the Facts,
You couldn't have said it better. Most of the rage coming from the Right on this vine stems from the fact that they don't have a chance of getting their guy (or, God forbid, gal, Sarah Palin) elected in 2012. The GOP Clown Car continues to careen down the road of ribald comedy and hipocracy, and entertains all of us here on the Left.
Must buy more popcorn!
Save your energy for 2016...
OBAMA 2012!
I see an equal amount of rage from the Democrats also, probably still smarting from the historic landslide 2010 midterm elections. (more seats swapped party than any other election in history, you know the thing that causes the most democrat rage? they ran on shutting down the liberal agenda. did a pretty good job so far you think?)
Sarah Palin? are you following the same election I am? I don't see her in the campaign anywhere. I'm sure there are a lot of democrats who would like her to be running, but unfortunately we all can't have what we wish for.
Another hypocritical GOP oil crony making waste and taking up space in sunny FL. How can we ever miss you if you limp wristed thuggies will never go away?
Santorum is spreading throughout Florida. Time to break out the mops and buckets and clean up that frothy mess!
speaking of messes...where's obozo's right-hand clown Botox biden been? obozo has him traveling as far away from cameras and microphones as possible. those 2 clowns and the democratic circus are going to be ridden out on a rail in Nov. Unfortunately, we can't tar and feather the two idiots before we kick 'em to the curb.
Slide 6----Not a nice thing to say about good old boy Joe Biden.---------Beisides it is going to be President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton in 2012.
Slide 6,
Obozo? Botox Biden? Wow, very mature. You right wingers can't even insult the left intelligently.
Santorum should drop out of the race as soon as he loses Florida, that religious zealotry just isn't going to fly with the indys.
No, let the christian conservatives continue to throw their hard-earned money at him.
"Sanitarium Santorum" is now in the great state of Florida to spread religious, social, and cultural intolerance everywhere he goes. He may have came from a "Blue Collat" background however, his economic policies are for the top 1% only. That is fact! He is another GOP Clown who took the "Goofy Grover" Tax Pledge, supports the "Richie Rich Ryan" Economic Plan, and will continue the Bush Tax Cuts. "Sanitarium Santorum" has NO idea of what the Freedom Of Religion means. He also has NO understanding of what the Civil Rights Act Of !964 means. He is really confused of what Libery for all means, and only those like himself deserve to be happy. "Sanitarium Santorum" has NO Clue of what economic fairness means, and is confused about the word "Humanity."
Watch the Pope of Pa. throw a few bombs at both Willard and Newton in the debates tonight. His only chance to stay in the race is to go completely negative in Fla. against both of them. If he can finish second he will have a chance--------If not--------Go home!
Hey Santorum I heard some old lady informed you that Obama was a Muslim and couldn't legally be president.All the time you stood there with that stupid expression on your face. What nursing home were you at and why are you pandering to the senile vote