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Subscribe to RSSRepublican voters in Illinois are casting their ballots Tuesday in the state's presidential primary. NBC's Peter Alexander reports.
EAST PEORIA, IL -- Rick Santorum began the Monday before the Illinois primary addressing Mitt Romney's claims that he is "an economic lightweight." By the day's end, it was the former Pennsylvania senator's own words that had him on the defensive.
Making four stops in the Land of Lincoln, Santorum suggested at a rally in Moline that the nation's unemployment rate "doesn't matter to me." The point, he later explained, was that his campaign is based on more fundamental issues than the current jobless numbers and that Republicans do not believe it is the government's role to create employment, only to create an atmosphere for job growth.
But it took little time for his chief rival for the GOP nomination to pounce on the comments. Stumping in Peoria less than two hours later, Romney used Santorum's line to further his case that he the only candidate capable of handling the economy.
"One of the people who is running also for the Republican nomination today said that he doesn’t care about the unemployment rate, that does bother me. I do care about the unemployment rate," said Romney.
Santorum's remarks came on the heels of a different eyebrow-raising incident in a Louisiana prayer service on Sunday night. As Santorum sat off to the side in Baton Rouge church, pastor Dennis Terry, who introduced the Republican hopeful, delivered some fiery rhetoric about religious tolerance. "I don’t care what the liberals say, I don’t care what the naysayers say, this nation was founded as a Christian nation," Terry said, adding, "There’s only one God. There’s only one God. And his name is Jesus."
When pressed by reporters on Monday about the comments, Santorum said he did not hold the pastor's views. "I believe in freedom of religion and all religions are welcome and should be. I think I've made that pretty clear throughout my campaign."
The distractions came less than 24 hours before Illinois voters go to the polls to decide how their 54 delegates will be allocated. The state is largely expected to favor Romney, but a strong showing from Santorum could further cement his place as the only candidate able to mount a challenge to the former Massachusetts governor's front-runner status.
With more than 15 media appearances on Monday in addition to the four campaign rallies, the Santorum campaign was hoping to leave Illinois on high note. As Romney delivered an economic address at the University of Chicago, Santorum touted his blue collar candidacy in Dixon, the hometown of GOP hero Ronald Reagan.
"We need someone who can talk and strike blows for big things like Reagan did for freedom, for America," he said while standing in front of bronze statue of Reagan on a horse. "Let’s just be brutally honest about it. There’s one candidate in this race who could never make this race about freedom because he simply abandoned freedom when he was governor of Massachusetts and he abandoned it when he promoted Obamacare in 2009.”
Throughout the day he called out Romney over his ties to Wall Street and a job creation record that, Santorum said, was one of the worst in the country while Romney led the Bay State.
But during his final rally outside a pizza shop in East Peoria, Santorum seemed to acknowledge the toll his off-the-cuff style has taken on him. "When you got out there and you don’t talk from a teleprompter, and you’re not, you know, reading notes that someone else gave you, occasionally you say something things, you wish you had a, you know, a do-over," he said.
"But you know what, I think it’s important that you get a sense of how real the candidate is, mistakes and all.”
NBC's Jamie Novogrod contributed to this report.
Follow NBC's Andrew Rafferty on Twitter
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mmac-3260592: I notice you and all your tin foil hat wearing teapubs never, NOT ONCE, raised your voice in protest when the Crawford Village Idiot was spending $400BB on a prescription drug benefit (and one that codified in the language the government was unable BY LAW, to negotiate with drug companies over prices), or spending trillions on a war he created out of thin air and lied our way into (remember yellow cake? Saddam and Al Queada ties?). If you guys are SO CONCERNED about the current deficit, recall back to 2000 when the CVI inherited a multi trillion SURPLUS from....a Democrat.
Stop re-writing history here. Yes we've spent a lot of money we don't have, but President Obama is not the first to do that. You lose any credibility when you overlook inconvenient facts.
mmac is one of an army of troll-drones who stalk these forums like sappers. They come in, drop "bombs" (recycled, rehashed talking points that have been refuted time and again) and skulk away into the darkness, never once daring to address any refutations one might deliver. When confronted with raw, unadulterated fact, here comes the inevitable subject change. Ultimately, it devolves into the last fortress of attack for them: demands for college transcripts and questions about birth certificates.
It's a simple psychological formula, really. You take a mostly sub-100 IQ segment of a population, rally them with selective facts, spin and pseudo-patriotism and tell them it's their duty as God-fearing Americans to spread the message. Programming people to do your bidding isn't difficult. History is filled with dictators and despots who used the very same tactics.
Unfortunately, we've gotten to the point that simply ignoring the Army of Ignorance isn't good enough. Our silence only reinforces the self-delusion that they're really making a difference out here. Ironic, isn't it? No response = "I have spread the truth, and none dare stand against me." It's something that only the brainwashed people I describe above could possibly be convinced to believe.
We can only take a stand and exhaust ourselves defending the real truth. I'm taking up the mantle... Who's with me? ;)
WHat are you smoking?
Greg
I should ask you the same thing???? jmwhite is right. History repeats itself.
When Republicans and Boner were asked what
they though about the Obama Administration ordering the killing of Osama Bin
Laden they repilied there he goes again taking action that hasnt been approved
by the Republicans in Congress.
When further asked to explain there position
Republicans stated that the president would drive down gas prices with this
reckless action and normal Rich Folk at the Big oil Companies wont be able to
donate more insanely huge unreported amounts into there elections Payoffs.
When the press asked about payoffs the
Republicans explained as follows. You see the money we use to flood the TV air
waves comes from Big Oil companies and others like Republican billionaires as
the Koch Brothers who is the price of gas falls wont be able to give as much to
them. If the Poor and Middle class dont pay the higher gas price we dont care
if they can afford we lose the extra money aand revenue because there is a
revenue issue if it isnt going into our back pockets and if it helps anyone
other the the rich elite its a spending problem. .
When the press asked the Republicans and Tea
Baggers/Extreme Bush baggers far right party to explain why they wanted to get
Rich off the profits of Big Oil from the high gas prices they said the first
honest thing they have ever said. " We are the GOP Gas and Oil Party"
We only care about the elite rich because "Yes we can"....
Ricky is a lightweight on just about every level. And now he's shilling his wife who declares that he's surrounded by powerful women and he'll do nothing (if elected) about current contraceptive legislation. He'll leave it alone... Nicely done, subordinately of course...
He probably doesn't care that much about the folks out of work because after all, it has to be God's plan for them to not be able to provide for themselves and their families. Good little zealot.
hate to say it but , but not one of them is any good for the country just big buisness and wallstreet would prosper, the rest of us would just slowly get trampled on
WashPost-ABC Poll: Don't Change Medicare, Medicaid
Americans
strongly oppose plans to change Medicare and Medicaid that House Republicans
have put forward as a way to bring the national debt under control, a new
Washington Post-ABC News poll shows. Among other remedies advanced, only
President Barack Obama’s plan to raise taxes on the wealthy enjoys solid
support.
The
GOP plan, which House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan of Wisconsin put together, calls for major
changes in Medicare and Medicaid. Obama’s plan does not call for restructuring
but acknowledges future savings are needed. The poll found that 78 percent
oppose cutting spending on Medicare and 69 percent oppose cuts to Medicaid, the
Post reported.
Obama’s
call to raise taxes on those with income over $250,000 garnered the support of
72 percent, with majorities of Democrats, independents and Republicans
approving. Almost 50 percent disapprove of the president’s handling of the
budget, but 64 percent disapprove of the way congressional Republicans are
handling it, the Post reported.
On
the question of who has a stronger leadership role in Washington, congressional Republicans lead
Obama 45 to 40 percent. However, Obama holds a double-digit advantage among
independents when it comes to protecting the middle class, the Post reported 75
to 25.
When will voters get that Santorum isn't just making slips of the tongue, its what he really believes, what he stands for. In Santorum's world, the economy and foreign policy take a back seat to his real agenda of making everyone abide by his backwood's principals. He wants to take away basic civil rights and that makes him a very dangerous candidate.
Insanitorm
Rectus Rectorum
Sanctimonium
What else can I say? If I were a Republican, I would be VERY embarrassed for my party right now. If that's the best they can do, then we are all in trouble. Romney seems to be the only one of the bunch that is somewhat of a moderate, compared to the rest of them..
No wonder we are the laughing stock of the rest of the world right now...and don't dare call me unpatriotic...anyone who supports or defends these clowns has done it to themselves.
I'm off to make more popcorn. Hollywood could not have scripted anything more over the top.
I'm sure there are GOP folks who are more than capable. However, who in their right mind would want to jump into that fray? Senior senators are calling it quits because they can no longer tolerate the decisiveness in the "system". Republicans and democrats alike.
Of course Santorum does not care about the unemployed or for that matter the employed. He only cares about his American Taliban Agenda! What he doesn't realize is that if God is standing at the gate he is going to be one of the first ones denied entrance for his intolerant views.
5 trillion in added debt, of course Obama did, due to the mismanage ment of the economy by george dubya bush
healing, the GOP is the most hateful divisive party that has ever existed, the fractured party is struggling to hold the party together hell they hate each other in their own party, if it continues the republican party will probably be gone with in the next 8 yrs, and it will be a great day for america
does any think that maybe rick is running for POPE and not the PRESIDENCY or maybe even possibly the new mesiah (well at least his narrow minded version0
FYI, Karen just hours before his rant about religion having a place in politics, she tried to profess that Rick would not try to invoke his crazy religious views into the government, and hours later this rant was spewing out of the lunitics mouth
RICK should understand the woes of the unemployed, he has been unemployed for 12 years, the only way rick ever had a job was by being elected to one
MEDIA stop referring to Rick as a former senator from PA, he moved him and his family out of PA to VA 3 days afetr winning election. he doesnt live in PA now, and then had the gaul to maintain a residence in PA by claiming he still lived in PA in his home, that he rented to others, and forcing the PA taxpayers to pay for the private education of his children in a VA private school
san·a·to·ri·um
(s
n
-tôr
-
m, -t
r
-)
n. pl. san·a·to·ri·ums or
san·a·to·ri·a (-tôr
-
, -t
r
-)
1. An institution for the treatment of chronic
diseases or for medically supervised recuperation.
2. A resort for improvement or maintenance of health,
especially for convalescents. Also called sanitarium. First name Rick
"Running for president".......
It's not the government's role to create jobs, but it IS the government's role to tell women what they can do with their bodies?
DIAF you worthless piece of sh1t.
Downgrade
has come because Republicans didn't use a balanced
approach of Closing taxes loopholes for sending American jobs overseas because
they want stuff like this to happen they want America to Fail so they can try
there damn-est to replace Obama. They Didn't raise Taxes on the rich Because
they are the Riches Lap dogs. I Blame Republicans and Tea Party Idiots for this
Completely. There is no other way to see this at all but Place the Blame where
it so deservedly so squarely needs to be placed on the Republicans and Tea
party. To let you know more about how this happened just as the Speaker in the
house Republicans and Tea party got 98 percent of what they wanted. the other 2
percent is total crash of all financial markets in America and try and blame it on the
Administration and it will NOT WORK. Replace all Republicans and Tea party
idiots. Democrats in 2012.
the media matters bunch is in full force on this one must be nice to sit at the white house and get paid by obama hundreds of thousands of tax payers money to sit on here and pump up obama hey can you turn around and tell obama high for me? and let msnbc know what to print next
Punctuation is not a sign of the devil.
Load you go cry somewhere else people just don't like the crap Republicans are pushing and its come full circle. No one here is paid I for one sure in the hell am not but maybe you know about that are you a kock operative or Faux fake cartoon stooge?
Rick made the worst mistake a politician can make: he said what he really believed. Now it's just cut and run. Some folks in Illinois won't be impressed.
Don't
worry, according to the Republicans, they will fix all our problems by
electing.... Newt Gingrich? Rick the I don’t
care about Unemployed Sanatorium? Mitt “The I love Firing people and I’m not
very concerned about poor” Romney?
Ya,
great idea. Let's elect the guy that was in bed with the lobbyists from the
companies that CAUSED THE RECESSION in the first place. What a fantastic
f***ing idea. Elect the man who will most likely cause us to go through the
crash all over again. God, these republicans are smart.
Or...
we can elect Mitt Romney. The billionaire who pays less in taxes than middle
class Americans, and STILL thinks we should reduce taxes on the rich. Yes,
awesome idea. Let's elect the guy who wants the rich to pay zero taxes, so the
middle class can carry the burden of the entire country. F***ing brilliant.
Those
are your options. If anyone has questioned whether the Republican party is
actively trying to destroy our country, there is your proof.
Santorum as the GOP candidate = Christmas in November for the Democrats.
If you are real stupid or really in denial, you are not yet aware that Santorum is a bad person.
It's amazing that his home state of Penn. ever elected him to anything. When is Penn. going to have their primary anyway???
Bachman got slapped back to reality. Trump flopped like a
frog he was. Perry showed again why Governors from Texas aren’t the brightest
bulbs in the bunch by far. Paul is like a retarded hippy that thinks the 1
percent is owed more than anyone else and drugs should be legal everywhere. The
KochCaine train derailed... Newt is gonna get neutered the former Porky
Preacher and retarded Brother of Boss hog from Duke of Hazard aint got a chance
with all his baggage make him the nominee. Romney iI love to fire people and Im
not concerned about the poor is so laughable and has so many double talk
positions it makes it to easy to point out he is for and against everything but
just another talking head Rich millionaire trying to buy another election.LMFAO….Romney
Wins Iowa opps to have it really won by sanatorium in insane in the membrane
candidate san·a·to·ri·um
n. pl. san·a·to·ri·ums
or
san·a·to·ri·a
(-tôr
1. An
institution for the treatment of chronic
diseases or for
medically supervised recuperation.
2. A resort for
improvement or maintenance of health,
especially for
convalescents. Also called sanitarium. First name Rick
"Running for president".......
and then let’s see
Romney win a state that he spent 34 million to win since he has been
campaigning there since 2009 and Then Newt the preacher from porky’s bring his
Brand of religious right Wingnuts toSC and beat Romney and all candidate’s
total spent there was another 45 million total. Now the Fat Preacher AKA Boss
hog little dumb brother Newt was there leader in Florida and campaigning
there spending more millions were they have already spend together 68 million
to buy the election from their party. Newt is even trying to buy the silence of
his EX WIFES, Funny how you can be kicked outta office by other Republicans
scraping the bottom of their political barrel but then be there favorite in a
state with election debacles like the election where they named Dumb and Dumber
president George W worst then his daddy…..
Sanscrotum is little more than Michele Bachmann retrofitted with the more appropriate reproductive organs.
He is no better and no worse than the other 3 disturbed clowns running for the GOP nod. He is equally horrible, albeit in slightly different ways.
All four represent a dystopian future that could come to pass. And that is one very scary possibility that no sane American (the few that remain) should take lightly. Bring out the elephant gun; put that beast out of its misery, or at least stop it from causing ours...
And what is Obama? Four more years of Bush.
GOP and Tea Party thinks cutting anything for
the sake of cuts is progress. And they think we are stupid enough to think by
putting in the budget the want to pass with more cuts not to anyone making less
then 1 million is the way to go. If you think about it, if you are say running
your house they way republicans and tea party in congress want you to do, you
will take a huge cut to your wages and at the same time any-money you paid into
insurance to help you when you get older to pay for medical will all be gone
and what little money you have put away you will burn through to pay for the
NON-Health-Care and Medicare bring Gone under there stupid plan would make you
pay all you visits out of pocket to doctors and Hospitals.
You have to see and I am glad more Republicans
and Tea Party are finally seeing what the Tea party and Republicans are trying
to do. Tax Breaks to Rich Only and Big Business and Take away your Health-Care
and Medicare that all of us have paid into for decades so they can give more to
the Rich and Big Business. Its a plan I am glad they have shown there True
colors because this will be there down fall they are now all on record where
they stand on that Vote in Congress they made 4/15/11. You can not even begin
to believe the whirlwind they are about to feel. People Don't want you to take
away Medicare, Health-Care, or Slash the Budget in Areas that are vital for
people.
We want to End the wars save 205 billion per
year. Protect our investment in Medicare to ensure it remains vailable not
disasemble it cause that easier for you to accomplish. Cut the Budget of
Military spending from ending both wars and get spending in areas that don't
hurt the recovery. Raise Taxes on the Rich not lower it like it is now we have
a problem now because we dont take in enough money from all the cuts that have
been in the last 11 years. If we take in more money and use that to pay down
the debt it will be easier for companies to hire and banks to loan to small
business to create jobs. As it was when Clinton was in office we had a huge
surplus and jobs where all abundant.
Santorum has something in common with Obama now. Both lasers are kind of off the mark.
Republican placing there sacred Millionaire
cash cows top 3% over the needs of an entire nation. They want to only cut
Education, SS, Medicare, Medicaid, planned parenthood, Clean air/food. Then
they want no tax on that top 3 percent the millionaire that run them completely
like lap dogs. Remember the republicans who placed there needs over your entire
nation especially when voting time comes up. Vote for the party protecting
those programs you need and rely on - Democrats in 2012...
You are a good copy and paste guy. You couldn't have possibly typed the two posts in one minute. How about some original new thought?
OMG! If he had a brain, he would start using a teleprompter! What on earth would he do if he somehow managed to squeak through the election and had to talk to other governments??!! Request a do-over after he insulted or threatened them?
mmac,,,I know it's hard for someone so brainwashed to accept the truth, but the 5 trillion you say the dems added to the budget is bulls#%t!!!!! The budget now includes the two wars we are fighting and this was not the case under bush!!! If you actually listened to obama you would remember he said no longer would wars be off the books. Obama has actually reduced the debt from the bush years. Try using facts instead of faux news talking points. You poor thing,,,the concept of truth and facts must be so confusing to you,,,,,it's okay ,,,it will all be over soon, and then you can go hide under your rock again!!!!
NICE TO KNOW THE GOP is now being honest and admitting the dont care about unemployment, the poor and want to privatise medicare and social security, before they just lied about these things
Let's add this other little tidbit as a Santorism. He brought home his dead 20 week old fetus to play with, sleep with and show his children. I realize people grieve differently but is this the type of person someone wants in the White House. I don't.