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Subscribe to RSSThe Daily Rundown's Chuck Todd talks about Rick Santorum's comments to a crowd of supporters, in which he said President Barack Obama is better than Mitt Romney.
SAN ANTONIO, TX -- Rick Santorum today suggested it would be better to stick with President Obama over a candidate that might be "the Etch A Sketch candidate of the future” -- a shot at chief rival Mitt Romney.
"You win by giving people the opportunity to see a different vision for our country, not someone who’s just going to be a little different than the person in there," said Santorum. "If you’re going to be a little different, we might as well stay with what we have instead of taking a risk with what may be the Etch A Sketch candidate of the future.”
For the second day in a row, the former Pennsylvania senator brought an Etch A Sketch on the trail as a prop to remind voters of Romney adviser Eric Fehrnstrom's response to a question about whether Santorum is pushing Romney too far right to win over moderate voters in a general election. "Well, I think you hit a reset button for the fall campaign. Everything changes," Fehrnstrom said Wednesday on CNN. "It’s almost like an Etch A Sketch. You can kind of shake it up and restart all over again."
The comment gave plenty of ammunition to Santorum and Newt Gingrich, both of whom have made the well-known children's toy a staple of their stump speeches.
Speaking at the USAA headquarters here, Santorum showed optimism about his chances in the delegate rich state of Texas. He told the crowd the primary would not be over by the time the Lone Star State votes on May 29.
"It's the second-biggest delegate prize, and you're going to have an important role. This race will not be over when Texas is coming around," he said.
Santorum's viability hinges on picking up a majority of the 155 delegates that will be up for grabs here. When asked about his path to the nomination, Texas plays a key role.
Still, the GOP hopeful avoided calling on Newt Gingrich to leave the race, though senior campaign advisers have said the former House speaker remaining in the race is cutting into their vote totals and that they would like to receive the former House speaker's support.
Santorum said his campaign has been in contact with both the Gingrich and Romney campaigns, though he declined to give specifics of the conversations.
"I’m worried about being a candidate. I’m not worried about anything else right now,” Santorum told reporters who asked about the nature of the conversations.
Accompanying Santorum on the trail today was billionaire-backer Foster Freiss, who is a chief contributor to the pro-Santorum Super PAC Red, White and Blue Fund. They will attend a fundraiser in Dallas on Thursday afternoon.
*** UPDATE *** The Romney camp responds with this statement from the former Massachusetts governor: “I am in this race to defeat Barack Obama and restore America’s promise. I was disappointed to hear that Rick Santorum would rather have Barack Obama as president than a Republican. This election is more important than any one person. It is about the future of America. Any of the Republicans running would be better than President Obama and his record of failure.”
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Santorum etch-a-sketch:
I vote GOP and I would NEVER vote for Santorum. He likes to quote Reagan, how about the 11th commandment? "Never speak ill of a fellow republican". He's a fool.
Obama 2012.. Nuff said.
Now ya know Tricky Rick would Never Vote for Obama even if he said we would be better off..........
Talk about an Etch A Skecth...Come on Rick which is it America be better off with or you would never vote for Obama?
One Party 4 Clowns......and you wonder why?
What is this lame weakling, Santorum, going to come up with next to entertain us? Take a look at his face and tell us that he is ready to deal with terrorism, the Russians, the Chinese, or any of the many issues that a president must be able to stand up to. Just listen to his lame remarks and see that he is much too light to do anything in the Office of the Presidency. Reminds any of us old enough to remember Dan Quayle (when Lloyd Bentsen made a complete fool of him) how inept and lightweight young Republicans are. They have not learned how to lie with authority yet like the old ones in their party can.
I remember Bentsen, he was a fool.
LLoyd Bentsen had one of the best lines ever in a debate, "I knew Jack Kennedy. I was a friend of Jack Kennedy. You are no Jack Kennedy."
Said to old dumber than a potato Dan Quayle.
I just happened to think of that line about a week ago, when ol' Ricky boy was trying to put himself above John Kennedy. Because, unlike John Kennedy, Ricky WANTS to push his religion on the rest of us.
I said to myself, "Mr. Santorum, you are no Jack Kennedy!"
Our only hope is to take back the Senate, because obama IS going to win.
If Santorum and Gingrich were running against Obama in the Democratic Primary, they would not drop out if Obama was far ahead in deligates. They have said again and again, they are not the candidates of the Republican establishment. Each has said, "I am a Conservative." The "Republican establishment" are the party members loyal to the Republican Party. Note they do not say they are conservative, rather, "I am a Conservative." Coupled with their disdain for loyal Republicans, what these candidates are saying is they are loyal to the Conservative Party. There is a movement in this country to replace the Republican Party with the Conservative Party. Leading this movement is Rush Limbaugh. Rush has repeatedly claimed, "I am not a Republican, I'm a Conservative [Party Member]." Were Santorum elected as president, he would promptly change his official party affiliation to Conservative Party. Rush Limbaugh has criticized the main-stream news media for failing to vet President Obama. What a hypocrite! Rush has not vetted his Conservative Party candidate, Rick Santorum. Here are some examples of Santorum's closet skeletons:
How Corrupt Was Santorum?
Santorum charity for the poor spent most of its money on management, political friends
Santorum: "People Have This Idea That They Should Be Left Alone"
They have this idea that people should be left alone, be able to do whatever they want to do, government should keep our taxes down, keep our regulations low, and that we shouldn’t get involved in the bedroom, we shouldn’t get involved in cultural issues. That is not how traditional conservatives view the world.
There is no such society that I am aware of, where we’ve had radical individualism and that it succeeds as a culture.
How Rick Santorum Ripped Off American Veterans
A controversial land deal by the presidential candidate robbed a vets' home of tens of millions of dollars.
Why Rick Santorum’s Pennsylvania Residency Scam and School Tuition Fraud Still Matters – And Why He Can’t Be the Nominee Because of It
Republicans and Conservatives are equally conservative. The only difference between the two intolerance of Conservatives. The title that fits them most accurately is "Intolerant Conservatives." In Jesus' time, the Intolerant Conservatives were the ones willing to throw the first stone at the adulterous woman. You know, the slutty prostitute. The reason Limbaugh and the other Intolerant Conservative radio hosts like Santorum more than Gingrich is Santorum's perfect intolerance. Do Limbaugh, Santorum and the other Intolerant Conservatives care if Obama or Romney are the next president? No! Their goal is to kill the Republican Party and put one of their own in power. Who is there in the meantime doesn't matter. Will Santorum and Gingrich drop out of the presidential primary race and back a member of the Republican Party they hate. Never!
I am a conservative Christian Republican and Mit Romney is the best reason I can think of to vote for Obama in the fall election. I would rather have a Baptist liberal than a Mormon moderate. I wonder how may Republicans will be holding up placards in the fall saying "Conservative Republicans for Obama". I know I will.
...just think, Republicans will actually vote for one of these morons.
Maybe D. NONE OF THE ABOVE is truly the best thing the Republican party can do for this country this time around.
It is gracious for Ricky to acknowledge President Obama for his achievements.
Maybe Ricky thinks Biden is weak--and he's pitching for Obama/Santorum 2012.
The GOP continues to find innovative ways to look stupid.
Just more proof - as if anyone needed any - of what a fruit loop Santorum really is. After almost 4 years of arguably the worst presidency since Jimmy Carter (remember THAT loser?), Santorum is seriously making the claim for 4 more years of the same?? Yeah......ok..... time to pack it in Rick....
Can't wait to hear Obama talk about his secrets with the Russians. What a f###ing snake in the grass this POS is. All the POS can do is sell this country down the road. Change and transparency huh? F###ing liar.
what, just because obama told the guy not to bug him about the missile defense thing until after the election? that is what he asked the russian to do. btw, that would be a missile defense system on the russians side of the world, not near our own soil.
would you be ticked off if the russians put up a missile defense system over cuba?
Rick Santorum reminds me of the little boy down the street that pouted when it wasn't going his way. This guy would sell out his mother to get his way.
WHAT?! SOmthing coming out of a Republicans mouth you agree with PMSNBC?! I'm going to faint1 Oh no GLOBAL WARMING IS BURNGING THE PLANET FASTER! AHH! The APOCALYPSE!!!!!!!