E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSSRepublican strategist Vin Weber talks about the latest in the GOP nomination race and the upcoming health care battle.
This morning we asked if Rick Santorum had gone too far by saying it would be better to vote for Barack Obama than an Etch A Sketch Republican like Mitt Romney.
Well, Santorum has now tried to walk back the comment -- and he lashes out at the Romney campaign, blaming it for causing the dust up.
"I would never vote for Barack Obama over any Republican and to suggest otherwise is preposterous,” Santorum said in a statement released by his campaign. “This is just another attempt by the Romney Campaign to distort and distract the media and voters from the unshakeable fact that many of Romney's policies mirror Barack Obama's. I was simply making the point that there is a huge enthusiasm gap around Mitt Romney and it's easy to see why - Romney has sided with Obama on healthcare mandates, cap-and-trade, and the Wall Street bailouts. Voters have to be excited enough to actually go vote, and my campaign's movement to restore freedom is exciting this nation. If this election is about Obama versus the Obama-Lite candidate, we have a tough time rallying this nation. It's time for bold vision, bold reforms and bold contrasts. This election is about more than Barack Obama, Mitt Romney, or Rick Santorum - this campaign is about freedom and I will fight to restore your freedoms."
But it was Santorum who said yesterday, "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. 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.”
Newt Gingrich and Romney pounced, with Gingrich saying any of the Republicans running would be better than Obama, and Romney calling Santorum “desperate” and frustrated.
"I want to start with something Rick said tonight that I frankly was very surprised that he said and that I hope he's taking back,” Gingrich said, adding, “I may have some very substantial disagreements with Gov. Romney. There is no doubt in my mind that if the choice was Gov. Romney or Barack Obama, we would have no choice,” Gingrich said. “The danger of Obama is so great that I would hope that every candidate running -- Ron Paul, Gov. Romney and Sen. Santorum – that we would all agree that whoever becomes the Republican nominee, we have one common goal and that is to defeat Barack Obama.”
On Hugh Hewitt’s radio show this morning, Romney said of Santorum, “Desperate polls call for desperate pols.”
He added, “I know that there are a lot of people across the country that are saying we need to consolidate behind the guy who has now weathered, I think there are 38 different contests we've had, if you include all the little islands as well. … I'm sure that the Senator's hearing from some of those people saying hey, let's get going, let's move on and get our nominee ready to go against President Obama. and perhaps he's striking out with frustration from those kind of questions.”
And he went further, accusing Santorum of vanity.
“I'm afraid that Rick increasingly thinks this race is about him,” Romney said. “It's not about him. It's not about me. It's not about a personality. It's about the country. And I'm really disappointed in Rick's statement. Obviously, he endorsed me three years ago when I was running for president. He had no problem calling me a real conservative, a solid conservative. But now that he's in the race, it has become all about Rick.”
Leave a Comment:
and that's why he'll get the nod. Your policies are idiotic personal agendas based on religion (banned in State affairs, by the US Constitution) and your own inability to deal with your obvious homosexual tendencies. Sorry rick, you're a dick.
The more they open their mouths, the more craps come out. I just don't understand how the GOP spend their time explaining and defending what came out of their mouths, especially Santorum. Maybe he should wear a teleprompter around his neck all the time, or just shut up.
Prick Santorum "endorsed Mo Romney in '08, and now refers to him as "an etch and sketch Republican." Mo Romney is a lying opportunist and Prick Santorum is a religious fanatic. They are both losers.
Policies, rules & regulations should be reform.
One 2 years terms for Senators, Congress etc...etc...
2 years as President, No re-election.
NO dirty bad mouth the OTHER GUY during campaigning.
AND strictly no endorsements of any kind, from any body that wants to run for Office.
No pensions of any kind at the end of term or retirement.
Let the OTHER poor little guys have a chance to too.
Put it in plain English, DO IT ON YOUR OWN WITH YOUR OWN MONEY..
STOP TAKING BRIBERY FROM BIG CORPORATES.
Prove that you are WORTH to hold up in the Office of the People.
REMEMBER that you all are working FOR THE PEOPLE NOT FOR YOUR OWN PERSONAL INTERESTS OR BENEFITS.
And please please please STOP LYING
The bottom line here folks is do we want the GOP and their "do-nothing" congress or do we want to get our economy moving?
If we vote the GOP out, we will move this economy forward. Businesses will start hiring again, even if they have to pay more in taxes, because now they can budget. We will have women's rights and somebody else's church out of our lives. Healthcare that will be on the way from a completely broken system to one that will heal and lower premiums for us all.
Stop the lunacy!
Obama/Biden 2012
This is exactly what happened to Slick Rick in his 2006 failure at re-election (he lost by almost 18 percentage points). His veneer is starting to crack and he's beginning to show his true colors. That's why PA dumped him. He got too full of himself. He began to believe he was above it all. He thought he could continue to live in Virginia with his family while pretending to represent PA. He thought it was OK to bill a PA school district over $100,000 to cyber school his children in Virginia.
its not too late to vote for Ron Paul!
Marginalized, yes!
It is NOT too late to vote for Ron Paul!
Ron Paul 2012!
Bush
Repeal the 4th Amendment! No, wait, that'll never pass…we'd better call it the "Patriot Act"!
Repeal the 1st Amendment? NDAA Indefinite Detention of U.S. Citizens? Spy Drones in U.S. air space? No, not yet. We'll let Obama do those ones. Then we'll be sure to win the House and the Senate back and eliminate the Constitution once and for all. Just make sure you find Republican candidates who will follow the agenda. Otherwise, put Obama back in since he already supports our agenda - the people really love that guy.
Romney
Hmmm… Pro-Small/Medium Business? Or Pro-Conglomerate Elitist? Honey, help me out will ya? You have a straighter face than I do. Well, you know, I don't know much about the Constitution or how to shred what's left of it, but I was assured the new foreign policy team will tell me what to do. Well, I do agree with Obama on some things – I support the Patriot Act and the TSA, and the NDAA too since the Constitution isn't upheld anymore. Just remember that it was I who invented Obam-ney Care. And there's no reason to audit the Fed; it's only a few tens of billions of dollars that were stolen from the people, and we certainly don't want to upset our interests or the bankers.
Gingrich
Simple. I'll tell Floridians that I'll put a "colony" on the moon. Trust me, they'll believe it. They believe Mitt and Rick, don't they? Just like they believed Obama. No, no, they have short memories - they have no recollection whatsoever that I wrote that the Constitution should be replaced. But I could always cover that up by using Paul's lines if they'd ever get him out of the news media. And no, none of us have any interest in debating with Ron Paul anymore. Even the public is sick and tired of hearing about that Liberty and Freedom nonsense.
Santorum
Really? CREW (Citizens for Ethics and Responsibility in Washington) listed me as one of the top "most corrupted Senators"? Well I had to vote to raise the debt ceiling 5 times, and for the $7.2 Trillion in unfunded liabilities. I know, I know, I did vote against the 4th, 5th and 10th Amendments – do you think anyone really cares anymore? But at least I did tell them to "go vote for Ron Paul" if they wanted less intrusive government! I felt confident telling them that because nobody really cares about Ron Paul or his crazy talk about Freedom. Right?
Obama
Well, let me you tell you, the Constitution is "deeply flawed" - I've been working on that. We're much "safer" now, now that I have implemented Spy Drones in the U.S. I've already assassinated 3 U.S. Citizens without trial, and I can detain anybody indefinitely without being bothered by that due process mumbo-jumbo. Don't worry about those meddlesome protesters, I've eliminated the 1st Amendment by signing HR 347. On March 16, 2012 I've also called for even more secrecy in Government, and I'm working on a law (ACTA) to restrict the Internet to report only on news that I feel is necessary. But they'll still vote for me, I'm a Democrat!
Ron! Paul! 2012!
Ron! Paul! 2012!
Such is the problem with "Party only" politics! doesn't matter what a person can do or how they qualify, only what party they belong too! Wish I could see them both go away and get rid of the time wasting and childish "Us against Them" crap.
The Etch-a-Sketch twins.
Groucho Marx must have been thinking about
BOTH Romney AND Santorum when he once said
“these are my principles - If you don’t like the, I have others.”