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Subscribe to RSSBARNESVILLE, Ohio -- Rick Santorum on Saturday said the entire Republican Party should voice its support for Senate candidate Todd Akin of Missouri -- including the top of the party's presidential ticket.
After holding a rally for Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney here in the heart of Ohio's coal country, Santorum told NBC News that an Akin victory is essential for the GOP to regain control of the Senate and repeal President Barack Obama's health care law. The only way for that to happen, Santorum said, is for the GOP establishment to give the embattled Akin its full-fledged support.
"The entire Republican Party should stand up and say, 'You know what? He's our candidate, it's too important for the future of our country not to have a majority of the Senate in this upcoming election," Santorum said when asked if Romney needs to publicly support Akin. "I'm hoping everybody will join in and support the cause."
The former Pennsylvania senator and unsuccessful president candidate joined South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint in announcing their support of Akin on Wednesday.
"I don't know what the Republican establishment -- what their objective is, but if they want to repeal Obamacare, we better hold the Senate. And to hold the Senate, we better win Missouri," Santorum said.
Akin has taken heat from both sides of the aisle after using the term "legitimate rape" and saying women have a biological way of preventing unwanted pregnancies while he gave a now-notorious explanation of his views on abortion.
"My feeling is that we can win the presidency, but if we don't have 51 senators, we're not going to be able to repeal Obamacare," said Santorum.
Romney's former rival has been active campaigning for the presidential candidate in the Buckeye State. It's a primary Santorum nearly won on Super Tuesday, and his support was particularly strong in this part of the state, heavy with blue-collar workers and not far from his home of Pittsburgh.
Despite recent polls showing Romney needing to make up significant ground in Ohio, the former senator remained optimistic about the state turning red. "I'm confident that Mitt Romney will win Ohio, will when the presidency," he said. "People here understand how dangerous this president is."
That danger, Santorum said, stems from the president's energy policy, which he claims makes the U.S. more dependent on foreign oil. It is a message the Romney campaign hopes will resonate in this coal-rich part of the state. It is here where Republicans go to hammer Obama for waging a "war on coal."
"This is a president that is going to drive this country to economic ruin because of a phony ideology that, you know, somehow or another he has to control the seas rising and falling," Santorum said.
While Santorum has been traveling as a Romney surrogate, he also has been holding events in places like Iowa independent of the presidential race. It has fueled speculation that he could be eyeing another run.
Asked about his political future, Santorum would only say that he will be happy in 2016 to continue his work as a Romney surrogate. "I'll be happy to come back and campaign for Gov. Romney in four years," he said.
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Akin is a mess! Would love it if just one of these mouth pieces for GOP would stand up and be honest for a change! Why do they all follow party line, one would hope and pray they all do not feel as Akin, Santorum and DeMint...yuk! Who votes for these people? Do the citizens of MO really want this man making any decisions in DC? Good lord they are scary!
You obviously failed to notice that almost all of the Republican leadership condemned Akin after his ridiculous comment. And Rove yanked his pac financial backing.
Granted, they condemned him at the time and urged him to get out. However, they still went along with the "no exceptions" anti-abortion plank which was at the heart of Akin's argument about rape.
Plus, I'd be very impressed if there was a single member in the Republican establishment who said: "Power isn't as important as principle. We'd rather lose the Senate for two years than have someone who is so out of touch with the people represent our party." I bet not one single republican will say that now. The Tea Partiers will support Akin because they believed in him all along. The mainstream republicans will just keep quiet.
Peggy Noonan is the Last remaining Republican.
And I think she turned her card in.
Bucket,
She laid it right on top of Joe Scarborough's.
It's not surprising at all that Sanctorum is backing Akin. T*rds of a feather flush together.
Beautiful mangling of the name. My hat's off to ya!
The Republican Party (both guys) are having anybody with damaged cred go to Aiken's side, in an attempt to save their existing control.
OK, those are those only ones still listening to them, I admit.
I did not miss that: Icky Ricky said "he will be glad to come back, in four years, to campaign for, now get this, "governor Romoney". What a P.O.S.!!! He did not say, "President Robme". L.M.A.O.!!! I hope this little twerp has no plans on ever running for anything, ever again!!!
OBAMA/BIDEN 2012 OUR FUTURE DEPENDS ON IT!!!!
If his ego gets any larger, he will probably run for God.
Don't worry about Santorum. I'm sure FOX notNews will give him a job.
Freud would be proud. NICE catch there.
Kinda like Romney "owing" taxes, rather than "paying" them.
I guess I am amazed that Santorum doesn't get it by now. People just want him to go away and disappear.
Guys who keep a few wimmen in the basement will still vote for him.
It must have been meet the freak day in Barnesville, OH. Rick is back out of his cage, stirring up trouble again. He wants you Missouri folk to vote for Todd Akin. Maybe he thinks Barnesville is in MO.
You know, Rick and Todd have a lot in common. They both think the earth is flat. They are Flatlanders. They started as Republicans then hooked up with the TEA folk for a while. Now they're Flantlanders and their final step is Flatliners.
Trust me, when Rick passes, There will be HELL to pay.
Rick's a good suggestion for one of South Park's "Hell" congregations.
I have lost any respect I used to have for the Republican party. Tod Akin is against Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, student loans, and women.
For anyone to claim they are a religious person and to voice support for Akin in the same breath is the biggest hypocrisy I have heard in many years.
Nancy our paths haven't crossed before I don't think but it is good to read a woman who thinks for herself.
I remember when Bush was running. I said that I would consider voting Republican if they would start nominating serious people like John McCain. Then, McCain loses his mind when he finally does earn the nomination, and he just continues to get loopier. Now, the TeaParty comes in to finish the Republican Party, finally driving it into a right-wing nightmare-scape. Now, with it's Akins and Romneys and Santorums running around in charge of the GOP, the thought of voting Republican is laughable. The bad news in all of what I wrote here is that I'm pretty sure that my experience and thought are not unusual, and they have permanently alienated many Americans from their party.
FACT: I can never, ever return to the Grand Old Party (I used to be SO hard-core it ain't even funny), because it no longer exists.
Hypocrites! Self righteous Hypocrites!
At least hypocrisy can be counted on, these people are all over the map on everything.
Can anybody say with certainty WHAT Romney would DO if elected?
SantorUM just like your name, you should be committed to one, a sanitariUM. You are an opportunist just like that Village Idiot Romney, for the life of me I can' figure out how santorum and romney survived birth. Their mothers should have had abortions after those rapes that caused their births. What a pathetics bunch of worthless bastard$ you republicans are. We for national security reasons we need to vote out of politics all republicans and teabags in november.
O&Joe 2012 ****Romney 1040****
If you haven't ever Googled "Santorum", then you don't know just how much you actually cleaned him up with that.
...see what I did there?
I am Killbucket of Air-Sharp, and I approved this message.
All of you have a choice. Are you willing to make that choice? I am! Gary Johnson is the only candidate not trying to take your rights away. All I ask is please check his website and see why he is the only choice to move us forward. The repubs and dems want ALL OF YOU to believe a vote for Gary Johnson is a wasted vote. Please join me in wasting our votes for the only candidate that actually wants to help this country. VOTE FOR GARY JOHNSON 2012!
www.garyjohnson2012.com
Reason Akin is against all abortions, is he wants more people like him, an inbred genetic deficiency who for him appears to have been a couple or maybe several generations of inbreeding to produce his intellect.
It's not about good people in office, it's about $$$ and control. Nothing good has come out of congress the last 12 years because of this and we should be very afraid of this movement
Be optimistic: Romney could be winning this instead of losing it.
If i was the N.Y. Times reporter that Santorum got into it with, i would have gotten RIGHT in his face and would have told him to DESRICIBE what was on his mind, because when he did he would have been loosing some teeth. Rick was WAY out of line and the reporter should have took Ricks head off. Obama is ging to win easy, 332 to 206.
A good reporter does not interrupt a man who's shooting himself in the foot.
Hopefully this is archived for 2016. It will make for a good attack ad.
GOOD Call!
Saw a poll today that showed that Obama was winning the women's vote by 18 points. The Republican party with guys like Santorum and Akin are the reason why.
Let's see, who favors Obama?; women, young people, blacks, hispanics, homosexuals. Romney better hope that a lot of old white men show up at the polls, because they're the only ones on his side. Of course, I'm an old white guy and I'm for Obama. Romney doesn'y have a prayer.
Same here. Pale, Male, and Stale, and OWNING a Corporation, too.
I'll pay DOUBLE the taxes to not have Romney and Ryan. I mean it.
These jokers are no different from the Taliban in Afghanistan except they are a different religion.
you don't have to have an election the republicans can be losers all by themselves!!!!!! go mitt the nit, ryan the idiot, and akin who has no explanation for being so stupid. take a real close look at the mormon church if you want to see the stepford wives... all of these idiots including the muslims think women are chattel~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I am 43 and my uncle is 71. He thinks that Hillary is going to win the presidency after Obama. What do you think will happen????
I would like to see her run but this woman works hard and I wonder if she will not be burned out and ready for a break.
Me in 2008; "Ugh, Hillary."
Me now: GO HILLARY 2016!
It's called the Test Of time, and she's passed it.
Mitt's taken the test 60-odd times now, and a retake is scheduled.
We can play the Pragmatism Game, too. I'd rather have Hill than ANY "Republican"*.
*NOTE: Republicans will disguise themselves as "Independents" now, so beware!.
So as stupid as Santorum is, he's willing to say fock decency and we'll back the devil if we can give more tax breaks to the rich and screw the middile income some more.
The bottom line, and you called it correctly. Santorum has no more moral high ground, than any non-sweater vest wearing politician.
(Killbucket sings)
"I see your true colors..."
I see this as a sick comment from Mr. Santorum, both these parties the repubs/Dems would back a turd just trying to gain control of our bankrupt lives so they can steal a little more from us taking that last pint of blood from us on our way out.
In fifty years, it's always looked like the lesser of two evils every four years.
I have to admit, these last two elections have given me hope. One day, I'll see Sarah Palin as a good thing, ya know?
These Conservatives who are backing Todd Akin are only cutting their political throats. The only thing their political opponents has to do is tie these Conservatives to a man (Akin) who sympathizes with rapists, says rape is legitimate, and says a woman who is raped was asking for it. The American voter needs to hold these Conservatives feet to the fire.
Remember how republicans use to have a brain? Me either, well anyway they need to vote in a new God and get rid of that piece of $hit they presently have right now, Rush LimpDICK. Isn't it amazing how all the teabags and repugs follow and live their lives like he is their God Almighty. Their other God, is one where we can either hit the mute button, or hit the power button, and that is Fox Lies.
O&Joe 2012 ****Romney 1040****
Fear not the Muslims! Fear not Islamic Terrorists! The enemy at the gate stands within the gate, and that enemy is the Religious Right Wing of the Republican Party. As you stare into the abyss, you suddenly see the face of the modern Judas.
There is no comparison with American Christians and muslims anywhere. There is no "Christian" sharia law. The Values of America and Christianity are almost identical. The trouble with progressives is they think Secular Humanists have values. They do not. Christians say killing babies is wrong. Progressives pull them out of the womb at almost 9 months and suck out their brains. Progressives think people who earn money should have it stolen by the government if they think you have too much. To liberal/Socialists every thing is "relative". There is a right and wrong people. There is no "separation of Church and State" law. It was a bad opinion by a liberal court. Get over it. If you don't, neither will we.
No, they're not and our secular government was set up specifically so it would operate independently of church influence. The First Amendment principle of the separation of church and state has been closely defined by Supreme Court decisions going back to the nineteenth century, and the decisions were based upon the writings and intentions of the framers of the Constitution. The outcome has been that religion has nothing at all to do with our secular government, our schools, and our personal lives. Period.
You may be an Atheist but the majority is not. God is not prohibited from the public square. As usual, you progressive liberals are just making things up. Thomas Jefferson may have penned it but he meant the government does not create or inhibit religion. The People decide in their communities not the Federal Government.
No, he meant religion has no place in our government. You know absolutely nothing about the subject, do you?
Here is what was included in the Treaty of Tripoli in 1797 that defined the principle during the administration of John Adams:
"As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquility, of Mussulmen; and, as the said States never entered into any war, or act of hostility against any Mahometan nation, it is declared by the parties, that no pretext arising from religious opinions, shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries."
It is clear that, from the earliest years of our republic, the founding fathers considered our country religiously neutral, not a nation with any formal interest in any religion, deity, or dogma.
Yet, we exempt them from taxation. Why shouldn't my friends who share the love of RC vehicles, also be exempt?
This is the end of conservatism. They have been exposed and now they will go down in flames. Calling for the support of Akin is an act of desperation. Just days ago this man was roundly and universally condemned by his own party, now they are backtracking, and soon he will be embraced like the "prodigal son".
What's the matter? Got something against the Bible. Holders guns killed people in Mexico. obama got our ambassador killed in Libya. Napolitano's Department was sexually harassing employees. A gaff in an interview is all you got? You progressives are pathetic.
I do have something against the bible when it is mistaken for the law of the land and when creeps like Akin use it to excuse their perverse notions. And Romney's "gaffe" was no such thing. It was the truest most honest moment of his campaign. He believes the conservative myth that equates wealth with virtue. He truly thinks that poor people deserve their poverty. That god rewards the rich for their virtuous industry with wealth and that those without wealth must somehow be unworthy, slothful. He holds the poor in contempt and has no use for them. He has no idea who the poor are. People who are handicapped, or sick, who are children, who are disabled, or old, these are the poor whom Mitt Romney has no use for or concern about. Pathetic.
Those are the people that the "safety net" is for. Not for tens of millions of able bodied people that steal money from the productive citizens. There is no conservative wealth/virtue comparison. Virtue and honest work. YES! You say nothing in defense of the other things I mentioned. Holder pissing on the Constitution every chance he gets is what is pathetic. Finally the "separation of Church and State" nonsense was in 1947 done 5-4 by a Liberal FDR court wrongly applying the 14th Amendment (again), and usurping States Rights. As I said, in Federalism, there is no "Separation of Church and State. It is a progressive myth created by, yet again, liberal activist judges.
Paul, you REALLY need to go back and study the ENTIRE history, and not just the Texas revised version) of how and why this Nation was formed. The Separation of Church and State is delineated in the 1st Amendment to the Constitution, before the lines on Free Speech. It was CLEARLY decided back in the 1800's, and UPHELD the fact that it DOES also apply to the States, not just the Federal Govt.. So very sorry to pop your bubble, but your lies just do NOT pass muster here, where folks actually DO study and have a clear, not revised, sense of history!
You must be reading those State Revised textbooks from Texas, even if you are in New Mexico!
oh no he ain't..........huh-um
I used to vote for republicans, now it seems the party has been taken over by the extreme element of the party.Its become the party of crazy people.All they want to do is go backwards,never a new idea,they just dwell in the past.I hope they lose the house and the senate so maybe the country can move forward.
there were good moderate Republicans ..until the tea party kick them all out
And now the TP has only the embarrassing nutbars to work with, and the ranks of Independents are swelling.
Last year, over 40% id'd themselves as a Republican. Today, about 20%.