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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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I really didn't think the republicans could get any lower, but they haven't disappointed. Gain the Senate at any cost, forget the well being of America, advocate for an admitted woman hater. Breath taking. Santorium can't keep his flopper out of the body politic. Disgusting putz.
Obama 2012
Flip-flopping - the GOP way! Last month the GOPers were telling Aiken to step down. This month they are backing him with the likes of Newt Gingrich going to MO to tell the people what a great guy he is.
I guess the Repubs don't realize we have memories longer than a gnat!
Women will not forget in November.
This kind of talk is exactly why Santorum LOST THE PRIMARY.
Are you saying he lost because of the truth?
This proud liberal is concerned that our outrage against the Romney Ryan go back team will not translate at the polls. I've no doubt that you guys will vote your conscience. It's the rest of the party I'm worried about. And if I could be critical here, I think we underestimate the power of republican legislatures to disenfranchise much of our base. Melissa Harris Perry talks about it. But, I'm concerned that the republican ground game is out to stop the vote. One more thing. Don't you have to love the Tea Party plants that show up on this post? You guys are so much more articulate than I. They just piss me off. But, you guys put them in their place.
Put us in our place LMFAO
That will be the day. Liberal Morons.
Dr. ? HahahaHaHaHa
Dr. Chris, you put them in their place just fine. And like you, they piss me off too.
Awwwww. Guess what? WE "don't care".
Hey Rick is it still burning down there!!!!
Santorum is irrelevant.
That must be why the Libs are attacking him. LMFAO
That must be why the Libs are attacking him.
No. We just hate all f***ing neo-nutty bastards, like you & Ricky InSanitarium.
LMFAO+
LMFAO? If you did that you would be ALL GONE.
Santorum stands up for Atkin and challenges his fellow republicans to do the same. This general election, marred by economic instability and preceded by a nasty mid-term election, is turning into a sigh of relieve as republicans rush to stand into the wind with their pants down. The voting has barely begun, but the finger in the wind is warning them to turn around, even if it might be a little embarrassing, to let the crowd know you're not so hardheaded as to challenge mother nature too.
Well, That almost made sense. But not quite.
Actually not even close.
So let's elect the most ignorant politicians we can find! Who cares what kind of country this is as long as it's a Republican country. Is this what our government has come too?
Confussed-1578043
So let's elect the most ignorant politicians we can find!
We did that in 2008 and look where it got us.
Your name says you know all about morality. LMAO
Somehow I suspect Todd Akin already had the Christofascist vote even before Santorum's endorsement....
http://spreadingsantorum.com/
BINGO! Placing the party before the people... THIS attitude is EXACTLY why the bipartisan system has failed our people. Akin has proven himself to be completely detached from reality, but Santorum is encouraging his entire party to support him "just so our party can take the Senate". This, ladies and gentlemen, is the attitude that, on both sides of the fence, has socked America across the jaw.
indeed.
I find it hard to imagine how anyone in their right might could vote for Akin, Romney, or any other no brain republican or teabag. Their ways of thinking are like none other than I have ever seen or heard. What a waste they are, actually they are waste, as in sh!t. Vote everyone of them out of politics in D.C. and in each state.
O&Joe 2012 ****Liar Romney 1040****
Santorum, you are as frakking stupid as Akin and Romney! Kiss my $$$! Go away, Moron!
First the GOP tries to disassociate themselves from this moron, then they ask people to vote for him anyway, saying a republican moron is the better choice. Sounds like Akin isn't the only moron in the GOP.
I notice that Santorum doesn't say anything about Akin himself in any of those quotes. Nope, apparently Akin's credentials (or lack thereof) are unimportant next to the prospect of gaining that elusive Senate majority and denying healthcare to millions of Americans. Hooray for the GOP, always looking out for us.
(Of course, Santorum is probably peachy keen with all of Akin's backwards rhetoric and just a little too scared to publicly admit it. @!$%#s of a feather flock together, after all).
An elderly man had a massive heart attack and
the family drove him to the emergency room. After a while the ER doctor appeared
wearing a long face. With the family eagerly awaiting the news, the Doctor
glumly spoke. "I'm afraid Grampa is brain dead, but his heart is still beating".
"Oh Dear God" exclaimed his wife. "We've never had a Liberal in the family
before".
trouble
lol...Let's see how your sense of humor holds up after the November election or if they take Mittens off to jail in hand cuffs for knowingly being involved in voter fraud. He,he,he...
Santorum is poison. I'm glad Obama addressed climate change. At least it's real other them people fighting over thier ludicrous religious beliefs. They aren't even proven. What is proven are the huge seeping holes in the artic releasing methane into the air. These people are nuts
You want to see 'nuts'? Look in the mirror. CLIMATE CHANGE. LMFAO
trouble, science, right, next thing you'll tell me is that the world is round and older then the bible claims. Everyone knows that if you go to far you will fall off the Earth and that the dinosaurs are a hoax, especially all those "fossils".
Andrew Woody - I worked in a Tax Division in New York where we had many Jewish employees
One day at the coffee machine I brought up the subject to one of my co-workers of the findings of million year old bones
He said not true - the earth is only 6,000 years old - I said then how do you explain this finding? "He said God can do anything even make bones look old"
Mouth open - I said but why would he want to? -walk away no answer
This is the reasoning I see day in and day out on these posts - no explanation but blind faith and no interest in pursuing knowledge - won't change
Belief systems are only changed after a traumatic event - and only sometimes
How do you prove something is millions of years old? Against what do you measure it? Theory, that's what. Because there is nothing to prove what scientists say is a million years old is really a million years old. God is more provable than that. Because a "scientist" said it, you accept it without question, yet you refuse to believe what God said. To me, you are the dummy.
Translated: "I flunked out of 1st grade science."
:)
That's not how science works. If you don't know wtf you're talking about it's better to stfu and not look stupid.
Here, maybe you can make yourself less ignorant. But I don't hold much hope in that.
I hate it when the dumb have computers. I wish someone would stop turning the damn things on near them.
Supporting Akin because he is part of a group is like supporting Hitler because he is a part of a certain group. By supporting Akin you are supporting the forcing of women to carry their rapist baby which in some states would entitle the rapist to paternal rights. You support allowing companies to discriminate to women by paying them less then men to do the same thing. You believe that Medicare is unconstitutional. The list goes on and by supporting him you will in fact be supporting his ideals by giving him a position from which he will be able to enact policy to support his ideals. It isn't a football game where you blindly follow your team, it is the governing body of our country and it amazes me that anyone would vote for this man based on what political party he is associated with.
Here in a nutshell is the problem with Republican/Value voters. Who cares that this guy Akin is a total whack job you just want to control the Senate and be damned with the nation. Never mind that this man Akin hasn't a clue, you would still support him for the United States senate simply to gain control? What about what's best for the nation? Never mind the Republican or Democratic crap how about our nation? I've seen it almost destroyed in the past 17 years thanks to those same Republicans and all because of voters desires to vote with their "Values" these are the kind of idiots you get for that.
"Sure he may be an effing nutjob but he's OUR effing nutjob and we can't win the senate without him, so let's make the conversation about how somehow Obama is scarier than letting this numbskull legislate his way around anything bigger than a hot dog stand."
How's that "Legitimate Rape" Comment working out for ya Mr. Republican Akin?
Where do they dig these Neanderthals up from?
There is no legitimate reason on earth why Santorum should be calling on anyone to support this person who really has no place at all in the human race, after the comments he made about rape. I have two young adult daughters myself and upon hearing his recent remarks it got me so upset that i literally got sick to my stomach. Not only did he have the gall to say those remarks, but I now actually believe he thinks that it is the truth. Here is a man with limited intelligence, obviously no education that he believed in what he was being taught, but has absolutely no respect for anyone especially women. If he know whats good for him he will keep his big pie hole shut, or one day he will run into the wrong one who will be more than happy to shut it for him. Fortunately he will lose this election and he and the republicans who flip-flopped and now support him are all going to be sorry and will end up wishing they had never heard the name of Todd Akin to begin with.Talk about self destruction on Santorums part, wow.
The REPUBLOICANS, are members of ALEC, a group that is suppose to be for education, but come to find out it is a group they are lobbyist, and this is where the WISCONSIN, law came from that was PASSED THE WISCONSIN, legislature. Some of our AMERICAN laws come from this group, we should throw out of CONGRESS every REPUBLICAN, that belongs to this group. PEOPLE, mr. RYAN is a member. check it out it will surprise you.
Remember, Atkin stated that if your raped and become pregnant its not a real rape. Because according to him if it wa s real rape the womans body would prevent itself from becoming pregnant. If the GOP women in the party don;t see a problem with this we have a big problem on our hands.
Ahhh...the kiss of death