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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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here goes the bible thumpers again...yes the whole house thinks the same way..they are just quiet now
What is that buzzing? That buzzing like a pesky little fly? Oooooh....it's Ricky S, again!
RICKY...GO HOME! People don't want you!
I think pat Robertson or God told him to talk
I thought Pat Robertson WAS God? He always sounds as if he is.....
hahaha yes thats why I put his name before God
I wounder what God will tell all the tea party on election day...and pat Robertson telling us what God said
The day after the election's decided, Mitt Romney will be eviscerated by his whole party, what remains of it.
He seems to sense this, and might have a chance to turn it around if he's seen rebuking THEM now.
Akin really? This guy is an embarrasment to the republican party and now in what is serious desperation they are embrassing him. Next itll be the guy that made Innocence's of Muslims for congress Geez the point is to nominate leaders
What are the chances that this man will be elected?
Good, if the women of his state will just be "ladylike" and vote for him.
on election day..hey Pat...I was wrong Obama is going to win..from GOD
Oh, how I miss the days when the full cast of repuke clowns were on stage regularly... of course, sanitary napkin likes the Akin douche... they are similar human beings.... todays GOP... toxic... worthless.
I agree with the sentiments...but the wordsmithing made me want to scrub and scrub.
wow I have been on the wrong site. I have landed some place where the the people are intelligent. It is a refreshing. I have been over there fighting the American Taliban and I am mostly exhaused and black and blue.
hahahaha
"You can only wrestle in the mud with a pig for so long before you realize that the pig is enjoying it." -No idea who I'm quoting.
Wow the whole Republican party have lost their freaking mind, Turned into nothing but a bunch of mindless, foolish and spineless followers. My God.
Republicans for Obama
I don't need the GOP to tell me what type of Government I want!
you can say that again
For humorous purposes Elvis
Wow the whole Republican party have lost their freaking mind, Turned into nothing but a bunch of mindless, foolish and spineless followers. My God.
Republicans for Obama
I don't need the GOP to tell me what type of Government I want!
hahahaha
Straight From The Political Time Machine
"Psephologists attributed the Democrat victory to "Obama Republicans", millions of Republicans who voted for Obama, as in 2008. They characterized such Obama Republicans as southern whites and northern blue collar workers who voted for Obama because they credited him with the economic recovery, saw Obama as strong on national security issues, and perceived the Republicans as supporting the "One Percent" at the expense of the middle class."
And then Rep will wonder why they lose majority of women vote. This makes no sense at all, unless you have religious ideology. Rep should have wrapped this up months ago, because obama is a destructive narcissist with no qualification to be POTUS. And can anyone SERIOUSLY visualize Blubber Biden as Pres ....? SNL would love that !!!! Rep loss of this one shows how far the party has removed itself. How about the idiot R for Senate in PA, who says his own daughter having child without marriage is 'rape' too. Where do they find them - they must troll the revivals.
Rawhoney- have you been checked out for split personality? Your post's are....
There are no words! Peace!
O&JOE
Hey Elvis. Haven't seen you around in awhile.
yes been working how are you.
Pretty good. Yourself?
yeah I'm just fat and ugly still
Bing Crosby, spinning in his grave.
how in the world can bachmann be ahead 2 points...she must give people free enemas i guess
Oh, stop! I cannot scrub any more.
good one!
If only Eve hadn't forced Adam to eat that apple...
All women look guilty to me. Just being honest here.
Vote a straight Democratic ticket in November to end gridlock and save our country! Akin, Santorum, all of those creeps belong to the Dark Ages.
Oh and Vote Independent on anything that have a Republican listed
Well what it say's about the Republican party is each are not willing to stand up for their own core values and they must agree to what the GOP say's. They have all done an injustice to the senate and Congress by putting their GOP values and agenda above that of the people of the United States which was in their oath when they took office.
Republicans for Obama
I don't need the GOP to tell me what type of Government I want!
heck even morning joe has turn into a tea nut..and i like his show..
I like that lady who does the Mumbling and Muttering on his show. I don't think they've named her, tho.
Bucket
I have the same opinion of her. I guess they hired her to try to make Scarborough look better. BTW, thanks for all your witty and accurate comments here. Keep it up.
Sometimes I think the Republicans would run a conficted rapist if they thought he could win a Congressional seat. Do the Republicans really think America wants a doofuss like Akin to be in Congress for one more minute?
Unfortunately Missouri will be deciding that race......
I cannot dispute that. And they looked REALLY good to the rest of the Country when they condemned him, too.
That's been thrown away.
A "legitimate rapist" or just a convicted one?
Aikin is a BOZO! If he is the best the GOP can put up then they deserve to loose.
"The stupid would be Senator Aikin stands by what he said.
Now all his wonem will be fakin'
It, when he is in their bed." CCB
Amazing. You want the Senate so hold your nose and support the father of legitimate rape. Your daughter or wife wanted it SO bad because otherwise she couldn't have gotten pregnant!!! My opponent is so not LADYlike. And you are what, a gentleman.
FACT: women will decide this election.
Paul, if you are so stupid you need a book, a house with a pointed top and a fictional father figure to tell you the difference between right and wrong, there's no hope for you. Thank the universe that there is and forever will be separation of church and state. You're no different than the Islamists and their sharia law. The day I allow any religion to govern my life is the day I move to Canada - live free or die.
morning joe should set up a mornng program.of all rock ridge people..on his show
Why is anything Old Frothy says of ANY import at all? He is a ultra right wing zealot, bigot, control freak, bibble thumping ass hat. The only time he lies is when he talks. He and his tea bag/taliban want to rule by the old testament. They want women and minorities in chains.
Akin is a POS who should never have held public office in the first place. If he is re-elected it will be worse than a sham. With apologies to Alabama, we should put all the right wing zealots there and let them inbreed themselves to extinction. They are, without a doubt the greatest threat to freedom in the United States.
It is good to be able to laugh at what is going on. I'm not ancient but this is the most unsettled time that I can remember and for me it is all over the American Right who is so much like the Taliban. The rest or America is caught between the extremes of these two groups.
the bible talks about religious people doing evil things..from so called muslems to so called Christians..with new laws
Religion might be doing better if it still embraced some tolerance.
Bucket
And the teachings of Jesus Christ.
This is why we should all be "wasting" our votes on the only candidate that is not an extremist. VOTE FOR GARY JOHNSON!
I told yall this election was all about religion..they used religion ..and almost got our benefits from using the word of God to get it done
When this Akin story first came out, all "decent" Republicans rejected him and his insane inane comments about The Secret Magical Powers of Women's Bodies that can tell the difference between consensual sex and rape, and then "shut that whole thing down."
Now, all that matters to them is their own power, NOT patriotism, or caring for this country . . . or caring about women, or the 47%. So they are not just flip-flopping on their opinions, they are flip-flopping with huge amounts of money. They will say or do - or spend - anything to get power. It's disgusting.
Vote Dem - as if your life depended on it. It does.
it really does
KJNC - You forget - Paul Ryan and Tod Akin both sponsored a bill stating only legitimate rapes should be considered a rape
You're all condemning Akin - yet the Republicans are running a candidate of like mind for VP
I guess nobody was supposed to notice that they are kindred souls
I didn't forget, Barbara - but thank you for reminding us; that's an important point!
Oh yes, what a justification. I bet you'd feel the same way if he was a Klu Klux Klansman, right? Or a terrorist? Or an athiest? Anyting is excusable to you as long as you get your precious power back. Just say "Jesus Christ" and look the other way. To you people, the end always justifies the means.
Akin is toast, lets set our sights on real races. If Mittens gets in the Supreme Court will be pushed so far to the right corporations will get the right to vote. Mittens believes corporations are people and people have the right to vote. How many votes do British Petroleum and Dutch Shell get? Under the ruling ANY CORPORATION doing business in the US is a person and can contribute any amount in any election.
Obama/Biden 2012