Washington Post: Is Rick Santorum too conservative to win in November? - Polidicks

[Img]http://www.washingtonpost.com/rf/image_606w/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2012/02/14/Web-Resampled/2012-02-14/Santorum_2012_0d815--606x404.jpg[/img] [QUOTE]Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum has won four states and risen suddenly to challenge Mitt Romney as the leader in the national polls. Now he faces a new hurdle: defining himself positively before others rush to disqualify him. Santorum presents himself as a committed and consistent conservative with blue-collar roots — just the kind of candidate Republicans need to energize the party’s base and reach out to Reagan Democrats in a campaign against President Obama that could be decided in the nation’s industrial heartland. other Democrats see a Santorum whose record, writings and statements, particularly on social issues, will be used to portray him as far too conservative for many voters. His record, they say, could make Santorum anathema to suburban swing voters, especially women. That view is shared by some Republicans and independent analysts. “They [Democrats] would brutalize him on social and cultural issues and present him as so far out of the mainstream as to be radical,” said G. Terry Madonna, director of the Center for Politics and Public Affairs at Franklin & Marshall College and a leading pollster in Pennsylvania. “The analogy would be Barry Goldwater” — the 1964 GOP nominee who suffered a landslide defeat. Santorum’s advisers recognize that he has entered a new phase in his campaign, and they see the obstacles ahead. They argue that a full and fair reading of his record reveals a more attractive profile of the former senator. But they acknowledge it is up to Santorum and his campaign to explain that record and allay concerns about his ability to run competitively in November. “There will be people — Romney and the Democrats — who will try to distort these things,” said John Brabender, Santorum’s longtime political adviser. “It’s the responsibility of our campaign to show what the senator’s record really is. We are confident that once that happens, people will understand that the senator is extremely reasonable.” The first tests will come over the next 10 days, as Santorum attempts to leverage his new prominence against Romney in primaries in Arizona and especially Michigan, and then on Super Tuesday, March 6. Romney and the super PAC backing his campaign have begun to attack Santorum — though not for being too conservative. That may be too risky for a candidate whose conservative credentials are already considered suspect by many on the right. Instead they say Santorum strayed from his conservative moorings whenever it was politically convenient to do so. He backed earmarks for projects in his state and district. He voted, as did many in his party, to raise the debt ceiling repeatedly. He backed higher spending to pay for prescription drug benefits under Medicare. He was cozy with labor unions, an important constituency in Pennsylvania. Those issues likely will be prime topics at Wednesday’s GOP debate in Arizona, and Santorum advisers say they are eager to take on Romney and his attacks in that forum. Romney, they say, is the GOP candidate with questionable conservative credentials and they are determined to win that definitional battle. [/QUOTE] [url]http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/is-rick-santorum-too-conservative-to-win-in-november/2012/02/17/gIQAfNy7LR_story.html[/url] Source article is four pages

He's also too insane. As are every other candidate, but that's besides the point.

I laughed at "Reagan Democrats"

Yes, which is why I hope he gets the nomination.

[QUOTE=The Baconator;34761060]I laughed at "Reagent Democrats"[/QUOTE] It's "Reagan" not "Reagent"

[IMG]http://www.washingtonpost.com/rf/image_606w/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2012/02/14/Web-Resampled/2012-02-14/Santorum_2012_0d815--606x404.jpg[/IMG] "I'm gonna force that woman to have a baby even if she was raped by her father. Bitches love babies"

Somewhere, Obama is laughing.

Romney will destroy him if it comes down to both.

[QUOTE][img]http://www.washingtonpost.com/rf/image_606w/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2012/02/14/Web-Resampled/2012-02-14/Santorum_2012_0d815--606x404.jpg[/img][/QUOTE] You know, it's quite odd how, when I look at a picture of Santorum, all I can think is: "d'aww, he forgot to pull his trousers up!" He gives me exactly the same vibes as my cat suffering from cerebral palsy does.

he makes me feel better about myself because I'm not a douchebag even if I was, not compared to him

[QUOTE=SomeRandomGuy16;34761141]It's "Reagan" not "Reagent"[/QUOTE] Smartphone

[QUOTE=Cone;34761298]You know, it's quite odd how, when I look at a picture of Santorum, all I can think is: "d'aww, he forgot to pull his trousers up!" He gives me exactly the same vibes as my cat suffering from cerebral palsy does.[/QUOTE] Really? I think his pants are way too high.

NOW it all makes sense. [img]http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lzlj0mfS801qzchiio1_500.png[/img]

I think someone with the back-asswards values that come straight outta the Renaissance is too conservative for this world. But I guess with a constituency as stupid as ours anything is possible if they can say big words and make everything seem evil I still hold my $1,000 bounty on this man.

[QUOTE=Protocol7;34762410]I think someone with the back-asswards values that come straight outta the Renaissance is too conservative for this world. But I guess with a constituency as stupid as ours anything is possible if they can say big words and make everything seem evil I still hold my $1,000 bounty on this man.[/QUOTE] 1000 dollars to kill a politician? You're almost as nuts as him.

[QUOTE=deathstarboot;34761752]Really? I think his pants are way too high.[/QUOTE] Well, the point is, he can't do his trousers right.

[QUOTE=Chicken_Chaser;34762442]1000 dollars to kill a politician? You're almost as nuts as him.[/QUOTE] I'm simply putting forth an incentive to rid the earth of what is essentially a walking, talking trash can And by the way I'm very serious about the bounty. Of course nobody is going to take $1000 for murder so I should be good

I find myself disagreeing with almost all of Rick Santorum's social issues. While I may agree with him economically, he's far too religiously oriented for the vast majority of Americans and even most Republicans.

Rick the Prick

i hope the primaries drags on as long as they possibly can. go rick; scorch the earth.

[QUOTE=Boba_Fett;34762921]I find myself disagreeing with almost all of Rick Santorum's social issues. While I may agree with him economically, he's far too religiously oriented for the vast majority of Americans and even most Republicans.[/QUOTE] Religion as a platform to get into the running for President is just absolutely disgusting. It turns into "I am a strong believer in God!" and not "Okay, here's what I'm going to do to fix the big problems."

I kinda want Santorum to get the nomination. That way it guarantees Obama another 4 years.

[QUOTE=archangel125;34762352]NOW it all makes sense. [img]http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lzlj0mfS801qzchiio1_500.png[/img][/QUOTE]There is no way that's real, surely? Even he would understand the innuendo.

It's not

He is Rick Perry 2.0.

[QUOTE]“They [Democrats] would brutalize him[/QUOTE] Not as much as he'd like to brutalize democrats. [IMG]http://www.nerve.com/files/resize/Rick-Santorum_237676a-600x400.jpg[/IMG]

[QUOTE=Hidole555;34767222]Not as much as he'd like to brutalize democrats. [IMG]http://www.nerve.com/files/resize/Rick-Santorum_237676a-600x400.jpg[/IMG][/QUOTE] oh jesus somebody get that chicken wing under control

No he won't win because this: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=js3BYcHmBhE[/media] is indistinguishable from his usual crazy bullshit.

hes not a conservative, hes just a typical politician.

[QUOTE=GunFox;34767326]No he won't win because this: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=js3BYcHmBhE[/media] is indistinguishable from his usual crazy bullshit.[/QUOTE] "We got 69 ankle shoes. Not no damn banana shoes. 11 hoes can't come in here and keep they shoes off."