
Tampa, Florida (CNN) – Rick Santorum offered his most high-profile praise of former rival Mitt Romney during a speech at the Republican National Convention Tuesday evening.
The former presidential candidate – who engaged in a prolonged and sometimes bitter battle with Romney before dropping out of the race in April – spoke highly of Romney and vice presidential nominee, House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan.
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At one point, he spoke passionately about a social issue to praise Romney.
"If America is going to succeed, we must stop the assault on marriage and the family in America today," Santorum said. "From lower taxes to reforming social programs, Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan are dedicated to restoring the home where married moms and dads are … raising good kids in our neighborhoods."
Santorum also praised Romney on the issue of education.
"Mitt Romney believes that parents and the local community must be in charge of our schools – not the Department of Education," Santorum said.
And weighing in on the current debate over welfare, Santorum accused President Obama of acting like "he's above the law" by "waiving the work requirement for welfare."
Though Romney and his supporters have pushed that claim, independent fact checkers have said it is false.
Ending his speech, Santorum made a direct appeal for Romney's election.
"In November we have the chance to vote for life and liberty, not dependency," Santorum said. "A vote for Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan will put our country back in the hands of leaders who understand where America can - and for the sake of our children must go - to keep the dream alive."


Election is a fraud, don't be stupid.
" Mitt Romney is the WORST candidate we could run against Barrack Obama" say what you want about the Clinton/Obama match in 2008 NOTHING was said as bad as things that were said about Romney by the likes of Newt Gingrinch and Rick Santorum. I find it hard to believe that such venom could change in just a few months. At least Ron Paul is honest enough to say he still does NOT support Romney. Santorum is just looking for a job in a possible Romney administration along with Newt as well. What a SNOB!
The stepford sanatorium to the "rescue" of the man he and newterman said would be the worst president for the US.
I bet some money has been handed down. You go up there and lie about me and I will pay off some of your debts. The money will come from overseas so as not to alert the IRS though.
@myviewis – the difference between the President and your bully bishop is that the flip flopper IS the worst kind of man there is. Liar, tax cheat, bully, animal abuser, likes to dress up and what I find most offensive a man who can't say or do something and stick with it. It's like he is bipolar with that smirky creepy smile of his.
BTW – from what we have seen this morning. That non working wife of his talking about working women is a riot!!
Santorum has just given the first speech of his campaign for the GOP nomination in 2016. He is setting himself up to be "next in line". For all the good it will do him.
So he either lied daily throughout his campaign against Romney or he is misleading now. But conservatives don't care about the truth, its not important. They even think fact checking just gets in the way and is a waste of time. I pity you fools.
The blind leading the blind.
So, according to myviewis, if it's okay with the Democrats, it's okay with the Republicans. Nice.
Excellent speech! we the woking people are tired of carrying 'freeloaders' receiving food stamps and all that non sense. Get a job just like everyone else. Obama is a giving money away that is not even his.... TIME FOR A CHANGE
Mitt Mitt Mitt Mitt Mitt!!!!!!
"If America is going to succeed, we must stop the assault on marriage and the family in America today,"
Does that mean we need to go back the traditional/biblical definition of marriage – between one man and as many women as he can afford? Your buddy Newt would love that idea.
Yeah Sanitarium, it'll be 'grrreeeat' for local hilljack communities to select their own education agenda -that'll put creationism back in some schools and Akins Biology. Those kids will surely be competitive with the rest of the world when it comes to jobs.
And enforcing your own definition of marriage onto others will do squat for the economy.
Wow. Enough with the Rude comments, labman. Just because santorum is a faithful catholic doesn't make him crazy. He would be the first to tell you that he's not Gods chosen one. Thats unfair and bigoted towards those who take their religious faith seriously.
If you want to be taken seriously in a debate, don't be hateful. It will get you nowhere.
"In November we have the chance to vote for life and liberty” Oh and by the way, that liberty is only applicable to repressed white zealot Christian millionaire males of European descent. They will be sure to let everyone else know what is best for them. Don’t worry their god will tell the new leaders who deserves an education, healthcare, the right to decide if they want children, who they are allowed to love, fair wages, safe working conditions...etc.
Santorum giving praise of Romney,its as stupid as the Pols saying Hitler and his troops are cleaning up Poland,how assenine..Santorum the brunt of many of Romneys nasty attacks just goes to show how ignoence,money heal all wounds,political,personal or otherwise...But that's the republican party ,born because of ignorence,raised on ignorence,so ignorence is just a way of life for them,it can't be dismissed ..Republicans are losers,voted all their lives for losers because that's all they get to vote with,its historicly true from Hoover on ,just read its pathedic!!!
Tired of republican lies
Boring and unbelieveable...all I have to say...These folks are delousional.....
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But, you were watching!!! How idiotic. Are you Obamalooneys running scared?!
Just asking...
Nora1234
Wow. Enough with the Rude comments, labman. Just because santorum is a faithful catholic doesn't make him crazy.
Yes, it does actually. Believing in the supernatural is pretty much the definition.
Nora1234 wrote, “If you want to be taken seriously in a debate, don't be hateful. It will get you nowhere.”
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Any chance you could pass that advice along to the GOP?
Santorum is a big flip flopper he said in the primary that Romney could not beat obama.
Romney and Santorium and the Republican Party are going to raise good children. And he wants the parents to run the schools, that was tried in Raleigh NC....what a failure it is.
I can never understand how a politician can go from calling someone the worst candidate possible one day to singing his praise the next. Integrity has certainly taken a back seat, if it's still even in the car.
Thank you for the good laugh this morning! This is why politics is funny. You can't believe these goons!!!
So Santorum is not a true Christian Conservative and a liar. Good to know that now instead of in 2020.
Santorum said that Pres. Obama removed the work requirement from welfare, just after he said that the law was carefully written so that a president would not be able to do that.
Some of the rhetoric from this group of circus clowns is amazing. No platform except to shamelessly line up behind the nominee because Obama bad and therefore anyone else good? The hypocrisy is astounding!!!
Mr. Santorum would like us to go back to the 1950's when the world was a very different place. Parents are raising good kids. Schools are successful when parents. teachers and citizens work together. When the children going to the schools are coming in prepared for the day, have had their breakfast and snack, have all the books and supplies they need, have classrooms which have desks, chairs, ventilation, etc., have the technology they need to enter the world on equal footing, are safe in their neighborhoods and can get to and from school easily and much more then we will see that schools will be successful. Families do try to do it all but many families have found their husbands, fathers, mothers, wives deployed overseas to fight a war that Congress never paid for in countries where conventional strategies do not solve the problems. Too many families have been disrupted and are dealing with the consequences.
Many families have working parents and their children need before and after school care. In order to make ends meet, parents have both been working or perhaps one parent is working two or three jobs to keep the family together.
It is very easy for Mr Santorum and others to make these statements because they have the means to provide for their families. He and others who spoke received their salaries in Congress on schedule. They have or had health insurance – probably the best in the world, transportation once or twice a month to their home states, aides and assistants to help with their myriad of tasks, rent free offices and more. The American taxpayer has given them everything they need. They have not returned the favor by giving us health care, fair market home rentals, banks that have the customer in mind, jobs that stayed in the states, clean and well-cared for schools, good roads without a miliion potholes, bridges that are safe, etc. Talk is very cheap but talking does not solve any of the problems we face. We need to hear from people who do not rely on the federal government for their pay.
Once upon a horse rips Santorum for planing what Hillary Clinton DID. She always knew how to keep her mouth shut to get ahead.