Santorum on possible 2012 run
(CNN) - Former Republican Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum appears unfazed by a Fox News decision to suspend him as a contributor while he mulls a presidential run.
In his first media appearance since the suspension, Santorum told CNN's John King on Wednesday, "I think they made their call and I respect it."
Brett Baier, the anchor of Fox News' Special Report, announced on-air Wednesday that the suspension of Santorum and fellow Fox contributor and presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich was effective immediately and for 60 days "unless they notify Fox that they are not running for president." Their contracts will be terminated on May 1 if they decide to run.
Santorum, who said the company did not ask whether he was running for president, said that he has been "very up front about this, that I've been exploring it." He also opened up about his relationship with other Fox contributors who are likely contenders for the GOP 2012 presidential nomination.
"Even though there's a rivalry, there's a camaraderie that comes with it," Santorum said of his interactions with former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.
Speaking about his terms as a congressman and senator, Santorum touted his conservative values and experience on issues such as national security and controlling government spending, indicating the latter showed his alignment with the Tea Party movement.
"I've been a consistent conservative on all the issues I think people care about when it wasn't cool to do that," he said. "I was out there fighting the reform battles that a lot of the Tea Party people are fighting right now."
He also defended a statement he made during a speech to the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) last month, in which he criticized President Obama's view of America as exceptional. During the speech, Santorum said, "The president of the United States – let's just be very clear – he doesn't think America is exceptional."
Asked about the statement by King during Wednesday's interview, Santorum said, "Look, America at points in time in our history – it's always had problems, but that doesn't make the foundational principles of America anything but exceptional."
"And so when your belief in American exceptionalism depends on how we're doing today, then you don't understand what America is all about, and you don't believe at its core America is exceptional."
From CNN Politics
- Trump wears a mask during visit to wounded service members at Walter Reed July 12, 2020 01:49 am
- Mueller defends Stone prosecution and says 'his conviction stands' in Washington Post op-ed July 12, 2020 01:44 am
- Analysis: Trump turns blind eye to pandemic and focuses on political grievances July 11, 2020 10:22 pm
- Pelosi blasts Roger Stone commutation as 'an act of staggering corruption' as Trump defends move July 11, 2020 11:13 pm
- Analysis: What we know right now about the November election July 11, 2020 11:46 am
- 'I beg them': Still-unemployed workers plead for Congress to extend federal $600 benefit July 11, 2020 01:30 pm
this bozo has no chance.
if he gets elected, i move to the bottom of the ocean.
POSSIBLE RUN? This self important nutjob is going to run with everything he's got, only to slapped down by the voters...AGAIN!
Every time I see a photograph of this guy, he looks like he's in distress due to constipation! Gees! Take a laxative already! Being a socially conservative Republican is evidently very uncomfortable!
I was disappointed that John King did not ask Santorum how his strong ideological bent fit in with the need for elected officials to solve our nations problems. I am fed up with the promotion of ideology at the expense of solving problems and getting things done.
This is the man that wrapped his dead newborn infant (very very sad) and took him to his in-laws, where they passed the baby around and took pictures with him. I don't know about anyone else, but he makes my skin crawl.
Yet another grinning geek tosses his ego into the ring....
The country really doesn't need this bible-thumping nut...
"I think they made their call and I respect it."
You "think" they made their call? Yo, Rick, they made their call – you're off the payroll.
Someone this dim definitely IS NOT qualified to be POTUS.
Santorum is going to run for President after losing his Senate seat in Pennsylvania by over 15% points? Good luck, bud. I hope he wins the nomination–it will ensure Obama's re-election.
This is what happens when you believe Foxs' own BS, people like this freak Santorum actually believe that Obama will be easy to beat, what these freaks keep forgetting is that not even the Clintons could beat Obama, let alone some freak who got chased away from his own state....
Santorum should not run for president. He incompetence is frightening. This man said the protesters in Wisconsin were on drugs. No different than Ghadafi who said that the Libyan protesters were on drugs.
He's got about as much chance of winning the primary and general as I do. When people pull back the covers and see what a wacko Santorum is – game over.
I wonder why Fixed News suspended him. They're not known to do anything ethical....or tell the truth about their supposed news stories.
he couldn't win a Senate race.
Good Night, Ricky!
Gaah! They're crawling out of the woodwork and I don't see a single one who has much of a chance of beating President Obama. Personally, although I am a staunch liberal, I like Megan McCain. She is a young woman who has a good head on her shoulders. She made a lot of sense in many of the thing she said during the last presidential election. She is far superior to Sarah Palin, Michelle Bachmann and some of those other feather-headed women in the Republican party. Yes, again, she is young, but much like President Obama, she is unspoiled by being in the political arena too long.
Sorry, I would not vote for him for any public office. He seems too silly.
I normally wouln't agree with much of what Mr. Santorum has to say, but in this instance, the fact that Huckabee and Palin were not also suspended, is at best, very suspect. It probably has something to do with finances; meaning the PACs or whatever that Santorum and Gingrich have established to finance their probable campaigns This could cause Fox news some legal problems down the road in connection with their broadcasting licence. It certainly had nothing to do with their ideology. By the way, has Anderson Cooper called Fox News liars yet? A word of advice to Mr. Santorum. My mother always said, "When you lie down with dogs, you get fleas", and "There is no honor among thieves". She was a very bright woman.
People watch out for this guy he is a crook and a crackpot. If you know someone from PA talk to them about him and see what they think. They voted him out of office for a reason.
Glad you have respect for faux news. Unfortunately nobody has respect for you!!! 😦
Hey, I,m sure there,s plenty of "BIG CORP CEO,S out there that will finance your campaign! Come on people, Lets vote for another Tank Job? We love the party of Trickle Down concept. It trickles right down to disaster every time? Lets see if we can hit the Great Deppression this time! The christian extremist in this country will vote for you,I,m sure your "Anti-Abortion?
Shouldn't they be suspending the Huckster and Snow-Snooki too?
For the life of me, I don't know how these people like Santorum, believe they can win a general election. This guy is so extreme.
Pretty Ricky, the knuckle dragging neanderthal (no offense intended to neanderthals). Pretty Ricky might want to go crawling back to Porky Ailes and Ruppy and keep getting his paycheck now because there is zero, no make that negative chance that he will get to be POTUS. When one gets steamrolled in one's own Senate race, that tends not to bode well for higher office. Hence: neanderthal. Get on back to Faux Noise (and consider getting a pseudonym...Santorum?? just sayin')
This man is such a loser. It boggles the mind that he actually thinks he can get ANY nomination for ANYTHING. He is as delusional as they come. Bigot.