Santorum on popcorn, candidates and Obama
Stuart, Florida (CNN) – Speaking on the baseball field here at Community Christian Academy, Rick Santorum reacted to his Monday night debate performance in Tampa by arguing he had risen above the fray.
"I felt for awhile, I have to tell you, that I should have been selling popcorn for awhile because you know the two candidates out there going at each other," the former senator said Tuesday of the lively exchanges between Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich during the debate. "Which just really points out the fact is we need to make this campaign against the president of the United States - about the worst president this country has ever seen, Barack Obama."
Follow the Ticker on Twitter: @politicalticker
Repeating many of the arguments he made Monday night about his opponents' past support of health insurance mandates and the Wall Street bailouts, Santorum continued to work on convincing Floridians that he's the only candidate able to provide a clear contrast to Obama.
While Romney was giving an in depth "pre-buttal" to the president's State of the Union address Tuesday, Santorum only made a passing reference to the address, but he used that reference to lay into Obama's record in the White House.
"The president is going to give the State of the Union address tonight," Santorum said, pausing to allow the crowd to boo. "And what is the state of the union? Well, you are going to hear a bunch of flowery rhetoric and all this stuff about all the things he has done. But what he has done – he has grown the tax burden on the American public through Obamacare, through Dodd Frank and through other bills.
"He has grown the size and scale of government to an unprecedented level. He has grown the deficit in this country to absolutely immoral lengths. He has increased the debt of this country to now the debt equals the entire size of the economy. He has lowered our bond rating. He has had double digit unemployment for the first time in decades in this country.
"He has governed over a housing market that he has continued to allow to decline and decay because he won't use free market principles to turn it around. This is a president who bailed out Wall Street, who is trying to take over the health care system, who has taken over the banking system., took over the student loan system, took over the auto companies. This is the most activist, big government leftist president that has ever served in this country."
Addressing a crowd of nearly 200 people seated and standing in the outfield – many of whom were students at the school – Santorum tried to focus more on President Obama today than his GOP rivals.
After the event, Santorum was swarmed by local reporters, supporters and a group of Ron Paul supporters – of whom he said that Paul is "not campaigning here so I guess they don't have much to do."
Also see:
Gingrich close to 'money bomb' goal
From CNN Politics
- Biden White House closely watching Federal Reserve following bank failures
- 10 Cards Charging 0% Interest Until 2024
- Ex-Homeland chief details Supreme Court security work after previously not disclosing financial relationship
- How Xi and Putin's new friendship could test the US
- Untitled
- McConnell 'chomping at the bit' to return as several ailing senators absent from Capitol
President Obama, Santorum, WILL GO DOWN IN HISTORY AS ONE OF OUR BEST PRESIDENTS!
Unlike you, Senate loser, loser, loser.
Gotta give it to Santorum... I can run down the list of Obama failures pretty well. There are so many failure though I'm sure it starts to tax the memory.
Are you kidding me. Does this guy really believe he has a chance to win the nomination. If he does, it only shows why he will never be president.
How long until this moron figures out he has an iceberg's chance in h*** of being President?..Do us a favor Ricky, go make some more kids and go HOME!!!
WILL GO DOWN IN HISTORY AS ONE OF OUR BEST PRESIDENTS!
====================================================
Yes, because the sign of a great President is record unemployment, record deficits, record debt, record foreclosures, sky rocketing food and fuel prices, the country being down graded and class warfare in full stride thanks to the Divider-in-Chief. Please eeze up on the kool-aide consumption.
It's not like YOU'LL get any where near the Whitehouse either loser....You will definitely NOT get the female vote.
Your poor lost soul. Couple of things, many but let's start with these two, erring with your mindless rantings.
one, the christian academy. Ever hear of separation of church and state and that the US is no longer just made up of bible thumping right wing extremists and terrorists?
Two, most of us want a better country and even after your village idiot #43 was appointed by the scotu we stood by him, more orr less through all the spending and disaster directed at our 401k. We, as a country, need to work together. Nthis is not a war against the president and, no, Obama is president ever. Your boyn bush ins then price. The economy is rebounding no thanks to your party of he'll and those crazy tea bagging fools!
Good luck with that line, Santorum. Fortunately, the facts point the other way.
Sounds like someone is just upset that he will go down in history as the...well, let's just hope that no one googles "santorum" anytime soon...
Santorum is too deluded to understand success and will not make it through this nomination...
This guy is a closet case,ther is no way he is straight just look at him
@Truth and nothing but the truth,
You should really change your name to "Hint of truth, but 90% denial"
BTW Nixon was the worst president of the USA followed by Bush. Is it coincidence they're republicans?
According to the name of this article, Santorum is just everywhere.
the worse? Trump said it pretty clearly; Bush (and his republicans) did such a bad job (the jobs, economy, TARP, etc) that no one could trust any republican.
This man is so delusional it would be funny if he weren't so pathetic. He has some nerve calling Pres. Obama the worst President ever – quite the contrary – he inherited this mess from your party and since he took the helm, things have slowly but surely improved. Of course, I'm sure you think GWB was the greatest thing since sliced bread! Go home, Rick, let the grownups fight it out. There is one attribute you sorely lack and one reason why neither you or Newt will ever be President – civility! Go home!
While Santorum at it he should have mention his own Government care, Lobbist care he have enjoyed most of adult life. Strange some of these fellow have family and never had a real job.
Santorum defined himself clearly when he nodded in agreement with the lady who spouted lies and bigotry about our President and then didn't bother to correct her vicious rhetoric. In my book, when you pander to and tolerate bigots, it means that you're a bigot as well. He can forget about the female vote and the minority vote. Maybe he can find enough angry white men to elect him.
how many of you foolishly think if there is war with Iran, that ONLY the US and Iran would be in it? Can ya say WW3?
We now know the characrater & integrity of Rick Santorum because he stood by silently, while a biased person disparaged Barack Obama as an illigetimate President and Muslim [instead of a self-professed Christian].
Say what you will about John McCain, HE didn`t fail this "gut check" twst the way Santorum did.
When evaluating a LEADER, these things are important. World Leaders look at episodes like this and question the trustworthiness of those people that won`t, or can`t stand up for right or wrong. Like Mitt Romney, we all can`t be comfortable with what Santorum really stands for when he shows such cowardice.
Stick to the popcorn thing Santorum.
I doubt he'll make it but Santorum would be the best choice.
"BTW Nixon was the worst president of the USA followed by Bush."
------
Depends on the criteria you're using. Woodrow Wilson, Warren Harding, Nixon, J.Q. Adams, Carter, and Obama are in a class all by themselves, but for different reasons.
After he played with a corp.se? I wouldn't buy anything his hands touched. In fact, I'm not even buying anything he is saying.
Just like that fake family values thingy he is trying to cram down people's throat. He has NO INTEGRITY.
)
Where is the coverage on Ron Paul?
Seriously, what is going on with media blackout here?