Monday, February 20, 2012

Santorum Leads With Heart Not Head

Rick Santorum had a bad weekend.  The former Senator and current candidate for the Republican nomination cannot help himself when it comes to speaking out on social issues.
On Saturday he seemed to question the President’s faith saying that Obama’s agenda is based on “some phony theology, not a theology based on the Bible.”  On Sunday he tried to walk that back telling “Face the Nation”: “I don’t question the President’s faith.  I’ve repeatedly said that I believe the President is a Christian.  I’m talking about his world view, and the way he approaches problems in this country, I think they are different than most people do in America.”  He then went on to explain that he was talking about the President’s environmental policies which he believes promote the ideas of “radical environmentalists who oppose greater use of the country’s natural resources because they believe “man is here to serve the Earth.” He followed that up with a restatement of his position on contraception (he’s against it) and pre-natal testing; which he believes encourages prospective mothers to abort babies with developmental issues.
Let us be clear.  Rick Santorum has every right to express his beliefs.  And you can count us among those who believe that his is NOT a “phony ideology.”  By all accounts Santorum conducts his private life by the very principles that he defends in public.  But when he speaks out on social issues he gets so jazzed up he tends to run off the rails; his comment about the President’s “phony ideology” a case in point.  At a time when the economy and jobs are the number one issue on people’s minds Rick Santorum has focused the debate on social issues that we thought were resolved decades ago.  And, at least for the time being it seems to be working.
All the latest polls have Santorum leading Romney in Romney’s home state of Michigan.  If Santorum is able to defeat Romney in Michigan, or even come within the margin of error, he will have dealt Romney a severe blow.  The Republican Party establishment will start calling for another candidate to enter the race.  The Republican base will begin pouring money into Santorum’s coffers believing that they have finally found their long awaited standard bearer of conservative values.  Neither scenario bodes well for Romney.
If we were Santorum’s campaign manager we would advise him to answer every question, no matter the subject, with:  “My grandfather was a coal miner in western Pennsylvania.” When Santorum speaks about the economy and blue collar America…he is golden.  He connects with people in a genuine way that Romney can only dream about.  But when he speaks out on social issues he tends to lead with his heart and not his head. 
That honesty is an admirable quality in a candidate.  But it probably won’t win him the nomination.     
  

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