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Santorum Gets a Bottle of DeWine

By Aaron Goldstein on 2.19.12 @ 1:18PM

On Friday, Rick Santorum got a boost when he received an endorsement of Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine. Santorum's former Senate colleague had previously endorsed Mitt Romney.

DeWine stated, "To be elected President, you have to do more than tear down your opponents. You have to give the American people a reason to vote for you, a reason to hope, a reason to believe that under your leadership, America will be better. Rick Santorum has done that. Sadly, Governor Romney has not."

The Romney campaign, of course, downplays the significance of this defection. Former New Hampshire Governor and former Bush 41 Chief of Staff John Sununu said, "Nothing has changed. Attorney generals don't have much of an organization."

Well, the Romney campaign didn't seem to mind DeWine's organizational strength when he was in their corner. Now it is entirely possible DeWine's shift may prove to be the exception to the rule. But it illustrates Romney's vulnerability and it does so in a bellweather state. Romney might have a bigger boat than Santorum. But what does size matter if it cannot stay afloat?

If Mike DeWine has jumped Romney's ship what makes anyone think Donald Trump will stay on board?

View all comments (19) | Leave a comment

Drek| 2.19.12 @ 1:50PM

Go check out Professor Jacobson's take on the present situation with Santorum.

Santorum's opponents, within and without the party, are just beginning to find range on him.

Within a few days polling will begin to reflect how much damage the Santorum candidacy has sustained.

But I've little doubt the electorate is going to get creeped out by Santorum. Heretofore, they've been getting Santorum is lesser portions, but when they get the full dosage of what he is, of what he has to offer, that electorate will begin looking rapidly for an alternative.

As for Romney, some guy over at RICOCHET has the bead on him. He observed that Romney has done everything right, except persuade voters to vote for him. Gaining endorsements, pulling in money, running wicked attack ads, successfully using surrogates to obliterate opposition. Romney has done it all.

But nobody wants to vote for him............

Bob Grant| 2.19.12 @ 3:58PM

Sounds like the dilemma Richard Nixon found himself in while running against Humphrey and Wallace in '68.

Maybe he should run, as Nixon did, as the figure of stability (economically, socially, and otherwise) in perilous times.

People should realize those traits you mentioned are what's going to be needed to take out obama in a general, and his organizational skills are what's needed to be an effective president.

I think he gets a bad rap for his alleged lack of conservatism, especially when weighed against his opponents Santorum and Gingrich.

Drek| 2.19.12 @ 4:15PM

I don't think anything can be done to help Romney's candidacy.

I think the guy is hopeless.

Garfield| 2.19.12 @ 2:25PM

Looking more and more like Gingrich made the right call of staying in this race.

Drek| 2.19.12 @ 2:32PM

If we can get to the convention, then the Romney candidacy will be doomed, and the people who have supported him will be the very ones sticking shivs in his political corpse. The longer this drags on, the more livid they become with Romney himself, and with all of his increasingly obvious political flaws.

Former Governor Palin is dead right when she urges all of us "just keep it going on...."

By the time this ends, a politically fatally stricken Romney will be sinking to the floor before a statue of Pompey Magnus, and his last words will be "Et tu" to Ann Coulter, Jennifer Rubin and Matt Drudge, as that trio will be in on the political kill. All of the weaknesses of Romney are being exposed, day by day, campaign stop by campaign stop, interview after interview, question by question.

What did Terrel Owens used to say? "Get your popcorn ready!"

Dai Alanye| 2.19.12 @ 2:34PM

DeWine is an opportunist, and the reason he's dropped Romney is that he senses victory for Santorum -- certainly in Ohio, and probably nationwide. One more good result for Rick should shake loose some of the other opportunists who've backed Romney on the principle (if such it can be called) that his victory was inevitable.

As for Jacobson, he's a Gingrich supporter who is gradually realizing his candidate will ultimately be Santorum. His readers have not yet advanced so far.

Drek| 2.19.12 @ 2:59PM

And I don't think we ever will have to "advance" "so far" to have to support Santorum.

Fixated on present polling, DeWine jumped on board in a manner very similar to the Governor of South Carolina.

We'll see........

Henry| 2.19.12 @ 4:04PM

I remember DeWine earlier endorsing Palwanty.
I also remember DeWine getting pasted 56-44% by lunatic Sherrod Brown.
DeWine is a weak sister.

Drek| 2.19.12 @ 4:14PM

It's a case of where those in the Senate that got pasted together, stick together..........

In addition, Santorum went down in an off year election, {2006} had he come up in 2008, Santorum would have lost by 25 points.

nick099| 2.19.12 @ 6:29PM

Maybe Dewine should reconsider his reconsidered endorsement...after today, Santorum´s troubles are only going to get worse. He shot himself in the foot today with comments about pre-natal testing. He is starting to look like the caricature of a conservative lefties have been promoting for years....which scares the heck out of the mainstream. That equals a failed election. Still want Newt to get out of the race?????

Bo| 2.20.12 @ 9:49AM

All this work they went through to come up with the whole one percenter garbage and then we go and give them the kooky bible thumper they've been dreaming about running against for the last 40 years.

Dai Alanye| 2.19.12 @ 6:40PM

It's remarkable how many posters here are concerned with what the mainstream thinks. It almost makes me want to question their motives.

Clint| 2.19.12 @ 9:54PM

Ricky Specter-Santorum Is Our Useful Dupe To A Brokered Convention.

The First Step Is To Make RINO-CINO Patrician GOP Fop, Mittens Romney Lose Michigan.

Then The RINO-CINO GOP Ruling Elite House Of Cards Starts To Fall For The Super Tuesday Elections.

Once A Brokered Convention Is Assured, We Give Ricky Specter- Santorum His Walking Papers And Get Another Candidate.

The Tea Party Rebellion Heads To A Brokered Convention.

Bob Grant| 2.19.12 @ 10:10PM

But Clint, what about all of those states between now and the so-called brokered convention?

I guess the Tea Party Rebellion will be headed for a rest stop exit?

Tell Uncle Ronnie to say Hi to George Michael!

Clint| 2.20.12 @ 7:01AM

Does Sheriff Paul Babeu, who had been co-chairman of Romney's Arizona campaign and resigned from that position Saturday and admitted he is homosexual, lead when you two dance together at The Birdcage, Bobbie ?

Bo| 2.20.12 @ 9:50AM

Why would anybody think of what the people who will be voting in the general election think? Truly strange, indeed.

Henry| 2.19.12 @ 6:52PM

When Santorum is not the nominee,which he won't be,what will little Mikey do?

aware| 2.20.12 @ 5:53AM

DeWine, gun banning member of the gang of 14. Exactly the kind of political scum you'd expect to back a Santorum.

Marco2| 2.20.12 @ 9:36AM

"Political scum" they are. Fr. Rick's day in the sun has exposed the troglodyte so effectively that they're scrambling to resurrect the moon king for a third go around. Their "Christian" bigotry is kind of sad, even if to no avail.