-
Laughing to Keep From Crying
May 17, 2013 | 1 comment
-
I’m Melting, Melting!
May 16, 2013 | 5 comments
-
Delaware’s Unclaimed Property Racket: John Gotti Would Be Proud
May 16, 2013 | 1 comment
-
Rep. Cleaver: GOP Concerns with IRS Due to Obama’s Skin Color
May 16, 2013 | 9 comments
-
Lawsuit Accuses IRS of Stealing Medical Records of 10 Million Americans
May 15, 2013 | 3 comments
The Spectacle Blog
If I were a religious man, I would be offering prayers for Rick Santorum’s daughter, Bella, who has a rare genetic disorder called Trisomy 18 which is often fatal but which also has sufferers, especially among women (according to the Trisomy 18 Foundation), who “are living into their twenties and thirties, although with significant developmental delays that do not allow them to live independently without assisted caregiving.”
Even without prayer, my thoughts are with Rick Santorum’s family in these difficult days as his daughter remains in the hospital. As a parent of young children, and having lost a brother (and seen the toll on my parents from losing a child), I sincerely hope that little Bella lives as long and full a life as possible.
But like it or not, this is a political season and there are few things without political implications when it comes to the lives of the candidates.
This is not a wildly insightful revelation; after all, the Santorum campaign has canceled all events by Rick Santorum today. And the Romney campaign has canceled its plans to run anti-Santorum ads in Pennsylvania today (submitting other ads, presumably positive, pro-Romney ads which don’t mention Santorum) in their place.
I made this prediction a couple of months ago, and turned out to be wildly wrong, but I will make it again, particularly given how difficult “the math” has become in former Senator Santorum’s quest for the GOP presidential nomination, and I say it knowing that Sarah Palin and her supporters (as well as Santorum fans) will likely have strong disagreement:
I believe that Rick Santorum will, and should, drop out of this race because of his daughter’s health issues. Santorum is a committed family man, for which I have tremendous admiration. He cannot give his daughter the attention he wants to while focusing on a campaign, and he will not be perceived as a man who can give his full attention — which is what is required — to a potential presidency while he is honorably and understandably distracted by his daughter’s condition.
In a more Machiavellian sense, his daughter’s plight gives Santorum a graceful way out of the campaign, not looking as if he’s been forced out, not looking as if he believes he can’t or won’t win, and not having to risk the possible indignity of losing his home state of Pennsylvania. (For the record, I think Santorum would narrowly win Pennsylvania. But if he lost it, that would cause irreparable damage to his presidential hopes as well as to his future aspirations, whether in terms of running for office, being a power-player in Republican politics, or even writing a book.)
Santorum is being encouraged to stay in the race by “conservative leaders” who dislike or distrust Mitt Romney, particularly on social issues.
On these lines, allow me to relate a story: I was asked by a friend (who had been a popular elected politician) whether he should run for higher office. I told him “no” for a variety of reasons, primarily because I thought that particular election cycle was going to be exceptionally difficult for Republicans. He ended up running and losing, and — I think, although he has never said as much — somewhat regretting spending all that money, effort, and especially time away from his family, for what in retrospect was, as I had suggested, always going to be a losing cause. None of that is the main point of the story, however. For me, the lesson was learned more than a year later when I was told that of the twenty or so confidantes whom this person had asked the “should I run?” question, I was the only one who said “no.”
When Rick Santorum thinks about those who are pushing him to stay in the race, he should question their motivations. Some sincerely want him in because they think he’s best for the country, and they think he can win. (I put my colleague Quin Hillyer in that category, though to be clear I don’t know what Quin thinks about whether Santorum should be staying in the race at this point.)
There is zero opportunity cost for Gary Bauer and others to push Santorum to stay in. They think, and not unreasonably, that if they provide the moral, financial, and other support which leads to a Santorum victory, that they will have a grateful friend in the White House who will help them when they need help — beyond the policy position similarities they naturally share with him.
For anyone who suggests to a potential candidate that he not run (or to an actual candidate that he drop out), there is the perceived risk that the person will win, and then think that such advice meant that the person offering it had no faith in the candidate. In other words, one might fear losing access to power by advising against running.
But when I was asked that question, I took my role to be as a friend rather than anything else. And in that capacity, the answer was obvious to me. The “political risk” never crossed my mind. (For the record, I gave similar advice to another potential candidate; that person decided not to run, but I don’t think my advice was a very large factor since he seemed to be thinking along those lines already. Still, I was proud of myself for putting my honest opinion ahead of my potential political gain — not that doing anything else ever crossed my mind.)
These “leaders” who are pushing Santorum to stay in may not be his friends; after all, a friend is a very different thing from a political ally. I don’t mean that none of his political allies could be his true friends, nor that some of these “leaders” might not give the same suggestion I am giving. I mean simply that the question should be asked.
I hope that Rick Santorum puts political advice he receive in the context of the motivation of those who are making it. I say that fully realizing that some may point a finger at me with my suggestion that Santorum get out of the race, noting that I am not Santorum’s friend and that I have been quite clear in my pro-Romney leanings (for reasons of electability, not because I think any of the current crop of Republican candidates is inspiring.)
To that I plead no contest. Not only am I not Santorum’s friend or supporter, but the only things I know about his family life, his daughter’s condition, and other most important things going on in his life are what I read in news reports. My information is extremely limited, and I do have motives separate from Santorum’s political best interest in wanting him out of the race.
But my fundamental argument is absolutely sincere, and what I would tell a friend in the same situation as Santorum: “You need to at least consider whether running for president is what’s best for your family at this time, and whether what’s going on with your child means that your continuing to run is what’s best for the country.”
My conclusion, and again I concede very limited information and not being a Santorum supporter, is that Rick Santorum has been given a compelling reason to leave the race and, while it comes due to very difficult events for his family, it represents a safe, if sad and unwanted, exit ramp from the current political autobahn.
By getting out, Santorum will burnish his credentials as a committed father, and boost perception (among those who already think it as well as those who don’t yet have an opinion) that he is a good person. These things will serve him well in any future endeavors. Particularly given how difficult his path to the nomination seems, getting out now would be an unvarnished benefit to Rick Santorum’s family and to his short- and long-term political future — and perhaps to Republican chances of beating Barack Obama as well, though that is a debate for another day.
View all comments (44) | Leave a comment
More Blog Posts by Ross Kaminsky
http://spectator.org/blog/2012/04/09/santorums-difficult-choices
Follow us:
ADVERTISEMENT
Current Issue
- Downton’s Class System — and Ours
- The (Real) Great Divide
- Nuts to Nutter
SPONSORED LINKS
FLASHBACK TO: 1995
-
Pope Culture
A man of faith in a godless age is hitting Americans where it hurts.
-
Why the GOP Does Not, Like, Totally Suck
Mr. and Mrs. American Spectator Reader, let P.J. O’Rourke talk sense to your kids.
-
Dames at Sea
-
In the Absence of Guns
In Britain, defending your property can get you life.
-
The Metaphysical Martini
-
Counting the Costs of Clintonism
The debacle of this president’s administration is both a cause and a symptom of the decline of American values. Unless Congress impeaches him, that decline will go on unchecked. An eminent jurist surveys the damage and assesses the chances for the recovery of our culture.
-
Chuck McHagel
It won’t take long for conservatives to scratch this presidential wannabe off their 2008 scorecard.
-
The Legacy of Old John and Mother Fresh-Roasted
-
It’s the Best Time of the Year
The American Christmas, like the songs that celebrate it, makes room for everybody under the rainbow. Is that why so many people seem to be hostile to it?
-
The Bush Crack-Up
Was the President done in by the economy, or by the politics of the economy?
Clip of the Day
ADVERTISEMENT
Drek| 4.9.12 @ 12:20PM
Four years from now, if Romney goes down in flames against obama, a real conservative is going to emerge with genuine executive credentials.
Santorum won't even be considered then, because the only reason he's getting a hearing now is that the rank and file are desperate to avoid Romney.
Santorum brought nothing new to this race, for his ardent social conservatism was not unique to the field.
He had no defense credentials which others didn't share.
Never headed a committee.
Never led an overarching agenda through either House of Congress.
He had no reason to enter this race, and has only further frayed the total conservative opposition to Romney.
Moreover, he's a pretty pathetic public speaker, who should be denied a prominent speaking role at the Convention, not because of any other reason than his weak public speaking skills.
We need our A game going at the Convention, and that's not Santorum.
He needs to gracefully go away.
If he can get some kind of assurance from the Romney campaign about how they'll govern, who they'll appoint, ------------ great.
If not, well, he can linger around a bit longer.
It's likely he'll lose Pennsylvania, which should put a spike through his candidacy.
Dai Alanye | 4.9.12 @ 1:02PM
Drek, as usual, cannot be trusted when it comes to facts, and the post by Kaminsky absolutely reeks of sanctimonious hypocrisy.
In other words, nothing new on Specblog today.
Ross Kaminsky | 4.9.12 @ 1:17PM
Please show me any hypocrisy in my note. If there could be a less hypocritical way of making my point than the way I did, I don't know what it is since I went out of my way to make clear my biases. Separately, do you even know what hypocrisy means?
And if you're so turned off by this blog, then you're free (and encouraged) to go away.
It's A Cunning Plan, Actually| 4.9.12 @ 4:04PM
"And if you're so turned off by this blog, then you're free (and encouraged) to go away."
Mr. Kaminsky, yourself & other professed Republicans who put party, politicians & political "victories" first ahead of Almighty God, the family, the nation, & the what the founders of this nation founded this nation on are precisely what have driven me away from the GOP & what passes today for "modern conservatism". Thank you for allowing God to use people like you to show me convincingly the answers to America's problems are not Republicans & the "modern conservative" movement. The answer to America's problems & my own is God, Himself. I will now take your advice & go away. Great way to convince people to see things as you do. Your statement above would make the left proud. The contrast between God & many (not all) in the GOP & the "modern conservative" movement has now become very stark. If you aren't doing as we (the GOP, "conservative" pundits,etc.) want you to do, please go away! If you aren't doing as I (God) want you to do, please come to Me. Now there's something to think about.
Ross Kaminsky | 4.9.12 @ 6:14PM
You do what you need to do. For the record, however, while there are plenty of conservatives of various stripes on this site, I consider myself libertarian.
Furthermore, I most certainly did not put politics ahead of family, the nation, or anything else.
As for the role of God in your life, that is up to you to decide and not for me to judge. To each his own!
silver bullet| 4.9.12 @ 8:15PM
Ross, I want to offer my support to you. I do not agree that Santorum should drop out. I am a donor to his campaign, in fact. But I want you, Ross, to know that I, for one, think that you have posted a very heart-felt, sincere article; and I appreciate your kindness to Senator Santorum. Thanks for a very nice read.
silver bullet| 4.9.12 @ 8:20PM
P.S. to Ross: You self-describe yourself, perhaps, as not being "religious." Perhaps you don't pray. But please know: your article struck me as being "prayer-ful." I don't agree with you on some things, but you are -- after reading this article -- a very kind and, yes, "prayer-ful" man. God Bless!
Ross Kaminsky | 4.9.12 @ 8:47PM
Thanks, SB.
I do wish that more readers here would not focus as much on my self-professed religious beliefs, or lack thereof, and consider how I comport myself, how I think and write, etc.
Those who oppose the left too often focus on the 5% or 10% or 20% where we disagree instead of on the 80%-95% where we agree.
Drek| 4.9.12 @ 1:42PM
Which facts?
Occam's Tool| 4.9.12 @ 1:20PM
Hey, I have dealt with families that have had Trisomy-18 in the family. It is a fate I would not wish upon Jack in Wisconsin, and you all know that if Jack were to spontaneously combust in the evening after being struck by lighting in the morning and bitten by a Great White for lunch, that would not particularly bother me.
May G-d Bless and keep Bella and the Santorum family.
Bill| 4.9.12 @ 1:26PM
Romney leads Santorum by 5 points. That should do for Romney.
Pete| 4.10.12 @ 11:55AM
Well the polls have not been all that accurate.
MikeN| 4.9.12 @ 1:30PM
For reasons of electability, I think Santorum would be a better candidate than Romney. Despite outspending opponents the way he did in Florida, Romney could only eke out small wins against Santorum, including in his home state. With Santorum as the nominee, I think the entire midwest is in play, and Pennsylvania destroys Obama's chances, even having to campaign there. Romney would have trouble winning even his home state of Michigan as well as Ohio.
So for Santorum you have potential pickups in Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa, while having a harder time in New Hampshire, Florida, Nevada, and maybe Virginia Arizona and Colorado. I much prefer the Santorum map, and the candidate who won't be attacked as super-rich, Mormon, gay-marriage, while also being the candidate of Romneycare and global warming.
Drek| 4.9.12 @ 1:44PM
I was open to that analysis at the beginning of the campaign season.
But how Santorum has campaigned, his propensity for wandering off topic, his vulnerability to being lured into speaking on social issues that it would be politically prudent to avoid, his overall method of operation this campaign season eradicated any confidence I had about his candidacy.
Al Adab| 4.9.12 @ 2:42PM
The '08 e;ectoral count was 365 to 173. FL, NC, VA and Ohio have 75 so even should they change it comes up short. What other states are even in play that add the additional votes?
MikeN| 4.9.12 @ 3:03PM
First, there's the census changes like Texas' 4 more electoral votes. Then you have a single district in Nebraska, and Indiana. That brings the total to 266 I think. So pickup opportunities are New Hamphire, Nevada, Colorado, New Jersey for Romney, while Santorum has Pennsylvania, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin.
corvail| 4.9.12 @ 11:07PM
Santorum has pickup opportunities in Pennsylvania (he lost in a landslide to Casey), Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Are you serious? He has no chance in these states!
MikeN| 4.10.12 @ 12:38PM
I forgot Iowa. Casey is the son of the popular pro-life Governor, and that was a bad year for Republicans nationwide. Obama is not pro-life, and is not the son of a governor. Santorum won twice in the state, running ahead of George Bush in 2000.
MikeN| 4.9.12 @ 3:04PM
Romney is the guy who said 'Who let the dogs out' to a black audience. It is obvious from the Trayvon Martin case that race is going to be pushed hard by the Obama campaign. They are going to label Romney a racist for that comment alone, not to mention that the Mormon church disallowed blacks while Romney was a priest in the church.
Jake| 4.9.12 @ 1:54PM
The choice is not difficult, it's a no brainer.
You have a child with a disorder that will shorten her life.
You spend every minute you can with her 24/ 7 and
the rest of the family. Boom, done.
You support your wife by helping her care for the child
in good times and bad.
You don't decide to go home and spend time with the child
only when she's hospitalized.
You don't galavant around the country on a lost cause.
Unless you are selfishly putting your own ego
before your family and your sick child.
Nothing is more important.
Dave| 4.9.12 @ 2:10PM
There is reason why Santorum should continue. Romney and Obama BOTH want to beat up the conservative movement. If Santorum leaves without a fight, they will think that the conservative movement is irrelevant. What Santorum has achieved is already making the conservatives stand tall. But there are more work to do. It is to arouse conservatives in those coming states that their voices still count. That is the real meaning of Santorum's run.
It's A Cunning Plan, Actually| 4.9.12 @ 4:07PM
Very well put Dave. I couldn't have said what you did any better myself. Take care & go with God.
Dave| 4.9.12 @ 2:14PM
I do not think there is any negative effect on the conservative movement at all if Santorum continue to run. It only communicates a message that ALL conservatives, in states that have voted and those that have not, are important. It is the true meaning of democracy that Obama has only half-heartedly supported.
Drek| 4.9.12 @ 3:05PM
Romney didn't walk away with anything.
Conservatives made it crystal clear they're livid with him as the nominee.
Conservatives increasingly distanced themselves from their self-styled leaders, who endlessly urged one and all to fall in behind Romney.
Coulter blew up her credibility in her cheerleading for Romney.
Though we didn't manage to place a real conservative at the top of the ticket, let us not blind ourselves to what we did manage to accomplish.
I'm not sure what we'll accomplish in addition to that which we've already achieved.
So I'm not sure Santorum's continued presence really advances much of anything right now.
Defeating Obama is deadly serious business for this country; this is no game where a loss is a trivial matter.
Oldefarte| 4.9.12 @ 2:36PM
As Ross correctly opined, Santorum should quit [and not because of his duaghter's illness either]. He simply cannot and will not win the nomination, and that is the pure truth and fact. Maybe as Reagan experienced, if Santorum is truly a gifted leader of conservatism [which I seriously doubt], he should save himself for another more successful time/day....not now. As to those saying he should stay in, they are simply asininely stupid, since to butt one's head against a brick wall will only result in a bruised and bloody forehead and concussion for your efforts [and that is all that a Santorum continuation would result in]. For those saying there's no substantial difference between Romney and Obama is also stupid. For those saying they will stay home and not vote if Romney is the nominee, that is worse than stupid. This country is going to economically die if Obama is re-elected, and that's a fact!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Al Adab| 4.9.12 @ 2:52PM
O/F:
The problem with a Romney nomination is simply that so many will "hold their nose" and vote for him, but will not be energized and committed enough to work for him. He is simply another in the long line of accomodationist GOP candidates that the party continues to follow to defeat. Romney keeps getting his delegates from states which will not deliver electoral votes in November.
You are correct about the results of a re-election, but sadly, when looking for the leader who can take the party to victory, Mitt ain't it.
Drek| 4.9.12 @ 3:08PM
You haven't factored in obama's own behavior during the months to come.
Obama is going to piss off the GOP base even more all in the attempt to energize HIS base in the Dem party.
Bill| 4.9.12 @ 3:04PM
Santorum's opposition on the "RIGHT-TO-WORK" law killed his campaign.
Drek| 4.9.12 @ 3:13PM
It wasn't just a single thing that blew up his candidacy, it was a number of things, from gaffes during debates to awkward, clumsy pronouncements on the stump.
His legislative record wasn't all that either.
RSM went to the mattresses for him, but his running down Gingrich's real accomplishments never quite managed to mask Santorm's lack of real accomplishments.
Santorum's candidacy advanced only to the extent that he was able to move forward in the slipstream of Gingrich's. Newt got plastered by Romney's ad buys while Santorum stealthly moved forward unobserved.
But as soon as Gingrich's ability to serve as a screen for Santorum collapsed, so too did the Santorum campaign begin to collapse.
He had his one on ones against Romney, in states such as Ohio, and he lost to Romney.
And he's likely to lose Pennsylvania as well.
Santorum was hyped beyond the breaking point by desperate conservatives reaching out for any alternative to Romney.
Bill| 4.9.12 @ 3:46PM
Amen!
MikeN| 4.9.12 @ 3:52PM
This analysis leaves out the fact that Santorum is already a candidate. So the issue of you advised people not to run is secondary. At this point it is another month and a half of campaigning. Maybe he loses his home state. So what? The big reason people have for voting against him is that he lost his home state in 2006. What's one more loss?
But maybe he wins his home state, and follows up with wins in Indiana, North Carolina, West Virginia, Nebraska, Arkansas, Texas, Kentucky, Montana, and South Dakota. Is this unreasonable? There are still additional states I think he could get, but it doesn't matter. Then he would be a candidate with 20 wins instead of 11. 28-20 vs Romney is different from 37-11.
Ken (Old Texican)| 4.9.12 @ 5:49PM
Elmer Fudd rather than Obama!
Please get your dumbass brother in law off his butt on election day!
A free America is at stake...or civil war.
Wayne| 4.10.12 @ 1:01PM
Isn't Elmer Obama's running mate?
somnolence| 4.9.12 @ 8:21PM
As I've said before, the Democrats WILL NOT DARE make the campaign against Romney's religion, contrary to the IDIOTIC indication in one place above which implies this. Romney in that case could state I CAN be as filthy dirty as anybody, and I will be glad to pit MORMONISM against ISLAM. Any more stupid questions or equations? We have a few people from lala land on this page.
Drek| 4.9.12 @ 10:28PM
Somnolence,
who here thinks that the GOP leadership would have the nerve to pit Mormonism against islam?
Clint| 4.9.12 @ 9:21PM
Obama Is A Tarpster, Romney Is A Tarpster.
Obama Orchestrated Obamacare, Romney Orchestrated Romneycare.
The Tea Party Rebellion Heads To An Open Convention.
Pete| 4.10.12 @ 11:56AM
And both support Cap and Trade.
somnolence| 4.10.12 @ 9:01AM
No, the country is ALREADY economically dead, is actually on life support, and I hold out really not much hope even if Romney OR Santorum or any of the candidates was to defeat Obama. All of us are COLLECTIVELY deluding ourselves, and BTW, it is a pretty safe bet we won't see a TRUE conservative elected President in our lifetimes.
Pete| 4.10.12 @ 11:56AM
So when are you committing suicide?
العاب | 4.10.12 @ 11:33AM
thank you very nic
The Bruce| 4.10.12 @ 11:41AM
Santorum would probably be doing much better if he had been running against Obama instead of Romney. Political infighting doesn't bode well for most candidates.
Also, I believe Santorum made an enormous misstep when he decided to make his campaign about "It's about the DEVIL, Stupid."
somnolence| 4.10.12 @ 3:21PM
Pete, I'm not. I will go down fighting in a river of blood if the day of reckoning comes. Are you(in fact is this publication)keeping up with the news on hollow point bullets the feds are buying up, along with the extra 16,000 IRS agents? Quite ominous if you ask me.