RSSSantorum rouses Montrose crowd
Photo by Christopher Tomlinson—Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, speaking to an overflow crowd at a Montrose hotel Saturday, touted his electability if he were the Republican presidential nominee, saying one poll has him two points ahead of President Barack Obama in a head-to-head matchup
MONTROSE — Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum lashed out at President Barack Obama on Saturday for the president’s handling of threats to Israel, bringing many of the crowd of more than 400 to their feet.
“I have never seen a president of the United States do so much to isolate Israel” and single out the nation in the Middle East up for criticism, Santorum said in a campaign stop that filled the largest room in the Holiday Inn Express to capacity and beyond. Many people stood in the back and along the sides.
Santorum was referring to a comment by the Obama administration this past week criticizing the possible timing of an attack by Israel on Iran.
One of the most disturbing things about the split was it came on the heels of bragging by Iran’s leaders about looming attacks on the United States, Santorum said.
Santorum, who served two terms in the Senate, pointed to a Rasmussen poll that showed him two points ahead of the president in a head-to-head matchup and said he was the best person in the GOP field to clearly differentiate himself from Obama’s policies.
He pointed in particular to the health care system shepherded by one of Santorum’s leading GOP foes, Mitt Romney, in Massachusetts, and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich’s alliance with Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi on global-warming legislation.
Both of his opponents in the Republican Party are too entwined with Obama policy for voters to draw clear contrasts between either if they face off against the incumbent, Santorum said.
Pitching his appeal to values, Santorum cited family, the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence and the church as elements of modern society that need to be protected against the advancement of a growing government.
Santorum pointed to two recent decisions to exemplify the lengths to which the president will, but should not, go to govern:
■ Last week’s decision by the Department of Health and Human Services requiring all health care providers, including Catholic hospitals and other organizations, offer birth control despite conscience clauses.
■ And the attempt by the Obama administration to subject religious organizations to equal-employment laws, which the U.S. Supreme Court last month rejected unanimously.
“You have no idea how radical this president is,” Santorum said.
Santorum’s comments were exactly what many in the audience wanted to hear, including Sandy Peeso of Grand Junction, who dismissed the other Republicans as “faux conservatives.”
Phillip Ulrich of Ridgway said he was motivated to support Santorum because of the Obama administration’s attacks on the conscience clause, and he plans to work on Santorum’s behalf in the approaching caucuses.
and the presidential preference poll.
COMMENTS
Commenting is not available in this channel entry.The war on women is going to isolate Republicans this fall. 80% of women use birth control, even most Catholic women. Do you seriously think we will vote for any man who threatens OUR reproductive freedom?