Santorum *really* wants you to know that he's thinking about running for prez

[Mr. Morden]

For most potential candidates, even those who are almost certain to run, like Romney and Pawlenty, the answer to "Are you going to run for president in 2012?" is "I'm just focused on my current job" or "I'm focused on getting Republicans elected in 2010.  It's way too early to talk about 2012."

Santorum, though, is taking the opposite track.  Just in case his trips to Iowa and South Carolina weren't enough to telegraph his intentions, this is like the third time he's publicly said something like "Yes, I'm thinking about running":

link

Will Santorum break Biden's record for number of times to announce your candidacy in the same electoral cycle?

[Stranger in a strange land]

I sure hope so

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

I really want him to get GOP nod

[useful idiot]

I don't think he's constantly announcing that he's running, I think he's getting asked the question at speaking engagements or in interviews and giving a consistent answer, which is that he is considering it. I'm glad to see that he's going after Palin somewhat, because if she and Huckabee are taken out of the race then he'll be the natural choice for social conservatives. He has far more experience than either Palin or Romney(16 years in the congress). As opposed to Palin he has more pro-life credentials than anyone, is intelligent, and has deep knowledge of the issues. As opposed to Romney, he's proven that he'll stand up for the things he believes in and won't change positions for political gain. He's also Catholic, which he can embrace and use in the primary, whereas Romney will have to run as far away from his religion as he can, and we know how important faith is in a Republican primary. I hope he does run and gets nominated, and not because I just want someone who will get destroyed in the general election(we can get that with Palin). It's because Santorum has integrity and knows what he's talking about. I like that he's giving the answer he's giving about running, because it's honest, and we know we can expect that out of Rick.

If only Obama was the true believer that Santorum is...

[TeePee4Prez]

I really want him to get GOP nod

So do I.  If it was pre-"man on dog" I would actually be a little nervous, but since it's not... well, he won't even come close in PA.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

I'd support him (probably not in the primary though).

[RIP Robert H Bork]

I'd support him (probably not in the primary though).

This.

[Sensei]

The only downside to Santorum getting the GOP is that Obama might get found punting a puppy off of a bridge or Woodsing Michelle and then we're stuck with President Santorum. Think of that for a second.
President Santorum.

[Dr. Cynic]

I really want him to get GOP nod

So do I.  If it was pre-"man on dog" I would actually be a little nervous, but since it's not... well, he won't even come close in PA.

This ^^^

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

I really want him to get GOP nod

So do I.  If it was pre-"man on dog" I would actually be a little nervous, but since it's not... well, he won't even come close in PA.

This ^^^

I guess Keystone Phil would wholeheartly disagree with you

[Obnoxiously Slutty Girly Girl]

Another papest taking orders from vatican. Vote for huckerbee!!!11

[useful idiot]

Another papest taking orders from vatican. Vote for huckerbee!!!11

Better than taking orders from the Islamics like Barack HUSSEIN OSAMA...we need Palin or Glenn Beck in office to take back the republic...

[Lahbas]

I've been on the Santorum bandwagon ever since the election, and hope he does through some miracle get the GOP nod. The only problems are Palin and Huckabee, who take up most of what would be his base.

[Scam of God]

Throw another idiot-populist onto the bonfire.

[pbrower2a]

I've been on the Santorum bandwagon ever since the election, and hope he does through some miracle get the GOP nod. The only problems are Palin and Huckabee, who take up most of what would be his base.

You forget some other problems:

1. President Obama. Slickest politician since at least JFK.

2. Election 2006. He couldn't win his home state when America was genuinely "moderate". In fact, he was absolutely crushed in the firmest defeat of an incumbent Senator since George McGovern. 

3. As a GWB stooge, he will have a big handicap in 2012. 

[useful idiot]

I've been on the Santorum bandwagon ever since the election, and hope he does through some miracle get the GOP nod. The only problems are Palin and Huckabee, who take up most of what would be his base.

You forget some other problems:

1. President Obama. Slickest politician since at least JFK.

2. Election 2006. He couldn't win his home state when America was genuinely "moderate". In fact, he was absolutely crushed in the firmest defeat of an incumbent Senator since George McGovern. 

3. As a GWB stooge, he will have a big handicap in 2012. 

He was talking about the primaries, not the general. The only one of those three things you mentioned that matter is his loss in 2006, and you're characterization of America being moderate then as if it wasn't a huge Democratic year is crazy. He was very conservative in a left leaning state and the media had gone out of their way to destroy him(extreme mis-characterization of his homosexuality remarks, PA media being totally against him and very soft on his opponent). Not to mention the fact that his opponent was the son of a semi-saint in PA. Santorum campaigned his ass off while Casey barely showed up on the campaign trail(much like how he never showed up to his job before becoming senator). Santorum has done and said some stupid things, but he shouldn't be ashamed of that race. The people of Pennsylvania made the wrong decision and elected the wrong guy; regardless of how you feel about him, he brought a ton of cash back to PA and spent plenty of time there(despite the disingenuous attacks on his living arrangement).

As for #3 on your list, I don't think the fact that he had 16 years in the congress, even if part of it was under the Bush administration, is going to hurt him against a 4 year and a 2 year governor. Republicans aren't going to lash out at him for being a Republican in Washington while Bush was in office, it's not in their nature..

[TeePee4Prez]

I've been on the Santorum bandwagon ever since the election, and hope he does through some miracle get the GOP nod. The only problems are Palin and Huckabee, who take up most of what would be his base.

You forget some other problems:

1. President Obama. Slickest politician since at least JFK.

2. Election 2006. He couldn't win his home state when America was genuinely "moderate". In fact, he was absolutely crushed in the firmest defeat of an incumbent Senator since George McGovern. 

3. As a GWB stooge, he will have a big handicap in 2012. 

He was talking about the primaries, not the general. The only one of those three things you mentioned that matter is his loss in 2006, and you're characterization of America being moderate then as if it wasn't a huge Democratic year is crazy. He was very conservative in a left leaning state and the media had gone out of their way to destroy him(extreme mis-characterization of his homosexuality remarks, PA media being totally against him and very soft on his opponent). Not to mention the fact that his opponent was the son of a semi-saint in PA. Santorum campaigned his ass off while Casey barely showed up on the campaign trail(much like how he never showed up to his job before becoming senator). Santorum has done and said some stupid things, but he shouldn't be ashamed of that race. The people of Pennsylvania made the wrong decision and elected the wrong guy; regardless of how you feel about him, he brought a ton of cash back to PA and spent plenty of time there(despite the disingenuous attacks on his living arrangement).

As for #3 on your list, I don't think the fact that he had 16 years in the congress, even if part of it was under the Bush administration, is going to hurt him against a 4 year and a 2 year governor. Republicans aren't going to lash out at him for being a Republican in Washington while Bush was in office, it's not in their nature..

In all fairness, Santorum is a pretty good speaker and showed up for a lot of things in PA, but no I made the right decision.  He was simply too conservative for the state and moderate (socially liberal) Philadelphia suburban voters finally saw his true colors in words unlike 1994 and 2000 when the focus of his message was responsible fatherhood and welfare reform.  My moderate liberal self can agree with those tenets.  Even Montgomery County, which is arguably the 2nd most socially liberal (Obama +21) in the state, voted from him as late as 2000.  When he fell off the deep end rubbing the orthodoxy of the Catholic Church down peoples throats is when people began to dislike him and hence his out of touch views were brought to light.  I think Joe Hoeffel, Allyson Schwartz, Barb Hafer, or Mark Singel would have got at least 10 points on Santorum because I think they would have campaigned much harder than Casey.  Casey basically told the DSCC to spend cash elsewhere, which I am grateful for (MO, VA, close in TN).  However, I still maintain Joe Hoeffel or Allyson Schwartz would have been a FAR better Senator than the mum Casey Jr. we have right now and it's not just because of his social views. 

[Mr. Morden]

I don't think he's constantly announcing that he's running, I think he's getting asked the question at speaking engagements or in interviews and giving a consistent answer, which is that he is considering it.

Perhaps, but he just brought it up yet again, completely unprompted, with this letter to supporters:

http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=MTZhOGE2MTg4NWRlMTZiOTY3MzJjYjcyMWEyMTdlNTY=

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In the letter, he asks donors to his PAC to tell him what they think about whether he should run for president or not.  So if any of you are Santorum PAC donors, make sure you get back to him on that. 

Also....Santorum apparently made another trip to South Carolina last week:

http://hotlineoncall.nationaljournal.com/archives/2010/01/santorum_to_sc.php

[Lunar]

Considering Santorum's danger of being yesterday's old news, he really has to make the extra effort to be considered serious.

I'm glad Phil isn't posting here anymore, otherwise I'd be eating all of my posts saying it was 100% impossible he could run successfully for the GOP nomination (at least we can still find common ground in how horrible Martha Coakley, the Dallas Cowboys, and Indy Colts are on Facebook).  I'm already eating my Scott Brown predictions.

[Dr. Cynic]

Santorum couldn't beat Bob Casey... Granted, Casey had the name, but any other Democrat could've beaten him too, just as Flyers said.

[Lunar]

Santorum couldn't beat Bob Casey... Granted, Casey had the name, but any other Democrat could've beaten him too, just as Flyers said.

So?

Think about the 2008 election.  Obama beat McCain, but so would have any other Democrat.

[perdedor]

I'm almost certain that Rick Santorum is the only one seriously considering the prospects of Santorum 2012.

Remember Gilmore 2008? This is about on the same level.

[DS0816]

Former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pennsylvania) is irrelevant.