The Other McCain

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EXCLUSIVE: Rick Santorum Interview

Posted on | October 7, 2011 | 13 Comments

WASHINGTON, D.C.
Here at the FRC Value Voters Summit, I was walking through the lobby of the Omni Shoreham Hotel when I saw a familiar face: One of the daughters of former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum. The candidate’s three oldest children and his lovely wife were sitting in the lobby, awaiting the candidate’s return from an interview with Megyn Kelly at the D.C. bureau of Fox News. After a few minutes, Santorum returned, and we had lunch — sandwiches and chips — then he agreed to a brief video interview:

I’m in kind of a hurry here — Herman Cain speaks at 4:15 p.m. — so there’s no time to transcribe his quotes. If some of our blog friends and commenters would care to do so (just stick the quotes down in the comments), I’d be much obliged.

While we were having lunch, one of Santorum’s staffers walked up and told us the news that Iowa has scheduled its caucuses for Jan. 3. So, good-bye Christmas, eh? But Santorum has campaigned hard in Iowa, and has a solid base of grassroots support, so he may be positioned to take advantage of What Florida Hath Wrought.

UPDATE: Thanks to Steve Eggleston of No Runny Eggs for this transpcript of the interview:

McCain – We’re here in Washington, DC, at the Value Voters Summit at the Omni Shoreham Hotel talking to former Senator Rick Santorum. How are you, sir?
Santorum – I’m doing great, Stace. How are you?
McCain – I’m doing pretty good. How’s your campaign been going the last couple weeks since we’ve seen you?
Santorum – We feel very, very good. I think we’re picking up some traction, I think getting the recognition as being a serious candidate has got the grass-roots effort out there, as well as the substance to do the job as President and to win a tough election against what will be a tough opponent. I think the more people look at the candidates and make an assessment as to who can deliver the mail, who can stand up for conservative principles, get things done in Washington, bring the country together, and first and foremost win the election, that we’re going to be on top.
McCain – You just got back from a 3-day swing from Iowa…
Santorum – I was in Iowa for most of the week, actually, in, I think, close to my 70th county in the state. I’ll be back again into New Hampshire this coming week, then South Carolina, and then the following week back to Iowa. So, we’re working all the three early-primary states and giving the chance for the voters to get a chance to kick the tires and find out about who we are, not just go give speeches or do television interviews, but really have a chance for the interaction that, at least I’m told the voters in Iowa really appreciate and that pays off, if you do well, in the long term.
McCain – And your debate performances; a lot of people have praise for your performance in Orlando, and I believe I characterized you as a “brutal counter-puncher”. Sometimes these debates have been kind of rough at times.
Santorum – My feeling is there are differences between the candidates on substance, you have to let the folks who are going to make these tough decisions, you have to let them know what those differences are. There clearly were differences between me and Governor Perry on the issue of immigration and this issue of mandatory vaccines, his executive order on vaccines. There have been differences between me and Ron Paul on the issue of Iran and Israel, and our position in Afghanistan. I’m not shy about pointing those differences when they are, and looking forward do more of that in debates ahead on other issues.
McCain – All right then. And your website is…
Santorum – ricksantorum.com. Go and send us a check.
McCain – All right. Thanks.
Santorum – Thanks.

UPDATE II: Josh Lederman of The Hill reports on Santorum’s speech today:

Rick Santorum came out with his own economic plan Friday to top the 9-9-9 plan pushed by Herman Cain.
“I’ve got a better plan. It’s the zero-zero-zero plan,” the GOP presidential candidate and former senator told the Value Voters Summit.
Santorum said his plan would levy zero taxes on repatriation of funds invested overseas, cut corporate taxes for manufacturers to zero and eliminate every regulation put in place by President Obama.
Santorum has long been a favorite son of the socially conservative voter bloc that flocks to Washington every year for the Value Voters Summit, but has yet to define himself as independent thinker on economic issues within the Republican presidential field.

My 12-year-old son Jefferson, who’s here with press credentials as my assistant, overheard one of the conference attendees say that he’d decided to support Santorum for the very reason that he met and talked to him in the hotel lobby. Santorum is the most accessible candidate here, and he spent most of the afternoon in the lobby meeting voters one-on-one. He posed for a photo with Jefferson:

Of course, Santorum knows I’m a Cain guy, but also knows that I’m friends with his strongest online supporter Lisa Graas. And speaking of which, I ran into K-Lo here and she said to me, “Who’s this Lisa Graas who CC’s me on all her Tweets?”

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Category: Election 2012, Iowa, Rick Santorum

Comments

  • http://norunnyeggs.com steveegg

    Rush transcript (any errors are my transcription and typographical errors):

    McCain – We’re here in Washington, DC, at the Value Voters Summit at the Omni Shoreham Hotel talking to former Senator Rick Santorum.  How are you, sir?

    Santorum – I’m doing great, Stace.  How are you?

    McCain – I’m doing pretty good.  How’s your campaign been going the last couple weeks since we’ve seen you?

    Santorum – We feel very, very good.  I think we’re picking up some traction, I think getting the recognition as being a serious candidate has got the grass-roots effort out there, as well as the substance to do the job as President and to win a tough election against what will be a tough opponent.  I think the more people look at the candidates and make an assessment as to who can deliver the mail, who can stand up for conservative principles, get things done in Washington, bring the country together, and first and foremost win the election, that we’re going to be on top.

    McCain – You just got back from a 3-day swing from Iowa…

    Santorum – I was in Iowa for most of the week, actually, in, I think, close to my 70th county in the state.  I’ll be back again into New Hampshire this coming week, then South Carolina, and then the following week back to Iowa.  So, we’re working all the three early-primary states and giving the chance for the voters to get a chance to kick the tires and find out about who we are, not just go give speeches or do television interviews, but really have a chance for the interaction that, at least I’m told the voters in Iowa really appreciate and that pays off, if you do well, in the long term.

    McCain – And your debate performances; a lot of people have praise for your performance in Orlando, and I believe I characterized you as a “brutal counter-puncher”.  Sometimes these debates have been kind of rough at times.

    Santorum – My feeling is there are differences between the candidates on substance, you have to let the folks who are going to make these tough decisions, you have to let them know what those differences are.  There clearly were differences between me and Governor Perry on the issue of immigration and this issue of mandatory vaccines, his executive order on vaccines.  There have been differences between me and Ron Paul on the issue of Iran and Israel, and our position in Afghanistan.  I’m not shy about pointing those differences when they are, and looking forward do more of that in debates ahead on other issues.

    McCain – All right then.  And your website is…

    Santorum – ricksantorum.com.  Go and send us a check.

    McCain – All right.  Thanks.

    Santorum – Thanks.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/John-Hitchcock/100002124988161 John Hitchcock

    Dang, all that time I spent transcribing and you beat me to the punch.  Ah, well.

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  • Anamika

    Interesting last question.

    McCain – All right then.  And your website is…

    Santorum – ricksantorum.com. Go and send us a check.

    Lest one visit The Other Santorum website, which is ranked higher than the official site in search engine results.

  • Anonymous

    Thank you steveegg….and you as well Mr Hitchcock.

  • http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/EU5DQWQTTHTPO4A4ZYSL3AAV2U Adjoran

    Thanks for the reminder that all leftists are sick, perverted slimeballs.

  • http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/EU5DQWQTTHTPO4A4ZYSL3AAV2U Adjoran

    Santorum’s only hope relies on Bachmann continuing to slide – she did well as the first candidate to face Fox’ “All-Star Panel” but money will be the key for her, if she has to cut staff she is probably toast – AND Cain slipping back to single digits.  OR a Palin endorsement, of course, but that ain’t happening, at least not this early in the contest.

    The Gingrich support seems almost as set as Romney’s, although surely they know Newt will not be the nominee or on the ticket, so there isn’t much to be taken from him until and unless Santorum breaks out of the pack.

  • Dell Hill

    Unlike some, I’ve made no decision yet.  To me, there’s still plenty of time and the landscape can change overnight.  However, I like Rick Santorum.  He’s done well in the debates; hasn’t made any major mistakes and he’s head and shoulders above Obama in every phase of the game except cheating and dirty tricks – slimeball politics I call it.  He ranks high on my list.

  • http://thecampofthesaints.org Bob Belvedere

    Just read your Tweet about your son being in one of Marooned In Marin’s video’s of Herman Cain’s COSTCO event and wearing a tie.

    Bravo to you to and Saint Mrs. Other McCain for bringing Master Jefferson up right.

    http://twitter.com/#!/rsmccain/status/122444945914212353

  • Anonymous

    They should get Master Jefferson a camera of his own for Christmas or his birthday which ever comes first.

  • Tennwriter

    Perry’s support could fold too, and that would mean some of his supporters get divvied out amongst the survivors.

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