SANTORUM DROPS OUT

Posted on | April 10, 2012 | 154 Comments

UPDATE 6 p.m. ET: In a post at Rachel Maddow’s blog (!) lefty Steve Benen says, “Santorum has done something I honestly didn’t think was possible,” going on to list the miraculous successes of Santorum’s low-budget underdog operation. Beyond the credit due to the candidate and his family — his wife and kids were, at one point, nearly the only people working full-time for his campaign — much of the credit goes to the scores and hundreds of dedicated volunteers whom I mention below.

Also: Because he went so long without any significant media recognition, Santorum was always the most accessible of the candidates and was willing to answer almost any questions. That got him in trouble a few times, and drove his staff and consultants nuts, but the folks in the press corps — including liberals who totally disagreed with Santorum on the issues — appreciated the honesty and openness of his campaign.

UPDATE 4:50 p.m. ET: Video of Santorum’s speech today:

UPDATE 4:40 p.m. ET: A volunteer just started the “Rick 2016” Facebook page.

UPDATE 4:20 p.m. ET: In a message on the Team Santorum Facebook page, the campaign’s grassroots coordinator Shelley Ahlersmeyer links Rick and Karen Santorum’s note of thanks to their supporters.

The story of Santorum’s grassroots army has been seldom mentioned in the media, even in my own coverage of the campaign. Some people were mystified by how Santorum kept winning — from Colorado to Louisiana — and so often out-performing the polls.

Shelley Ahlersmeyer had run grassroots outreach for Mike Huckabee’s 2008 campaign, and when she joined Team Santorum, it was a big gain for his campaign that didn’t get nearly as much attention as it deserved at the time. Ahlersmeyer brought with her not only her experience, skill and energy, but also extensive connections with Huckabee’s volunteers from four years ago.

So: How did Santorum win, for example, Tennessee, Mississippi and Alabama, states that had seemed likely to go for Newt Gingrich? How did Santorum stay competitive in Michigan and Ohio, despite being massively outspent by Romney?

Three words: “Phone from home.”

A comparative handful of fired-up, dedicated volunteers — mostly moms and grandmothers — each made many thousands of phone calls to Republican primary voters in those states. Exactly how many people participated in Santorum’s phone-from-home program, I don’t yet know, but there were a hard-core handful who have spent practically every day for the past four months calling up total strangers and asking them to vote for Rick Santorum.

God bless ’em, they pulled off a miracle or two — Rick’s campaign manager, Mike Biundo, told me that the top campaign staff didn’t think they could win Mississippi until they saw the votes come in — and those volunteers deserve far more credit than they got.

Linked by The Lonely Conservative, Republican Redefined and Bob Belvedere at the Camp of the Saints — thanks!

UPDATE 3:50 p.m. ET: Michelle Malkin came through with a crucial endorsement of Rick Santorum on Jan. 31 — the day of the Florida primary — and says of his scrappy underdog campaign:

Rick Santorum fought hard, he fought well, and he gave voice to a large contingent of grass-roots conservative activists across the country who wanted a candidate who lived the values he preached. He held Mitt Romney’s feet to the fire on health care, challenged Newt Gingrich’s green flirtations and past support for the individual mandate, and took on Ron Paul’s foreign policy extremism. His presence improved everyone else’s game — and that will serve the GOP ticket well this fall, whoever ends up on it.

Let’s not talk about that yet, huh? By the way, Michelle Malkin is hereby formally invited to “DoomCon 2012,” which I hope to convene in Tampa the day before the ~~RINO coronation~~ Republican convention in August. The general theme will be, “How screwed are we?”

UPDATE 3:55 p.m. ET: I hope Jeff Goldstein can make it to Tampa, too.

UPDATE 3:40 p.m. ET: Chris Moody, my young friend who was covering his first presidential campaign this year, reminds us how it was:

In the final days before the first Republican caucuses in Iowa — a contest on which Santorum rested his entire strategy — it appeared that his campaign would be laid to rest in the state where it was born. Iowa Republicans did not turn their eyes to the man who had spent more time in their state than any other candidate until the very end, but they ultimately awarded him with a surprise, hair’s-breadth victory — not formally confirmed until weeks after the vote–that helped keep his fledgling campaign afloat into the spring.
The first public whispers of his impending rise came with a CNN poll released three days after Christmas that showed Santorum in third place among likely Iowa caucus-goers, higher than he had ever been before in a public opinion survey.

Oh, that wasn’t first whisper, Chris: Have you already forgottten the Dec. 1 earthquake in Vanuatu? And I was calling it the “Santorum Surge” for weeks before that CNN poll confirmed my insight. Just the other day, I recounted some of those headlines.

UPDATE 3:05 p.m. ET: Video report from Associated Press:

Donald Douglas at American Power:

Santorum’s campaign represented the great hope of “full-spectrum conservatives” in 2012, and his exit will leave a mark on the general election campaign, as social issues and working class concerns will continue to resonate with the electorate into the fall.

I’d been planning to travel tp Pennsylvania next week to cover the campaign leading up to the April 24 primary. Now? To look on the bright side, I can begin planning for “DoomCon 2012.”

*** PREVIOUSLY (2:36 p.m. ET) ***

The news broke online while I was sending an e-mail, and I just watched Santorum’s speech on TV.

UPDATE: You know what’s gonna hurt? Telling my son Jefferson.

UPDATE II: Lisa Graas must be heartbroken.

UPDATE III: Chris Stirewalt and his fellow Romneyites on Fox News are talking about how Mitt will win now. We won’t forget their glee.

UPDATE IV: More of the news I missed at The Hill. As one commenter said, “We’ll always have Iowa.” And New Hampshire, South Carolina, Florida, Michigan, Ohio and Louisiana, to name some of the places I encountered Santorum on his long, wild campaign trail.

Category: Election 2012, Rick Santorum

Comments

154 Responses to “SANTORUM DROPS OUT”

Ford Prefect
April 10th, 2012 @ 10:09 pm

I suppose that it makes sense that you don’t understand that many people have principles that might prevent them from voting for your candidate. The fact that some evangelicals will stay home this time around because Romney is arguably the least moral person the GOP has ever nominated (Nixon is thankful Mitt), will not really make a difference.

When you’re going to lose by 10+ points in the general, whining that had it not been for “disloyal” conservatives you would have lost by only 9+ points is kind of silly.

But you and Adj can live in your little make believe world. It’s admirable in a way.

Oh, and thanks for that last remark; those “asshats” are the ones required for the GOP to win elections. They are also the progeny of the evangelicals who founded this nation.
Pathfinder's wife
April 10th, 2012 @ 10:25 pm

This is true…Shiner is awesome (and now I can’t get it around here, thanks to the economy, which is not awesome).
Musings and random stuff | Copious Gasser
April 10th, 2012 @ 10:31 pm

[…] was surfing around the internet this evening, looking for inspiration. Plenty of news of Rick Santorum dropping out of the Republican Primary. Now we are stuck with Mitt Romney as it was foretold many […]
Finrod Felagund
April 10th, 2012 @ 10:59 pm

Unless your purity score is low enough, I can’t reveal that information.
Zilla of the Resistance
April 10th, 2012 @ 11:15 pm

I too have seen glimmers of a Romney that I’d like to see more of and hope to see if he ends up as our nominee.
Zilla of the Resistance
April 10th, 2012 @ 11:20 pm

There are a lot of states that haven’t voted yet who may want to vote for NotMitt.
dr kill
April 10th, 2012 @ 11:20 pm

Ricky quit because he was going to lose in PA, That’s all. You think PA forgets he ain’t lived there in 20 years, and sent his kids to private school in VA at PA taxpayers expense?
Get real people. Dreaming old dreams and wishing old wishes is bullshit.
I’m glad he ran, and I’m glad to see his SoCon progressivism defeated.
ThePaganTemple
April 10th, 2012 @ 11:50 pm

No, they are not the progeny of the people who founded this nation. The ones with the morals combined with good common sense and who care enough about the country to know they can’t always get their preferred candidate, those are the true progeny of the founders of this country, whether they are Christians, evangelicals, or not.

The ones who bitch and moan and cry about not getting their way and then stomping off, in effect threatening a temper tantrum if they don’t get their way, aren’t the progeny of the founders, they are just spoiled fucking brats that never grew the fuck up. Hiding behind a few Bible verses doesn’t change that one damn whit.
A fork we stick in Rick : monoblogue
April 11th, 2012 @ 12:01 am

[…] that’s frustrating news to Santorum backers (like The Other McCain) as well as residents of the five states (including Delaware) who were expectantly awaiting their […]
Chuck
April 11th, 2012 @ 6:45 am

“this is typical of what we are going to see in Romney backers. “

You mean having excrement thrown at them by lunatic cunts parading as republicans? I’m afraid you’re right about that.
Chuck
April 11th, 2012 @ 6:53 am

“Grassroots” support is the only kind of support any republican has. Romney’s grassroots outpaced everyone else…and spoiled children would rather imagine someone behind a curtain making it all happen.

Sick.
Chuck
April 11th, 2012 @ 6:54 am

Yeah. I’m sure he just missed out on a mother lode.
Bob Belvedere
April 11th, 2012 @ 7:27 am

-6
Bob Belvedere
April 11th, 2012 @ 8:31 am

VANUATU’s Latest Earthquake: Monday, April 09, 2012 at 06:01:09 UTC; Monday, April 09, 2012 at 05:01:09 PM at epicenter; 4.7 mag.

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Quakes/usc0008ygn.php
Bob Belvedere
April 11th, 2012 @ 8:32 am

Can somebody Tweet this to Stacy?

I don’t have access to Twitter right now.
Keep the spirit. « Best Social Program
April 11th, 2012 @ 8:33 am

[…] The Other McCain has a more in-depth post. […]
Bob Belvedere
April 11th, 2012 @ 8:34 am

One should never rob a young man of his dreams when it comes to women too soon. It helps them develop a romantic edge.

Godspeed Master Jefferson.
Bob Belvedere
April 11th, 2012 @ 8:35 am

That’s what it’s going to feel like [he said through gritted teeth].
Bob Belvedere
April 11th, 2012 @ 8:37 am

Rep. Hank Johnson is a friggin’ prophet!…kinda.

http://www.snopes.com/politics/quotes/guamtip.asp
Bob Belvedere
April 11th, 2012 @ 8:45 am

That orange juice can Mark Levin’s been talking about looks pretty good to me right about now.
Bob Belvedere
April 11th, 2012 @ 8:47 am

I second that motion and send Stacy a hearty ‘Huzzah!’.

I suspect the Congressional races will become the focus of America’s Favorite Gonzo Reporter.
Bob Belvedere
April 11th, 2012 @ 8:48 am

Whereas you’re just a Mother and a Load.
Rick Santorum’s Exit « Blog de KingShamus
April 11th, 2012 @ 9:51 am

[…] McCain has a nice round-up. Check it […]
Tennwriter
April 11th, 2012 @ 9:52 am

Cute.Let me see if I can explain, PT. I do care about Adjoran’s opinion, except when he’s being a RINO.He’s actually not one. What he is is a party hack like that guy who wrote ‘If its not close, they can’t cheat’.He’s also at times a sharp analysts.

When he’s being the lowest form of Romneyite RINO, and engaging in attempts at intimidation, I need to remind myself that this is pathetic, and my standard policy of laughing at such which cheers me up.
Pathfinder's wife
April 11th, 2012 @ 9:55 am

Hey Trigger, before you get that bit in your teeth even more it might be a good time to pull up and reflect upon the fact that if your boy Mitt is the nominee he’s going to need the votes of the people you are presently abusing.
rosalie
April 11th, 2012 @ 9:58 am

You sound just like the lunatic Charles Johnson.
Tennwriter
April 11th, 2012 @ 9:58 am

Same thing with the McCainiacs. All they had was intimidation.
Tennwriter
April 11th, 2012 @ 10:00 am

They ain’t gonna do that. It is to repeat myself, the McCainiacs all over again.
Tennwriter
April 11th, 2012 @ 10:06 am

We’re well aware that a lot of Romneyites are happy as clams right now. The question you should be asking is what this says about those Romneyites.Of course, you could be a libertarian in which I have to say…

Libertarians: the lapdogs of the RINOs.
Tennwriter
April 11th, 2012 @ 10:36 am

Romneyites and party hacks want us to know their opinion that anything but enthusiastic support for Romney is support for Obama.So…If Romney chooses Rob Portman as VP, are you still okay?…Sarah Palin?
…Mark Levin?
…Alan Keyes?

I suspect he’d lose a lot of the Romneyites with those just as McCain lost a fair chunk of moderates with Palin. Right now the RINOS are proclaiming how loyal they are, but we know better don’t we?

Okay, lets go the other way.
….Rubio/losing a bit of that Conservative shine….
….Rick Perry/ a good Southern choice….
…Jeb Bush/ooh, that stings a bit….
…Pawlenty/um, sorry I fell asleep…
…Huntsman/he does have nice teeth….
…Ron Paul/now you’re sweating a bit…
…Michael Savage/rough, tough….
…Joe Lieberman/one of the most decent of the Dems….
…Hillary Clinton/ She’s experienced…
…Oprah/ very popular with the women….
…Elliot Spitzer/ popular with a certain class of women….
…Al Sharpton/would help get blacks to vote GOP…
…Obama/Not much different than Romney and has a significant base of support…

Now somewhere on that list, even the most fervent Romneyite decided they would not support Romney. Now we, Conservatives have a more sensitive honor, and a more delicate stomach. But at some point, everyone would join us.

Be we are attacked for our honor. We are attacked for what the party hack would eventually do himself.
richard mcenroe
April 11th, 2012 @ 10:46 am

He’s trying to pick up chicks on C-SPAN. An intervention is called for.
richard mcenroe
April 11th, 2012 @ 10:47 am

Adjoran wants to grow up to be Donald Segretti.
richard mcenroe
April 11th, 2012 @ 10:48 am

Like Romney has the slightest control over his handlers beyond asking ‘What’s my opinion today?’
Reply
richard mcenroe
April 11th, 2012 @ 10:53 am

Y’all hold onto that thought when all those Obama ads those anonymous credit card donations pay for start rolling in.

Buh-bye.
ThePaganTemple
April 11th, 2012 @ 11:11 am

Let’s see, Romneyites are happy Rick withdrew, so what does this say about them? Well, I’m going to go out on a limb here and guess that if Romney had withdrawn Santorumites would be equally happy, so I guess its all the same thing. You do realize this proves you are a child, right?
ThePaganTemple
April 11th, 2012 @ 11:22 am

My guess is he will pick somebody that will please the most people in the GOP and will help him reach out to independents and conservative Democrats. Also, I’m going to guess he might even pick a Tea Party conservative, since he did get a lot of support from them in some states, and in fact, won them in some states. I wouldn’t feel as good about the chances of him picking a SocCon if I were you. Threats and temper tantrums, to say nothing of demeaning Tea Partiers by calling them “libertarians”, aren’t very good road maps to a seat at the table.
ThePaganTemple
April 11th, 2012 @ 12:10 pm

More childish bullshit. Even though by the time Santorum won those eleven states, Mitt had won even more, and had twice as many delegates as Santorum, Mitt should have been the one to get out for a guy with less than half his total. It staggers the fucking mind how people like you think.
Chuck
April 11th, 2012 @ 1:07 pm

Apparently you’re functionally illiterate. That means Brakabama already has your support sewn up already.
Nomination Excitations: The Final Chapter? « The Camp Of The Saints
April 11th, 2012 @ 2:40 pm

[…] a reporter, Stacy recalls the way he and his peers were treated by Mr. Santorum: …Because he went so long without any […]
richard mcenroe
April 11th, 2012 @ 2:58 pm

Zeut Alors! We have betrayed the Dauphin! Quelle malhureusement!
The Definition of Insanity : Daria DiGiovanni
April 11th, 2012 @ 4:21 pm

[…] Kudos to Rick and may God bless his family, especially his youngest daughter Bella. […]
Memo From the National Affairs Desk: Foreboding Gloom Pervades Vanuatu : The Other McCain
April 11th, 2012 @ 4:38 pm

[…] hitting my tip jar — hey, don’t fight the feeling.– 30 –RECENTLY:April 10: SANTORUM DROPS OUTApril 9: Nate Silver, the Experts and … MeApril 8: Predictable: Gingrich Admits He Owes More Than […]
Tennwriter
April 11th, 2012 @ 5:12 pm

Let me clarify for you then: A lot of Romneyites are nasty pieces of work. They are, I suspect brutally gloating.

Whereas if Romney resigned, a lot of Santorumites would be pleased as punch, but we would generally try to be nice about it.

I got a couple thoughts crossed when I was typing that previous reply.
Tennwriter
April 11th, 2012 @ 5:24 pm

Since Tea Partiers are not libertarians, but are instead Socons to a very large degree, I would never call them libertarians.

And I see that if Conservatives want to win, we have to be able to defeat…
1. The Money Men
2. The RNC
3. The Inevitable Moderate
4. The Moderates
5. The Libertarians

Conservatives are strong enough to beat several of these, but not all of these at once.

Which is why those who claim there is no Establishment do not understand. If they are correct, then the situation is even more dire.

I do not want Romney to pick a Socon. Rick Santorum should flee from Romney like the the bubonic plague. Palin should sweetly thank Romney for the offer, but decline for ‘family reasons’. Mark Levin should say ‘I feel I can do more good on the radio’. Bobby Jindal should say ‘I feel I need more experience at state level’. Rick Perry should say ‘The people of Texas need me’.

Now Alan Keyes is far enough out that it might help him, but I lean against Keyes taking it. Not that Keyes would ever get it offered him anyways.

I do not want a seat at the table since the table is on the Titanic. I want a lifeboat. Socons need to clearly and loudly differentiate themselves so that when Disaster Strikes we can say ‘We have a better plan’.

You totally did not address the point of my comment, but that’s okay.
ThePaganTemple
April 11th, 2012 @ 5:37 pm

Actually, yes they probably would get the message, because your ballot would be rejected, and somebody would probably look at it to see why. Of course it would take a lot of people doing that to make any impact.
ThePaganTemple
April 11th, 2012 @ 5:41 pm

When you’re on the losing side, any sign of happiness by the winning side is easily seen as brutally gloating, because it feels bad to lose and hurts somewhat.
ThePaganTemple
April 11th, 2012 @ 5:47 pm

The Tea Party is mostly fiscal conservatives, though there are also a healthy smattering of SocCons. But it was originally an anti-tax and anti big government movement, period. So when you diss the FisCons, that’s who and what you are dissing, the majority of the Tea Party.

And I did address your point. Romney will pick who he thinks will help him with the majority of the GOP voters, number one, and he’ll try to combine that priority with someone that might help him attract conservative dems and indies.

I seriously don’t see Al Sharpton making that short list.
richard mcenroe
April 11th, 2012 @ 6:56 pm

” My guess is he will pick somebody that will please the most people in
the GOP and will help him reach out to independents and conservative
Democrats.”

Is Captain America even running this year?
ThePaganTemple
April 11th, 2012 @ 7:04 pm

If asked, I’m sure he will. Nowadays they call him the Governor of Virginia.
Tennwriter
April 11th, 2012 @ 7:20 pm

The point is that for all of us there would be some point at which we said ‘no, I cannot do that’. For some, its at Romney. For others its if Romney picks a true RINO VP, for others ever dedicated to the notion that ‘you must vote R’ it might require Al Sharpton as VP to get them to say ‘no way am I voting for Romney’.