Hello. Welcome to O-Pinion, the editorial board's online space for commentary and discussion. I'm associate editor Fannie Flono, your host today.
Another week, another GOP debate and another looming Republican primary. Michigan's primary Tuesday focuses the race on Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum. They're locked in a duel for the top spot but it would be Romney who could come out crippled if he loses. So in tonight's debate, Romney and Santorum will be under the microscope. Whoever stumbles could find their fortunes tumbling. The National Journal gives their take on the campaign. But there are still two others - Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul - in the race who could steal the show at the debates. Gingrich has had resurrections before. This one is a long shot but in a campaign this volatile, who knows.
But what's really getting the blogosphere going are old comments that have resurfaced that Santorum made in 2008 about Satan, yes Satan, when John McCain was battling Barack Obama for the presidency. The Huffington Post says Santorum is defending the comments that were reported on the Drudge Report.
What'd he say? Among other things that "Satan has his sights on the United States of America." "Satan is attacking the great institutions of America," he said, "using those great vices of pride, vanity, and sensuality as the root to attack all of the strong plants that has so deeply rooted in the American tradition."
If you've been to any Baptist church or evangelical church, you've heard those lines before. Of course, Santorum went further, calling the contest between McCain and Obama, a "spiritual war" and intimating that an Obama election would play into Satan's hands: "And the Father of Lies has his sights on what you would think the Father of Lies would have his sights on: a good, decent, powerful, influential country, the United States of America," Santorum said.
It was interesting how Santorum turned questions about what he said in 2008 into a referendum on whether a person of faith should be considered for president. "You know, if a person I‘m a person of faith. I believe in good and evil. I think if somehow or another because you’re a person of faith you believe in good and evil is a disqualifier for president, we’re going to have a very small pool of candidates who can run for president."
He also used a Gingrich technique and turned the question on the media: "You guys are asking questions that are not relevant to what's being discussed in America today. What we're talking about in America is trying to get America working, that's what my speeches are about, that's what we're going to talk about in this campaign." Smooth, Rick.
What was really interesting about this dustup is how Romney and Santorum surrogates reacted. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie criticized Santorum's defense of the Satan comments on "Good Morning America": "Listen, I think anything you say as a presidential candidate is relevant," Christie said. "It is by definition relevant. You’re asking to be president of the United States. I don’t think [Santorum's] right about that. I think it is relevant what he says. I think people want to make an evaluation, a complete evaluation of anyone who asks to sit in the Oval Office."
Sarah Palin defended Santorum's comments on FOX News, blaming the "lame-stream media" for getting "all wee-weed up."
Play nice, children.
Another week, another GOP debate and another looming Republican primary. Michigan's primary Tuesday focuses the race on Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum. They're locked in a duel for the top spot but it would be Romney who could come out crippled if he loses. So in tonight's debate, Romney and Santorum will be under the microscope. Whoever stumbles could find their fortunes tumbling. The National Journal gives their take on the campaign. But there are still two others - Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul - in the race who could steal the show at the debates. Gingrich has had resurrections before. This one is a long shot but in a campaign this volatile, who knows.
But what's really getting the blogosphere going are old comments that have resurfaced that Santorum made in 2008 about Satan, yes Satan, when John McCain was battling Barack Obama for the presidency. The Huffington Post says Santorum is defending the comments that were reported on the Drudge Report.
What'd he say? Among other things that "Satan has his sights on the United States of America." "Satan is attacking the great institutions of America," he said, "using those great vices of pride, vanity, and sensuality as the root to attack all of the strong plants that has so deeply rooted in the American tradition."
If you've been to any Baptist church or evangelical church, you've heard those lines before. Of course, Santorum went further, calling the contest between McCain and Obama, a "spiritual war" and intimating that an Obama election would play into Satan's hands: "And the Father of Lies has his sights on what you would think the Father of Lies would have his sights on: a good, decent, powerful, influential country, the United States of America," Santorum said.
It was interesting how Santorum turned questions about what he said in 2008 into a referendum on whether a person of faith should be considered for president. "You know, if a person I‘m a person of faith. I believe in good and evil. I think if somehow or another because you’re a person of faith you believe in good and evil is a disqualifier for president, we’re going to have a very small pool of candidates who can run for president."
He also used a Gingrich technique and turned the question on the media: "You guys are asking questions that are not relevant to what's being discussed in America today. What we're talking about in America is trying to get America working, that's what my speeches are about, that's what we're going to talk about in this campaign." Smooth, Rick.
What was really interesting about this dustup is how Romney and Santorum surrogates reacted. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie criticized Santorum's defense of the Satan comments on "Good Morning America": "Listen, I think anything you say as a presidential candidate is relevant," Christie said. "It is by definition relevant. You’re asking to be president of the United States. I don’t think [Santorum's] right about that. I think it is relevant what he says. I think people want to make an evaluation, a complete evaluation of anyone who asks to sit in the Oval Office."
Sarah Palin defended Santorum's comments on FOX News, blaming the "lame-stream media" for getting "all wee-weed up."
Play nice, children.
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