This is my humble and respectful reply to another diary rooting against Sen Santorum. While I understand and respect the reasons for not wanted to give such a biggoted person a megaphone, I hope Santorum wins.
I hope Santorum wins the GOP nomination for 3 reasons.
1) Democrats will have full ticket success in 2012
2) The GOP will unravel in real time in Tampa
3) The Obama v Santorum debate would be INSANE!!
For the record I picked Rick Santorum to be the GOP nominee in August of 2011. I know that might sound made up, but it's not. I really picked him to win the GOP nomination and my reasoning was thus. The GOP is far right wing>Mitt Romney is not far right wing>The GOP will not nominate a NON RIGHT WINGER>Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich are the only other credible right wingers>Newt has too much baggage>thus Santorum will be the nominee.
So, I am not surprised to see Santorum at the top...like a turd in a hot tub, Santorum is rising. I would also add that his stump speech is actually pretty good. When you get past all the nutty social conservative BS (Republicans don't mind that stuff and Republicans are picking) he actually has a really good populist message. Santorum talks a lot about the working class and particulary the manufacturing sector. He proposes a ZERO tax rate for the manufacturing sector and cites his grandfathers coal mining career as his ticket to freedom. I am not advocating for Santorum, I am just saying he has a godo stump speech for the GOP primary. He also speaks with a great amount of passion. Santorum is the real deal, what you see is what you get. This is why he says so many stupid things and some that come right from the heart. I actually think Santorum could pose some interesting matchups for Obama in places like Wisconsin, Ohio, Penn, Minnesota and Michigan (basically the BIG 10). Still Obama is a huge favorite and would mop the floor with Obama.
Back to my three reasons for wanting the Santorum match-up.
1) Full ticket dominace. Santorum gurantees Obama a second term. Sanotrum guarantees Elizabeth Warren a senate seat. I beleive Santorum also gives Pelosi the gavel. So, on a purely partisan, electoral perspective, Santorum is a gift from God to liberals. Election night 2012 will be a truly amazing night. Trust me...I picked Santorum in August remember! :)
2) The GOP convention in Tampa will be political theater unlike we have ever seen! The nation will watch the GOP melt down in real time in front of all the cameras and indies will get to see just how far right the GOP really is. I predict full throated public revolt by the likes of George Will, David Brooks, Tom Ridge, Steve Schmidt and many more! There will be GOP elite panic unlike anything you have ever seen. I actually think Karma-wise the GOP deserves to be humiliated. They have spent 50 years humiliating liberals from Carter to Clinton to Obama. They deserve thier come-uppins and Santorum will open the door for it to happen. Trust me, you are going to enjoy it. Get some popcorn and mark the date...Tampa Bay, August 27th - August 30th...the date the GOP melted down, fell apart and nominated Rick fucking Santorum. LOL. I can't beleive I am going to get to see that freakshow!!!
3) The Obama vs Santorum debates are going to decide the next 20 years of American politics. Santorum is going to faithfully present the conservative vision for America. No code words, no secret language, no inuendos, the flip flopping...Rick Santorum is going to say things like gays are sinners, and public schools are a bad idea and social securoty is a ponzi scheme and Obama is a socialist. I think Americans are going to finally see that the GOP is bonkers. You have to remember: Republicans really do think gay marriage is a sin, they really do think public education is a bad idea, they really do think the poor should pay more and rich should pay less, every crazy quip said by Rush and Hannity and the rest of the bloviate loons is actually GOP doctorine. The GOP will officially become the party of Frank Luntz and Grover Norquist. Sarah Palin will be a keynote speaker. Dick Cheney will be hailed as a hero. Santorum has not room for the soft, mushy middle, he believes tax cuts generate revenue, he believes in bold colors and no pale pastels. Santorum is going to make an ass of himself but just being a true blue conservative. Think you can get to the right of Santorum? If you look carefully at the conservative critique of Santorum, they don't disagree with his content, they just wish he didn't say it.
Santorum is a real conservative and he is not afraid to admit it. Who at the GOP convention is going to say the GOP should support gay marriage? Who is going to say the GOP should support federal money for public education? Who is going to say the Federal Gov should spend a penny preserving our environment. Everyone knows that Republicans really think gays are sinners, public education is a crime and that man is the boss of the earth. They just don't say it. Well, Santorum is going to say it and the other Repugs need to back him up. What a tough spot for all these loonies!!
This moment has to happen. America needs to finally have it out and I like our chances with Obama vs Santorum. Romney is a nothing man. This would be a true war of ideas and it comes in the package of Santorum vs Obama!!?? How much better could it get??
I understand not wanting to give his hatred a megaphone. I respect that notion. I would simply say, this is our chance to win the debate.