A Big Endorsement for Santorum?

Congratulations Mr. Santorum, you have finally received a noteworthy endorsement.  Ironically, it is not one of your colleagues with whom you worked for over 16 years during your time as a politician--those colleagues remain eerily quiet about your bid for the White House. (I talked about that here).

AP Photo

The big endorsement?  In the past few days, it has become abundantly clear that President Obama and the the White House Administration have endorsed you as the Republican nominee.  They want you to win and will do whatever they can to make it happen.

(Mr. Santorum...this is not a compliment).

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In the Michigan primary, Democrats were actively engaged in spoiling a Romney victory.  Their robo calls and emails contacted 50,000 registered Democrats urging them to get to the polls and humiliate Mitt Romney by casting a vote for Rick Santorum.   They were successful.  Exit polls showed that of 9% of the total votes on Tuesday came from Democrats who overwhelmingly voted for Rick Santorum (53%-18%).

Mitt Romney won the popular vote 41%-38%, but the Democrats' efforts, robbed him of delegates.  He must now evenly split the delegates 15-15 with Rick Santorum.   Most analysts believe that without the Democrats, Romney would have won more delegates and his margin of victory would have been closer to 7%.

Democrats are salivating at the thought of facing Rick Santorum.  They believe it will ensure an Obama second term.  They are probably right.

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It is imperative that Republicans ask themselves why the Democrats prefer Rick Santorum as the Republican nominee.

The answer is quite simple.  Rick Santorum's extreme positions on social issues and his inability to hold his tongue are now creating the perfect diversion for Obama's failed policies.  Social issues create the perfect wedge to divide our country.  We are fools to deny that the left is waiting anxiously to exploit it.

Eric Gay/AP Photo

The Democrats know that President Obama's record has been bleak and the very last thing they want to do is remind people about what he hasn't been able to accomplish.  Changing the conversation is the perfect diversion.

This is already happening.

It is no coincidence that birth control--a non-existent political issue--has suddenly become an extremely controversial focus of this election cycle.  It was brought here by the left.  It emerged as an attempt to draw attention away from the controversial Obamacare ruling that required non-profit organizations to cover all forms of birth control, including contraceptives, morning after pills and abortions--practices that are completely against the doctrine of the Catholic faith.

Although the ruling was altered, insurance companies must now, by law, provide contraceptives and birth control services at no cost to the patient.  The problem?  Insurance premiums will undoubtedly go up to cover the cost of these now "free" services.  So Catholic non-profits will still required to pay for services that are doctrinally contrary to their faith--but now it is less obvious.

To detract from the controversy and keep conversations directed away from President Obama's failed policies, the left is trying to portray Conservatives as "crazies" who want to take away birth control from women.  This is completely ridiculous and a non-issue, but Rick Santorum has played right into it with his inability to control his statements about women's issues.  He is now feeding that frenzy.

Tom Pennington / Getty Images

Suddenly everywhere you turn, political analysts are talking about birth control, reproductive freedoms and whether the "crazies" on the right are going to interfere with women's health.  Rick Santorum's statements are giving liberals reason to fear the worst.

Do we see how quickly and subtly this has happened?

Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images

It has all been deliberately orchestrated.  It has all been meticulously planned.  It is working.

No wonder they want Rick Santorum as the nominee.  His extreme positions on social issues create the perfect opportunity to brand conservatives as extreme and out-of-touch.

President Obama is no longer defending his record.  He is left to appear as the logical alternative to extremism.

A perfectly executed plan.  Conservatives are playing right into it.

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The truth remains, the Obama Administration is fearful of Mitt Romney--they should be.

Mitt Romney is a unique candidate with remarkable experience.  Mitt Romney brings something that no other candidate does--success in fixing broken systems.  Success at making weak things stronger.  Success at being fiscally conservative without raising taxes.  Success at eliminating wasteful programs.  Success at creating prosperity without borrowing money.

Mitt Romney is not extreme--therefore, making it much more difficult to brand him as "leader of the crazies."

Rainier Ehrhardt/AP Photo

Mitt Romney's record however, does make him a real threat.  His record is our best weapon to keep the conversation focused on the economy, Obama's failed policies, astronomical debt, lack of leadership and the President's complete inability to lead Congress to find solutions.

We are fools to overlook him.  It is time to rally behind Mitt Romney.