Rick Santorum, The Trannie And The Illinois Nazis

Rick Santorum has made an ass of himself once again.

Desperate to show himself as acceptable to RINOs, our non-hero has been on record with implying that he would accept an “endorsement” from Bruce Jenner, the trannie now going around saying she wants to be called Loretta, or such like….

Mind, I have not found quotations where Santorum uses the words “endorsement”, and he simply speaks of the vote. But Santorum certainly understands that whilst it is impossible to refuse a vote, to welcome an endorsement signifies that one is pleased that certain corners supporting one and, in fact, that one finds some merits in them. Santorum’s statement is a novelty (and, for us, a scandal); which is exactly why it makes the headlines the man is now desperately seeking. 

I have not read anywhere that Santorum corrected the many articles on the press speaking of “endorsement” and making clear he does not wish the endorsement of notorious perverts. Not only this shows some desperation in my book, but it also indicates that our Judas is extremely desirous to be linked with the Trannie as much as he can. 

Above is the link to the delightful snippet of the “Blues Brothers” movie concerning the Illinois Nazis. 

Would Rick Santorum have accepted an endorsement from them?

M 

 

Rick Santorum’s Double Standard

Gotta love Rick Santorum’s shameless way of ignoring reality… when it’s convenient to him.

The man has now (rightly so, I add) criticised Pope Francis for playing scientist without being one.

There is a problem, though: this is the same man on record for saying of a Trannie that if he thinks he is a woman, “then he is a woman”; a statement whose very English reveals its blatant absurdity, but which Santorum thought convenient to make because it helps his credentials among those who accept or promote perversion. Ah, and that he would “support” a “marrying” pervert should also not remain unsaid. 

Santorum is obviously unwilling to see the glaring contradiction here: a Pope is not allowed to play scientist; but a man is even allowed to play woman and Santorum will say to him that he is a woman just for saying so. 

A double standard that applies logic only when it is convenient, and leaves it out in the most stupid (and impious) of ways when being logical become uncomfortable.

Can’t wait for Santorum bid to go down in flames.

There are enough Judas around as it is.      

M

 

Meet Rick “Judas” Santorum, The Power Prostitute

I used to admire Rick Santorum. Many are the blog posts I wrote about him during the 2012 campaign. On that occasion, Santorum put up an excellent fight and remained, to my knowledge, a stalwart defender of Catholic values to the end.

But the brilliant run in 2012 obviously went to his head. Santorum must now think he is in with a real chance in 2016. Values against ambition: this is where the devil gets in.

It is clear Santorum is allowing the devil to get in, have a coffee, eat some scones, get invited for dinner, and stay for the night.

Only a couple of weeks ago I have written a blog post about the obvious way this man was – blinded by the prospect of either the Presidency, or a place at the table of the very powerful – sending very clear signals of surrender to the homo lobby. For everyone who had eyes to see – not everyone had: read the comment section of that post for an example – it was crystal clear that Santorum was preparing to sell out to make his candidacy more “popular”.

We now have this, and the blatant disregard for the very basics of Catholic thinking is even more evident. You, my dear readers, have read about Santorum’s treason before, and therefore saw this coming. Many others, still lulling themselves into the stupid idea that once a Catholic, always a Catholic, will now have to increase their mental contortions. Many more will, hopefully, open their eyes.

Santorum has betrayed. He has prostituted himself to the dominant ideology. He makes the work of Satan. The more so, because as a former outspoken Catholic he will lead many of the stupid – of the “isn’t Francis a very misunderstood Pope”, or “he hasn’t said anything wrong unless he sleeps with one of them in public” crowd – to defend him.

I can’t wait to see his candidature go down in flames, and will rejoice when it does. Sad as it is to see the most powerful Country on Earth run by godless people, it is even worse when these godless people fake allegiance to Catholicism. On the contrary, from a Catholic point of view it is fitting that the Republicans loses this election, and every other election, until they defend conservative values again. No one should be fooled into voting a traitor, so that the at least honest enemy may not win. Our worst enemies are the traitors within out camp. Unless that is understood, we will never have decent people at the helm. 

Rick Santorum has very publicly made himself an accessory to the worst sins. He “accepts” and “welcomes” everyone as he is, no matter how perverted he is. He uses the usual slogans of the Wormtongues – the “compassionate” lie, the “respectful” rubbish and the “complex” deception -. He puts himself square on the side of those who have, all these years and among the protests of Catholics, pushed for “acceptance” of sexual perversion. He has become one of their allies. He has sold his values to his dream of power. He stinks of church of nice to the sky. He is infinitely worse than every liberal a la Clinton, because he used to be one of ours and adds the betrayal to the offence.  

I have written several times that I do not know to what extent the one who is an accessory of another’s sin is, exactly, punished for his act. I do not know, I mean, to what extent the accomplice of the sodomite will share the punishment of the sodomite in hell. But it seems pretty safe for me to say that the one who makes of himself a public accessory to such a degree of depravity is in mortal sin and should repent at once, say so publicly, run to confession and never again even think of his betrayal with anything else than a very keen sense of shame, for as long as he lives.

 

Rick Santorum has prostituted himself to a dream of power that will probably die together with his own integrity. Pity and despise is what he deserves. He will make inroads among the fake Catholics, but the orthodox Protestants – who, say what you want, won’t be fooled by his words – who have largely contributed – in votes and money – to his ascent in 2012 will abandon him, big time.

Meet Rick Santorum, the newly enrolled prostitute of the perverts’ lobby. He has made his bed. Let him lie in it. 

Mundabor              

Militant Atheists Good For Something After All

Free meal for Rick Santorum

Rick Santorum thanked one of the biggest atheist organisations in the country (apparently there are several of them; Satan is having a laugh…) for putting huge images of himself on billboards, complete with Christian quote.

Santorum is not the only beneficiary of the action. Sarah Palin and Newt Gingrich have also profited from the unexpected free advertisements, and we are told even the Pontiff Emeritus had the same honour.

The reaction of those so honoured are generally very positive. Santorum is clearly hoping the atheist campaign goes on, but it is highly amusing a certain Robert Jeffress, pastor of a mega church based in Texas (like Santorum's billboards) saluted the attentions of the atheists with the rather pertinent observation that every day they are attacked by atheist organisations must be considered a good day, then it shows they are doing something right.

Of course, to pay ads for Christians was not the original intent, and all the billboards invite the readers to “go godless instead”; the billboards were rather meant, we are told, to “expose” the Christians as “bigoted” and “backward”; but you can see here what the unintended consequences were.

I would be personally curious to see what impact analogous billboards targeting Islam and Muslim personalities would have instead. Would the recipients thank the generous billboard-donors so heartily? And what about the personal security of the initiators of the initiative?

I begin to understand why liberals want to ban weapons.

They'd be shooting themselves by mistake all the time…..

Mundabor

 

A Reagan In the Making

Thank you, Rick!

It had to happen at some point, I suppose, and it has happened yesterday. Rick Santorum had pulled a number of political miracles, but as he is not Padre Pio (for which we do not blame him, of course) at some point he had to face the reality of a race with a fraction of the means of his opponent, a race which family problem did not make easier.

It is reasonable to think Santorum would have not recovered the distance separating him from the well-oiled and extremely well-funded Romney machine, though I must say that he had defied the common meaning of what is “reasonable to think” many times in the lats months. Still, at some point even Santorum won’t be able to defy gravity forever.

Intelligently, the man recognised it was wiser to capitalise (for himself, and for his cause) on the support obtained up to now and, as I see it, enter a new phase of his political life as one of the most influential politicians in the land, rather than the one who insists in fighting for a nomination he won’t get. Perhaps he will be picked as the Vice-President (a wise choice, I would say, as Romney does need to persuade, well, the authentically Republican vote), but even if not I can’t imagine he won’t become one of the most respected and listened to voices in the Country. Not bad for one who had struggled to raise his first $50,000 in funds, and was seen only as an outsider and poster boy of the most reactionary part of the country only a few months ago.

From what I can see, I doubt Gingrich will profit much from Santorum’s withdrawal; at least not as much as to coagulate around him the “non-mitt” vote; and I wonder whether at this point the contrary solution would not have been the best one, and Gingrich’s withdrawal would not have given Santorum  the possibility of yet another miracle. One day Gingrich will have to face the reality that he was the one who helped Romney more than any other on the Republican camp.

What remains, is a candidate winning for his message 28% of the Republican vote cast so far, against the 40% of a Romney who has ridiculously outspent him and makes the impression of having been running this campaign since the end of WW I. A candidate, it must be said, who has not only gained popular support, but has done so by remaining remarkably and admirably near to his core convictions, in striking contrast to the flip-flopping Romney, who has now discovered he is, hey, a bit more conservative than he supposed to be only just one month ago. If Romney isn’t just a bleached version of Obama, I don;t think he is – at least in social matters – much better than him.  It is nothing short of astonishing that Santorum’s vision, up to some months ago considered very much on the fringe of American politics, has now been catapulted on centre stage, and will not fail to influence millions of voters in the years to come.

Santorum 2012 reminds one of Reagan 1976, and if Reagan went much nearer to the nomination then, than Santorum did today, he certainly did not start from such a difficult position as Santorum did. Santorum allowed real social conservatism to make a big leap and  plant its flag in the middle of America’s political discourse, but at the same time planted himself in the middle of the political arena.

I truly hope 2012 will prove, in retrospect, the trial run for a victorious 2016 or 2020 campaign. From where I sit here (=the other side of the Pond) I cannot see any other big rank politician of such personal integrity and commitment to his ideals.

A heartfelt thank from me and, I am sure, from many in Europe who cannot even dream of politicians of such calibre and conviction.

Unless I am very much mistaken, Santorum is a Reagan in the making.

Mundabor

“We are all Catholics now”

"We are all Catholics now": Glenn Beck

Courtesy of the tireless Father Z, I echo his video of Glenn Beck, and would like to add some comments of mine.

First of all, take him with five or six pinches of salt, as you should every time an apostate (though, I assume, with the extenuating circumstance of a ridiculously bad instruction) talks about Catholicism. Much of the talk is, as you will see, rather superficial.

What makes the speech interesting, is the clearly acquired consciousness Catholicism is – in the US at least – rapidly becoming the rallying point of Conservatives of all denominations (and of no Christian denomination, like the Mormon Beck).

“We are all Catholics now” is the clear rallying cry here (though in the end he waters it down, to please the masses). It is followed by a passionate appeal not only to strengthen but (beautifully) to challenge one’s own priest or rabbi or pastor. Crucially, he sees this will cause divisions and contrasts, and asks everyone to take sides.

I think Glenn Beck is not the creator, but a symptom of a movement that is getting more and more momentum: as the Church puts Herself at the head of this movement, the other denominations naturally rally around her like the chicken around the hen, or like the torpedo boats around the aircraft carrier. As a result, the torpedo boats not only enjoy the protection afforded by the air shield, but at the same time protect the aircraft carrier and make it more dangerous. My impression is that here a rather impressive flotilla is rallying, and this flotilla will get down on Washington with devastating force.

Add, please, to the HHS Mandate effect the wonderful run Santorum is having and you will see that never in recent history Catholicism was so closely identified with social conservatism, with a call to the return to a clean thinking that has been lost – alas, even within the Church – for too long.

As the Church acquires a more marked socially conservative profile, more and more conservative pundits will be, I think, attracted to her. Look at Gingrich, wearing Catholicism like a good suit, and I can’t imagine anyone can say his clear conservative profile was damaged by his conversion, or is at odds with it.

“We are all Catholics now” is a rallying cry that will serve to mobilise people today, and – by the grace of God – convert the one or the other  tomorrow.

Be it as it may, the Catholic Church in the US is very much in the spotlight, and for all the right reasons.

Mundabor

Santorum Continues To Surprise

Continues to surprise: Rick Santorum

“There has never been a conviction politician, an insurgent Christian conservative, who has won this many (primaries) since Ronald Reagan in 1976,”

I think this passage of a Washington Post article  well gives the idea of what is happening (for those who were too young, in 1976 Ronald Reagan fought an extremely strong campaign, in the end losing against Gerald Ford for a handful of delegates. Gerald Ford was, must be remembered, the President), and it appears to me that Santorum is rapidly gaining not only momentum, but mainstream credibility. As the money keeps flowing – though certainly in small measure compared to the Romney aircraft carrier; apparently Romney has outspent Santorum 10 to 1 up to now and still can’t close the game, this really says it all) and Santorum gains more and more TV time and media attention, he is seen as a real alternative rather than the flag candidate. I must say I am surprised; extremely pleasantly surprised as this always was my favourite candidate, though I thought – with most others, I must say – he would be massacred  after the first success in Ohio, which for me was already a miracle and something to thank God for.

We are now – incredibile dictu – at nine victories, and counting. Whilst the largely proportional system puts the concept of “victory” in perspective, I think it is fair to say Santorum is now the number one opponent of Romney, and Gingrich a strong third contender but nothing more than that.

It seems to me Gingrich is unwittingly helping Romney, and his rather stubborn decision to go all the way to Tampa – or so at least does he say now – might, even with the proportional system in place, help Romney to the nomination as a clear “non-Romney” does not emerge or, at least, does not translate in enough delegates to stop him.

What I also find notable is the enthusiasm with which Evangelicals support Santorum. What at the beginning might have looked like a sympathy vote for a nice, outright Christian candidate is now rapidly becoming all-out organisational and financial support. Kudos to them. Let’s hope Santorum will inflame so many of them that the one or other decides to convert…. 😉

I might be wrong (again) but at the moment I’d say the biggest obstacle in front of a non-Romney nomination is Gingrich, who is doing too well to force him to retire his candidature, but at the moment not well enough to compete with Santorum. If he decided to leave, methinks the clear alternative Romney-Santorum would mobilise the party to choose the Republican candidate (pun intended), but if he stays he might drain precious blood from Santorum’s campaign and, in fact, aid the nomination of a man he doesn’t like a bit.

We will see how this pans out. I find Santorum’s ascent exhilarating, and as he has proved me wrong in his ability to attract enough Republican candidates, he could prove me wrong again in his ability to attract the vote of mainstream America; at least considering that mainstream America would still confronted with the thought that the alternative to Santorum would be another four years of Obama.

Mundabor

After Supertuesday, A Time For Choosing.

The numbers don't stack up: Newt Gingrich.

At this point, it seems to me the logic of the electoral contest does not leave much time for hesitation.

We know this year the distribution of the delegates is of a more “proportional” nature. This allows candidates who considers themselves credible to keep their hopes for longer. Look at Gingrich winning in Georgia (playing home, granted), when with the winner-take-old system he would probably have finished the money a long time ago. I also note Romney has won six of the ten Supertuesday races and still is if not nowhere – which would be ungenerous – rather far away from imposing his presence and charisma – if any – as the Republican candidate. The way he continues to outrageously outspend his opponents for a summa summarum rather disappointing return (a win of around 1% in Ohio; really?) goes to show an awful lot of Republicans just don’t like Romney and they might vote for him – obtorto collo – only for the sake of getting rid of Adolf Hussein.

I had said in the past that the new proportional system doesn’t make it so decisive to have a quick decision between Gingrich and Santorum, as they continued to accumulate delegates who wold unavoidably vote for the one of them who remained. This was when Santorum and Gingrich together had around the same delegates – acouple more, in fact – than Romney alone.

This does not seem to be the case anymore, though. Last time I looked, Romney had 380 delegates and Gingrich/Santorum together less than 200. Basically, this means the clock is ticking fast and if they go on this way, by staying in the race Gingrich will only manage to destroy Santorum’s hopes of winning the nomination, without even a hope of being picked up as vice president because he and Romney are not exactly best friends, and Romney would probably prefer to pick up Santorum to give himself a conservative virginity.

Romney must, then, now hope Gingrich stays in the race as long as he can, because this is the only way he can avoid the emergence of a candidate the Republican people can really perceive as Republican, and as the alternative to him. It seems to me the time for choosing has now come, and Gingrich should very seriously consider quitting and supporting Santorum, sharpish. It is true he might do better in places like Alabama and Mississippi, but again Santorum could do better than him anyway. Santorum appears to be just better at mobilising the clearly conservative electorate, whilst the more moderate Gingrich cannot profit from his more expendable profile to take away many votes from Romney. If you are distant third after now many races, and could only win in your own state on Supertuesday, how realistic are your chances?

Romney won Ohio for around 1%, but in Ohio Gingrich got around 15%. In Alaska, Santorum lost for only 3 percentage point, and Gingrich got 14%.

What does this tell us?

I still think Gingrich would have better cards than Santorum in November but hey: he will not make it to November, one way or the other.

The time for skirmishes is coming to an end. I think it is now time for Gingrich to admit Santorum has the better cards (or alternatively: that he can damage Romney’s chances more if he quits the race) and supports Santorum.

Mundabor

Santorum’s Surprise

 

The revelation of the 2012 campaign continues to astonish.

Let me say at the start  Santorum’s victories in Colorado, Minnesota and Missouri are not game-changers in themselves, and being rather emotional beauty-contests with no delegate impact were probably more appealing to the core of Republican conservatism than to the mainstream Republicans (in name only?), more likely to vote for the Mormon guy.

On the other hand, this kind of contests – without too much money being spent, or better said without Romney outspending Santorum by a big multiple – are probably better apt to show what happens when no one can outspend his opponent 10 or 20 to one, which is what is going to happen in November.

Still, I continue to have conflicting feelings about Santorum’s successes. On the one hand, I can only look with great pleasure at the rise of this still relatively young politician, a man who seems to have the stuff to become the Reagan of the next decade and must be the ideal candidate of most readers of this blog. On the other hand, I cannot imagine Obama’s advisors being displeased at his rise, as they know they cannot wish a better chance to lead Obama to victory  than if he should run against a man, I am not sorry to say, so out of line with the superficial cafeteria, John-Lennon-light, “whatever”-thinking of a great part of the electorate. I can’t imagine a country falling in love with “change” only four years ago and suddenly embracing the tenets of staunch Catholics and evangelicals, a sector with which Santorum will be extremely closely identified, courtesy of the Obama campaign. But I have said all this, and will not dwell on it.

What is perhaps more interesting, is that the decline of the winner-takes-all primaries system makes who “wins” the single contest less relevant. If you look at the delegates count you’ll notice Santorum and Gingrich together continue to have more delegates than Romney; this basically means today’s favourite is, in fact, still not Romney but the one between Gingrich and Santorum who will remain longer in the race, unavoidably attracting the delegates of the other and becoming the official, erm, Christian and Republican candidate.

Another  element I notice for today is that Republican core voters seem not to miss any occasion – however symbolic – to send the clear message Romney is not their candidate. Encouraging, though not necessarily positive if they end up with a factually unelectable candidate; but I might be wrong of course, and after Carter came Reagan.

Last but not least, there seems to be a clear indication Gingrich suffers among the female voters. They’ll be happier with the Mormon or the abortionist, I suppose.

Mundabor

 

Scorned Woman Loses, Gingrich Convincingly Wins In South Carolina

Newt Gingrich convincingly won in South Carolina. Unfortunately, I do not think this was primarily due to interventions like the one posted by me a few days ago, but rather to brilliant answers like the one I post above.

Which leads me nicely to my argument: whilst Santorum is – for all of us Catholics I think – by far the best candidate, I think Gingrich is the one with the best cards to defeat Obama. As always in politics, the choice is – in the end – not between our ideal candidate and the enemy, but between the enemy and the candidate who can defeat him.

I am fully conscious that this is the mentality which has brought Romney so far, and I am not ashamed in saying that if there was no better candidate to defeat Obama, my personal support – though not my sympathy – would go to him. But I do think that there is a candidate who can – easily, I think, unless he makes something very stupid – defeat Obama by presenting a radically – if not completely – different world view than the one of the inadequate git brought to the White House on a huge wave of political correctness, coupled with a toothless and flip-flopping opponent.

Santorum is, if you ask me, by far the best. Not only because of his extremely coherent Catholic stance, but because of his extremely clear ideas in matters of foreign politics. He may not have the same tea-party credentials of Gingrich, but he wouldn’t be a squanderer unable to count like the present occupier of the White House.

My problem with Santorum is that I think it is highly improbable that he may ever defeat Obama. Why? Because of his very same extremely coherent Catholic stance, and extremely clear ideas in matters of foreign politics.

I can’t imagine Santorum suddenly converting to his right-wing stance the mainstream of the American voters. I try not to confuse my own preferences with whom I think is electable. I like Santorum’s stance on Iran like few others, but it would be foolish for me to say this is a platform on which you can be elected President. Kudos to him for being so honest, but frankly I can’t see this candidate winning a presidential race. Not in 2012 at any rate.

The results in South Carolina are, I think, an important – though not definitive – confirmation of this, with Gingrich taking away the clear majority of the conservative wing and Santorum performing extremely well all things considered, but still widely behind Gingrich.

Importantly, Gingrich seems to have been the most voted among those who consider both economy or ability to defeat Obama the main motivators of their vote: this is a candidate able to unite pragmatists who would have voted Romney in the absence of better alternatives, and hard-liners who would prefer to lose with a real Republican than running the risk of winning with a fake one.

If you add the votes, Gingrich and Santorum together got around double as much as Romney’s votes. Granted, South Carolina is more conservative than the average, but I’d dare to say the anti-Romney fraction only needs to coalesce around Gingrich and Romney will become, in time, history.

What I hope will happen now is that Santorum stays in the race for as long as money and organisation allow, and then graciously retires and supports Gingrich’s candidature, suggesting his delegates vote for him at the convention. This way the way would be paved for a strong Gingrich campaign against Romney, but at the same time stressing the robust socially very conservative component behind him.

Santorum achieved a half-miracle through his own personal qualities and the fact that his ideas resonate particularly well among a certain part of the electorate. But I still can’t imagine him becoming the candidate able to defeat Romney, much less Obama.  Too Catholic, too conservative, too much of a hawk in foreign politics matters, I don’t think he can make it, not in 2012.

What I do think is that scorned women do not have the grip on the electorate they used to have. Thank God for that.

Mundabor

Hell Hath No Fury: Marianne Gingrich

On the day Perry makes way for him and Santorum is declared (more or less) the winner in Iowa, Gingrich’s ex-wife does (really not) surprise us with alleged “revelations” about what her former husband said to her around, let me think, twelve to thirteen years and a conversion ago. Interesting.

Nothing new of course as generally this kind of things finds its way to the media without waiting for a presidential race; but one remains with the impression that the private side of Gingrich is the one chosen by his opponent to put an end to the public one.

This is one of the rare days when I am glad I grew up in Europe, and particularly in a country where private mistakes are left to the confessional and, when they find their way to the media, are not considered the metre by which the work of a politician is judged. You may say that it has his risks (as seen recently), but I still think it reflects a more mature political culture.

I’m not sure in modern times Godfrey of Bouillon, or Richard the Lionheart, would be elected to run a crusade, as their private life probably gave rise to many questions. Rather, some inept chap with irreproachable private life would be chosen, and bye-bye Jerusalem. If you don’t like these two examples, pick whichever else you like, from the drinker Churchill to the  gambler Cavour.

Alas, I doubt many will be of my opinion, which is why if the public reacts badly to this interview in the run up to the primary in South Carolina it is now not unlikely the American people will have to decide, come November, between a godless affirmative action idiot and a flip-flopping RINO Mormon.

The private life of a politician is a matter for the confessional. Don’t let a good candidate go to waste because he would have never make  it as a Protestant pastor. Most people don’t, and I’m not sure Protestant pastors have such a good record, either.

Mundabor

Who’s crazy?

I must admit I have sometimes my problems with NuEnglish.

What is a “healing experience”? You can’t heal from grief, I was always told and this has always been my experience, though you can come to term with it to an extent. To “affirm a memory” (what?) is also something defying my grasp of the language, though one understands a vague sense of “affirming the value of every human life” must be what is meant.

There is, therefore, something that separates me and many like me from this use of fashionable expressions which, to my ears, sound so much “new age” expression. Oh, I feeel so healed….

Where there is no difference, is in the understanding of what poor Mr Santorum and his wife must have gone through when a child of them died two hours after birth. I can’t even start to understand what it must mean for the parents to have their child born alive, fear for his life – or fear his impending death – for 120 interminable minutes, and then be told that he has died.

Without using strange words like “affirming one’s memory”, it seems to me the decision of the Santorum was the right one, nay, an excellent one: take the baby home, show the new-born to his little brothers and sisters, and have a funeral there.

I can’t imagine a better way to say to a sadly departed child – certainly looking at them from heaven, as here baptism of desire is a given; though I’d love to know if they managed to have him baptised with water – that he is one of the family. At the same time, I can’t imagine a better way to say to their other children that the newly born is one of the family. This is what you do when you think that the newborn is an immortal soul instead of something to be disposed of in an environmentally friendly way as soon as practicable.

I can obviously imagine that for some people such a behaviour might seem weird, or ridiculous, or worse. But this is exactly the point, why this is the case. This can only be the case if to one life isn’t sacred, there is no immortal soul, and there is no infinite dignity and beauty in a birth even if, alas, followed by mourning.  Those who ridicule Santorum say, therefore, much more about themselves than what they want to imply about him.

Mundabor

 

Santorum’s Hour

The Hero of the day: Rick Santorum

I am sitting at home, trying to digest the Iowa results.

What has happened is, to put it bluntly, huge. Those non-Americans among us who have followed Santorum since last summer knew (erm, thought to know) that his was a pure flag candidature, very useful to give more relevance to pro-life issues but without any chance at all to make it to the nomination in real life.

I would be very naive if I would tell you that I have changed my mind now. If the past is any guidance, Santorum will be drowned in the next couple of weeks by the Romney war machine – no doubt, covertly attacking him as they did with Gingrich; it is very interesting how the PACs can be used to outsource nastiness; I think Gingrich will learn the lesson too … – and by the growing awareness that he is, however you try to twist and turn it,  not a mainstream candidate. More likely than not, he will be the Huckabee of Iowa 2012. Still huge of course, but not a nomination.

Still, what happened in Iowa shows in my eyes the great force of social conservatism in America, a force we in Europe can only dream about. All those Evangelicals endorsing, of all men, an extremely orthodox Catholic show the ability to coagulate around a man – not this time, most certainly; but probably in future – able to openly defend pro-life and social conservative values and to lead his agenda to Republican nomination and eventual electoral victory.

Perhaps yesterday’s caucus, and the events that will follow until Santorum abandons, will be remembered in the years to come as the equivalent of Ronald Reagan’s “time for choosing” speech(es): as the phase in which he puts himself in front of a national audience as a valid candidate to incarnate serious, solid conservative values for an entire country, not for a minority of hardliners.

I still can’t imagine this will be Santorum’s nomination year. It’s not that I wouldn’t dream of it or that I enjoy defeatism, merely that I do not want my excitement to eclipse common sense. It’s still a very long shot, though the shot has just become a damn good sight shorter. What seems more probable to me is that Santorum has put himself in an excellent position to be a serious candidate in four or eight – or twelve – years’ time, when the pro-life and anti-perversion issued will have had some years to better penetrate the collective consciousness of the American electorate, and a couple of million pot-smokers and Sixty-Eighters will have gone to meet – or not, as the case may be – their Maker.

Yesterday, Santorum and his troop of fighters have made that moment a good sight nearer to us.

Congratulations

Mundabor