Santorum Drags Down the GOP

by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright April 7, 2012
All Rights Reserved.                                         

               Promising to hang on until the April 24 Pennsylvania primary, former. Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Penn.) hopes to grind out another few weeks out of his fizzling presidential campaign.  A new Public Policy Survey showed a stunning reversal of fortunes with Santorum now losing the GOP Pennsylvania to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney 42% to 37%, a reversal from one month ago when the same poll showed Santorum beating Romney 43% to 25%--a whopping 22% change.  Santorum promised to stay in the race until his state’s primary, his best shot of reviving his flagging campaign. With Romney now surging in the polls, Santorum faces the very real prospect of humiliation on April 24 when several Northeastern states vote.  If Santorum hangs in, it’s conceivable he’ll lose all five contests, including Connecticut, Delaware, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania and New York.

            Statorum sells himself as the only true conservative left in the race.  Former presidential candidate U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) called on Santorum to make a “graceful exist,” something Santorum has dismissed.  Santorum’s conservative base doesn’t like Romney and perpetuates the illusion that he’s another Ronald Reagan.  Unlike McCain, who waited his turn patiently since losing to former President George W. Bush in the 2000 GOP primaries, Santorum wants it all now.  Unfortunately, Romney also waited his turn since losing to McCain in 2008.  Regardless of the wishes of the GOP’s conservative base, it’s Romney’s turn to give it his best shot to represent the Party in 2012.  If he fails next November, Santorum will have four years to prove he’s the Party’s leader capable of bringing the Party back to victory in the 2016 presidential election.

            Between now and the Pennsylvania primary, Santorum will have to face the music or a wipe-out on April 24 that could leave a bad taste for Republicans in the future.  If he shows no class now, he won’t get much support in the next election cycle.  Once he bowed out in 2000, McCain reluctantly pledged “to do all in my power to help him lead us through the many challenges we face.”  After eight years of Bush, McCain was the GOP standard-bearer with little opposition in 2008.  Whatever chance Santorum has in 2016, he’ll destroy his future by staying in the race until April 24.  Even now, with all his anti-Romney rhetoric, Santorum has burnt his bridges as a VP pick.  Santorum violated Reagan’s No. 1 caveat, “thou shall not attack another Republican” so much against Romney that he’s low on the food chain.  If Santorum doesn’t bailout now, he’ll destroy his changes in 2016.

            Politics, like most things, requires “grace-under-pressure,” a kind of unwritten protocol that establishes acceptable standards of behavior.  Refusing to know when it’s time to throw in the towel shows a lack of class that doesn’t bode well for the future.  No one likes a sore loser.  Whether in politics or elsewhere, sportsmanship does count.  Santorum is rapidly approaching the point of no return where his current behavior makes his future look more and more bleak.  McCain gave Santorum some good advice to find a “graceful exit.”  It may already be too late.  Even if Santorum bails today, he’s not like to endorse Romney anytime soon.  Rick doesn’t quite get the notion of seniority.   Good, bad or indifferent, Romney’s earned his place to the top of the GOP ticket this time around.  To preserve his political future, Santorum needs to bow out now and throw his support to Romney.  If he just bows out and holds his delegates, he’ll still look vindictive, like a sore loser.

               Romney’s poised to add quickly to his already 660 delegates on way to the 1,144 needed to win the nomination.  With only 281 delegates, Santorum knows he’s been mathematically eliminated.  He’s knows it’s over and now time, whether he backs Mitt or not, to step down.  Santorum knows that after April 24 Romney could be over 900 delegates, only 200 or so shy of the nomination.  Waiting for a possible share of the 132 delegates May 8 when Indiana, West Virginia and North Carolina votes, does nothing for Santorum’s chances to win the nomination.  Whatever move Santorum makes on the chessboard, it’s already checkmate.  When Rick lost his senate seat to Sen. Bob Casey Jr. by 18% in 2006, it was a stunning rejection by Pennsylvania voters of all stripes of opinion.  When he faces those same voters April 24, recent polls show the outcome won’t be much different.

            Santorum’s days are numbered.  After burning his bridges for a possible VP pick, Santorum now walks a dangerous tightrope for his political future.  Whatever seniority he has in the Republican Party, if he doesn’t, as McCain says, gracefully bow out, his seniority won’t mean anything.  Even among his conservative base, you can’t debase the Party without consequences.  When Tea Party favorites like Florida Gov. Rick Rubio throws his support to Romney, you know the fat lady’s already finished signing.  If Santorum has any political future, he needs to refine his adlibbing skills before bashing Obama for using a teleprompter.  At least Obama knows he sounds better when he’s properly scripted.  No one likes to lose but there’s a time a place to admit defeat and move on.  That time has been long passed for Santorum.  Before he drags down the GOP any more, it’s time to get out.

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news.  He's editor of OnlineColumnist.com.and author of Dodging the Bullet and Operation Charisma.       

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