Michael Gaynor
Actually Romney's more Reaganesque than Santorum
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By Michael Gaynor
April 7, 2012

Actually, Santorum's more like President George Herbert Walker Bush's Vice President, Dan Quayle than Reagan.

Republican presidential hopeful Rick Santorum can't win the 2012 Republican presidential nomination, but Santorum is no Romney. in 2008 Romney stopped his presidential campaign when he realized he could not win the Republican presidential nomination and focused on supporting the Republican nomination, surely preferably to either President Obama or Hillary Clinton, the realistic Democrat possibilities when Romney stopped campaigning for himself.

In sharp contrast, Santorum's selfishly staying in the race in the hope of winning the Republican presidential nomination in 2016.

Sadly, the Santorum campaign has become all about Santorum, and he's helping President Obama both by attacking the 2012 Republican presidential nominee-to-be, Romney, and making it necessary for Romney to spend money wrapping up the nomination instead of campaigning against Obama.

If Romney doesn't beat Obama, count on Santorum NOT to blame himself and continue his own version of the Clintons' perpetual campaign.

Santorum apparently has not noticed that unsuccessful Republican presidential nominees whom he criticizes as not conservative or not conservative enough (President Gerald Ford and former Senate Republican leader Bob Dole) were Washington insiders like himself instead of Washington outsiders like Romney.

Amazingly, Santorum is claiming the Reagan mantle, but Romney is more Reaganesque.

Like Reagan, Romney became more conservative over time while Santorum became more of a go-along guy. (Reagan signed the law legalizing abortion in California before Roe v. Wade, but learned from his mistake and became pro-life.)

Like Reagan both as Governor and President, Romney as Governor had to work with a Democrat-controlled legislature. Neither got all her wanted, but each did the best he could in the circumstances.

Santorum is comparing himself to Reagan in 1976, challenging then President Ford for the Republican presidential nominee, and reminding folks that Ford lost to Carter and Reagan then won the Republican presidential nomination and the election in 1980.

America could recover from one term of Carter, but two terms of Obama may be too much.

Reagan came very close to winning the Republican presidential nomination in 1976, much closer than Santorum has come this year.

I remember Ronald Reagan and Santorum's no Ronald Reagan.

Reagan was a Washington outsider when he became President.

Santorum is a Washington insider determined to become President, while Romney is a Washington outside with the same goal, plus much better preparation to become America's Chief Executive Officer.

Reagan was a movie and television star, who turned to politics after a very successful career in the private economy.

Romney was a very successful chief executive officer of a very successful private business who later turned to politics.

Reagan served two terms as Governor of California before he won on his third try for the Presidency.

Romney served a term as Governor of Massachusetts before running for President and will win the Republican presidential nomination on this his second run.

Actually, Santorum's more like President George Herbert Walker Bush's Vice President, Dan Quayle than Reagan.

Like Quayle, Santorum went to Congress as soon as he could. Quayle was elected at age 29, Santorum at 33.

Like Quayle, Santorum served two terms in the House of Representatives.

Like Quayle, then Santorum was elected a United States senator twice in his home state.

Santorum rose to no. 3 in Senate Republican leadership and unwittingly enabled Obamacare to be passed by supporting pro-abortion Senator Arlen Specter for re-election in 2004 instead of pro-life now Senator Pat Toomey, finally elected in 2010. (Santorum's support of Specter in 2004 wasn't a fluke. Other than Specter himself, Santorum was the only United States Senator to support Santorum's quixotic presidential bid.)

Quayle reached a higher rung on the political ladder than Santorum, become, Vice President of the United States and President of the United States Senate.

Both Quayle and Santorum ran for President, but neither could win the Republican presidential nomination.

Quayle came to realizer that, but Santorum stil doesn't.

© Michael Gaynor

 

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Michael Gaynor

Michael J. Gaynor has been practicing law in New York since 1973. A former partner at Fulton, Duncombe & Rowe and Gaynor & Bass, he is a solo practitioner admitted to practice in New York state and federal courts and an Association of the Bar of the City of New York member... (more)

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