Santorum ready to say 'told you so' when Romney loses

[wt1531]

Conservatives are sharpening the proverbial knives for establishment Republicans once a Romney loss is official on election night.

[BlueDemKev]

1. I wish Santorum had been the Republican Nominee..

...Obama would have kicked his sniveling little ass to the moon.

[brooklynite]

40. Be careful what you ask for...

I went up to New Hampshire to see the entire field; Santorum was actually the best candidate they had. He's nuts, but he can speak conherently about his nutty positions, and isn't afraid to engage with people who disagree with him.

[still_one]

2. I believe that he will get that opportunity

[Marsala]

4. Because he's the "next in line" due to placing 2nd in the primaries?

An amusing thought, but I don't think that Santorum will be able to convert that status into anything in 2016. My guess is the nominee will be either Paul Ryan or Jeb Bush.

[still_one]

6. I meant that he will get to say I told you so, because Obama will win reelection

[johnlucas]

14. Paul Ryan is toast after this election

He can run if he wants to but he's going nowhere in 2016.
He joined this sinking ship called Mitt Romney & he will go down WITH that ship.

All they got is Jeb Bush unless some yet-unknown wonderboy shows up before then.
And even then they'll lose.
The Republican Party is finished in its current state.
Took long enough, didn't it?
John Lucas

[LiberalFighter]

15. I agree -- No low level congressman like Ryan will advance further

[flamingdem]

16. whaydaya mean - he's the GOP's Intellectual

[Lucinda]

24. I hadn't heard that until after the debate

I thought people were kidding until I went to that place who shall not be named and saw all their pre-debate gloating about how smart he was...and how he was going to kick Joe's fanny.

[Ztolkins]

19. How is Jeb Bush all they have?

He is a Bush.

[johnlucas]

21. That's how sad that party is now

He's all they got & they'll be spending the next few years pumping him up to be the party's standard bearer for 2016.
They were already doing an image makeover on Dubya the past couple of years & that sets up Jeb for the future.

There could be some unknown that pops up before then & pushes Jeb out of his spot.
But until that happens pretty much we're gonna be looking at yet another Clinton vs. Bush election.
Hillary vs. Jeb.

Yep he's a Bush & hopefully that will work against him.
Hillary has been redeemed by her time with Obama.
If she doesn't run it'll be a surprise to me.
She'll finally have her chance to fulfill her girlhood dream of being the 1st female President.
2016 is the best time to go for it & should Obama's 2nd term go much better than his first, she'll be a shoo-in.

But who really knows how the future will turn out?
John Lucas

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

3. Not that Santorum could have won.

Or Gingrich, or Pawlenty, or Bachmann, or Cain, or Perry, or Paul. None of the occupants of the GOP clown car would have had a snowball's chance in hell.

[mjjoe]

7. Maybe not Pawlenty

From what I've read, he is now busy making money in corporate America and has indicated (at least for now) that he's done with elected office.

[Thinkingabout]

8. Kinda think Pawlenty read the tea leaves and jumped.

He is supposed to not be able to take a government position but got himself in a good position.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

30. I think Santorum could have had a chance - IF he moderated his extreme social positions. He

had the populist thing going for him...and he seemed very sincere. Geez, if you compare him to Money Boo Boo - he's the polar opposite on the sincerity scale.

If he just said, I think this personally - but would never impose on the masses....

[blue-kite]

34. He is a nutjob... I can't see him 'un'extreming himself, since he believes all that stuff to his...

core.
Very dangerous individual.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

35. wasn't referring to his policies - just his sincerity/populism appeal

[Freddie]

5. Looking forward to it!

"The only reason we lost is because we didn't nominate a True Conservative!" Mitt will be as welcome as GWB at the next convention. As for Ricky-poo I was hoping his 15 minutes would finally be up, but being from PA he never really goes away.

[grantcart]

9. On to Iowa!!!

[Thinkingabout]

10. Jon Huntsman was always the best GOP candidate but

I think whoever the GOP candidate in 2012 is a throw away candidate.

[trotsky]

12. I have no doubt Huntsman could have defeated Obama.

Probably handily. Thank goodness most Republicans are stupid.

[Chipper Chat]

13. More Pubs that may have beaten O:

Rudy Giuliani (even with his liberal tendecies)
Jeb Bush (his name being the hold-back)
Colin Powell (but he's uh, uh, bl***)
Mitch Daniels (despite his neocon streak)

[johnlucas]

18. Huntsman couldn't beat Obama but he would have given Obama the greatest challenge

Jon Huntsman was the only one of this year's list of Republican candidates that remotely posed a threat to Obama.
But he didn't fit in a party that unleashed the bigots on the public stage instead of keeping them in cages like they used to.
He would have given Obama the greatest challenge out of this bunch but he still wouldn't have won.
At best he would have TRULY made it close.
(not like the "too close to call" bullshit the media's putting out to deny this coming Obama Landslide)

Besides he was part of the Obama Administration himself.
Hard to run against something you was once a part of. Especially this soon.
John Lucas

[Maximumnegro]

25. Minor CT, but I think Huntsman ran because of ROMNEY NOT

because of Obama. The Huntsmans apparently hate Romney. And remember a Huntsman was considered Harry Reid's source for Romney's tax records. AND Huntsman was part of the Obama administration before resigning to run. I honestly don't think Huntsman was in to really be pres but to stop Romney. There is some serious bad blood there. Huntsman's daughter wrote some Huffpo(?) articles hinting at the tax stuff way back when as well...

[Laura PourMeADrink]

29. don't forget from Game Change - all of them at the urinals besides Romney

and they were making fun of him - McCain calling him an asshole, and he walked in and they all got quiet.

This is a true look inside McCain..out of all politicians, he seems to take things far less personal. i.e. his big Romney endorsement. Bet he was promised the farm for that one.

[Justice]

33. Interesting. Big sacrifice to give up being ambassador to china though

[davidpdx]

26. I agree Huntsman couldn't have beat Obama

But he would have been more successful than Romney. Huntsman is the one Republican at the beginning of the election season that I was watching on that side to see if he gained any traction. Given he had foreign policy experience and experience as a governor he is much more qualified than Romney. On foreign policy Romney is clueless.

[flamingdem]

20. The only sane one!

BUT he is a Mormon too

[Kurska]

23. So is Harry Reid

Not all mormons are bad.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

39. I probably could have lived with Huntsman

He seems to be a genuine "moderate" and could and would stand up to the extremists. Romney I have no confidence that he will if elected and, frankly, have no idea about how he will govern.

[TheCowsCameHome]

11. Good. I can't wait to hear him say it.

Only 9 more days, and then he can let loose on Mittens.

[LiberalFighter]

17. Santorum thinks he is an establishment Republican?

Go for it!

[NCLefty]

22. They're ALL ready to say that.

Every genius brainiac pol and pundit will use it for their own advantage.

[Justice]

27. Huntsman is the only one who can say it credibly, IMO

[Laura PourMeADrink]

28. link?

[Phillyindy]

31. The right will say Romney wasn't "conservative enough"...they don't get it

[justiceischeap]

32. Which is ridiculous because he only started doing better

when he pivoted to "Moderate Mitt"

[Phillyindy]

36. Of course, but the right wing echoe machine will say...

...that's exactly why he lost, because he didn't stick to his conservative principles.

[bushisanidiot]

37. And I hope they make the mistake of moving even farther to the right

that party is in complete shambles, no thanks to their tea party extremists.

i cannot WAIT to rub it in their faces when they lose AGAIN.

[RomneyLies]

38. Yep, they'll push the GOP further to the right

No Republican will be renominated for their position if they compromise one bit.

Prepare for a repeat of the Federalist Party within the next ten years. If you don't know what happened to the Federalists, Wikipedia it.