Eric Thomas: Santorum Should Blame Himself For Slide

By Eric Thomas

Rick Santorum looked a little tired when he stood at the podium in Grand Rapids on the night of the GOP primary in Michigan. The Romney crew looked relieved and poised heading out of the Great Lakes while the Santorum campaign spun wildly attempting to convince the media that the defeat in Michigan was some kind of win for the campaign. Santorum cocked his head and opened his remarks to the assembled Michigan supporters by saying "And the people of Michigan looked into the hearts of the candidates, and all I have to say is: I love you back."

Um... I think someone handed you the wrong note, Rick. Michigan voters clearly decided to see other people. The Romney campaign was wounded badly when they limped into the lower peninsula two weeks ago. Romney was gleaming into the camera like one of the Coneheads and talking about how the trees are the right height. The polls in Michigan predicted a cakewalk as the former Senator from Pennsylvania was up by 10 points.

Giving away a lead this large can not be called a victory. Not even a hollow one. Santorum is spinning the race by saying that no one predicted he would have this strong a showing in Michigan. If this is your first political blog, spinning means lying. Many in the political proletariat eyed the Michigan primary for a Romney loss. Many in DC were pulling sandbags off truck beds and drunk texting Chris Christie.

Santorum gave Michigan away no matter how hard he spins it. He did so by making the exact same unforced errors as when he lost by 18 points in his home state. Santorum is an extremist and there is no other word for him. When people are being generous, they say he "truly believes in what he says".

Trouble started with the contraception debate. The GOP leapt at the opportunity to point out one of the more Orwellian parts of the Obamacare plan which forces religious organizations to pay for hormonal birth control pills. Santorum quickly grabbed that ball and ran it way to the right. He claimed he was eager for a discussion on the evils of contraception. Many other conservative Christians heard the dinner bell and came running. Now we have a referendum on hormonal birth control on our hands. How did Santorum's gamble work? He lost Catholic women in Michigan by a wide margin.

In the closing weekend before the Michigan primary, he managed to faceplant twice in spectacular fashion. He claimed that Obama wanted citizens to go to college because he wanted to "make" them "in his own image". Santorum cited a high percentage of people (I didn't take note because I think he made it up) that go to college lose their religious conviction. First of all, so what? If your religious views are hanging by so slight a thread that learning things will snap it, your views are not that strongly held to begin with. Second, aren't many colleges religious? Notre Dame? Brigham Young? Aren't they the same institutions being discussed in the fight about contraceptives?

Santorum's views about the dangers of college were the most bizarre I had ever heard in a lifetime of watching political discourse. Until he kept talking. Then he actually said that the John F Kennedy speech where he affirmed the separation of church and state made Santorum "want to throw up."

If Santorum wants to know why he lost Michigan I would point at that statement. I am pretty sure that John F Kennedy is settled history at this point. We have named countless high schools, libraries, the space center, TWO aircraft carriers, a university in California, the largest theater in DC and the major international airport in New York City after him and I know I am leaving some out. You have to be a total space cadet to trash John F Kennedy while seeking the office of the presidency. When you are a former Senator who was soundly rejected by your constituency, you have to be a total dunce to smack talk Camelot. When asked about that totally idiotic statement on the Sunday talk shows he actually doubled down and reiterated it. He finally started walking it back on Monday but you can't say something twice and claim you were misquoted.

Romney had a series of gaffes as well but nothing compares to Santorum. Stumping on the dangers of college and the misguided leadership of JFK sounds like a comedy sketch. Santorum will lead up to Super Tuesday claiming that he fared better than expected and every time he says that will be a lie. He was leading in the polls.

No one knows you are a fool until you open your mouth and prove it.