Rick Santorum, who was engaged in a bitter and ultimately futile battle against Mitt Romney for the Republican presidential nomination in Election 2012, has been given a prominent speaking role at the party's national convention.
How'd that happen?
See also:
- 2012 Democratic National Convention Speakers
- Who Pays for Political Conventions?
- What is a Brokered Convention?
After all, Santorum was the guy who described the presumed presidential nominee as the "worst Republican in the country to put up against Barack Obama" and then, after dropping out of the race, waited a month before endorsing him. Via email. In the middle of the night.
So how did Santorum end up here, lavishing praise upon the man tea party conservatives such as himself have called, with no small amount of scorn, a Massachusetts moderate?
"I am so passionate about this election because the core principles of our country are at stake," Santorum said in a statement released by the party. "The Republican National Convention is an important time for us to rally behind Mitt Romney and his vision to put our country back on track. We need a leader in the White House who is committed to reforming government."
Continued Santorum, now Romney's biggest fan: "Republicans believe that removing the incentive to work will destroy welfare reform as we know it, costing taxpayers millions and leading the poor to a life of dependency. The contrast between President Obama and Mitt Romney could not be greater. Conservatives from across the country are rallying together and we will make our voices heard in a few weeks in Tampa."
The party's decision to put Santorum onstage is a calculated political move to court evangelic voters, or "teavangelicals" as they've been called, into the Romney camp. Santorum will deliver red meat to the party's base in prime time.
But the selection of Santorum carries risks for both the former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania and Romney's presidential campaign. Santorum's ultraconservative views could alienate the crucial independent vote on Nov. 6, harming Romney's chances.
And for Santorum, who has never been able to outrun the conservative wrath over his support of Republican-turned-Democrat Arlen Specter, standing so strongly behind another one of the party's moderates may come back to haunt him later in his political career.
Say, in 2016.
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