I understand the urge. He's a joke. He's a clown. Um...but...what if he wins?
Don't get me wrong. I know it seems improbable. As I look out there reelection of the President seems the most likely outcome against either of these candidates. But...
Strange things happen in politics.
I think Mitt Romney would make a really bad president. But he's kind of squishy, more concerned with his own electoral prospects than fighting hard for any particular agenda.
Yes, the prospect of him with a Republican congress dictating his policy...which I think he would have if elected because in my mind any set of circumstances that could put him in the White House would mean things were so bad out there it would be a sweep...is unpleasant to contemplate.
But Santorum is a real culture warrior...a true believer...as close as I hope we will ever come to an American Taliban at the upper reaches of our politics.
His is a tiny intellect unencumbered by any resort to facts that might upset his settled world view.
He is a true bigot of the worst sense, unable even to perceive his own prejudices and sees himself a victim when called on them by those who do.
He is exactly the sort who fired the first shot at Fort Sumter, kept Rosa Parks in the back of the bus, and Sieg Heiled at Nuremberg.
(Yep. I went there. He's that extreme.)
My advice is let the Republicorp Party nominate their standard bearer on their own and then fight like hell to defeat him.
Stepping one toe deep into their cesspool as a sort of strategic calculation is not a step I'd take or recommend.
I endured the embarrassment of Santorum representing my state in the Senate for 12 years. I never believed him capable of making any sort of comeback after his 20 point defeat in his last race. But then, I never believed him capable of election to the Senate in the first place.
I just don't think it wise or helpful to risk helping to place him in a position where his ascension to the Presidency is possible.
I for one would not risk underestimating him again.
This short diary is a slightly expanded version of my comment on a early diary on this subject. Ordinarily I wouldn't post it as a diary. But there are so many diaries on this topic now. And I'm not going to click around posting to all of them. So this is my 2 cents worth on the subject. Peace, love, and remember...when you stare into the abyss, the abyss stares back.