# Is Santorum \*trying\* to lose? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [March 19, 2012, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-santorum-trying-to-lose/616182 "2012-03-19T00:57:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Blaster\_Master](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cab0a1/32.png) [@Blaster\_Master](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blaster_Master)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-santorum-trying-to-lose/616182/41 "2012-03-19T21:35:24Z")
> [@DianaG](#): > > You know, I loathe the man with the fire of a thousand suns, but I don’t think he’s “angling” for anything (although he may well get it regardless). I believe that he genuinely believes every ridiculous thing he says, from the philosophically ridiculous to the just plain factually untrue. He really, truly, not only believes this stuff, but he believes that deep down, EVERYBODY believes it, even the people he perceives as attempting to subvert it. Actually, this is a notion that seems to be shared by a lot of extremists on both sides. The idea that the other side just doesn’t agree on the issue never comes up, but instead they realize it and are fighting against it. Admittedly, it’s something I see more often from religious people who just can’t imagine how someone can’t believe God exists and just sort of assume that, because it’s self-evident to them, others must realize it and be fighting against it. Really, in his case, I think he believes everything he’s saying, and I think he just thinks he’s fighting the good fight. I think he realizes it’s an uphill battle and it would take a miracle to win, but maybe that’s exactly what he’s hoping will happen. It’s also possible he could be hoping for some kind of appointment or whatever by Romney as a peace offering toward the more extreme wing. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-santorum-trying-to-lose/616182/42 "2012-03-19T22:54:56Z")
> [@Sawyer](#): > > I see your point. I just think that the GOP establishment is so sick and tired of the far right hijacking their agenda and installing their own. Romney may lose the general, but the GOP bosses could point to all the RW Tea Party pleasing primary candidate talking points that forced Romney to move to far to the right in the first place. And the main force behind all the madness, the Tea Party, is starting to show some loss of support, which I feel will continue. I keep hoping for this to happen but it doesn’t appear to me to be on the horizon. The modern conservative base seems to be built out of the proverbial some of the people that you can fool all of the time. No matter what setbacks they receive in the polls, they always accept whatever explanations they’re given as to why there’s no need to change direction. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-santorum-trying-to-lose/616182/43 "2012-03-19T23:00:32Z")
> [@StusBlues](#): > > Nah. The only way a guy like Santorum gets into power is by a putsch, and I doubt he could bring that off. I remember people saying the same thing about Reagan in 1980. And people saying there was no way Bush could get re-elected in 2004. You can’t ignore the reality - millions of people are voting for Santorum. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-santorum-trying-to-lose/616182/44 "2012-03-19T23:12:00Z")
Santorum’s comments in Puerto Rico were a misunderstanding of the law and the Constitution while he tried to win votes in Puerto Rico, not an effort to win votes from other people while he was hanging around in Puerto Rico. And no, he’s not going to be the front-runner in 2016 if Romney loses. It’ll be Christie, Rubio, DeMint, Haley, or any number of other people long before Santo has a shot. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-santorum-trying-to-lose/616182/45 "2012-03-19T23:17:30Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > You can’t ignore the reality - millions of people are voting for Santorum. Barely. Popular vote for Santorum: [2,435,355](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_Party_presidential_primaries,_2012) ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2012, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-santorum-trying-to-lose/616182/46 "2012-03-20T00:23:12Z")
Santorum’s strategy was enunciated in a famous novel: [QUOTE=the “Dauphin of France” in Huckleberry Finn] “Cuss the doctor! What do we k’yer for HIM? Hain’t we got all the fools in town on our side? And ain’t that a big enough majority in any town?” [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2012, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-santorum-trying-to-lose/616182/47 "2012-03-20T00:39:40Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > **Is Santorum _trying_ to lose?** No, I would say he is succeeding brilliantly. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2012, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-santorum-trying-to-lose/616182/48 "2012-03-20T01:46:32Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Yes, but, the only one of those which is a **Republican primary** voting bloc is women. And any woman who is a Pub in the first place probably just nods at that shit. That’s just foolish demonizing, BG, and you should know better. There was, at one point, a significant latino pull towards the republican party based on what are now called ‘traditional family values’ led by the catholic church. If that’s been undermined it’s based on other issues such as immigration and suspicion of non-English speakers. But that doesn’t mean it’s not there. Similar things apply to the women’s vote, if such a large demographic can be broken down that way (it really can’t). A great many women’s groups have an inherent conservatism to them that is currently being shaken by Santorum’s take on contraception. But again, it’s not like that isn’t there. ---
**Author:** ![gamerunknown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6bbea6/32.png) [@gamerunknown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gamerunknown)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2012, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-santorum-trying-to-lose/616182/49 "2012-03-20T02:25:53Z")
> [@](#): > > A great many women’s groups have an inherent conservatism to them that is currently being shaken by Santorum’s take on contraception. Concerned women for America wouldn’t mind though, surely? I think there was a Christian women’s group that successfully lobbied against cinema and alcohol in New York at one point too. ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2012, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-santorum-trying-to-lose/616182/50 "2012-03-20T02:55:53Z")
Today he said he didn’t care about the unemployment rate. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2012, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-santorum-trying-to-lose/616182/51 "2012-03-20T04:56:45Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Barely. Popular vote for Santorum: [2,435,355](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_Party_presidential_primaries,_2012) Yes, but that is millions of votes. It means Santorum can no longer be dismissed as just a joke candidate like Bachmann or Cain or Trump. He’s now become a serious candidate. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2012, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-santorum-trying-to-lose/616182/52 "2012-03-20T05:00:02Z")
Which disgusts me. I can only think that any women that voted for this freak in a primary is that they’re victims of spousal abuse. How can any woman even consider voting for this guy? The debates would be hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2012, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-santorum-trying-to-lose/616182/53 "2012-03-20T05:12:24Z")
> [@BigAppleBucky](#): > > Today he said he didn’t care about the unemployment rate. Romney certainly took a page out of Fox’s selective editing playbook ([link](http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/03/romney-camp-attacks-santorum-with-out-of-context-quotes.php?ref=fpnewsfeed)). ---
**Author:** ![Algorithm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/algorithm/32/12204_2.png) [@Algorithm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algorithm)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2012, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-santorum-trying-to-lose/616182/54 "2012-03-20T05:16:56Z")
Staying in the nomination race to the bitter end has got to be the worst way to set you up for the next election cycle. Also, Santorum has really cemented himself as the anti-gay candidate. He can’t walk away from the things he’s said. In 2008, a majority of the population opposed gay marriage. In 2012, a slight majority are in favor. It certainly isn’t going to look any better for Santorum and his backwards social agenda in 2016. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2012, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-santorum-trying-to-lose/616182/55 "2012-03-20T14:33:44Z")
> [@Enderw24](#): > > Rule 34? Leave us never mention that rule again in Santorum-related threads, shall we? ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2012, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-santorum-trying-to-lose/616182/56 "2012-03-20T15:03:14Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Leave us never mention that rule again in Santorum-related threads, shall we? NOoEXCEPTIONS! ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2012, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-santorum-trying-to-lose/616182/57 "2012-03-20T15:30:43Z")
> [@Algorithm](#): > > Staying in the nomination race to the bitter end has got to be the worst way to set you up for the next election cycle. > > Also, Santorum has really cemented himself as the anti-gay candidate. He can’t walk away from the things he’s said. In 2008, a majority of the population opposed gay marriage. In 2012, a slight majority are in favor. It certainly isn’t going to look any better for Santorum and his backwards social agenda in 2016. I’m sure Santorum has no plans of disavowing his anti-gay platform in 2016. For most people, gay rights is not a major issue. They might have an opinion for or against gay marriage when asked but it’s not an issue that will decide their vote. Let’s say ninety percent of the voters are essentially neutral on gay rights issues. And the other ten percent are split: some voters are pro-gay and some voters are anti-gay. Santorum knows he’s not going to get many pro-gay votes. And Romney or some other Republican candidate isn’t going to get many pro-gay votes either. But Santorum and other Republican candidates are competing for anti-gay votes. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2012, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-santorum-trying-to-lose/616182/58 "2012-03-20T15:33:23Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I’m sure Santorum has no plans of disavowing his anti-gay platform in 2016. Since anti-gay comments are what made him nationally famous in 2004, he couldn’t walk away from that stuff even if he wanted to. ---
**Author:** ![Backcountry\_Medic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/919ad9/32.png) [@Backcountry\_Medic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Backcountry_Medic)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2012, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-santorum-trying-to-lose/616182/59 "2012-03-20T17:16:10Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > For most people, gay rights is not a major issue. They might have an opinion for or against gay marriage when asked but it’s not an issue that will decide their vote. Let’s say ninety percent of the voters are essentially neutral on gay rights issues. And the other ten percent are split: some voters are pro-gay and some voters are anti-gay. I think your basic assumption and numbers here are a little off. Gay marriage/rights isn’t a big issue for me, but homophobia is. I don’t vote for people who think their vague book is the word for word instruction manual for how our country should be organized, largely because I feel like they are shitting on the 1st amendment when they do so. The people that Santorum/Romney/(Anti-gay Republicans in general) intend to win by being anti-gay are going to start dying off at ever faster rates, so if that’s there plan of success they better get cooking. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2012, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-santorum-trying-to-lose/616182/60 "2012-03-20T22:32:35Z")
A [song](http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/03/20/1074637/-Open-thread-If-you-re-homophobic-you-re-probably-gay?detail=hide) for our anti-gay brothers and sisters. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-santorum-trying-to-lose/616182.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-santorum-trying-to-lose/616182.md?page=4)