# What on earth are Romney and Santorum doing in this photo? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [February 23, 2012, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-on-earth-are-romney-and-santorum-doing-in-this-photo/613719 "2012-02-23T07:55:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2012, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-on-earth-are-romney-and-santorum-doing-in-this-photo/613719/1 "2012-02-23T07:55:41Z")
I watched this GOP debate, but I didn’t watch it closely (I was reading Twitter, the great Economist liveblog, and talking to my wife). I missed this weird moment: [http://andrewsullivan.thedailybeast.com/2012/02/the-daily-wrap-10.html](http://andrewsullivan.thedailybeast.com/2012/02/the-daily-wrap-10.html) I don’t mean Santorum’s expression–snapshots can make anyone look foolish if the shutter clicks at the wrong moment. But why is Romney clinging for dear life with two hands while Santorum gives him the thumbs up? Anyone know? ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2012, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-on-earth-are-romney-and-santorum-doing-in-this-photo/613719/2 "2012-02-23T07:59:27Z")
You’ve never received a deathgrip handshake? I have once that I recall, and my attitude toward handshakes is slightly more tolerant than that of the CDC. It’s an annoying affectation of some men–Og knows why. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2012, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-on-earth-are-romney-and-santorum-doing-in-this-photo/613719/3 "2012-02-23T08:11:08Z")
> [@foolsguinea](#): > > You’ve never received a deathgrip handshake? I have once that I recall, and my attitude toward handshakes is slightly more tolerant than that of the CDC. It’s an annoying affectation of some men–Og knows why. So that was just the opening handshake? I thought it looked like some deal where Santorum said something that Romney thought was funny and really great or something like that…not really sure, but it didn’t strike me as a perfunctory handshake, that’s for sure. Wow. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2012, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-on-earth-are-romney-and-santorum-doing-in-this-photo/613719/4 "2012-02-23T08:24:25Z")
I didn’t watch it, I have no idea at what point that handshake took place. ---
**Author:** ![Ruby\_Slippers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/94ad74/32.png) [@Ruby\_Slippers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby_Slippers)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2012, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-on-earth-are-romney-and-santorum-doing-in-this-photo/613719/5 "2012-02-23T11:00:43Z")
According to the caption, this was after the debate: > [@](#): > > Photo: Republican presidential candidates U.S. Rep. former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum (L) and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney talk after participating in a debate sponsored by CNN and the Republican Party of Arizona at the Mesa Arts Center February 22, 2012 in Mesa, Arizona. My guess is they both know the cameras are there and they’re trying to look good. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2012, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-on-earth-are-romney-and-santorum-doing-in-this-photo/613719/6 "2012-02-23T15:29:52Z")
Did either of them have a wide stance? ---
**Author:** ![Yumblie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/76d3ee/32.png) [@Yumblie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yumblie)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2012, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-on-earth-are-romney-and-santorum-doing-in-this-photo/613719/7 "2012-02-23T18:15:50Z")
They are merely exchanging long protein strings. If you can think of a better way, I’d like to hear it! ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2012, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-on-earth-are-romney-and-santorum-doing-in-this-photo/613719/8 "2012-02-23T23:19:18Z")
It’s the two handed congratulatory handshake. It adds some of the aspects of a hug to a handshake. It’s like you might do if your friend was having a baby or something. It would be done while the handshaker was saying “you son of a gun.” The thumbs up is, of course, not used in that context. But it is also used as a way of congratulating someone else. So my bet is that both people are pretending to be congratulating the other to look good on camera. And, honestly, the fact that Romney knows how to do that sort of handshake does help humanize him a bit. It’s not like good politicians are actually genuine, they just look it. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2012, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-on-earth-are-romney-and-santorum-doing-in-this-photo/613719/9 "2012-02-23T23:52:13Z")
I can totally see that making sense if Santorum just had a baby as you say; or just beat cancer or something. Seems wildly overboard here. Maybe Romney asked him about his sick baby and he gave a good health report? ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-on-earth-are-romney-and-santorum-doing-in-this-photo/613719/10 "2012-02-24T06:38:19Z")
Ron Paul supporters apparently think Santorum assaulted their guy [with the handshake](http://www.buzzfeed.com/rosiegray/ron-paul-fans-outraged-at-hearty-post-debate-hands) after the debate. (It was oddly vigorous.) So maybe Santorum was just really REALLY EXCITED to be there. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2012, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-on-earth-are-romney-and-santorum-doing-in-this-photo/613719/11 "2012-02-24T07:44:30Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > Ron Paul supporters apparently think Santorum assaulted their guy [with the handshake](http://www.buzzfeed.com/rosiegray/ron-paul-fans-outraged-at-hearty-post-debate-hands) after the debate. (It was oddly vigorous.) So maybe Santorum was just really REALLY EXCITED to be there. Interesting–the plot thickens! I know Santorum is pissed off at Paul for seeming to tag team with Romney to gang up on him (and he’s got a point–it’s fishy and hard to understand), so that looks like a little “fuck you” move with plausible deniability. Maybe he did the same to Romney and then Romney fired back with the double hander? Weird, passive-aggressive stuff going on there it seems. ---
**Author:** ![Backwater\_Under\_Duck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ba8739/32.png) [@Backwater\_Under\_Duck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Backwater_Under_Duck)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2012, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-on-earth-are-romney-and-santorum-doing-in-this-photo/613719/12 "2012-02-25T02:17:18Z")
Looks like Romney is about to give Rick the Luca Brasi treatment. Anybody standing behind him with a wire? ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2012, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-on-earth-are-romney-and-santorum-doing-in-this-photo/613719/13 "2012-02-25T22:32:59Z")
Looks to me like Romney is giving Santorum an overly-enthusiastic handshake, while Santorum is responding with approval to something Romney (or someone just off-camera) said to him. It is an odd picture. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2012, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-on-earth-are-romney-and-santorum-doing-in-this-photo/613719/14 "2012-02-29T04:49:24Z")
Looks to _me_ like Santorum said something funny and Romney is cracking up, in the paralyzed way people get when something particularly hilarious registers. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2012, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-on-earth-are-romney-and-santorum-doing-in-this-photo/613719/15 "2012-02-29T05:39:03Z")
**What on earth are Romney and Santorum doing in this photo?** Turns out, it was all about a stinking handshake… Man, what a letdown! ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2012, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-on-earth-are-romney-and-santorum-doing-in-this-photo/613719/16 "2012-02-29T05:45:46Z")
I am thinking it may be an extra-vigorous session of “pull my finger!” ---
**Author:** ![Stately\_Greek\_Automaton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aca169/32.png) [@Stately\_Greek\_Automaton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stately_Greek_Automaton)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2012, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-on-earth-are-romney-and-santorum-doing-in-this-photo/613719/17 "2012-02-29T06:16:13Z")
> [@Death\_of\_Rats](#): > > I am thinking it may be an extra-vigorous session of “pull my finger!” Santorum’s expression suddenly makes so much more sense. ---
**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:** [February 29, 2012, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-on-earth-are-romney-and-santorum-doing-in-this-photo/613719/18 "2012-02-29T06:17:17Z")
Ricky-poo said, “You show those Polaroids of ME having my gay night, I’LL show MY Polaroids of YOUR gay night.” 😃