Actually, I think Santorum’s comment was surprisingly candid. He was willing to pull the curtain back and show how the sausage gets made. I don’t think he should be crucified for honestly describing a process that they’ve all engaged in — and which sometimes makes progress possible on Capitol Hill.

If you call “progress” an unaccountable Federal bureaucracy that has taken away local control of schools… well then yeah… we need more “progress”.

Last I checked, you don’t take an oath to a party, but an oath to the Constitution.  Santorum clearly does not understand that distinction.

There is no guy who has ever played in any team sport who doesn’t know what Sanitarium meant and who doesn’t find taking one for the team admirable. There is much to dislike about Sanitarium, but this is not one such thing.

Progress is getting things done: the exact opposite of what’s happened since the tea party came to power with its belligerence and its failure to grasp how the real world works. It’s no coincidence that since they started calling the shots on Capitol Hill our credit rating got hammered and Congress’s own approval has sunk to single digits.

 I really like Rick Santorum. I can’t wait to vote for him!

Absolutely.  It’s refreshing to hear that, too bad about his social views. 

So if you murder somebody and then admit it, you should be allowed to go Scot free?

The Americans are putting their sweat and blood to earn every dime which these politicians loot from us and make back door deals to pass it on to their buddies!!! Not progress!

Huh! You are kidding, right?

You want to credit him with CANDOR? Santorum is a demagogue – he gets no credit for candor until he admits he had no business screwing around opportunistically with Terry Schiavo’s family; no business screwing around with that dangerously flakey Christianist house in Washington DC (the one that provided subsidized religiotic housing for such hypocritical fake pious pols as John Ensign, Tom Colburn & Mark Sanford); no business passing judgment on the LBGT community; no business equating their sexual expression to “man on dog”; no business promoting legislation that advances inequality of rights; no business attacking the faith of another, leave aside that other happens to be president; etc etc etc. 

His response wasn’t about candor anyway – it was about not having any better response that happened to come to mind. NCLB didn’t fail because of some hidden dynamics; it had built in racially-biased outcomes. Santorum’s failure to see that at the time means he’s either totally racially insensitive or he’s a professional liar; I pick both.

Wow. I mean, WOW.

If you can even begin to equate trying to work with others in your party to get legislation passed — classic horse-trading — with an act of murder, there’s nothing I can say to dissuade you. You epitomize the problem with Paulites. Their passion is admirable, but their fanaticism seems to know few bounds.

Took one for the team? That means, I parked my true beliefs for political convenience.

Make no mistake. I’m no defender of Santorum. He’d be an unmitigated disaster for the country. But for all the things to criticize him for, this seemed pretty petty. All legislators — in both parties — have to give something to get something. That’s the way anything moves forward legislatively. He was simply being candid about the process and I don’t see why he should be crucified for this — regardless of his past failures on other issues.

To play devil’s advocate, isn’t that what compromise is?

“He was willing to pull the curtain back and show how the sausage gets made.”

I think the term in academia is called “logrolling,” and without it nothing would get done in Congress…well, even less so than what we see from this Congress I guess. 

AT LEAST I HAVE THE COURAGE TO NOT HAVE ANY CONVICTIONS AND THEN MAKE EXCUSES FOR IT!

wtf?

Though I agree with you I have to say, Sanitarium, really?  His name is synonymous with…well, I don’t think I’m allowed to say it on this site without getting removed, but either way, Sanitarium is a much nicer nickname than his own name. :)

Welcome to politics.

Last I checked, NCLB was extremely bipartisan. Ted Kennedy was a coauthor, and it passed the Senate 91-8 and the House 384-45.

Dude, what’s with you being all sensible all of a sudden? You’re freaking me out.

 And this was not a partisan deal. Everybody expected to wave around the glory of passing this wonderful legislation For The Children™!

But the result is the one we usually see when the federal government has a grand plan to fix things.

Right. If this shocks you, you haven’t been paying attention.

Prick is just like Obama just on the right. Wants to make backroom deals to get things done. He is an idiot and a Prick hence the name. Can’t see why anyone would like him. Social issues shouldn’t even be a part of the election right now, it should be jobs and the economy.

Take one for the team does not play that way for the TEA-GOP-Republican party as ‘Ol Brush Himoff roiled on after hearing Santorum utter those words. Santorum and Romney continue to showcase their shallow brain mass. Arguing over who’s the most conservative and discrediting each other sinks their character into the deepest realm of out-of-touch. 
Earmarks are not the issue, jobs are the issue. Like the man once said – “It’s the economy stupid”. Sadly, Newton Leroy and Rand Paul’s bigoted father will be sub-notes in history books. 
This is what happens when the GOP allows the Tactical Economic Antagonist(TEA) party a seat at their table. Any late entry would have an uphill battle and surely force A brokered convention. Sarah Palin would like that. Mitch Daniels may be brought back in to run. Romney watching his star dim and wane with Santorum’s deriding every positive effort by the president, while throwing in religious overtones. Newton Leroy still slogging through the baggage straining to keep up. Trashing the president with lies about Islam, these contenders have no clue what the real world is about. The Republican party have seen fit to bail out in time to keep their retirement benefits form the Congress.

If legislation did some good to the American people then yes, that is team work.  But what have all these legislations given the American people $15Trillion in debt.  

The question is would this type of “Team Work” be acceptable in a private workplace environment? No.  You would get sued and people would quit the company.

The politicians took oath to the constitution not to their buddies or their personal beliefs.

“My fellow Americans, today is day of sadness. Our country, indeed the entire world, has sufferred a grievous injury at the hands of a small group of extremists. Both the nuclear attack of 25 December on the great state of Israel and the bombing of the capitol building right here in Washington have hurt us badly. But now is not the time for mourning. It is the time for action. We must band together, not ONLY as Americans, but as citizens of the world. Whether you are white or black, straight or gay, muslim or jew it is time to put those differences aside.” 
“The time for half measures is past, America needs leadership. Our economy is devasted. Violence is breaking out in cities accross the nation. Congress has been all but destroyed and measures MUST be taken to restore order. Emergency elections must be held, this
government cannot function without a congress, our COUNTRY cannot function without a government. As you know, both President elect Gingrich and Vice-President elect Rubio died in the attack of 29 December. As a result of this heinous attack on our political structure, our
economy and our nation as a whole, I am COMPELLED to take action”
 ”Our constitution has no provision for this, the succession is unclear, and indeed the time for politics and half-measures is past. In order to restore Democracy the first order of business is to stop the violence and see to the needs of the people. Every resource at our disposal must be utilized to ensure the survival of the Union, to that end I have mobilized the military. Let me be clear, this is NOT martial law. Our soldiers are on the streets to insure freedom, to protect our fuel supplies, and to protect those citizens, those PEOPLE who cannot protect themselves.”
 ”Our economy has been badly hurt. Inflation is out of control. Thousand dollar a gallon gas makes everyday impossible for 99% of all Americans. Steps must be taken to prevent total economic collapse, and to that end our brave GIs will be distributing gasoline to all
Americans free of charge. Everyone will receive their fair share. We cannot be held hostage to profiteers and speculators, the stakes are too high, the situation is too grave. All supplies of oil and gas will be temporarily nationalized, until such time as the situation has
stabilized” 
“The food situation is equally grave. First, let me be clear, there is ENOUGH FOOD for everyone. Distibution is a problem. I feel your pain America, but I have good news for you. We are not alone. Even as I speak, an international coalition of relief workers are on their way. Food WILL be distributed to everyone. These relief workers must not be feared, they are here to help us. But we have to do our part too. We cannot count on the United Nations to feed us. Effective immediately, all food supplies belong to all the people equally. Stockpiling and hoarding cannot be tolerated in these dangerous times. We cannot allow the priveleged few to determine who gets to eat.” 
“These are only short term measures. As Americans we will perservere, indeed we WILL triumph. One of the most critical challenges ahead of us is repairing the damage to our economy. We must get America back on its feet. My new jobs plan is the first step in that
program. As of noon today, federal funds have been made available to several American companies. Manufacturing of energy efficient cars will be escalated. This will have a two fold effect, one it will get people back to  work. This program will creat over a million jobs in
the next month alone. Secondly, it will reduce our dependance upon gasoline making our Nation even stronger. But this is not enough. Most Americans do not have the simple good fortune to live in an urban manufacturing center like detroit. Nor can we continue to support those
Americans who are able to work, but simply dont want to. My new infrastructure program will provide jobs for ALL ablebodied Americans. Roads will be built, bridges repaired, and memorials constructed. These jobs will pay well, and health care will be provided for all
workers participating in this program.” 
“Finally America, I want to assure you of three things. We may be down, we may be hurt, BUT WE ARE NOT FINISHED. WE WILL RISE AGAIN, STRONGER THAN BEFORE. Secondly WE ARE NOT ALONE. America has allies, STRONG allies and they stand with us. Finally, our
constitutional form of government, the internet and free elections be restored AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. You know me America, I stand with you. But you MUST stand with me if we are going to survive these very trying time.”
President Pro-tem Barack Obama New Years Eve 2012

He had the courage to admit that sometimes you have to compromise your values for the good of the party. The problem is that his whole appeal was that he believed in his values and would be the only Republican to fight for these values no matter what. Now he’s no better than Romney on values, he’s less articulate, has no appeal to independents, and has a frothy Google problem.

Yea, watching the debate he made the reasons for his decision quite clear. He is a good man, but since hes a GOP candidate hes just going to get hate attacks no matter what.

“A mistake,” as in just the one?  Sanitarium is a politician, first and foremost.  He’s in love with his Bible right now, and his God, and he’s trying to be as far-right as he can be to appeal to…whom I’m not sure.  Surely there aren’t enough far-right evangelicals to get him 1) the nomination and, 2) elected President.  He’s riding the wave and he actually believes he has a chance.  Apparently God told him that it’s his to win.  Did God also tell him to marry a woman who was sleeping with a married abortion doctor, get knocked up and have him give her an abortion as well?  Oh, right.  Maybe Sanitarium “saved” her and brought her to God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

Virtually any company would fire Dr. No in short order.

No, his own name is fine. Dan Savage and his juvenile buttseks joke are nasty.

Again.  Obtuse is obtuse, you can call obtuse, straight but you are still obtuse.

Looks like he almost pulled a Bush “fool me once,..” line but recovered nicely

Either Santorum is being struck by the spotlight and lured by frontrunner status & decided to abandon his initial plans to campaign for VP, or he got wind of Romney’s intention to sign Rand Paul for veep that made him turn on Romney

Santorum and all those of Fox Fake News are all a hugh mistake.  The truth is not in any of them.

What Santorum does not mention is not only did he support this bill he added an amendment to force schools to teach intelligent design. It was removed after committee. 

http://lnk.co/IHTX5

Both campaigns and Roger Ailes all have to be pleased with this — a rarity to be sure.

For those who may have thought Megyn was in the tank for Santorum you sure couldn’t tell it by the tough questioning of the senator. I am sure the Romney campaign was not displeased with her line of questioning.

On the other hand, the Santorum camp has to be reasonably satisfied with his answers – and he didn’t get prickly as he his sometimes prone to do.

All things considered a win for everyone – especially for Fox News as Ms. Kelly’s star shines brightly once again.

 Flagged for being off topic (and too much bandwidth b/c of length of post).

Yes but in today’s political arena its called flip-floping, traitor, unAmerican, amoung other verbage. One moment of lucidity from him will only bring tomorrows many embarassments.

Rick kept mentioning Romney in the clip. It wasn’t Romney who clubbed him over the head in the Arizona debate – it was Ron Paul. In fact it was so bad I had to turn it off. Santorum got entirely pummeled and had no answers. And he had no answers because Paul caught Rick with his hand in the cookie jar.

Learn the Santorum Lesson Republicans & Democrats. Never vote for party, Vote on principle and for the oath of office.

With that voting record and his obvious insecurities, there is little chance for RS. Gingrich will have to step up to offset a weak record as well.

Romney has a record just as bad as the others, however he’s smart enough to not say something that will anger someone. It puts you to sleep though. Man if you ever need a sleep therapist, go sit in Romney’s office for 15 minutes and ask him to regurgitate his patented talking points.

Ron is the wild card. Strong message, awesome platform, horrible delivery. But likeable and honest none the less.