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Rick Santorum Talks Presidential Politics

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    GOP contender on 'Fox News Sunday'

  • Duration 11:43
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Continue -- 20121 on one series of interviews.

Is presidential candidate and former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum senator welcome back to FOX News Sunday thank you -- could do it.

Let's talk the economy let's say it's president -- in office right now.

What specific things would you do.

To create jobs increased growth calm the markets but with the caveat that you could get it through this divided congress right now yet you make you make the assumption.

And that Rick Santorum wins the presidency would probably can control the United States senate and three votes short right now and I feel pretty good that.

With 23 of the 33 seats I've -- Democrats held seats we're gonna we're gonna pick up a few seats given that as a as a as a preference.

We're gonna repeal obamacare that's the first thing that creating.

A a certainty in the marketplace or not gonna put this huge new entitlement this huge amount of taxes.

And burden on the business community I think we'll do law go first step number one.

To to solve the problems secondly.

We need to do something to revitalize what I consider to be sort of the core of America.

Which is our manufacturing base I've talked about this on the road really more than anybody else I come from a little steel town north of Pittsburg.

And we believe I believe that if that the real middle of America that has shrunk.

Is because we went from about 21% of jobs in this country and I was a Caribbean and manufacturing down to nine.

That's what we've lost those jobs overseas need to bring him back one big idea.

That I -- the -- this to cut the corporate tax.

For all manufacturers from 35% to zero you -- -- get jobs back in this country you create a a tax system.

That allows us not only to.

Make things here and compete here and be profitable here.

-- one of the big impediments to manufacturing here's our tax.

Our tax system doesn't match up with other -- systems around the world as a result it's hard to export here.

You cut the tax rate to zero you create a real launching pad for exports here in America does -- how do you assume or how do you know that those companies are going to put back in.

To the country and and create those jobs if if there's not something attached to -- well that you you.

You only get fifty corporate tax rate if you're manufacturing here so I mean that it's not like you're gonna cut the corporate tax for manufacturers -- they manufactured in China.

-- you view it you have to manufacture here in America to get the 00%.

Rate and that to me as a very very powerful -- there's other things we're gonna do talk about energy that's a very big part act Pennsylvania.

Is now having a boomlet because of the Marcellus Shale on the gas industry that we're gonna drill three -- 4000 wells in Pennsylvania -- -- gas wells where.

Enormous.

Economic activity in the rural parts of the of our state.

We need to do that and and other areas to do two things -- want to create jobs in the energy sector but number two -- created stability for the manufacturing sector the fact that we now have stable gas prices and probably will for quite some time.

Is a great incentive for manufacturers come back because they're one of the heaviest users of natural gas what makes you more qualified than anyone else in this current field to create jobs sort of turn this economy around -- -- I've.

Right behind you there I've gotten things done I mean that's the real difference between me and everybody else in this race is accomplishment.

Hot in -- in a tough environment and and to get conservative things accomplished.

One of the other things we're gonna have to do is we're gonna have to cut.

The size and scale of government we are we are headed toward almost forty to 50% of the overall economy being government if we don't do something about these entitlement programs.

That's the big problem.

There's only one person in this race who's actually worked and fought and succeeded.

In -- entitlement reform.

Welfare reform back in the mid ninety's I was the author of it when I was in the house of representatives on the Ways and Means Committee and I came to the senate.

I went toe to toe with Daniel Patrick morning and Ted Kennedy the lions of the left.

Who we're gonna defend that system Bill Clinton -- did not want to end the federal entitlement to welfare He vetoed it twice.

But we continue to work on it I was able to end the federal entitlement require work.

And put time limits on welfare something that we're gonna have to do for Medicaid -- have to do for housing benefits food stamps all these programs that are growing exponentially.

That of the problem the core problem with our deficit are things that I was able to accomplish when I was in the United States and nobody else is able to do that in this field.

Vice President Biden is in China delivered a keynote address in which in part He passed some blame to the quote strong voice within the Republican Party.

That prevented an even bigger deal on deficit debt reduction.

Your reaction that my reaction is the biggest thing we can do to reduce the deficit is get.

The economy growing.

And the last thing you want to do if you want the economy growing is to increase taxes on the job creators and and so what we're try this -- we're trying to help Joseph I mean we're trying to help we're trying to get this economy going.

By doing some things that that actually -- private sector growth.

And the response we get from the left time and time again is no we need more government we need more spending we need more taxes which is the reason we're in the problem we're in today.

Foreign policy -- Santorum a few weeks ago you called president Obama's policy in Syria quote slapping the back of the hand.

A president -- instead of going after him.

Now -- you know the administration has called for a side to step down but would president Santorum go after -- solid with US military action.

Why wouldn't say with -- US military action but certainly.

From the very beginning.

We -- I would've called for.

Four aside to step down this is.

This is something that -- -- Obama did with respect to one of our closest allies in the Middle East Egypt.

You have Hosni Mubarak -- was a friend not clear clearly -- a dictator but a friend someone who was in a stable peace relationship with the with the Israel and the United States.

And as soon as the riots got anywhere intense He immediately called for more barks removal He -- he's done the opposite with Syria which has been a thorn in the United States side obviously a thorn in the C and that.

In the side of the Israelis and I'm someone actually has experience in this I -- I authored -- bill help pass that the United States senate called the Syrian accountability act which actually did get help get Syria out of Lebanon.

And which was a threat to it to Israel on its northern border so I've experienced in this area have been successful in getting things passed through the congress to put.

To put some constraints on Syria and we should have done the same thing in this case.

In Libya it appears the rebels are now surrounding Tripoli there's a call by Moammar Qaddafi is government for a cease fire this morning.

A but they're under heavy attack how much role if any should the US play in -- post Qaddafi.

-- Well it.

This is another strategic area and -- strategic country in the area and obviously we should be very much engaged with these rebel forces.

We've now taken sides as a result of the Obama administration's policy.

Now we need to maximize our influence within that within these when -- this group so hopefully.

Hopefully that's going on right now hopefully where we're develop relationships were building.

Bridges to that to that rebel rebel regime and when they come and the power that we will have some influence and some ability to be able to work with -- just to establish a stable regime in Libya.

Let's talk politics senator Santorum the last time you ran for office -- an incumbent from Pennsylvania you spent 26 million dollars on that race.

He still lost by eighteen points.

This year -- an underdog with relatively little money that's fair to say that four Republicans whose main concern is to defeat President Obama in 2012.

Aren't there are several other candidates who realistically.

Stand a better chance of doing that -- -- yeah.

I mean what people look at -- the last race I ran which was a miserable election year for Republicans lost five congressman we lost the governor's race by over twenty points we lost the house represented -- by the worst margin.

Since the Great Depression it was a meltdown at Pennsylvania's it was a lot of -- mid Atlantic states.

And I got swept out what everybody else George Bush was about 36%.

Favorable on Election Day in Pennsylvania that day I mean it was a miserable year.

Go back and look at the other years were we were competitive in 2000 George Bush.

Lost the state of Pennsylvania by four points I won it by five.

In 1994 a defeated a democratic incumbent to win my senate seat again ends in a state that had over a million more registered Democrats and Republicans.

And in my previous two congressional races I defeated a democratic incumbent to get elected and I forced another democratic and coming out of one -- -- seventy present democratic district so.

Yeah -- a horrible election year which is unlike any election you we've seen in Pennsylvania a long time and nothing like the election year 2012.

I did poorly.

But if you look at the track record it's a pretty darn good one if you look at the polls today in Pennsylvania I'm dead even -- the only person.

I in this race other than Mitt Romney has you know been out there campaigning for a long time who is -- even with the president -- -- His what you said after our debate in -- now.

Last -- I was on British show and and I said that I I would get tougher questions remain the most at a town meeting that I would from Brett bear what I wasn't sure that I didn't get any questions from -- -- Now this does ripping on my questioning there.

You were not happy about the timing it well number of questions -- let -- said the official tally.

Had you right in the middle of the pack -- in ten questions talking for nine minutes twelve seconds that was just 55 seconds behind.

Governor Romney over the two hours.

Who use the most time do you think your performance -- that the debate affected the straw poll yeah standings in this race there's.

No questions on two fronts I mean obviously.

-- the questions I did get later in the debate.

Definitely help -- I had a lot of people came up to me and said that the questions I answered I was one of the reasons they voted for me.

They -- I had was in the first roughly hour of debate I think I got one question I got a lot at the end but and and most of them we're geared towards social issues and they again it's it's one of those things He -- -- to get pigeonholed as a candidate and I think if you taught you that the conversation we had today.

My record on national security is better than anybody in this race far exceeds anybody in this race my record on moral cultural issues far exceeds anybody in this race.

And if you look at my record on entitlement reform there's nobody that can touch my record it and those are the things I'd love to be talking about particularly in the -- Health Care Reform and taxes.

In 2008 you called governor Romney the candidate who will quote stand up for the conservative principles we hold dear.

A month ago and I always -- suggested to Iowa voters that they should pick someone they really like just not -- right but in 2008 didn't you really like Romney and well.

What's different now -- I endorsed governor Romney five days I think six days before He dropped out of the race I I endorsed him right after the Florida primary.

Would it look like it was going to be a choice between governor Romney and and John McCain and in that race I really felt anybody but McCain was the best the best solution I mean that nothing against John McCain personally -- just didn't think He was gonna be our best candidate in the fall turned out to be that way.

And I and so He was the alternative and that's -- -- him I had concerns obviously I didn't endorse him until six days before five days before Super Tuesday.

But my biggest concern -- and it is now is Romney care and and the fact that He was war a top down government run health care solution.

I don't care if -- the state level I don't care if it's in you know in the local township He lives and we should not be for government run health care or top down solutions to big problem.

Less -- Texas governor Rick Perry is obviously getting a lot of attention in this race and -- Thrown his hat in the ring does He have what it takes to be the GOP nominee.

Look I -- I'd be out of the race if I thought He was the best candidate I think I'm the best candidate for this who has a record of accomplishment.

On across the board has been a consistent conservative think you go back and look at the records of all the candidates in this race the one who can accomplish things -- been a consistent conservative as someone who can attract candidates I mean Rick Perry's wanna Texas that's great.

We're gonna win Texas no matter who the nominee is what -- we gonna have to win Pennsylvania and Ohio and Florida I've got to track record to win in those states.

Senator Santorum thanks for the time thank you --

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