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Santorum: Romney's attacks are laughable

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    2012 candidate responds to critics ahead of primaries

  • Duration 13:21
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Well next Tuesday GOP voters head to the polls in Arizona and Michigan this could be a game changer in the Republican race for president.

Especially for Rick Santorum.

If he can win Romney's home state of Michigan in particular some say he will have fired a devastating shot into Romney's momentum.

And Rick Santorum joins us live right now to discuss that and more senator thank you so much for being back let me.

I may have -- I'm great it's great to see you okay so there's lots we want to talk about.

OK so we all watch the big debate on Wednesday night and and you've been taken heat ever since then.

For your so called team player -- men.

Let's just tee it up -- park for the viewers so they can see what you said you were getting hammered for voting for President Bush's big initiative No Child Left Behind you are saying look at it was -- big policy initiative.

And then you said that's.

I have to admit I voted for that.

It was against the that the principles I believe then but you know when you're when you're part of the team sometimes you take one for the team for the leader and I made a mistake.

You know politics is a team sport folks.

And and sometimes you gotta you gotta -- together and and and did something.

They booed you and then you double down and talked about politics -- in a say a team sport do you regret that answer.

Look who's the team I was supporting.

A supporting President Bush in his attempt.

To try to get.

Education.

It.

Testing in the in the schools to make sure that we weren't having children as we as we've seen drop out and and failed by the way that.

That bill passed think ninety votes in the United States have 400 in the house.

And by the way governor Romney supported it.

Here's the difference but I -- diplomatic.

Am I I said that was a mistake way to much money was spent and that's.

In the principle that I said that that I was against was the principle of spending all this money in education the federal level.

When that went when it got out of control I said it was a mistake -- I said it was something I shouldn't have done.

Governor Riley continues to support No Child Left Behind.

Here's the hypocrisy -- and he's attacking me on something he supports and supports today I at least have the courage to admit when I make a mistake.

He's doubled down himself.

And says he's for more government control of federal government control of education I said -- -- No Child Left Behind he says he won't repeal No Child Left Behind.

-- -- -- there's not a conservative there's no question out there Ronnie has that Hattiesburg for.

-- said there's no question and Iran has supported No Child Left Behind your actually read and that -- he said that repeatedly but.

We are taking fire from from -- from his surrogates like Chris Christie governor New Jersey who came out.

Yesterday and said.

The art of compromising his understanding it can't get everything you want.

But not compromising your principles if you do that he says people won't know who you why are.

Did you compromise if there's anybody that's funny if there's anybody -- compromises president Mitt Romney.

You know it is is supporting is supporting a government run health -- sister Mitt Romney.

You know is is someone who ran as a as a as a pro choice gay rights supporting.

Governor of Massachusetts I mean.

You can go on down the list with -- run Mitt Romney supported big tax increases in the state of Massachusetts huge spending increases.

-- You look at my track record.

I have a track record of being a strong consisting -- for Mitt Romney.

To attack me is not being conservative is laughable.

That Mitt Romney was you know when when I was out there fighting No Child Left Behind.

He was out there you know you know supporting them and going to Planned Parenthood fund -- I'm standing up here and be consistent conservative in this race.

Who -- -- it with President Bush's biggest initiative of his campaign.

That the American public supported along with -- other United States senators.

I would I voted for that it was a mistake I admit it.

And unfortunately governor Romney continues to support those big government liberal program.

-- -- talk a little bit about earmarks that was another thing that was brought up in the debate he had a back and forth with Romney on and he accused you pushing.

For earmarks -- and non transparent way and then you claimed that that the earmarking process was Pope then and transparent and then.

Fact check dot org Karl Rove and others have come out since the debate and said this is fact checked out dot org saying quote that's not true and they see quote Santorum is the one misrepresenting the facts on this.

Saying the rules requiring public disclosure of earmarks did not go into effect until 2007 after.

You had left the US senate did you misstate the facts.

Not the public like I was I was always transparent about the earmarks are requests that I would make them available for people to take a look at.

The earmarks.

You know -- -- and look at the debates on the senate floor they were all they were debated -- John McCain would would come out and list all of the different earmarks that were that were in the bell was out of the lawmaker whether required.

That's correct it was up -- -- -- but I was talking about that that they -- as it was a transparent process in the sense.

That once the bill came to the floor of the earmarks were in the -- was not something that was a hidden thing.

Every member do when they were voting on the bill they were voting for these these particular things it has become more -- it became more transparent which was fine.

But the idea that these were hidden and that nobody knew what was in the bill is simply false everybody knew what I was particularly transparent and and being very public about about what I did and what -- requested.

As I as I mentioned before I've said that your marks should be stopped and I would support stopping earmarks.

And that's really the issue in this race.

Ronnie and you also had an exchange is becoming a big -- -- -- Romney going after tether.

-- -- -- I should earmarks meg and I mean he he he supported earmarks himself again it's the hypocrisy.

Of attacking me on things that he himself supported.

And and -- say that I'm not conservative because I was doing the same things.

That he was he himself was doing and and that's the that's the issue that I think people don't understand there you know sort of failed.

Failed to see in that debate.

Is I wasn't attacking governor Romney for doing things that.

You know I was joined at the same time that but he's attacking me on things he agrees with me on -- is but -- the height of hypocrisy.

He is going after you on Arlen Specter a -- Arlen.

And found his way into this presidential race which you know I don't think American.

A big -- -- expected that but he finds himself back in the race.

He here's just a snippet of a political -- that this is Romney is running against you.

If Rick Santorum.

Couldn't say no to live below the Specter moving troops to change Washington.

So now you said the debate that you basically had to deal with Specter when you backed him that.

You would back -- but only if you promise to get behind President Bush and his judicial nominees because we have some very big.

Openings on the High Court coming up you wanted to make sure he would back the president.

Then Specter goes on another network senator and says that's.

-- just flat -- not true we never had any such conversation.

It would be improper for a breaker coming and -- -- before I knew who the nominee wants him rubberized -- -- nominated was qualifier.

So what's the story.

Well we just out of press article from from that year in which I think is -- Pittsburgh post gazette actually wrote.

That he admitted that he pledged to his colleagues and not specifically -- -- to his colleagues.

That he would give the presence nominees a fair a fair hearing that he would move their nominations out and like he's in -- -- -- is that is that he's now a Democrat he's now I -- Obama supporter.

And you know he can say whatever he wants he can -- -- try to rewrite history.

But the history that the fact of the matter is he was publicly saying yes I'm gonna do this -- because because his colleagues wanted to wanna -- assurances so it's in the press that he did say that number one and number two.

He did it and -- he's good -- Justice Alito Justice Roberts said.

And -- and stood by them helped shepherd them through the process to very conservative nominees I'm -- and how he feels bad about that.

But you can't rewrite history I stood up there and fought for the biggest -- I knew that I would take a lot of heat.

For doing what I did but I wanted to assure that we -- a majority in the senate we had a Republican chairman of the Judiciary Committee.

And we can get President Bush's nominees through -- we could have conservatives on the bench for thirty years.

We've done that and I'm proud of the fact we have Alito and Roberts there to hold down that -- down those positions on network for a long time to come.

Specter also cannot said he thought that President Bush's endorsement of him at a lot more than your endorsement of him -- that's not -- sure it did but but I wanna well I mean it's if you look at that -- -- his nominees I wanna give you this statement that the Romney camp put out to all the media knowing that you're going to be speaking today and and they say the following.

Well Rick Santorum is a Washington insider who was lashing out at Mitt Romney because he had a terrible debate performance.

Back in 2008 senator Santorum endorsed Mitt Romney for president because admits quote conservative record.

Now -- changed his tune this sounds like another case of Rick Santorum abandoning his principles for his own political advantage.

Going to be -- -- that's.

That's so funny they -- that there was a story just this past week in the in one of the papers that.

That -- has contributions about 300 -- of which many of them are key advisors in this campaign.

You go look at the folks who are running around with Mitt Romney -- -- him they're all lobbyists Washington insiders I don't anybody.

Because it does all of these people who are who are who want to keep -- -- going to affect none of them are out there supporting me I don't want their support I'm out -- voting.

And running for the American people.

Opt Mitt look at his tax -- it's ten that it tankers.

We have dramatic change in the tax -- we're gonna upset the special interest that are the folks behind his campaign where the guys out there that are that are making and calling for the big changes.

Mitt Romney is.

-- for for an outsider he's got all every insider in the country run in this campaign.

Who's trying to protect the special interest in this country and were up there we have.

As as you know no no advisors know Washington people who are involved in working on -- -- and in our campaign we have folks across this country.

Who are in the states who are volunteers who are making a difference and and and tried it try to overthrow the establishment.

Big government Republicans that Mitt Romney is represented when he was and and -- as a governor and he certainly state continues to represent those values in this race and as far as my endorsement.

You know what -- me once shame on shame on on you -- fool me twice shame on me I supported Mitt Romney when it was down to Romney and McCain.

I -- John McCain.

-- I knew what kind of conservative would be so I landed with -- he proved me wrong he went out right after the campaign was over.

And -- endorsed the Wall Street bailouts he was for big government programs there he also went out and defended Romney care -- we've seen its complete disaster.

And I wasn't gonna be a part of someone who's gonna run a campaign where we didn't happen at any kind of clear contrast between himself and President Obama that -- -- need to win this election.

And ask you quickly the limit time I have left about the polls you're still the front runner nationally according to the -- real clear politics average of all polls.

Our Rasmussen Reports came out with some polls in Michigan and Arizona today rob he's been -- you in Michigan still an Arizona and still does -- around thirteen points I think it is.

And -- shows are the race tightening in Michigan you were ahead by four points earlier this week and now you're behind.

By way of few points don't make me do the math by six points so -- ten point swing for you in the wrong direction for you this week in Michigan.

What do you think accounts for that and what's gonna happen on Tuesday when it what are you gonna do in the wake -- -- loss and we've.

We feel very good having -- rages have been and surge we feel very comfortable that we're gonna do very well in Michigan and and and we'll probably exceed expectations and Arizona.

You know those are two tough states for us that said this from the very beginning if -- -- all your head -- Michigan -- not so fast I mean.

We're going to be outspent and we are we're being badly outspent in the state of Michigan Romney super -- is outspending us about three to one.

And it's it's it's very tough -- his home state.

We understand that that was not going to be in an easy place for us to be out to be successful as far as winning the race.

We just -- that the key for us was to finish well -- to do well there.

And I think we will do well there I I feel very confident that you know we're our message is resonating the fact or in the race and all in his home state.

As being this badly outspent and -- and we have been for the past two weeks I think we're I think we're done fine.

And -- -- tell -- we have sixty seconds -- heartbreak I got to ask you quickly do you believe that.

Romney and Paul have a deal not that -- -- go after each other but to go after -- -- I don't know why is he running ads in Michigan when he's not campaign there and the ads are negative ads against me.

-- -- you do you explain that went for me.

Rick Santorum.

Thanks for coming -- there.

Thank you very much make it's -- to -- with -- agree it's great to have anti you know it's like I think our viewers remember -- think yesterday you were on you were doing political commentary.

And now -- it.

Front runner and and number one we're on our politics average working hard trying to work our for the people out there in American we're gonna keep that thank you for coming up.

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