Fox News
Expand
Browse All Video
Watch Live

You're watching...

Rick Santorum on pressure to quit GOP race

Details

  • Description

    Republican presidential candidate on 'FNS'

  • Duration 13:52
  • Date

Clips

Also in this playlist...

Editor's Picks

Auto-advance: ON

Auto-advance
View All

Transcript

This transcript is automatically generated

And hello again from fox and is in Washington.

Well after a week off Republican voters returned to the polls Tuesday for three more primaries.

Joining us now from Brookfield Wisconsin.

Is -- candidate who needs to persuade voters and GOP leaders this race is not over yet senator Rick Santorum.

Welcome back to FOX News Sunday.

Well thank you Chris good to be with you this morning at this week now I don't have to tell you two of the conservative young guns in the party Paul Ryan Marco Rubio endorsed Mitt Romney and suggested that you and the others should get out of the Rais.

Take a look at what they had to side.

I think it's important that we -- coalesce as conservatives.

And focus on defeating the president in the fall they're saying the -- and they can win this race is by having a floor fight in Tampa and August and I think that's a recipe.

To deliver four more years to Barack Obama.

Senator do you feel pressure now to get warm added pressure to get out of the race and give Mitt Romney a clear shot -- Barack Obama.

Now.

It.

You know you should told Kansas last night when they were down almost when he points in the first half you know audits it's almost over and you guys should just pack it and -- I -- this race isn't even -- halftime yet we haven't even select to have the delegates yet.

Governor Romney is even halfway to.

Two to that magic number and you know we look at the look at the calendar -- we feel very very good about where we're going and you know we've forty years ago.

Everyone does it always got to wrap this thing up and and we did that John McCain was the nominee and a Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton went into the summer and and pounded out and guess what they came up with the best candidate we came up with someone who well just simply didn't wasn't able to -- to win.

We don't need to repeat that again we don't need to two to -- to bail out and not have the best candidate to take Barack Obama on the fall and when you look at the huge advantages this man's been running for president for six years he has all of the establishment behind him he has a ten to one money advantage.

-- he has the media singing what I mean every every question I get is what are you getting out I mean.

The the whole narrative has been in in Romney's favor from the beginning of this race.

And he still isn't even close to closing the deal that should send a signal to these people inside the bubble -- have senators and congressmen.

And party leaders inside the Washington bubble.

That may be something's going on across this country went over 60% of the people even here in all of this still think get Rick Santorum to stay in the race we need a conservative we need somebody could be a key.

Contrast -- Barack Obama not the same old tired establishment -- you know person that's gonna be shut down our throat.

Let let me look at us and another why you you've talked about four years ago I want to talk about -- on the Republican side Mike Huckabee decided to stay in the race until.

John McCain had it wrapped up -- the house did you know at the delegates enough.

To clinch the nomination but but Huckabee campaigned for himself.

Not against.

McCain you on the other hander still out there pounding Romney do you worry at all.

And and I certainly understand that the points in 90000 wrapped up they the nomination Romney -- but do you worry at all about hurting him in case he ends up being the candidate.

Who have faces Barack Obama.

Well let me assure that Barack Obama's gonna pound governor Romney over -- of the Republican nominee a lot more than I am.

I've focused on the issues I've been been criticizing governor Romney personally or any other way -- focused on.

Who's the best person to make the case in the general election and win.

And and get and that happened to mandate to govern.

About whatever -- -- -- I mean you're talking about a dozen at just sketch candidate you talk about I'm about not being a real conservative.

I mean.

You're certainly criticizing his credentials.

Well I would just say this that I I am criticizing his policies.

And and the policies that would best juxtapose against Barack Obama as opposed to let's just be honest here about who's running -- negative campaign.

Governor Romney -- spent tens.

-- millions of dollars running negative ads about specious issues taking things I've said completely out of context.

Try to convince the voters of Wisconsin believe this would Chris that I'm not pro life I mean these are the kinds of of ridiculous campaign tactics of the Obama the the -- campaign has taken -- -- -- You know we're we're focused on the big issues energy.

Health care we're talking about national security just gave a speech out at a jelly belly jelly -- factory talking about national security and and the Reagan legacy and whose best prepared to do so.

You know we brought a very substantive campaign.

Because we believe that that's what's gonna win in the general election.

Governor Romney is run negative negative negative he has a -- in a positive vision for this country he hasn't been able to close the deal with conservatives much less anybody else in this party.

And that's not going to be an effective tool for us to win this general election.

All right but let's talk about an issue and and I think you would agree the big issue in Wisconsin right now is not the presidential rise since the recall.

Campaign.

Again Scott Walker the governor.

Because of his effort to remove some collective bargaining rights from state workers.

The Romney campaign and you can say it's negative but they point out that now as a senator.

You voted against a national right to work law to allow people to get jobs without joining a union.

And you repeatedly supported the Davis Bacon Act that requires government contractors.

To -- the prevailing white -- say and in fact it's the case on both of those -- you sided with big labor.

Right I in my sixteen year career of represented two of the heaviest labor districts in the country.

And a state of Pennsylvania is a very heavy labor days in my -- voting record with labor was 13%.

I did not along with having -- -- set almost seventy other senators vote to the to have -- -- federal.

Change in the -- in the in the the right to work statute because I represented Pennsylvania which wasn't a right to work state.

But governor Romney well knows that when I announced I was running for president I said I would sign a national right to work has talked about it the debate.

He seems to ignore that fact that it now is running for -- I'm not represented the state anymore who has.

Who -- -- -- -- an interest in keeping the law the way it was that I was represented what I felt was best for the country.

And that's what I and that's what I've taken that position the head of the AFL CIO -- Pennsylvania said that calling Rick Santorum a a friend of big labor is like calling Mitt Romney a conservative neither true -- they spent literally millions of the horse to beat me.

In in 2002006.

And even before that so I assure you the F someone who supports Governor Walker supported from the very beginning what he was doing with public employee unions I think it's a completely unfair bargaining position that they have.

In negotiating wages and benefits and you'll find someone is very strong in making sure that people have freedom in this country to contract with with with their employers instead of having to go through union.

Me yet because I'm not quite sure I understand -- you're saying because -- -- the senator from Pennsylvania and Pennsylvania had a right to work law.

You weren't gonna vote did not have a right to work -- did not have a right to work like you we're not gonna -- to create a national right to work law.

Now abortions were legal under certain circumstances and Pennsylvania but you voted for a constitutional amendment.

To and that right.

Well of course -- made it the other certain issues that are that ones that I think can be left to the states to decide and we do that all the time I mean I believe in the tenth amendment I believe the states have the right to.

To make here -- make the decisions on a variety of issues -- but not every issue I mean obviously there's some issues that.

That we need to have national laws in place that's the constitution clearly laid that out we saw that debate did just this past week.

There's some things that that can be left of the State's other things the federal government has a limitation of power on and other things the federal government candid.

I -- you know I think you said at the very beginning all the questions you've got about our are you gonna drop out and I hate -- fall -- that I guess I am and are you sending flat out.

No matter what happens win lose or draw in Wisconsin which a lot of people are saying is a big battleground state the kind of mid western battlegrounds like you're in -- to stay beyond regardless of what happens.

In Wisconsin.

Yeah absolutely we're we're moving forward we're out we're setting up our teams for the 26.

You know if you go past this month of April we've got these primaries and then five more at the end of the month.

The the map and in May looks very very good for us Texas and Arkansas and West Virginia North Carolina Indiana.

-- -- Kentucky we've got some great states where we're ahead in almost every poll in all those states.

And again if you if you listen to the folks across this country we're hearing over and over again stay in there we need -- conservative we cannot.

Can -- do what we've done in the past as Republicans which is settle for something that we know is not going to be successful for us that the establishment wants to give us.

Remember -- the last 120 years.

We've only defeated one democratic incumbent president is Republican Party.

And always always the establishment says we got a nominate a moderate that's gonna win and the one time we didn't.

With with.

With Ronald Reagan.

That's what we won we beat Jimmy Carter and that's -- gonna win this election a clear contrast envision someone who has a solid record that can make Barack Obama the issue in this election.

Not have present Obama turn it back in our candidate because he too supported government run health care he -- -- cap and trade he too supported Wall Street bailouts.

That's what's that's why this race is so important.

Well you eat your -- -- -- -- convincing -- you're not about a drop out I will ask you this though because.

Pennsylvania your home state does come up on April 24.

The polls have closed we show here that back in February.

You were leading by 29 points -- -- in in the Franklin Marshal Paul is now down.

To -- if you were to losing your home state.

Would that -- yet.

Well first up that the democratic -- the deaths that Terry Madonna has.

Probably singularly -- more polls -- any person I know in the history of the state.

There are two other -- that are out this week to have a -- twentieth I think the other seventeen.

If this is that as opposed to -- you just.

He comes out I think you just.

Draws numbers out of my hat sometimes we feel very good about Pennsylvania we're gonna do we're gonna do exceptionally well they're governor -- is already out there spending money.

You know put dumping his millions and but we've got a great a great grassroots strong network.

You know we have a strong -- this strong conservative base in the state of -- in his state of Pennsylvania is gonna come out of come out strong for us.

And we can elect.

I go back in Pennsylvania -- was the first conservative.

To really be out on the scene and in Republican politics -- are the Republican Party in Pennsylvania was very much -- -- moderate to liberal party for many many many years and I was the guy that sort of broke through the ceiling.

There are folks on in the Republican Party who want us want that party to go back to -- the moderate Republican Party that it once was.

And you know they've lined up behind governor Romney but the conservatives have been will line up behind me and I think we'll see a very good a good victory in Pennsylvania as a result.

Senator we got about a minute left I -- to ask you two questions.

And I certainly you have convinced isn't -- you're not dropping out number one.

And number two you're you're you're in this for a -- but.

Let's assume for the minute as the debt that this doesn't go the way you want and -- you would admit that you got a tough road.

To win this nomination given the -- Iran win or lose you have done much better than a lot of -- -- the so called experts had predicted.

That's -- we're gonna do this year you talk a lot about Ronald Reagan.

He'd lost in 1976.

Came back and one.

In 1980 do you ever think at all about you know that if you word.

You know at some point this doesn't work out you could come back in 2016.

As the front runner.

Well let me just say this and you you know -- and -- 1976.

I think together Republican Party made mistake mistaken not using Ronald Reagan and we went on with a moderate to lose the election.

And we suffered for years of Jimmy Carter and we already know we didn't know what we were getting with Carter we already know what we're getting with Obama.

We can't make that mistake again we have to nominate someone who is who is a strong conservative than.

All I would say is that you know I'm not -- -- about the future.

You know we we need to win this election and win and we need to -- a Republican in 2016.

That's my focus is to win 2012.

Re elect a Republican in 2016.

And put this country back on the right track.

I -- and I can't and this interview that you have shown some now bowling the scales on the campaign trail.

And you may not be able to -- -- but we are now putting that mom and I can see you rolling again.

It's a strike senator.

How comfortable -- -- you.

Well I'm not battle they get I have in -- I was a kid I mean I grew up.

Actually doing a lot of -- NI exe when I was younger build bowling ball and and I love the sport I mean that's I grew up in my and I used to visit my grandparents in Johnstown the bowling Alley was literally a -- of a mile down the road and we used to hang out -- the -- all the time and -- love the sport I love that fact that you can you know sit around and -- -- drink beer and hang out with folks and talk to people all over the place and it's just it's just of it's a fun it's a fun afternoon nerves with the family right now are and we are friends in Iraq and -- I liked it.

What's your high -- -- there.

241.

While.

I did remind me not to go I don't remember that -- reminding well this -- is gonna.

This is almost thirty years ago back I started that was seven straight strikes and I you know I thought I was -- -- to a perfect game and ended up with an -- split the -- -- -- -- didn't quite finish and -- not.

Like you remember things like that from thirty years ago senators spent an hour read out at like it was yes I'm concerned I'm period notified -- that I -- senator Santorum thank you so much for joining us today.

We'll be watching to see what happens does that night and it's clear beyond Tuesday.

Yes sir thank you very much.

Load More