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Rick Santorum reflects on the ups and downs of his campaign, his future and gives an update on daughter Bella
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This presidential race for us is over for me.
And we will suspend our campaign effective today.
We are not done fighting.
Rick Santorum is here right now this is his first TV interview since suspending his presidential campaign senator thank you for joining us.
It's great to do with -- OK so I'm not done fighting Al what does that mean.
Well.
You know there is a lot of people out there who who I've heard from that are you know very concerned about where this country's going going forward and I think we provided a voice for them those two.
-- feel like they're out there and you know economically.
And that nobody's really talking about then there was talk and giving them the opportunities that.
That the other parents and grandparents had and same thing with the values of our country you know -- -- you some regret I talked about our founding principles that declaration independent our constitution that.
It would mean it's great building a country based on the greatness of our people and I think there's a lot of folks who.
We're concerned that that message is gonna be lost in the shuffle and we're gonna who out there and continue to talk about it.
-- -- -- 53 so in four years Jamie was still very young man so this is -- -- and the Kelly Sarah had agreed that this kind not over feeling -- admits over this time -- -- -- suspended but.
Now -- free and well I you know you still be a young man.
Warriors.
Yeah I feel like young man and offend and hopefully -- give me Shearson now this will let you put a couple years obvious that I I feel pretty -- I do -- that feel like.
More importantly.
You know there are a lot of issues out there that I care very deeply about that I think we introduced into the into the debate and I think the that the values that that I talked about throughout the course of this campaign.
Are ones that did -- look good for us to do as well as we did.
In -- -- the overwhelming.
Odds that we faced on a variety of different fronts.
I think shows that there's still a lot of people in this country who still believe in the in the things that made this country great.
So does not erase at -- about the -- one of his quotes actually uses -- as far as I see is that the media that in part that you -- the media some part of the blame -- response they have they want to characterize it for your campaign ended.
All know I I I think what I said I went through sort of the reasons that.
We decided that that really couldn't continue one was money.
You know after Wisconsin it was it was very very difficult to raise money.
But one of the reasons for that it was the media narrative that the race is over I mean it was just you know -- -- doing an interview on the Sunday before in Wisconsin.
On meet the press and I think it was twelve different questions what was the same question.
You know such and such captain are you -- rather race next questions such as I've -- -- -- out -- race.
It was just this the the entire week leading up to to Wisconsin was.
When he's getting now the race why -- you still in the race.
Is over that and and so then that was what can this continue reported on every network not just every network was.
This narrative that it was -- impossible and then it was just a matter of time and it's hard to cut through that and and we were we're fine very very difficult to do that.
If speaker Gingrich had gotten now let's say a month ago.
Do you think you'd still be in -- race -- is it was that a factor.
Well -- he certainly.
You look at.
Think Wisconsin for -- we lost by about 55 or six point something like that and that's pretty much what speaker -- got -- look at Carson Paula picked up twelve points in that race and in most of the polls showed that that we would do better among those voters and governor Romney would do and you know but it -- There are a lot of factors I mean you can't he can't look at that a lot of one but.
You can't do that I thought -- not bad break through camp he was right at the get go with Iowa if -- quote won Iowa the night Iowa and yeah.
Instead of it I think you I think you would have had a little more wind behind it says I don't know what would -- mean you would -- other troubles along the way they had thought that was a bad Graham we've we.
Had our share of good breaks and bad breaks and in you say why you know you blame the media I don't blame the media media was doing what they thought was -- story and that's why things have found is that you know you can you can go rotten.
And talk about the things you want to talk about and I do.
And you know that's not necessarily what people here and and that's you know that's I take responsibility for that if we didn't do -- good enough job in communicating their message.
You can't rely on the media to do that for you.
To be nice if they would but you can't and and so you've got to go out and and just figure out ways to to effectively communicate that message and I think we did a good job a lot of fronts but I think on a lot of friends we could have done a better job.
When you made the decision to get out eight called governor Romney did was conversational.
You know it's who I've talked to governor Romney a lot throughout the course this campaign -- -- that a lot of conversations they know we've had you know thirty so I think 35 contests and -- to his credit I hopefully remind you know every time one of us would would win or -- would call the other.
And and so we we -- I did what I thought was the proper thing to do was to give him a heads up.
As to what I was doing so he would be prepared.
Because a news get on a plane would be off a plane and probably -- -- these questions and so let me know what I was doing and I -- very gracious.
And you wish you the best in cities like to sit down and chat with me and I said look forward to do that have you spoken to call about congressman Ron Paul speaker Gingrich I have not talked to either one of -- how.
Well I mean I haven't talked to Carson Paul other than the basic and any time during the campaign and did I have he had traded emails but we haven't we haven't had a chance of talking.
Hard feelings with the -- -- I -- never understand this is like.
I all the bruise and it goes -- people say the worst things about each other news campaigns.
Hopefully -- is at worst I'll let you know exactly of people I mean it hit -- in these campaigns are rough let me see the UCC ads against Joseph OSHA didn't like.
Yeah like.
In my feeling is that he got to keep got the ball and I involves what's best for the set up bruised feelings.
I don't allow myself that let that had a one of the great things is this was not my first rodeo I've been I've been battered and bruised in campaigns in the past and that actually I think -- served me well allow me keep pretty much of -- level head with maybe exceptions to.
We we we went through this with that I think I -- -- great spirit I felt.
Feel good the whole way I was so encouraged by the great people that I met -- -- is telling you off camera.
Now -- -- the last real campaign -- I had was in Wisconsin.
I had a great time in your state we just wonderful wonderful folks that we didn't we before that was Louisiana.
I mean just there's people how to live I mean it's just we we just had a lot of fun -- who -- went as I just felt better better better about this country and and don't and -- and have actually no regrets.
Is there anything -- could whenever someone gets something wrong about me and I think you know I'd like to really tell the real story is there anything the media set up by you or any imposition -- that you know what that is not enough time on programs this is and it really deserve rubbed the wrong way that they really got wrong about union mine.
-- I you know the the the narrative that somehow I was this angry guy and that somehow I've got this you know I'm on this you know angry temperamental.
I encourage you talk to anybody on my staff anybody that works it may it tucked him in and talked to my if my kids are here -- that I -- just not who I am I mean I'm a passionate guy.
I care a lot about the future of this country and yes I can get pretty in -- -- -- and and passionate but.
You know I've.
I I think I'm a pretty good got to be around him -- got to have a beer with go ball and with then.
And that that's sort of who I am but that doesn't mean that you don't you have to put your game face on and and and when you're when you're out there fighting for big things.
-- You've taken -- you give.
He got a -- -- put on the armor and go right to left the course the you know what -- right now I'm just trying to.
Decompress here a little bit try to figure out how to put food on the table for this event is discussed and I haven't had an opportunity to discuss anything with either any of the candidates.
Who are still in the race and so -- my my sense is right now.
Just.
Just try to figure out what I'm gonna do and and how -- do it and one way or another we're gonna stay active and involved and in trying to take.
The the energy enthusiasm around what we were talking about and -- and that the people that that I still think.
Want to have a voice for what their concerns are and go out voiced those concerns and hopefully rally people to to make some big changes in the fall -- -- -- Novella.
And she was not passed last weekend so was -- -- -- don't she's doing great effect we Karen Karen has been working on a.
Knew little video that we're gonna post up on our web site here pretty soon just to give you a little bit of a little bit more of an insight as to who she is in.
It's been that's been an amazing thing in this campaign -- -- the the number of people who came out.
In this campaign and all of -- rallies we had you know people with disabilities would come people who bring their kids who were disabled.
You know holding up signs you know I'm -- -- -- little disabled kids and and it was said it was -- so heartwarming to us than he was -- us someone at least they saw.
Who you know reflected their struggles -- they were going -- in their life.
And gave dignity to this to the work that they were doing in the relationship they had with with children who were special and and with with not just children but with adults who were special and it was.
You know there's probably a lot of reasons why we ended up in this race obviously one of them was not to win it but that doesn't necessarily mean it wasn't a valuable effort to do and there weren't good things that came from it.
-- thank you good luck sir thank you.
