Senator Rick Santorum Pondering a Run for the U.S. Presidency

By John-Henry Westen
9/13/2009
LifeSiteNews (www.lifesitenews.com)

Senator Rick Santorum, while addressing Catholic Leaders, acknowledged that he may run for the U.S. Presidency.

(Pictured: Senator Rick Santorum) 'Six months ago I would not have spent ten seconds on your question, but it's not six months ago.'

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ORLANDO, FL (LifeSiteNews.com) - Speaking to a room full of prominent US Catholic leaders Friday night, Senator Rick Santorum was challenged to run for President. Responding to a room already thick with applause, Santorum revealed that he was indeed "thinking about it" but asked for prayers and detailed his thinking on the matter.

His remarks came after his address to the closing dinner of the 12th annual Catholic Leadership Conference - an invite-only gathering of Catholic leaders from academia, law, media, medicine, and politics, as well as leaders of movements within the Church such as pro-life, pro-family and evangelization.

Posing the challenge was long-time legal, political, and media activist Keith Fournier.

Santorum is not only a Catholic in name but a faithful one who is noted for his strong pro-life activism and work to bring decency back to America. He revealed that he has seven children, with one in college and five on the way.

The reason why the sixth is not college-bound is the fact that his 16-month-old 'Bella' was born with Trisomy 18, a genetic disorder which is fatal before birth in 90 per cent of cases.

Santorum referred to Bella as "our angel" marveling at how she changed his life, and that of his family for the better. Speaking of children like Bella, he said, "They teach you things you can't even imagine."

Here Santorum turned to abortion describing his reason for fighting against it politically saying, "I think of how we treat these people in society and how we destroy them. 86% of Down syndrome children are aborted - killed. And Down syndrome is 5 times "better" than what Bella has."

Considering how his children may themselves be the targets of nasty politics, as has happened in the recent past, gives Santorum pause. "That weighs on me," he said. "When you stand up for the things I do and say the things I say, they brutalize you and they won't stop at you."

Those are the things, he explained that "as a father I've got to think about."

"On the other side," he added, "as a father, I've got to think about whether they are going to have a country to live in � Are they going to be able to practice their faith in a way that's consistent with what the Church teaches."

The last consideration in favor of his run was on the practical level. He said: "Six months ago I would not have spent ten seconds on your question, but it's not six months ago. I see that, I hate to be calculating, but I see that 2012 is not just throwing somebody out to be eaten, but it's a real opportunity for success."

In closing he said that while he was "thinking about it", it is the first time his ambition which is, as he said, "in his DNA" was checked by a resistance saying, "no, I'm not sure."

Ending the session, Catholic political powerhouse Deal Hudson (President George W. Bush's Catholic advisor for a period of time) cited Plato's famous saying that the best governors are those who do not wish to govern.

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1 - 10 of 20 Comments

Jean
3 years ago
This is not to offend but to inform if anyone is interested. No one is trying to offend but if you can in laypersons terms educate yourself as to the people we have in the church with Same Sex Attraction.

I hope Im getting this acrossed right with humility and respect.

RE: Same Sex Attraction

If anyone gets the chance and havent educated yourself on the subject which Im attempting to do
read Father Harvey's book Homosexuality and the Catholic Church Clear Answers to Difficult Questions.

He also was the founder of the Courage Apostolate.

For further information, websites and reading material please surf over to Courage Apostolate.

Its worth it if one isnt informed about our Same Sex brothers and sisters.

We do have them in the church.

I dont condone the act but I do love them just the same and wish them well in their journey toward Christ.

So if you can at least go over to the Courage Apostolate and find some information to sticky questions.

Love in Christ and Peace.
GW
3 years ago
I'm sure that Sen. Santorum is a good-hearted man who wishes to put his considerable talents to work on improving the lives of Americans.
At the same time, I'm less confident that, if elected, Sen. Santorum will consider himself president of all Americans and not just conservative Christians.

If Sen. Santorum's campaign takes root and grows, I for one will be sincerely hoping for some uplifting leadership, for a call for Americans to come together to confront and solve our nation's problems.

The past does not give one comfort.
Sen. Santorum's comparison of homosexuality to bestiality, whatever one's feelings on either subject, is a devastatingly divisive and incredibly hurtful thing to say. These words should never, never issue from the mouth of a US Senator, let alone someone on a street corner.
Sen. Santorum's leadership of other extreme right-wing initiatives also gives me pause, when I consider the person who might succeed Barack Obama in 2012 or 2016.

These are very dangerous times for our country, but we've been there before. It would be well for all of us to remember that in our nation's history, the great Presidents - those who rose to the occasion when we most needed them - were people of great talent and skills as well as people who grew into the job. None were rhetorical bomb-throwers.
I wish Sen. Santorum well.
Tom Barwicki
3 years ago
I'm from Pa. and I'm 58yrs old.And
Mr. Santorum already has my vote if
he runs!!!!!!!!!!
sheryl
3 years ago
Maybe its time for a Catholic political party like catholic author Chris Benguhe has called for - a party that respects God given rights!
Jean
3 years ago
I wish Rick Santorum well.

Deal Hudson and Rick Santorum have both been on EWTN along with Rep. Chris Smith. Last time I knew they were regular Catholics like the rest of us.

To bad since Kennedy days that we have become so pessimistic.

I would like to add that the Presidency isnt an easy task for anyone.

By the way I wrote George Bush and asked him to instate the Conscience Clause.

He did. Which is more than I can say for some politicians who would love to get rid of it.
Bill Purcell
3 years ago
Hey, john grimes, who do you have in mind?
Gunnar Gundersen
3 years ago
Rick Santorum for President! I'd help with that campaign. This is the best news I've read all day!
John Grimes
3 years ago
Yeah, Bill, I do have a point to make: Rick is wasting everyone's time and some people's money (the latter those foolish enough to think he will be considered, even by a party as bereft of ideas and candidates as the GOP). Laudable as they are, honesty and being a 'family man' are not a formula for winning elections necessarily, as you may have noticed lately. In Rick's case, someone would dig out some of his old speeches in favor of the Iraq fiasco and he would quickly be a part of national electoral history just as he is already a part of Pennsylvania electoral history. In a word, Bill, this guy has no constituency save right-wingers like Deal Hudson, and no party is ever going to win elections by counting on that crowd.
Bill Purcell
3 years ago
Hey John Grimes, do you have a point to make? a catholic family man with honest values want's to lead our country, God willing, not you willing, will make it happen.
Nicole
3 years ago
Prayers are needed; we Christians must petition fervently our Father that He sees fit to bless this country with a Catholic leader, one who values the dignity of ALL human beings.

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