2012 Presidential Campaign Blog

Rick Santorum South Carolina Schedule January 19-20, 2012 *Updated

SANTORUM PUBLIC SCHEDULE JANUARY 19 - 20
 
Mt. Pleasant, SC - Rick Santorum will continue his South Carolina campaign swing Thursday, January 19. All times are local.  Please note time and event changes.

Thursday, January 19:

1:00pm ET: Senator Santorum will hold a press conference with Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council in Mt. Pleasant, SC.

Location:

Mount Pleasant Memorial Waterfront Park
Henry M. Hallman Boulevard (Base of the Ravenel Bridge)
Mt. Pleasant, SC

4:00pm ET: Senator Santorum will address the Southern Republican Leadership Conference in Charleston, SC.

Location:

College of Charleston
Basketball Arena
Charleston, SC

8:00pm ET: Senator Santorum will participate in the CNN Republican Presidential debate in Charleston, SC.

Location:

College of Charleston
Charleston, SC

10:30pm ET: Senator Santorum will appear on "On The Record With Greta Van Susteren" on FOX News.

Friday, January 20:

9:30am ET: Senator Santorum will appear on Laura Ingraham's National Radio Show.

11:00am ET: Senator Santorum will hold a "Faith, Family and Freedom" Town Hall in Lexington, SC

Location:

4952 Sunset Boulevard
Lexington, SC

1:45pm ET: Senator Santorum will hold a "Faith, Family and Freedom" Town Hall in Fort Mill, SC.

Location:

Captain Steve's Restaurant
1975 Highway 21 Bypass
Fort Mill, SC

4:30pm ET: Senator Santorum will hold a "Faith, Family and Freedom" Town Hall in Spartanburg, SC.

Location:

The Clock Restaurant
3597 Boiling Springs Road
Boiling Springs, SC

7:15pm ET: Senator Santorum will address the Citadel Patriot Dinner, where he will receive the Patriots Award.

Location:

The Alumni Center
The Citadel
Charleston, SC

9:00pm ET: Senator Santorum will appear on "Hannity" on FOX News.

Berkeley County, South Carolina Republican Party Chairman Tim Callanan Resigns So He Can Endorse Rick Santorum For President

BERKELEY COUNTY SCGOP CHAIRMAN RESIGNS SO HE CAN ENDORSE RICK SANTORUM FOR PRESIDENT
"What I Cannot Live With Is The Realistic Prospect Of Sitting Idly By And Do Nothing..." - Tim Callanan

Mt. Pleasant, SC - Berkeley County, South Carolina Republican Party Chairman Tim Callanan has resigned his position, effective immediately so that he can endorse Rick Santorum for President.  Callanan needed to resign, as it was against Party rules for him to endorse a presidential candidate while serving as County Chairman.

Rick Santorum said: "I am truly honored by Tim's endorsement.  I first met Tim nearly two years ago, and I know how much effort he has devoted to building the Berkeley County Party, so for him to resign his post in order to endorse our candidacy is an amazing testament.  Tim's vote of confidence is another symbol that conservative coalescing behind this campaign has begun - and I'm excited to work with him in the closing days of the South Carolina campaign."

In a letter of resignation, Callanan wrote the following:

Over the last three years, it has been a pleasure to serve as your Chairman of the Berkeley Republican Party. On Monday January 14, 2012 I will be submitting my resignation to the county executive committee so that I can endorse Senator Rick Santorum for President.  This is not an easy decision because for one I love this organization and what we have accomplished.  We have taken a dysfunctional party that was both financially and organizationally bankrupt and turned it into one of the most influential county parties in the state.  However, the county party has rules, rules that I helped to draft and install, and they state that the chairman cannot endorse a candidate in a competitive Republican Primary.  I accept those rules and I can live with them.  What I cannot live with is the realistic prospect of sitting idly by and doing nothing while the greatest nation in the world plunges into bankruptcy and I do not ever want to have my son ask me "Dad, you could have done something, why didn't you at least try?"  I do not accept nor has history ever shown that moderation is a winning strategy for the Republican Party. Thus, the only way to win in November is by offering a distinct contrast to that of the current administration. I have read the plans of all candidates and there is only one that is both bold enough to change the direction of this county yet realistic enough to get congressional and public support and that plan is Rick Santorum's.  I know Rick, he is an honorable man, a dedicated husband, father and a born leader and I am honored to give him my support and I encourage you to vote for him this Saturday January 21st.

Tim Callanan - Berkeley County Councilman

Rick Santorum South Carolina Schedule January 18-19, 2012 *Updated

SANTORUM PUBLIC SCHEDULE FOR JANUARY 18 - 19
 
Mt. Pleasant, SC - Rick Santorum will continue his South Carolina campaign swing Wednesday, January 18. All times are local.

Wednesday, January 18:

7:15am ET: Senator Santorum will appear on "FOX & Friends" on FOX News.
 
10:45am ET: Senator Santorum will hold a "Faith, Family and Freedom" Town Hall in Spartanburg, SC.

Location:

The Beacon Drive-In
255 John B White, Sr. Boulevard
Spartanburg, SC

12:45pm ET: Senator Santorum will hold a "Faith, Family and Freedom" Town Hall in Laurens, SC.

Location:

Capitol Theatre
104 South Public Square
Laurens, SC

5:00pm ET: Senator Santorum will hold a "Faith, Family and Freedom" Town Hall in Spartanburg, SC.

Location:

Summit Point Conference Center
Grand Ballroom
805 Spartan Boulevard
Spartanburg, SC

8:00pm ET: Senator Santorum will participate in the Personhood USA Forum in Greenville, SC.

Location:

Hilton Hotel
45 West Orchard Park Drive
Greenville, SC

Thursday, January 19:

1:00pm ET: Senator Santorum will hold a press conference with Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council in Mt. Pleasant, SC. PLEASE NOTE TIME AND LOCATION CHANGE.

Location:

Mount Pleasant Memorial Waterfront Park
Henry M. Hallman Boulevard (Base of the Ravenel Bridge)
Mt. Pleasant, SC

4:00pm ET: Senator Santorum will address the Southern Republican Leadership Conference in Charleston, SC.

Location:

College of Charleston
Basketball Arena
Charleston, SC

8:00pm ET: Senator Santorum will participate in the CNN Republican Presidential debate in Charleston, SC.

Location:

College of Charleston
Charleston, SC

10:30pm ET: Senator Santorum will appear on "On The Record With Greta Van Susteren" on FOX News.

Florida Pro-Family Leader John Stemberger Endorses Santorum For President

FLORIDA PRO-FAMILY LEADER JOHN STEMBERGER ENDORSES SANTORUM FOR PRESIDENT
 
Mt. Pleasant, SC - The Rick Santorum for President campaign is proud to announce that Rick Santorum has received the endorsement of Florida pro-family leader John Stemberger. Stemberger had previously endorsed Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX) and served as Perry's state co-chairman during the Florida Presidency Five event in Orlando. This marks the latest in a line of national conservative leaders to coalesce behind the Santorum campaign.

John Stemberger, in a statement released to his supporters, said: "Senator Santorum has been a champion for the timeless values of life, marriage, family and religious liberty. His personal life and character is a genuine reflection of the principles he stands for in every way. He is the only candidate in this race who has consistently argued during debates for the primacy of the family unit as the basis for social order and a sound economy. As an economic conservative, Rick Santorum can also unite the tea party, evangelicals and pro-life Catholics to form a winning coalition. I am proud to give my full support to Rick Santorum for President of the United States."

Rick Santorum said: "I am honored to receive John's endorsement today. John has been a stalwart defender of the family and the traditional values. I am looking forward to working with John in the coming weeks to help our campaign win the primary in the critical swing state of Florida."

Stemberger has been a leading conservative voice for Floridians, leading the successful marriage amendment campaign in 2008 and serving as the former political director for the Republican Party of Florida in the 1990s.

Hogan Gidley, Rick Santorum National Communications Director Statement On Tonight's FOX News/Wall Street Journal Republican Presidential Debate in South Carolina

Hogan Gidley, Rick Santorum National Communications Director Statement On Tonight's FOX News/Wall Street Journal Republican Presidential Debate in South Carolina
 
Myrtle Beach, SC - At tonight's FOX News/Wall Street Journal Republican Presidential debate, Rick Santorum showed he is the one candidate ready to not just be the conservative alternative to Mitt Romney, but to take on President Obama.

Hogan Gidley, National Communications Director, said: "Rick Santorum showed tonight why he is the best prepared candidate to take on Mitt Romney and eventually President Obama. This is a time when we need a consistent conservative who can provide bold contrasts with the president, not pale pastels. Rick Santorum is the one candidate whose conservative record of accomplishment stands as a strong contrast to the President, and is ready to lead on day one."

SANTORUM SAID:

In Response To Congressman Paul's Attacks:

"I wear attacks from left-wing organizations as a badge of honor."

On SuperPAC Ads That Distort Records:

"I would say stop it."

On Extending Unemployment Benefits:

"We are not doing people any favors by keeping them unemployment for a long time."

On Poverty:

"The Brookings Institution found that if you do three things - work, graduate high school and get married before you have children - will help you from avoiding poverty. If you do those three things, only 2% of people live in poverty while 77% live above the poverty line. And what has the Obama Administration done? Elaine Bennett, wife of Bill Bennett, runs an organization to help at risk girls, and the Obama Administration has a policy that tells them that they can no longer promote marriage as a way of avoiding poverty and bad choices. They can no longer teach abstinence. They must remain neutral. Neutrality ends in poverty."

On Newt Gingrich's Social Security Plan:

"I am for private accounts, but your plan would add hundreds of billions of dollars to our huge deficit. It is putting the debt on the backs of our children. That is fiscal insanity."

Rick Santorum Releases New Statewide South Carolina Television Ad: "Easy Answer"

SANTORUM RELEASES NEW STATEWIDE SOUTH CAROLINA AD: "EASY ANSWER"
Why Conservatives Should Unite Around A Consistent, Proven Conservative Like Rick Santorum 
 
Myrtle Beach, SC - The Rick Santorum for President campaign released a new 30 second television advertisement entitled "Easy Answer" that will begin airing statewide in South Carolina on Wednesday.

Governor Romney and his SuperPAC friends - much like President Obama - have decided to use deception and false advertising to mislead voters. Rick Santorum uses clear contrasts based on records to differentiate his conservative record from the Massachusetts liberal record of Governor Romney.

Because unlike Governor Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama, Rick Santorum has never supported a top-down, intrusive government run health care program. Unlike Mitt Romney and Barack Obama, Rick Santorum does not support taxpayer funded abortions. Unlike Mitt Romney and Barack Obama, Rick Santorum did not support the Wall Street bailouts. And unlike Mitt Romney and Barack Obama, Rick Santorum has been a proven fighter for the unborn and our nation's traditional values.

And unlike Governor Romney, Rick Santorum will put his name behind the ad rather than relying on his SuperPAC friends to do his dirty work.

All of this begs the question: why would we vote for someone like Obama when we can unite around a consistent, proven conservative like Rick Santorum?
 
Easy Answer

Script: "Easy Answer"

Voice Over:

Obama supported the Wall Street bailouts... So did Romney.

Obama gave us radical Obamacare... that was based on Romneycare.

Obama's a liberal on social issues.

Romney once bragged he's even more liberal than Ted Kennedy on social issues.

Why would we ever vote for someone who is just like Obama?

When we can unite around Rick Santorum.   And beat Obama.

Rick Santorum:

I'm Rick Santorum and I approve this message.

ConservativeHQ Chairman Richard Viguerie Endorses Rick Santorum for President

ConservativeHQ Chairman Richard Viguerie Endorses Rick Santorum for President

MANASSAS, Va., Jan. 16, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Upon returning from a meeting in Texas of leaders of the conservative movement hosted by Nancy and Paul Pressler at their ranch outside of Houston, ConservativeHQ Chairman Richard A. Viguerie issued the following statement endorsing former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA) for President:

"This past weekend I attended a meeting of some 150 conservative leaders, convened primarily by leaders of the social conservative movement, to assess whether social conservatives and other conservative movement leaders and activists might coalesce behind one Republican candidate for President.

"Contrary to some media reports of bitterness, suspicion, and acrimony at the meeting, in my 50-plus years in conservative politics at the national level, I have rarely seen a gathering conducted in such a spirit of good will.  While many of the participants came to the meeting strongly, even passionately, committed to one or another candidate, all of us participated in the meeting with the greatest mutual respect and in the prayerful hope for a positive outcome.

"My definition of a positive outcome from the meeting was that the conservative movement would coalesce behind a good candidate.  I went to the meeting supporting former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, but was prepared to support and work for the consensus candidate, whoever that turned out to be.  The strong support shown for Santorum, whom I have concluded is the most electable conservative seeking the Republican nomination for President, is a positive outcome.

"After two ballots the group had narrowed the field to Santorum and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, with Santorum leading.  On the third and final ballot, a number of Gingrich supporters, in a principled effort to achieve unity, switched their support to Santorum.  This resulted in a strong 75 percent consensus of the group in support of Senator Santorum's candidacy.

"This was not an anti-anyone meeting.  Everyone there was united in their commitment to find the best candidate to defeat Barack Obama.  We are long past trying to find the perfect candidate who achieves 100 percent on every conservative scorecard.  Each of the major Republican candidates had their articulate advocates, but after the third ballot, it was clear that there was a strong consensus behind Santorum.

"The group consensus was based on Senator Santorum's character, his principled stands on the issues of life, family, and the conservative agenda in general -- and most importantly on his judgment.  I urge you to join me in supporting Rick Santorum as the most electable conservative in the race for the Republican nomination for President."

Rick Santorum Receives the Personal Endorsement of Penny Nance, President and CEO of Concerned Women for America.

CONCERNED WOMEN FOR AMERICA PRESIDENT PENNY NANCE ENDORSES SANTORUM FOR PRESIDENT
 
Myrtle Beach, SC - The Rick Santorum for President campaign is proud to announce that Rick Santorum has received the personal endorsement of Penny Nance, President and CEO of Concerned Women for America.

Penny Nance said: "I am excited to personally endorse Rick Santorum for President of the United States.   Rick has been a champion for faith, family and freedom for nearly two decades. When a leader was needed on Capitol Hill, we always knew we could go to Rick Santorum to ensure that conservative values were advanced. Rick led the fight to end partial birth abortion, reform welfare, and fight Radical Islam. I have no doubt that the Santorum Administration will continue the fight for conservatism and our founding principles. I am proud to stand with Rick, and I look forward to working with him and his campaign to defeat President Obama."

Rick Santorum said: "Penny has been a true leader for conservatism - fighting for our children, our families, and our founding values. Penny's endorsement is yet another sign that national conservative leaders are coalescing behind our campaign and our positive message of strong conservative values. Leaders like Penny are recognizing we need a bold contrast with President Obama, not pale pastels that do not differentiate ourselves from the Obama agenda. I am excited to work with Penny to make those bold contrasts and defeat President Obama."

Penny Young Nance most recently served as President of Nance and Associates and as Special Advisor for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), where she advised the Chairman and the Commissioners on media and social issues. Mrs. Nance's key responsibilities centered on the protection of children, including broadcast indecency and the media task force on childhood obesity.

Before joining the FCC, Mrs. Nance was founder and President of the Kids First Coalition, a non-profit organization focused on educating Capitol Hill, the media, and the public on a variety of issues related to children. Mrs. Nance has been quoted and featured on the topic of social issues and politics in print media including the New York Times, New York Daily News, Wall Street Journal, USA Today and others. She has appeared on Fox News, C-Span, Lehrer News Hour, MSNBC, CNN and many network affiliates.

Prior to founding Kids First Coalition, Mrs. Nance worked for five years as Legislative Director for Concerned Women for America. She has also consulted for other non-profit organizations including Prison Fellowship Ministries and the Center for Reclaiming America. She served on the Capitol Hill Staff of Congressman Pat Swindall (R-Georgia).

Mrs. Nance has served on Concerned Women for America's national board of directors and the Virginia board of Bethany Christian Services (the nation's largest non-profit adoption agency). In addition, Mrs. Nance formerly volunteered with Birth Mothers, a non-profit organization dedicated to meeting the physical needs of women in crisis pregnancies. She is a graduate of Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia.
 

Rick Santorum South Carolina Schedule January 17, 2012 *Updated

UPDATED SANTORUM PUBLIC SCHEDULE FOR JANUARY 17
Please Note Additional Events, Time And Venue Changes
 
Mt. Pleasant, SC - Republican Presidential candidate Rick Santorum will continue his South Carolina campaign swing Tuesday, January 17th. All times are local.

Tuesday, January 17:

8:30am ET: Senator Santorum will hold a press conference aboard the USS Yorktown in Charleston, SC.

Location:

USS Yorktown
40 Patriots Point Road
Charleston, SC

9:00am ET: Senator Santorum will hold a "Faith, Family and Freedom" National Security Town Hall with General William Boykin on the USS Yorktown in Charleston, SC.

Location:

USS Yorktown
40 Patriots Point Road
Charleston, SC

11:30am ET: Senator Santorum will address the Aiken Republican Club in Aiken, SC.

Location:

Newberry Hall
117 Newberry Street
Aiken, SC

1:00pm ET: Senator Santorum will appear on "America Live with Megyn Kelly" on FOX News.

2:00pm ET: Senator Santorum will hold a "Faith, Family and Freedom" Town Hall in Lexington, SC.

Location:

The Flight Deck
109A Old Chapin Road
Lexington, SC

5:45pm ET: Senator Santorum will participate in the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce & BIPEC 2012 Republican Presidential Candidate Forum in Columbia, SC.

Location:

Columbia Marriott
1200 Hampton Street
Columbia, SC

8:00pm ET: Senator Santorum will hold a campaign rally in Anderson, SC.

Location:

Fuddruckers
100 Destination Boulevard
Anderson, SC

Rick Santorum 2012 “ Help Win The GOP Nomination” Blog Ads Online In 300x250, 728x90, 160x600 Sizes