Santorum Defends Robocalls To Democrats 290
Hugh Pickens writes "The LA Times reports that Rick Santorum defended his robocalls urging Democrats in Michigan to vote in today's critical primary, a tactic that has come under withering criticism from rival Mitt Romney as a 'terrible dirty trick' and a 'new low for his campaign.' Santorum says he reached out to Democratic voters, who can vote in the primary, to show that 'we can attract voters we need to win states like Michigan,' and noted that the former Massachusetts governor has wooed Democrats in the past and used Santorum's own words endorsing him in the 2008 race on a robocall of his own. 'I didn't complain about it. I don't complain. You know what, I'm a big guy. I can take it.' Romney crossed party lines himself to vote for Paul Tsongas in the 1992 Democratic primary over Bill Clinton in order to cause mischief for the general election. 'In Massachusetts, if you register as an independent, you can vote in either the Republican or Democratic primary,' said Romney, who until he made an unsuccessful run for Senate in 1994 had spent his adult life as a registered independent."
Stop it. (Score:5, Insightful)
This has no place on /.
Contradiction (Score:3, Insightful)
So he didn't "cross party lines" then, did he?
Re:Stop it. (Score:5, Insightful)
This has no place on /.
I second this motion. All in favor?
Re:Stop it. (Score:4, Insightful)
Slashdot has always covered major political events, certainly presidential elections. Certain things are "New for Everyone", of which "News for Nerds" is a subset.
Re:Stop it. (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Stop it. (Score:5, Insightful)
How is this good for Santorum? (Score:5, Insightful)
Why would Santorum want to engage Democrats in the Republican primary. He's the fringe right wing candidate. Romney is nigh indistinguishable from the Democratic incumbant. If a Democrat shows up at the Republican primary, the odds are very good that he'll vote Romney.
The only way I can see a Democrat voting for Santorum in the primary is to help Obama win in the general election. Is Santorum banking on his own unelectability to win the primary? Or is that reading too much into this?
Re:Come over to the Netherlands, we'll euthanise h (Score:3, Insightful)
I doubt Santorum could find the Netherlands on the map. I doubt he could find Europe on a map.
Partially because his maps all depict a flat earth with "here be dragons" written on either side of the United States. The bible doesn't authorize a globe- so the earth must be flat.
Re:Stop it. (Score:5, Insightful)
And absolutely who the next president is - and the fight to get there - is going to have fallout that impacts the technical/nerd/geek world.
The politicians and other powers that be are quite aware of our toys and the potential of what we do, and absolutely want to own and control it.
Yes, please. (Score:5, Insightful)
That will show 'em.
Re:How is this good for Santorum? (Score:5, Insightful)
Democrats would cross over to vote for Santorum just to sabotage any chance for Republicans to beat Obama. Santorum has no hope in the general election while Romney actually has a slim chance.
Re:Robo-calls make me avoid your product. (Score:2, Insightful)
This is just part of the Republican Party's unconscious effort to self-destruct. Ever since the Tea-Bag/Libertarian crowd became the moving force in the party, supplanting the Chamber of Commerce types who were in charge for most of the 20th century, it's been infected with a kind of political rabies. Not only are they lashing out with no rhyme or reason, it's affected the Theocratic Right as well. Whether they can be successful in this election and/or recover for 2014/2016 depends on whether the Chamber CEOs can reassert control.
Re:Stop it. (Score:5, Insightful)
This has no place on /.
Then what is this /. section called politics for then?
Re:Robo-calls make me avoid your product. (Score:2, Insightful)
If you actually listen to the quote (and not CNN/MSDNC's spin on it), it was a reasonable position. College isn't for everyone. We should put value back into a High school diploma instead of mandating a college degree.
How many great sysadmins do you know who aren't out of high school?
How many times has the subject of "I know what I'm doing, but can't get a job because the hiring people are snobs who demand a college degree?" (usually not worded that way, but effectively the same)
Personally I have more college degrees than Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and Mark Zuckerberg combined (possibly excepting honorary degrees), but they're worth a heck of a lot more.
As for his fundamentalism, he can be all he wants, as long as he keeps his religion out of mine.
Re:Stop it. (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Robo-calls make me avoid your product. (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:How is this good for Santorum? (Score:4, Insightful)
Santorum is thinking of himself. Not the Republican party. Or the US in general. He's got this megalomaniacal mindset that says he's the only one that can run this country. But then that's true of most politicians.
You would think that the sane candidate would be using his parties' primary to sound out his electability in the general election. But instead, all of them are playing to their parties' median, forgetting that they represent about half of the electorate. Not good team players IMO.
Re:Stop it. (Score:4, Insightful)
Agree. This is part of a long Michigan tradition of crossover voting. Big deal.
If they ever conclusively prove that Romney is a cyborg, that would be /.-worthy.
Re:Stop it. (Score:2, Insightful)
This is neither news for nerds....
I don't agree. Politicians are legally allowed to robocall you. Grr.
Re:Come over to the Netherlands, we'll euthanise h (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Stop it. (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Stop it. (Score:2, Insightful)
A democrat mocking democracy. Not sure if you'd call that irony or what.
Re:Stop it. (Score:5, Insightful)
Nope.
Ron Paul is A-OK with burning people at the stake, if that's done according to state laws (not federal ones).
Re:Robo-calls make me avoid your product. (Score:3, Insightful)
I disagree. While Santorum doesn't stand a chance against Obama and Romney looks better than Santorum, Romney's got zero connection with middle America. Obama can rip right through that hole to an easy win. Santorum can talk to Americans, but America is not yet ready for a fascist/fundamentalist. Plus, he's genuinely stupid.
Re:Yes, please. (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Contradiction (Score:4, Insightful)
I would hate to think if voting in an opposing party's primary were a federal offense. As a liberal in a deeply red state, I know that the only vote I have is my vote in the GOP primary. They will vote "Not Obama", and the electoral college system assures that "Not Obama" will get my share of my state's votes. I should have some say in who "Not Obama" is.
The only difference between what I'm doing and what Santorum is encouraging is that I am voting for the guy who I would want to see in office, if Obama loses. To me, it's important, but I understand that most people wouldn't care about that distinction.
Re:Come over to the Netherlands, we'll euthanise h (Score:5, Insightful)
No, a handful of drone strikes in Libya and Somalia don't count.
I think if a drone struck your home, you might have a different opinion on whether that's an act of war. Although, Libya would be a rather minor transgression, if he hadn't violated the War Powers Act by staying there past the deadline.
He did end the war in Iraq and is ending the war in Afghanistan.
Yeah, he ended the Iraq War on the exact date Bush set, and was trying to stay longer. If you're happy that the Iraq war is over, you can thank the Iraqis for kicking us out. Obama had nothing to do with it.
I'll believe that Obama is ending the Afghanistan war when the Afghanistan war actually ends. He could have left when he killed OBL. I don't know what he's waiting for, but it's unlikely it will ever come. Afghanistan is the graveyard of empires. Cut and run at the first opportunity is the only reasonable option.
Yes, BHO killed OBL, but he's also killed american citizens. Even juveniles. I'm far more frightened of living in an America where the president can have citizens assassinated with no oversight or detained without habeas corpus than I am of living in the same world as OBL.
Reality conflicts with your apologetics.