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As part of our continuing series of candidate profiles, we turn to John Tompkins, a former reporter with the Facts Of Brazoria deep in Ron Paul's home territory, and John Delano, the politics reporter for KDKA TV in Santorum's native Pittsburgh.
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John Delano, KDKA TV & Carnegie Mellon Univ |
John Tompkins, Reporter, Brazoria County, TX |
Related Audio: GOP DEBATE RECAPS from UB's Prof. Joshua Dyck | Politico.com's Dave Levinthal
Delano says despite a pretty obvious loss coming up in Florida, Santorum will not be silenced.
"He believes the things he believes in, and even if it holds him up to ridicule he will say what he is going to say," says Delano, who is also a professor at Carnegie Mellon University.
Related Audio: KDKA Radio's Mike Pintek with another view of Santorum
Santorum is not campaigning in Florida, and very low on cash- but not apparently, pulling out yet.
As for Paul, Tompkins says he too is apparently in it, for the long haul
" He really does want to become president, but I think in his mind, he says 'regardless of whether I win, people are going to listen to what I have to say," says Tompkins, who covered Ron Paul's early congressional career and previous presidential run from Brazoria County Texas, outside Galveston .
On The WBEN Liveline with
WNY Paul Supporter David DiPietro | WNY Santorum Supporter Kevin Hardwick
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Brushing off his poor last place finish in the South Carolina primary, Paul promised supporters the momentum around his libertarian-leaning campaign would continue. "This is the beginning of a long, hard job," the Texas congressman told fans gathered at a sports bar in Columbia, the state capital. Paul vowed to battle on in states holding caucuses over the next several weeks, saying the fight now is to amass delegates rather than to notch splashy wins. "We will be promoting the whole idea of getting more delegates, because that's the name of the game," Paul said. READ MORE Related: Paul says no intention of third-party bid Ron Paul says he has no intention of running for president as a third-party candidate, though he's continuing to keep the door open a crack. |
In advance of Florida, Santorum is tired, almost broke - and going home.
The former Pennsylvania senator is leaving Florida just days before the Tuesday primary that even he expects to deal him a third consecutive loss. Santorum says he would rather spend his Saturday sitting at his kitchen table to do his taxes than campaigning in a state where the race for the Republican presidential nomination has become a two-man fight between Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney. The cash-strapped candidate acknowledges that he simply can't keep up with the GOP front-runners in Florida.
"We're going to talk about the Constitution and talk about being a strong conservative," Santorum said at an event here this week. "And that's all we can do."
"This race is just starting. It's a three-man race," Santorum insists. "We're going to be in this race for the long term." |
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Ron Paul On The Issues: Economy: Return to the gold standard, eliminate the Federal Reserve, let gold and silver be used as legal tender, eliminate most federal regulations. Education: Abolish the Education Department and end the federal role in education.
Energy: Remove restrictions on drilling, coal and nuclear power, eliminate gasoline tax, provide tax credits for alternative fuel technology. Gay Marriage: Says decisions on legalizing or prohibiting should be left to states. Supports federal law allowing one state to refuse to recognize the same-sex marriages of another state. Health Care: Opposes compulsory insurance and all government subsidies for health coverage. Favors letting people deduct full cost of their health coverage and care from taxes. Says doctors should then feel an obligation to treat the needy for free. Immigration: Do "whatever it takes" to secure the border, end the right to citizenship of U.S.-born children of illegal immigrants, no social services for illegal immigrants, aggressive deportation of those who overstay a visa or otherwise break U.S. law.
Social Security: Says younger workers should be able to opt out of Social Security taxes and retirement benefits. "My plan explicitly protects the elderly and the sick in the transition." |
Rick Santorum On The Issues Abortion: Favors constitutional abortion ban and opposes abortion even in cases of rape because "I would absolutely stand and say that one violence is enough." Previously supported right to abortion in cases of rape, incest and to save the life of the mother. Debt: Freeze social and military spending for five years to cut $5 trillion from federal budgets. Opposed the financial-industry bailout and stimulus programs of the Bush and Obama administrations. Supports constitutional balanced budget amendment holding federal spending at no more than 18 percent of GDP, down from the current 25 percent. Economy: Spur jobs by eliminating corporate taxes for manufacturers, drill for more oil and gas, and slash regulations. Repeal every Obama-era regulation that costs business more than $100 million a year. "You may have to replace a few, but let's repeal them all because they are all antagonistic to businesses, particularly in the manufacturing sector." Education: Now says he regrets voting for sweeping No Child Left Behind education overhaul. Wants "significantly" smaller Education Department but not its elimination. Criticized early childhood education programs as an attempt by government to "indoctrinate your children." Energy: Favors drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and scaling back "oppressive regulation" hindering drilling elsewhere. Eliminate energy subsidies in four years. Environment: The science establishing human activity as a likely contributor to global warming is "patently absurd" and "junk science." Gay Marriage: Supports constitutional ban on same-sex marriage, not leaving decision to states. "We can't have 50 marriage laws.... We are a nation that was built on a moral enterprise, and states don't have the right to tramp over those because of the 10th Amendment." Health Care: Would seek to starve Obama's health care law of money needed to implement it, and to repeal it. Was a leading supporter of Bush administration's prescription drug program for the elderly, which he now calls a mistake. Immigration: Supports border fence, opposes letting children of illegal immigrants qualify for cheaper in-state tuition and says federal government should not require states to offer any social services to illegal immigrants. Favors making English the official language. Social Security: Proposes immediate steps to lower benefits for wealthier retirees, raise the age to qualify for full benefits and restrict inflation increases in benefits. "We need to change benefits for everybody now." Supports option of private retirement accounts instead of Social Security taxes and benefits for younger workers. Taxes: Triple the personal exemption for dependent children, reduce the number of tax brackets to two - 10 percent and 28 percent, exempt domestic manufacturers from the corporate tax and halve the top rate for other business. "If you manufacture in America, you aren't going to pay any taxes." Opposes any national sales tax. Terrorism: Defends creation of Homeland Security Department as an attempt to fix a "complete mess" in the domestic security apparatus. Voted to reauthorize Patriot Act. Says airport screeners should employ profiling; "Muslims would be someone you'd look at, absolutely." Supports continued use of Guantanamo Bay detention for suspected terrorists but says Americans accused of being enemy combatants should have the right to go to court to challenge indefinite detention. Says waterboarding has proved effective. War: Says he would order that Iran's nuclear facilities be bombed unless they were opened for international arms inspectors. Proposes freezing defense spending for five years. Said in September 2011 that 20,000 to 30,000 U.S. troops should remain in Iraq. Says U.S. troops should withdraw from Afghanistan "a little slower" than Obama is planning. In May, accused Obama of "dithering" in Libya and creating a "morass" because he let the international community take the lead. Opposes closure of U.S. bases abroad. |
