Rick Santorum: Mitt Romney 'Worst Republican' To Face Obama

FRANKSVILLE, Wis. — An agitated Rick Santorum on Sunday called Mitt Romney "the worst Republican in the country to put up against Barack Obama" even as it appears the former Massachusetts governor is on pace to clinch the party's nomination in June.

Santorum later lashed out at reporters, using a profane word as he accused them of "distorting" his speech.

Santorum told voters that Romney is "uniquely disqualified" to be the GOP's presidential pick and urged his supporters to stand with him even as he faces an increasingly improbable pathway to the nomination. Santorum said "the race isn't over until the people of Wisconsin sing," and urged them to give his underfunded, underdog campaign a chance to derail Romney.

"Pick any other Republican in the country. He is the worst Republican in the country to put up against Barack Obama," Santorum said at an evening rally near Racine.

Santorum later tried to clarify that he was talking only about Romney's ability to campaign against the national health care law championed by Obama and the Democrats. But the candidate's temper flared when he was pushed by reporters.

"On the issue of health care. That's what I was talking about, and I was very clear about talking about that. OK?" Santorum told reporters who asked him about the scathing criticism. "Come on, guys, don't do this. I mean, you guys are incredible. I was talking about Obamacare, and he is the worst because he was the author of Romneycare."

Pressed by a reporter from The New York Times, Santorum said: "Quit distorting my words. It's bulls---."

Romney spokesman Ryan Williams, who attended the event, said Santorum was "panicking in the final stages of his campaign."

"Rick Santorum is becoming more desperate and angry and unhinged every day," Williams said. "He sees conservatives coalescing around Mitt Romney and he's rattled by the backlash caused by his suggestion that keeping Barack Obama would be better than electing a Republican."

Campaigning throughout Wisconsin, which has its primary April 3, Santorum hammered Romney as a candidate conservatives should not trust. He seized on a Romney adviser's comment last week that the race's dynamic will change when the GOP settles on a nominee, likening it to an Etch A Sketch toy.

"I have not written my public policy pronouncements on an Etch A Sketch. They are written on my heart," Santorum said in a Fond du Lac bowling alley.

"Gov. Romney has said in response to the Etch A Sketch comment that he wants to assure all of you – he wants to assure that he will run as a conservative in the fall. Let me assure you, that I'm not going to run as a conservative. I am a conservative."

Santorum also called Romney "the one Republican in America who actually authored the blueprint for Obamacare."

"We have a candidate who is running against me who is uniquely disqualified," he said.

But that candidate is better organized and has a serious advantage on his way to clinching the GOP nomination with 1,144 delegates before the party meets for its convention in Tampa, Fla. Romney has won 568 delegates to Santorum's 273, according to The Associated Press' tally.

Santorum would need 74 percent of the remaining delegates to clinch the nomination before the national convention in August, and he acknowledges he is unlikely to keep pace with Romney in spending.

"I can't outspend him in Wisconsin. No way," Santorum told supporters here. "But you can outwork him. We can do this."

Comments

[Whosejobisit]

12:46 PM on 03/30/2012

Rick told the "truth" and now the rest of the republicans are "mad" at him; see how that works? Their are no repubs that could possibly hold a candle to our President Obama, they are clowns & they will "dis-own" you if you say anything negative against them; they do this to the President all the time, they are disrespectful, hateful people because they feel their "grip" on this country slipping away from them, the country is sick & tired of their betrayal. Period.

[resquedog]

07:54 AM on 03/31/2012

Agreed.

[wickedlilxtalena]

09:51 AM on 03/27/2012

I'm starting to think HuffPost is a Santorum supporter for blocking my opposition - comments.

Santorum is the best candidate we've ever seen in the history of presidential elections...

[wickedlilxtalena]

10:13 AM on 03/27/2012

Speaking sarcastically.

[Whosejobisit]

12:53 PM on 03/30/2012

I almost choked when I read this comment, are you serious? Really - are you?

[MagicMaker]

08:40 AM on 03/27/2012

"Worst Republican?" -- That's a bit of an oxymoron, isn't it? But I'll take Ricky's point. In fact, I hope he beats Myth Romney in Wisconsin. May the Repub race to the bottom continue.

[vonwoomer]

07:47 AM on 03/27/2012

Huff... allow opposite views so debate can go on if the comments aren't vulgar... We AOLers are religious/nonreligious, dems/repubs, gays/straight, black/white/hispanic/asian/etc... so comments from one side or another will be poinant.

[manmi1]

06:59 AM on 03/27/2012

Ricky, you are the "worst republican" period. You are the weakest link... goodbye.

[Sawnya]

05:06 AM on 03/27/2012

If Romney chooses Santorum as his VP after this, he'll make Gingrich look like Einstein.

[postit56]

01:21 AM on 03/27/2012

Watch how fast his tune changes when Romney wins the primary. Then it will be Romney's my guy. I don't think Ricky will be under consideration as V.P. though.

[SUNFLOWERSUN]

12:36 AM on 03/27/2012

Rick for president.

[Abusymomof4]

08:30 PM on 03/26/2012

And HE thinks he is any BETTER? Too funny!

[Sharon Boling]

08:25 PM on 03/26/2012

He is now showing his true colors. I know he does not have a chance-------- But what he is doing is so devisive. He would repeal every accomplishment made since before women got the right to vote.
I find him to be ignorant and very scary.

[pragmaticcodger]

11:23 PM on 03/26/2012

Sharon, I find him very very dangerous to womens rights, mens rights, religous rights, and the separation of church and state is in danger, if he was ever elected President. I find him to be a danger to all the women in my life, my wife, daughters, granddaughters, and every female relative and friend that we have. He has been all over Romneys case, said some things that I am sure Romney will not forget, and than today he indicated that he was interested in being the VP candidate for Romney. He is out of his mind.

[Sharon Boling]

01:09 AM on 03/27/2012

I agree. He is dangerous..
So it is that Ignorance is always the best friend of Arrogance.

The GOTP are overwhelming ignorant and many it appears are content to
remain IGNORANT, and overwhelmingly the most ARROGANT.

I am cancer free in thanks to medical care I got at Planned Parenthood. In 1989 it was found when I went for my yearly chk up. When cells were in the very early stage I. Planned Parenthood saw to it I got very good medical care. This is not an uncommon thing. I found them to be dedicated health care proffessionals .
NO cancer cells were found in my cervix following the procedure, and not any time thereafter. That is the foundation of what they do. They take care of womens health.
The election is in approx 7 months. It cannot get here fast enough for me.

[woodrj]

07:41 PM on 03/26/2012

As a 40 yr registered Republican I am embarassed at the cast of characters running for the highest office of this country. All are unqualifed and a disgrace to the GOP Party. Obama, you have my vote.

[pragmaticcodger]

11:27 PM on 03/26/2012

woodrj, I am hearing more and more of my friends say the same thing. Some of them are very outspoken, saying that they will vote Democratic to prevent the radical right from getting in.

[Whosejobisit]

01:03 PM on 03/30/2012

I am voting for the Democrats because I am a Democrat, the Democrats are for the 99%, they are sensible, compassionate, & caring, they stand up to "wrong", republicans are wrong & they could care LESS, the thing that is pushing them to be so extreme & radical is their own selfish greed & the $$ that is supporting them let's go People Power & turn this thing around for the American 99%, we all know what we have to do & the repubs do not believe that we have it in us to do this, they truly believe that their money will win in November. It will be a sad day for them the day after the election & the rest of us will party because we came together for the good of the United States of America.

[bouvdoggie]

07:40 PM on 03/26/2012

You all should take a look at what Sanitorum says about vehicles in the Canadian version of news. You better plan on buying a fuel efficient car if he is in charge of anything.

[camarillofats]

07:37 PM on 03/26/2012

Poor little Ricky. He so wants to be president. How much of a fit will he pitch when Romney gets the nomination? Samtorum would move this country backwards at least a hundred years.

[EdZackly]

07:59 PM on 03/26/2012

Ahh, the bronze age was more than a hundred years ago.

[Sharon Boling]

08:16 PM on 03/26/2012

Amazing! you were reading my mind.

[kwitcherlyin]

07:36 PM on 03/26/2012

Ok , how bout an unemployed walmart greeter?

[EdZackly]

08:00 PM on 03/26/2012

Oxymoron, but I get your point.

[Cappy Cap]

06:59 PM on 03/26/2012

Republicans/Conservatives:

No to Birth Control
No to Abortion
No to Gay marriage
No to the poor
No Party soon !

[vonwoomer]

07:43 AM on 03/27/2012

lib bulliney.,

[Cappy Cap]

09:45 AM on 03/27/2012

No lib here but I will definitively NOT buy your book ! Waste of good money most likely. The name doesn't even sound very interesting. Katherine Harris' book probably sold more than yours and her friends didn't even bother to buy it ! You might like it though " Center of The Storm".

[Whosejobisit]

01:06 PM on 03/30/2012

Why do they say NO to everything that supports minorities, poor, old, school, women health care, etc? Why? Can anyone answer that for me - for real?

[Cappy Cap]

07:20 PM on 03/30/2012

In answer to your question, the party of NO who also proclaims to be the Party of God, (they tell me GOP stands for God's Own People), are actually Xians~people who have left the teachings of Christ out of their religion. They like to cherry pick the verses that say what they want without realizing the New Testament changed everything. They also have NO morals when it comes to helping those in need. They want NO birth control yet they are anti-abortion, with no extenuating circumstances, yet they scream for blood when someone kills another. All the while forgetting that not only does it cost $24 Million per person for the appeals, etc., and the cost of the execution but that God says let vengeance be MINE ! Most of the young people I talk with that are Republican are just that because their parents are, not because they can think for themselves ! Republicans think everyone is after their money and the poor just don't work hard enough !

Republicans want to dumb down America so that voters will not be informed and most that are uneducated don't even bother to vote ! I am constantly asking republicans why they vote against themselves but they don't have an answer !

The Love of Money is the Root of all Evil ! All I want is for everyone to be comfortable ! Republicans ONLY care about THEMSELVES ! Go figure !