Buh Bye Ricky

A few Ricky Santorum quotes below, courtesy of the Guardian, but firstly just two talking points taken from Alternet article, Did Religious Right Leaders Spike Santorum's Campaign?

It was after reading this passage that, not having watched Santorum's departure speech, I would have asked of you the reader, he didn't, did he?

....Meanwhile, Santorum's three-year-old daughter, Bella, who suffered from a debilitating chromosomic disorder, was hospitalized for a second time on Friday, leading Santorum to explain his exit from the race as a family matter. "Good Friday was a little bit of a passion play for us with our daughter, Bella," Santorum said.

To listen to Santorum on Tuesday, you'd think that Bella's health was the only determining factor for his exit, but there were likely others, not least of them a new poll.....

But rather than ask the question of you, I did spend fifteen minutes of my life that I will never get back, and the answer? Yes. I shall say no more.

And of the other talking point, I don't really need to say much more on that issue, one underline doing the job quite adequately.

To some in the religious right, their desire for control of the Republican Party trumps a desire to see a Republican win the presidency. Should a moderate win the White House, then control of the party falls into more moderate hands. Some would likely rather have Obama to kick around for another four years while they marshal their forces within the GOP for a wide-open contest in 2016. And while Romney's current slate of positions is anything but moderate, he is not deemed a trustworthy carrier of the cause by those who would like to turn America's clock back to the days when only the rights of white men were assured. Article

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Rick Santorum: campaign in quotes

Republican bows out of race for presidential nomination after a fiery campaign that appealed to the party's right
Ben Quinn
10 April 2012

"You're not gonna use the pink ball. We're not gonna let you do that. Not on camera."

Santorum, as overheard by a Reuters journalist, intervening to stop a young Republican picking up a pink bowling ball.

"My concern is being in combat in that situation. Instead of being focused on the mission, they may be more concerned with protecting someone who may be in a vulnerable position, a woman in a vulnerable position."

On the reaction of male soldiers to women in combat roles.

"The reason was the British national health system. Since people have the dependency they are never ever really free again."

On why he believes Margaret Thatcher left office lamenting she had not matched the achievements of Ronald Reagan.

"Many of the Christian faith have said, well, that's OK, contraception is OK. It's not OK. It's a licence to do things in a sexual realm that is counter to how things are supposed to be."

On birth control.

"All the people who live in the West Bank are Israelis, they're not Palestinians. There is no 'Palestinian'. This is Israeli land."

On the Palestinians.

"Is anyone saying same-sex couples can't love each other? I love my children. I love my friends, my brother. Heck, I even love my mother-in-law. Should we call these relationships marriage, too?"

On gay marriage.

"Would the potential attraction to Mormonism by simply having a Mormon in the White House threaten traditional Christianity by leading more Americans to a church that some Christians believe misleadingly calls itself Christian, is an active missionary church, and a dangerous cult?"

On the religion of the Republican frontrunner, Mitt Romney

"The notion that college education is a cost-effective way to help poor, low-skill, unmarried mothers with high school diplomas or GEDs [US General Educational Development tests] move up the economic ladder is just wrong."

On unmarried mothers, taken from his book, It Takes a Family: Conservatism and the Common Good Gruniad