As Rick Santorum campaigns on faith, family issues, could he alienate moderates?

[Bozita]

As Rick Santorum campaigns on faith, family issues, could he alienate moderates?
7:04 PM, February 20, 2012
By Todd Spangler
Detroit Free Press Washington Staff

WASHINGTON – Over the weekend, Rick Santorum spoke of President Barack Obama’s “phony theology,” and, on Monday, he talked about “a culture that has radically changed,” saying we need to “rebuild the family and the church.”

With the Michigan and Arizona primaries a week from Tuesday, Santorum — who polls still show to be leading nationally and in Michigan — has increasingly turned to invoking faith and spirituality on the campaign trail, making comments that could alienate moderate conservative less concerned with social policies but motivate more passionate believers.

-snip-

Santorum has long been considered a warrior for cultural conservatives, making his name, in part, while he represented Pennsylvania in the U.S. Senate for his fierce stance against abortion. On Sunday, MSNBC’s Chris Hayes dug up a 2008 speech Santorum gave to students at Ave Maria University, a Catholic school in Florida founded by Domino’s Pizza owner (and former Detroit Tigers owner) Tom Monaghan.

In the speech, Santorum — a staunch Catholic – railed against what he saw as “a spiritual war” being waged against national institutions by “the father of lies, Satan.” He went on to say that “mainline protestantism” was “a shambles, it is gone from the world of Christianity as I see it.”

-snip-

more...
http://www.freep.com/article/20120220/NEWS15/120220062/Could-Rick-Santorum-s-social-stances-alienate-moderates-GOP-Republican-primary-Romney?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

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This'll play well in the Bible Belt, don'tcha think?

[rocktivity]

1. IX-NAY on the ASTER-MAY AN-PLAY!!! That's EXACTLY what we need to happen!

The more tightly Mitt and Rick grip the extreme end of their base, the more independents and moderates they'll repel. And it's AL-AY-EADY-RAY ORKING-WAY!


rocktivity

[Happyhippychick]

2. That's exactly what is happening. I have acquaintances and family members who are Reps, they HATE

Santorum. The ones I am closer with are all pro choice and they are from PA, they have hated this man forever.

[rocktivity]

4. I read something to the effect that once the rest of the U.S. knew Santorum

the way Pennsylvanians did, it would be clear why he was voted out by 19 points!


rocktivity

[customerserviceguy]

3. The only problem is

the moderates don't pay any attention until the weekend before a general election. The very fact that they are swing voters who could go either way is proof that they're not politically aware of anything that either side says.

[RainDog]

5. mainline protestantism = liberal churches

not fundie, fwiw.

tho fundie protestants might not know this.

Sanitorium is repeating a pov that Scalia mentions too in regard to European nations - he calls them "post Christian" because they don't subscribe to right wing interpretations of religious doctrine. again, fwiw.

[JCMach1]

6. Not if... HE IS

and not just based on religion. He has almost highhandedly completely lost the women's vote for the GOP.