Santorum focuses on Obama in lukewarm Romney endorsement
One-time GOP presidential hopeful Rick Santorum emailed his endorsement of likely nominee Mitt Romney to supporters late Monday night. The lukewarm letter focused primarily on the need to deny President Barack Obama a second term in office, and made frequent references to Santorum’s oft-voiced doubts about his former bitter primary rival.
In the 16-paragraph letter, the phrase “he has my endorsement” appeared in paragraph 13.
“The primary campaign certainly made it clear that Governor Romney and I have some differences,” Santorum wrote, “But there are many significant areas in which we agree.”
“I am also comfortable with Governor Romney on foreign policy matters,” the hawkish Republican added.
“And while I had concerns about Governor Romney making a case as a candidate about fighting against Obamacare, I have no doubt if elected he will work with a Republican Congress to repeal it and replace it with a bottom up, patient, not government, driven system.”
Like former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich before him, Santorum’s endorsement of Romney appeared to hinge not on the former Massachusetts governor’s strengths, but on the belief that the he will be a better president than Obama has already been.
“Above all else, we both agree that President Obama must be defeated,” Santorum explained, before giving his endorsement.
“The task will not be easy. It will require all hands on deck if our nominee is to be victorious. Governor Romney will be that nominee and he has my endorsement and support to win this the most critical election of our lifetime.”
The endorsement, Santorum wrote, came only after Romney came to Pennsylvania to meet with the former candidate. Santorum described the one-on-one conversation, which he said lasted for over one hour, as “candid, collegial and focused on the issues” Santorum trumpeted during the primary campaign, namely “social conservatives, tea-party supporters, lower and middle income working families.”
“I felt,” Santorum continued, “that it was completely impossible for me to even consider an endorsement until after a meeting to discuss issues critical to those of us who often feel our voices are not heard by the establishment.”
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