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Santorum Defends Robocalls To Democrats

Hugh Pickens writes "The LA Times reports that Rick Santorum defended his robocalls urging Democrats in Michigan to vote in today's critical primary, a tactic that has come under withering criticism from rival Mitt Romney as a 'terrible dirty trick' and a 'new low for his campaign.' Santorum says he reached out to Democratic voters, who can vote in the primary, to show that 'we can attract voters we need to win states like Michigan,' and noted that the former Massachusetts governor has wooed Democrats in the past and used Santorum's own words endorsing him in the 2008 race on a robocall of his own. 'I didn't complain about it. I don't complain. You know what, I'm a big guy. I can take it.' Romney crossed party lines himself to vote for Paul Tsongas in the 1992 Democratic primary over Bill Clinton in order to cause mischief for the general election. 'In Massachusetts, if you register as an independent, you can vote in either the Republican or Democratic primary,' said Romney, who until he made an unsuccessful run for Senate in 1994 had spent his adult life as a registered independent."

14 of 290 comments (clear)

  1. Stop it. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This has no place on /.

    1. Re:Stop it. by WrongSizeGlass · · Score: 4, Insightful

      This has no place on /.

      I second this motion. All in favor?

    2. Re:Stop it. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Slashdot has always covered major political events, certainly presidential elections. Certain things are "New for Everyone", of which "News for Nerds" is a subset.

    3. Re:Stop it. by GodInHell · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Aye.

    4. Re:Stop it. by bobcat7677 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Aye! This is neither news for nerds (I'm sure everyone, nerd or otherwise, has already seen the headlines), nor does it matter (a gaggle of politicians posturing over trivialities of the campaign process is about as un-meaningful as it gets). Wake me up when it's time to vote.

    5. Re:Stop it. by forkfail · · Score: 4, Insightful

      And absolutely who the next president is - and the fight to get there - is going to have fallout that impacts the technical/nerd/geek world.

      The politicians and other powers that be are quite aware of our toys and the potential of what we do, and absolutely want to own and control it.

      --
      Check your premises.
    6. Re:Stop it. by OzPeter · · Score: 4, Insightful

      This has no place on /.

      Then what is this /. section called politics for then?

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    7. Re:Stop it. by SuricouRaven · · Score: 4, Insightful

      It's a major entertainment event though. Like reality TV, only with more crazy.

    8. Re:Stop it. by Cyberax · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Nope.

      Ron Paul is A-OK with burning people at the stake, if that's done according to state laws (not federal ones).

  2. How is this good for Santorum? by Hatta · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Why would Santorum want to engage Democrats in the Republican primary. He's the fringe right wing candidate. Romney is nigh indistinguishable from the Democratic incumbant. If a Democrat shows up at the Republican primary, the odds are very good that he'll vote Romney.

    The only way I can see a Democrat voting for Santorum in the primary is to help Obama win in the general election. Is Santorum banking on his own unelectability to win the primary? Or is that reading too much into this?

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    1. Re:How is this good for Santorum? by Skapare · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Democrats would cross over to vote for Santorum just to sabotage any chance for Republicans to beat Obama. Santorum has no hope in the general election while Romney actually has a slim chance.

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      now we need to go OSS in diesel cars
  3. Yes, please. by fahrbot-bot · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Perhaps all the Democrats should heed Santorum's call to vote in the Michigan Republican primary - and vote for Ron Paul.
    That will show 'em. :-)

    --
    It must have been something you assimilated. . . .
  4. Re:Come over to the Netherlands, we'll euthanise h by wintercolby · · Score: 4, Insightful

    All of the euthanasias in the US are against the will of the person dying, we just use the euphemism "death penalty". I'm constantly amazed at how the side that's "Pro-Life" is so intent on killing adults.

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    Most ignorance is vincible ignorance. We don't know because we don't want to know. --Aldous Huxley
  5. Re:Come over to the Netherlands, we'll euthanise h by Hatta · · Score: 4, Insightful

    No, a handful of drone strikes in Libya and Somalia don't count.

    I think if a drone struck your home, you might have a different opinion on whether that's an act of war. Although, Libya would be a rather minor transgression, if he hadn't violated the War Powers Act by staying there past the deadline.

    He did end the war in Iraq and is ending the war in Afghanistan.

    Yeah, he ended the Iraq War on the exact date Bush set, and was trying to stay longer. If you're happy that the Iraq war is over, you can thank the Iraqis for kicking us out. Obama had nothing to do with it.

    I'll believe that Obama is ending the Afghanistan war when the Afghanistan war actually ends. He could have left when he killed OBL. I don't know what he's waiting for, but it's unlikely it will ever come. Afghanistan is the graveyard of empires. Cut and run at the first opportunity is the only reasonable option.

    Yes, BHO killed OBL, but he's also killed american citizens. Even juveniles. I'm far more frightened of living in an America where the president can have citizens assassinated with no oversight or detained without habeas corpus than I am of living in the same world as OBL.

    Reality conflicts with your apologetics.

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