I just had a conservative admit to me that there's one reason he likes Santorum:

[Bgno64]

Because he pisses liberals off.

I was sort of stunned, because that's the charicature of conservatives: That it's all the politics of resentment, and here's a guy, a friend, really, admitting that it's true!

Unbelievable.

So game this out. The more outrageous stuff Santorum says, the more liberals attack him; the more liberals attack him, the more the wingnuts will flock to his side; the greater the chance that Santorum is the GOP nominee this year.

[shraby]

1. You can tell that conservative that if he/she isn't pissed off they must be brain dead.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. Yes, but why just Santorum? All of those clowns piss us off.

And with good reason.

[Bgno64]

10. Yeah but Santorum's worse

He embodies the worst religious right impulses, the holier-than-thou smugness. Rick Santorum is a Christian and you're not! I hate that shit maybe more than anything else in the world, and Rick Santorum embodies it.

The danger here is that if gas gets up to $5 a gallon by summer (or higher if, God forbid, we attack Iran), if Greece implodes and takes American banks down with it - a pissed-off citizenry could be giving Santorum a good solid look this fall. I'll be moving to Canada if that happens, seeya.

[southernyankeebelle]

3. He is right. But you need to remind him he hasn't a chance in the general election.

Tell him we aren't all pissed at the president.

[spooky3]

4. Our clever plan is working!

Go ahead and nominate him, wingnuts. Put all your $ behind him. He will get humiliated in November, and carry the rest of the Republican ticket down with him, and you will have wasted all that money.

[bowens43]

5. A conservative friend? How starnge.

[DFW]

11. It happens, believe me

Not often, but it does happen. I'm friends with a guy you would think I'd be willing to
take an axe to, but I'm not talking about a Frank Luntz here. This guy really believes
the whole line, puts his life where his mouth is, considers me as batshit crazy politically
as I consider him, but accepts me for what I am, and considers me a friend as do I him.
Google him, and you'd think I would guillotine him at the first available opportunity. Some
of the people he hangs out with, I'd be sorely tempted, but not him.

Go figure, but that's the way it is.

[sabrina 1]

6. Tell him liberals want Santorum to win and thank him for helping!

[Old and In the Way]

7. I'm curious

does he still have his nose?

I don't doubt that's a motivating reason for lots of low information voters - the demonization of the word "liberal" has been quite effective. If I were to ask the average Dittohead, "what's the most important thing you've learned by listening to Rush's show?", I suspect the only thing they could say or remember is "liberals are evil". That's some good brainwashing right there.

So, your friend and millions more like him, willing vote against their best interests because they know "it pisses liberals off". How smart of them.

I suspect that Rick's religious right support would be bullet-proof...but I'm not so sure saner conservatives want Rick's social vision of America. I think they go 3rd Party, don't vote, or maybe even vote Obama.

[tblue]

8. Petty much?

I wish these jerks -- iow, conservative Repubs -- would just get out of the way. We have way too many serious problems that need to be addressed, and we have no time to waste on their silliness.

If what you want in a politician is that he can piss people off, what does that say about you?

You got a strong stomach, Bgno64.

[savalez]

9. Question: Is your friend a wingnut? Or a regular person.

I ask because we aren't going to get wingnut votes anyway. But I am curious how the regular run of the mill republican would vote.

[Bgno64]

13. He's a wingnut but admits it and occasionally sees the light of reason

He realizes what's happening economically, how he's getting shafted. He sees the dynamic at his own company - where dozens were laid off, but the bosses helped themselves to a nice bonus last year, thank you very much.

You can reason with him, but he's listened to Rush for years, and just got through telling me that liberals don't understand just how much conservatives hate the media. And they perceive "the media" to be attacking Santorum here.

It's all so unfair!

He's a good guy, conforms to some of the stereotypes, confounds others. I've learned not to generalize so much by talking to him, but jeezus, when he confirms one of those stereotypes, it's just astounding

[savalez]

16. So he's a semi-wingnut.

I know some of them too. It's still early, the election isn't today, so there's still time for him to come around. But don't be surprised if "coming around" means that he skips the election altogether.

I saw that in 2008. A semi-wingnut I know did not think McCain could handle the job as President and he hated his choice of VP, so he didn't vote for anybody.

Funny how that works.

[CTyankee]

26. Have you pointed out to him that Rush is "the media"?

[HockeyMom]

12. He pisses off REPUBLICANS too

Those who don't want Saint Rick telling them what they must do in their MARRIAGES according to the Catholic Church.

[Turbineguy]

14. Santorum doesn't piss me off

I see him as a comedian who isn't very funny.

[Champion Jack]

15. the greater the chance that Santorum is the GOP nominee this year.

The greater eventuality that Ricky will get beaten like a rented mule.

[AlinPA]

17. That's what is happening in a lot of cases.

[texshelters]

18. I'm surprised

this surprised you.

Here's how Republicans react to "liberals" (my video)

Peace,
Tex Shelters

[Proud Liberal Dem]

19. Good observation

It definitely helps to explain why the right seems to coalesce around "bombthrowers" like Gingrich, Limbaugh, Christie, Santorum. Maybe we all need to back off a bit and start ignoring them as much as possible.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

20. I find him entertaining in a carnival side show kind of way

I encourage him to be as insanely nutty as he wants. I can just picture a debate between Santorum and Obama. Santorum wanders over to Obama's podium and laces him across the face with holy water: "The power of Christ compels you! The majestic Christ who commands you! The mystery of the cross commands you! The blood of the martyrs commands you! The power of Christ compels you! The power of Christ compels you! The power of Christ compels you!"

[Ebadlun]

21. It's a supremely crap reason

Someone wanting to gas Jewish gays would piss off Liberals, but that's not a good thing.

I wouldn't support a left-winger who wanted to resurrect the Gulag system, just to piss off Conservatives.

Also, they used to say the same thing about Bush - if he pisses off liberals, he must be doing something right. Except now they hate him, as of January 2009. So maybe he was doing something really fucking crap after all, and you should have tried to comprehend what it was, you freeper belmknobs.

[HopeHoops]

22. Does this guy enjoy anal sex with dogs?

Just sayin'.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

23. Stupid idea

to elect somebody simply on the basis of their ability to "offend" others. Thankfully, none of these right-wingers were POTUS during the Cuban Missle Crisis or I guarantee you that they would have pushed the button. We need leaders whom will govern and work with others, not ones whom exist solely to serve their own constituency IMHO. We saw how the latter worked during the last (mis-)Administration.

[Bake]

24. Fine, let them nominate a "true conservative." I HOPE THEY DO!!

We win. Let your friend find out how far from the mainstream he really is.

Bake

[Lex]

25. Great because he won't be elected President

for that reason. Santorum has to win a chunk of the independents and 'the middle' in order to win. And he won't.