WASHINGTON, February 10, 2012—Standing alongside his family, Senator Rick Santorum got a warm welcome this morning in a convention hall packed with conservatives waiting for a presidential candidate to break out.
Santorum had to deliver today in order to change the complexion of the race from what it is now. That complexion, though quite favorable to the senator after moving into second position with his three wins on Tuesday, still has him facing a big hurdle named Mitt. But by most measures, Mitt Romney remains the race's frontrunner, so without the kind of performance that Marco Rubio or Jim DeMint delivered yesterday, Santorum was less convincing than he could have been that he deserves to surpass Romney as the overwhleming conservative choice.
A few thoughts on his speech: It was touching that he displayed his family. But they seemed out of place after introductions. That aside, they offered a nice reminder of what has been central to Santorum's message, no less so today.
"This is not just about jobs…it's about big things, really big things. It's about what kind of country you're going to leave to the next generation. Are we going to be a country that believes, as our founders did, that our rights don't come from the government, they come from a much higher authority."
One can say many things about Rick Santorum—and liberals have begun to say some of the more nasty things—but nobody can deny his passion and fervor about the need for a moral renewal in America.
That said, the senator probably didn't persuade very many undecideds that he is a better candidate than any other. He is a good candidate, but no break out speech today.
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