Former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., took his presidential bid to Florida on Saturday as he tried to turn around his campaign.
Making a second try for the Republican presidential nomination, Santorum spoke at the Republican Party of Florida’s (RPOF) Sunshine Summit in Orlando.
Starting his speech by saying he had a “heavy heart” after the Paris terrorist attacks on Friday, a fierce Santorum tore into President Barack Obama and former U.S. Sec. of State Hillary Clinton, the favorite for the Democratic nomination, on international policy.
“ISIS is the creation of a political decision by Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama,” Santorum said, insisting that terrorist group grew strong due to pulling American forces out of Iraq. Santorum accused Obama and Clinton of putting “politics above the security of our country and the security of the world.”
“Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton have created the most dangerous world for any new president,” Santorum added.
Insisting America should not select an inexperienced leader in 2016, Santorum insisted he had the background to take on Islamic extremism and terrorists.
“Commander in chief is not an entry level position,” Santorum said, insisting he was more than prepared to take on radical Islam. Noting ISIS’s goals, Santorum said he was ready to take military action against that group.
“If they want to bring back seventh century Islam, let’s accommodate them by bombing them back to the seventh century,” Santorum said.
Warning about the dangers Iran posed, Santorum stressed his opposition to Obama’s deal with Iran over its nuclear program. Santorum insisted Iran and radical Islamists would “understand I mean business” if he was in the White House.
“The United States is on the verge of a global war,” Santorum insisted, noting that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told him something very similar last year.
Santorum did not call out his Republican opponents by name but said they did not have the experience he did, especially as he expects the war on terror to escalate.
“A lot of good people in this race, very, very few with any experience,” Santorum said.
Santorum ripped Obama’s call to allow more Syrian refugees and presented immigration as a national security issue.
Turning to economics, Santorum noted that “74 percent of Americans don’t have a college degree” and asked “which party is speaking for them?”
Santorum insisted just cutting taxes for wealthier Americans wasn’t working for the GOP while Democrats had no solutions either.
“We have an opportunity, ladies and gentlemen,” Santorum said before hitting the GOP’s outreach towards lower earning Americans. “We aren’t connecting.”
Santorum called for “no amnesty” to cheers, insisting illegal immigration was hurting American workers. Noting outsiders like Dr. Ben Carson and Donald Trump were rising in the polls, Santorum called on Florida Republicans to consider backing him.
“If you’re looking for someone who understands the national security threats...if you’re looking for someone to connect with American workers,” Santorum said he was their man.
Santorum closed his speech with a plea to talk about social issues, warning about the “breakdown of the American family” and noting his success in Pennsylvania and insisting he “can change the electoral map” and win states traditionally carried by the Democrats.
Despite winning 11 primaries and caucuses in 2012, Santorum has struggled so far in the 2016 race. In the four rounds of presidential debates, Santorum has been stuck in the undercard debates with other dark horse candidates.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
