Santorum in Gettysburg: A new birth of freedom?

Rick Santorum talked to supporters at a rally (above) in Moline, Illinois yesterday on the eve of Tuesday's primary, which he's projected to lose to Mitt Romney. Tonight Santorum is in the "next must-win state, Pennsylvantia," where he gave "his own Gettysburg address," following Romney's victory speech, which picked up on Santorum's signature theme. More on that below. (Charlie Riedel / AP Photo)

"The issue in the presidential race is not the economy," but an oppressive government that's taking away people's freedom, Rick Santorum told a Rockford, Illinois rally yesterday on the eve of tonight's primary, even as "polls show the economy is the foremost issue for American voters." But polls, like interviews, are only as good as the questions asked, and we think the WSJ's William McGurn is onto something when he speaks of a candidate "disdained by a media [pollsters included] that literally cannot comprehend what he is saying." Counting himself "among the conflicted," McGurn weighs the pros and cons of "The Improbable Mr. Santorum": 

That he is where he is, despite his baggage is more than the latest manifestation of Anyone But Romney. It suggests that a sizable part of America hungers for a leader willing to address the connection between human freedom and larger truths, difficult as that can be.

The press would have us believe that these are zealots itching to make contraception illegal. In reality, they are folks who understand that the combination of expanding government and a permissive society is, in the long run, as lethal to the American Dream as bad economic policy …

Outgunned in both staff and money, disdained by a media that literally cannot comprehend what he is saying, disliked by many in his own party and loathed by the opposition for the same thing — his beliefs — well, there is something admirable about a man who takes it all and refuses to be silenced.

The media may not get it, but it looks like Romney himself is paying attention, as Fox News analyst Dana Perino noted moments ago, dissecting the frontrunner's victory speech:

There's a new theme that he's starting to use: Economic freedom.

Sounds like Romney's channeling Rick Santorum's "connection between human freedom and larger truths," as Santorum himself reiterated just now in his own after-primary speech following Romney's (rough transcription):

The foundational issue in this race, the one that is the cause of the other maladies we are feeling, all boils down to one word, and that's the word freedom.

Governmor Romney is now adopting that theme in his speech tonight, but I've been focussed on this theme in town halls and gatherings across the nation for months. And I know the anxiety people have about an ever-expanding government that is trying to trample our freedoms, whether economic or religious, building a dependency, and if Obamacare is implemented, every single citizen will depend upon the government.

The people I've talked to want someone to stand and fight, not because it's what some pollster tells them to say or because it's on a teleprompter. They want someone who's going to take that power in Washington and give it back to the people

Santorum wrapped things up by referring to some of his rivals' flip-flops, including Gingrich's infamous climate-change endorsement sitting on a couch in front of the Capitol with Nancy Pelosi, then closed the deal with this zinger:

I'm not going to change with the climate.

Update: Speaking for the talking-head community Wednesday morning, WaPo token "conservative" Jennifer Rubin pegs us:

Sure, there are bitter dead-enders who insist Santorum is still in the fight and who are certain if the voters only understood that Romneycare has an individual mandate Romney’s support would crumble. But these will, if they haven’t already, be seen as cranks.

Crossposted at Riehl World View.

Comments

[goomp]

All societies are capitalistic in the sense that someone puts up the capital necessary to build the economy. Free Enterprise capitalism has been far superior to government-controlled capitalism. That is the issue, and Santorum under stands it and is finally getting thru to Romney.

[BR]

J.R. calls me a crank. McCain calls me a hobbit. Let them elect the Etch-A-Sketch, then - lots of luck with that.