Rick Santorum attacks Obama over welfare reform waiver. Was that fair?
| TAMPA, Fla.
He was one of Mitt Romney鈥檚 fiercest competitors for the Republican presidential nomination.
But on Tuesday, at the opening night of the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., Rick Santorum played the loyal soldier to his party鈥檚 standard-bearer, launching a spirited attack against President Obama over welfare reform and reinforcing his own brand as an impassioned opponent of abortion.
Mr. Santorum, who emerged as the favorite of social conservatives during the primaries, also made much of his own experiences on the campaign trail, suggesting the 50-something former senator from Pennsylvania may want to take another run at the presidency, either in four or eight years.
But Santorum鈥檚 first order of business was to make the case against Mr. Obama.
鈥淯nder President Obama, the dream of freedom and opportunity has become a nightmare of dependency with almost half of America receiving some sort of government assistance,鈥� Santorum said.听聽
鈥淭his summer,鈥� the ex-senator continued, 鈥渉e showed us once again he believes in government handouts and dependency by waiving the work requirement for welfare.鈥�
Fact-checkers deny that the Obama administration has eliminated the work requirement attached to the 1996 welfare reform. The waivers, some given at the request of Republican governors, give states flexibility in how they handle their welfare rolls, as long as they maintain a 20 percent increase in the number of people getting work.
But it鈥檚 campaign season, and welfare is a hot topic 鈥� ready made for the night of the convention dubbed 鈥淲e Built It,鈥� which centers on the theme of hard work. And the Republicans have no better amplifier of hot-button social issues than Santorum.听聽
The Pennsylvanian was scheduled to speak early in the evening, but convention organizers were reportedly so excited about his remarks that they moved him later, to the 9 o鈥檆lock hour, not far from the evening鈥檚 highlights, speeches by Romney鈥檚 wife, Ann, and keynoter Chris Christie, governor of New Jersey.
In his remarks, Santorum made clear that he had acquired a taste for the travel and contact with Americans that came with his first national campaign. He spoke of crisscrossing the nation with his family and of encountering the American Dream and its 鈥渟trong grip.鈥澛犅燬antorum talked about the hands that he had grasped 鈥� the hands of farmers and ranchers, restaurant workers and men and women in uniform, the hands of those 鈥渞efusing to give up hope.鈥�
Santorum shared, as he did often on the trail, the story of his disabled young daughter Bella, and moved the arena of conventiongoers to a standing ovation as he professed his devotion to 鈥渁ll of God's children 鈥� born and unborn.鈥�
As the winner of the second-highest total of convention delegates, Santorum had clearly earned his speaking slot at the convention, analysts say. In fact, many of Romney鈥檚 other primary foes aren鈥檛 scheduled to speak, including Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, and businessman Herman Cain.
But Santorum鈥檚 role at the convention goes beyond his 15-minute speech. He represents an important emissary for Romney to the party鈥檚 social-conservative base, a key part of the Republican electorate that has struggled to trust Romney鈥檚 bona fides as a conservative.
On Wednesday, Santorum plays host to a reception called 鈥淧atriots for Romney-Ryan 2012鈥� here in Tampa, featuring many prominent social conservatives, including: Family Research Council leader Tony Perkins, Faith and Freedom Coalition leader Ralph Reed, Susan B. Anthony List president Marjorie Dannenfelser, and president of the group American 海角大神, Gary Bauer. Also slated to attend, according to ABC News, are social conservative grand dame Phyllis Schlafly, direct mail guru Richard Viguerie, and Grover Norquist of Americans for Tax Reform.听
