SALON

Friday, Oct 7, 2011 7:06 PM UTC

Rick Santorum and the rest of the 2012 field hit the Values Voter Summit

The annual religious right gathering generates predictable extreme talk from Republican candidates

By

Topics: 2012 Elections, Rick Santorum, Religious Right, Values Voter Summit,

Rick Santorum and the rest of the 2012 field hit the Values Voter Summit Rick Santorum (Credit: AP)

The Family Research Council’s Values Voters Summit is happening right now at Washington DC’s Omni Shoreham Hotel. The summit is the Republican Party’s annual tribute to the most retrograde and extreme members of the religious right, and normal people across the nation are asked to politely look away as GOP pols pander to their nutty base. Rick Perry apparently went over well.

So far today Eric Cantor referred to Occupy Wall Street as “a growing mob” and Rep. Steve King made a joke about how pro-gay marriage protesters were “the most unhappy people I ever heard refer to themselves as gay.” (Maybe they were unhappy because you’re trying to deprive them of rights enjoyed by everyone else in the country?)

Rick Perry was introduced by a guy who hates Mormons, and who made a series of barely veiled references to Mitt Romney not believing in the correct Jesus. (Rick Perry does not consider Mormonism a “cult,” according to his campaign.)

Rick Santorum is the candidate who should be best suited for this gathering. He is the candidate of bewildered burning resentment and anger as an immoral nation that he despises. America in 2011 hurts Rick Santorum, so much. He used his family — including his, in his words, “disabled” child — as a prop and attacked gay people for wanting to also have families. “We must fight in every state to make sure marriage remains between one man and one woman.”

But the crowd just went nuts for Herman Cain, who seems to have mostly ignored social issues in favor of jokes, reassurances that he’s not angry even though he’s black, and the 9-9-9 plan.

Santorum losing these voters to some radio talk show host is one more wonderful moment in Rick Santorum’s ongoing national humiliation, the strongest proof yet that God exists and loves us.

Alex Pareene

Alex Pareene writes about politics for Salon and is the author of "The Rude Guide to Mitt." Email him at apareene@salon.com and follow him on Twitter @pareene More Alex Pareene.

Next Article

You Might Also Like

More Related Stories

Featured Slide Shows

Gripping photos: The people of the Turkey protests (slideshow)

close X
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on Facebook
  • Thumbnails
  • Fullscreen
  • 1 of 11
  • The protests take on a festive element as police forces move out of the park and square. Wearing a gas mask, this young man dances to traditional Turkish music in front of Taksim Square’s Ataturk Monument.

  • In Gezi Park since March 31st, this protester, originally caught off-guard by the Government’s teargas and water cannons, went out and bought a Russian army mask from WWII, preparing for what was to come.

  • This rambunctious boy seems to be enjoying the chaos. After taking this picture he threw a stone at the already destroyed building in the background.

  • Forming a line, the police face off directly with protesters in Taksim Square. After a while, they retreated and there was a general cheer – a back-and-forth dance that has been common since the beginning of this protest.

  • An elderly woman in Gezi Park reads the news. The tent community occupying the park was violently destroyed on June 16th.

  • Many different groups had set up booths to promote their cause in Taksim Square and Gezi Park. Standing in front of one, this man waves his flag while posing with conviction.

  • Many home-remedies are used to minimize the effects of tear gas. This woman has put a milky solution on her face, removing her mask after the tear gas dissipated. Before sunrise, the police came again for another round of teargasing.

  • People capitalize on the uprising -- selling flags, beer, gas masks, sky lanterns and spray paint to name just a few of the popular items.

  • On Monday morning, June 11, the police execute a strong offensive. Many plain-clothed police officers, like the ones seen here, clash with protesters in the side streets away from the main stand-off in Taksim.

  • The authorities seem to be most aggressive in the night, pushing protesters away from the square and park. After being teargassed this young woman catches her breath with other protesters on Siraselviler Street.

  • Recent Slide Shows

  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on Facebook
  • Thumbnails
  • Fullscreen
  • 1 of 11

Related Videos

More Related Stories

Comments

 23 Comments

Comment Preview

Your name will appear as username ( settings | log out )

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href=""> <b> <em> <strong> <i> <blockquote>

follow salon

Most Read

Popular on Reddit

links from salon.com

vote
Virginia Man Pleads Guilty To Forging Newt Gingrich Primary Signatures: Adam Ward pleaded guilty to 36 counts of voter fraud and perjury
95 points96 points | 13 comments
vote
Here Come the Edward Snowden Truthers
60 points61 points | 32 comments
vote
Here come the Edward Snowden truthers
47 points48 points | 25 comments
vote
The internal war between House Oversight Committee chair Darrell Issa and ranking Democrat Elijah Cummings blew up again Tuesday, when Cummings released the full transcript of a five-hour interview with the conservative Republican IRS screening manager.
43 points44 points | 6 comments
vote
How cash secretly rules surveillance policy: Today's congressional hearing was a joke. The reason: Firms like Booz Allen bankroll and own Congress. Here's how
42 points43 points | 6 comments

From Around the Web

Presented by Scribol
listener_new_rect The Listener: "We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves": Growing up primate

Recommendations