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Rick Santorum is running as the "authentic conservative" in the Republican primaries. As his campaign has gained steam moving into the Michigan and Arizona contests, the entire tenor of the Republican debate has changed dramatically.
Social and cultural issues are front and center once again. Whereas candidates had spent months railing against President Obama as a big-government liberal and talking about the weak economy and deficits, over the past two weeks they have plunged back into the culture wars, making provocative statements about contraception, religion, gender relations and more.
In response to media reports about Santorum's comments in 2008, in which he said, "Satan is attacking the great institutions of America," Santorum responded, "I will defend everything I say." Santorum's hope is that social conservatism can offer the path toward a Republican victory, by highlighting a set of issues that can bring the conservative coalition together.
As former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney continues to be pummeled for his flip-flopping on key issues, his wealth, and his background in the private sector, Santorum hopes that he can create a bridge between the Republican right and disaffected blue-collar workers -- the so-called Reagan Democrats -- through social issues that cut across class lines...
http://edition.cnn.com/2012/02/27/opinion/zelizer-gop-social-issues/index.html
Social and cultural issues are front and center once again. Whereas candidates had spent months railing against President Obama as a big-government liberal and talking about the weak economy and deficits, over the past two weeks they have plunged back into the culture wars, making provocative statements about contraception, religion, gender relations and more.
In response to media reports about Santorum's comments in 2008, in which he said, "Satan is attacking the great institutions of America," Santorum responded, "I will defend everything I say." Santorum's hope is that social conservatism can offer the path toward a Republican victory, by highlighting a set of issues that can bring the conservative coalition together.
As former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney continues to be pummeled for his flip-flopping on key issues, his wealth, and his background in the private sector, Santorum hopes that he can create a bridge between the Republican right and disaffected blue-collar workers -- the so-called Reagan Democrats -- through social issues that cut across class lines...
http://edition.cnn.com/2012/02/27/opinion/zelizer-gop-social-issues/index.html
