Monday, July 10, 2006

Developing Story – Santorum Channeling Dead Pols

Santorum: “I See Dead Politicians!”

Aides Talk Of “Wild Ranting”; Fear Strain Of Up-Hill Campaign Taking Toll On Embattled Senator

“It gets kind of scary, at times,” offered one senior aide on Senator Rick Santorum’s campaign staff.

The senior aide talked of ‘wild ranting” at times, with the embattled Senator “carrying on conversations” with dead politicians “like, in real time ... as if they were standing next to him.”

Many, in Santorum’s camp and the Republican National Committee, believe the strain of running 18-points behind his Democratic challenger, Bob Casey, is taking its toll in the Senators' effort to be re-elected to the Senate

“He’s in the fight of his life,” said Ed Hutcheson, publisher and editor of "K Street Kings - K as in Thousands", the monthly publication that tracks lobbyists.

“But I’m not sure it’s all to do with that ... Rick’s been pretty far out there on a lot of issues.”

Most recently, as reported by The Garlic yesterday, Santorum is calling for the drafting of the famous canine, Lassie, into the military service, to aid in the hunt for Sadam Hussein’s Weapons of Mass Destruction

Obsessed With The Late Governor Casey

One of Santorum’s “obsessions’ is with Casey – not his opponent, but his opponent’s father, the late former Governor of Pennsylvania, Robert P. Casey, who died six years ago.

“The Senator,” offered another campaign staffer, “sometimes gets confused, and believes he’s running against the dead Casey.”

In his more lucid moments, according to insiders, Santorum believes the Democrats drafted the younger Casey to “confuse me and the voters.”

“He kind of flip-flops, goes in-and-out of it,” said another campaign staffer.

“One minute he’s focused and discussing current strategy and then, all of a sudden, he’s off talking to the former Governor.”

Channeling Dead Pols

It hasn’t been limited to the late Governor Casey that finds Santorum in one of his trance-like episodes.

According to the staffers interviewed, Santorum has channeled a “Who’s-Who” of former GOP politicians, including the late former President Richard Nixon, and his Vice President, the late Spiro Agnew. Santorum has been heard having conversations with the late conservative icon, the former Senator Barry Goldwater

“For the past few days,: said a RNC operative, “he’s been calling up the Everett Dirksen , the late Senator from Illinois ... Something about going into the past to see the future.”

Santorum’s Sixth Sense?

It’s not lost on anyone close to the Santorum campaign, the similarities to Santorum’s behavior and the blockbuster movie, M. Night Shyamalan’s “The Sixth Sense

“With Rick being a Senator from Pennsylvania and the movie being set in Philadelphia,” said a campaign staffer. “At first we thought it was funny ... Now, it’s getting a little spooky.”

When reached for comment, Shyamalan, preparing for the release of his newest movie, “Lady In The Water” was amused, but denied that he has hired Santorum for publicity.

“No, I haven’t been working with the Senator,” said Shyamalan. “If anything, I would think he would identify with “Unbreakable”. It would probably be a great internal battle. I could see the Senator wanting to be the hero, like David Dunn ... But he also has the capacity for great evil, like Mr. Glass.”

Whether Santorum is wrapped up in the movie, or if it is the stress of the race to save his seat, it is beginning to wear out his staff and supporters.

Said a campaign staffer, “I mean what do you do, when you have a meeting and you go to sit down, and the Senator tells you no, that the chair is for Spiro Agnew ... What do you say to that?"

More On Rick Santorum’s Strange Behavior

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Santorum Backs Vatican On Hunt For Gay Priests

Santorum Adds Red Sox Win To List On Priest Abuse

Santorum To Back Frist On End-Of-Days Compromise














A growing number of campaign staffers, and the officials in the RNC, believe that Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA) may not have all his rotary blades whirring, as he increasing channels dead politicians

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