Rick Santorum and the Terri Schiavo disaster
I recall two times in my life when I was awestruck and appalled by what seemed to be grotesque political overreaching.
The first was President Bush’s “Mission Accomplished” caper, in which he pranced around the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln in his flight suit, celebrating a victory that to this day has not been won.
The second, and far more egregious, was the Terri Schiavo affair, in which Congress attempted to directly intervene in a family dispute in Florida involving a clearly brain-dead woman. Republicans in Washington DC became so overwrought in that case, so certain of their laymen’s ability to diagnose Schiavo’s medical condition from afar, so wrapped up in their own sanctimony, that they tried to subpoena the Florida judge handling the case to testify in Congress and even passed “emergency legislation” ordering the federal judiciary to intervene to “save” Schiavo.
The crowning moment came, you may recall, when President Bush broke off his vacation in Texas to fly back to Washington to sign the “Save Terri” bill into law.
I bring all this up because the person perhaps most responsible for that shameless act of political narcissism is now a leading candidate for the GOP president nomination. Back in 2005, then-Sen. Rick Santorum helped turn the Schiavo tragedy into a national morality play, with himself and a few others self-cast as its heroes. He even went so far as to visit Schiavo’s bedside in Florida, proclaiming that her mental state was “close to equivalent of someone with the disease cerebral palsy.”
“”We need to do something to stop this unconscionable act on the part of the Florida Court,” Santorum preached at the time. “Terri Schiavo is a daughter, a sister, and most importantly, a person. We cannot allow an innocent person to be put to death.”
Today, Santorum tries to downplay his involvement. “What I cared about with Terri Schiavo was that a judge looked at the case fairly, and they did,” he told CNN not long ago. “And they made their decision.”
But that wasn’t his tune seven years ago. Seven years ago, he and others wanted to hold the Florida judge in contempt of Congress. Santorum was even angrier that the local federal judge in Florida had refused to obey Congress’ order to intercede, and hinted at impeachment.
“For this judge in this district to ignore that is tantamount, I believe, to an offense that should be discussed in the Congress,” he said on Fox News at the time. “What we asked for in the Congress was a new finding of fact. And this judge in this district ignored it, snubbed his nose at Congress, I think against the law. I think he should be held accountable for it.”
In another interview, Santorum complained about “judicial tyranny” on the part of the federal judge.
“Congress passed a law that said that you had to look at this case,” Santorum said. “He simply thumbed his nose at Congress…. What he’s saying is, ‘I don’t have to hold a new trial because I’ve already determined that her rights have been protected.’ That’s nice for him to say that. But that’s not what Congress told him to do. Judges should obey the law. And this judge – in my mind – simply ignored the law.”
A man of such demonstrated poor judgment should never be given the powers inherent in the office of president of the United States.
– Jay Bookman
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© 2012 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
479 comments Add your comment
wow
February 14th, 2012
4:54 pm
dude, you are reaching, is this all you could find to slam the GOP front runner du jour?
Keep Up the Good Fight!
February 14th, 2012
4:54 pm
Ahh the efforts of some Republicans to rewrite the past.
wow
February 14th, 2012
4:54 pm
btw, first people!
jm
February 14th, 2012
4:55 pm
previous topic
http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/A-Day-in-the-Life-of-the-Grid-with-Jon-Wellinghoff-Chairman-of-FERC/
alternatives can’t provide energy when you need it
jm
February 14th, 2012
4:56 pm
“The first was President Bush’s “Mission Accomplished” caper, in which he pranced around the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln in his flight suit, celebrating a victory that to this day has not been won.”
You are ignorant about this event.
That sign was meant solely for that ship and as encouragement for those troops, not the whole war.
You turkeys take everything out of context and blow it up 1000 times.
SalvorHardin
February 14th, 2012
4:57 pm
“All you could find…?” No, it’s one card out of a really, really large deck.
jm
February 14th, 2012
5:00 pm
“A man of such demonstrated poor judgment should never be given the powers inherent in the office of president of the United States.”
commentary over reach
but vote Mitt 2012
wow
February 14th, 2012
5:00 pm
with all do respect Salvor, I think Jay’s reaching. I’m not a Santorum supporter either, I think he’s horribly flawed, but not for being an ardent pro-lifer…
Brosephus
February 14th, 2012
5:00 pm
alternatives can’t provide energy when you need it
Generalizations do not look well on you. CNG is an alternative, and I’m pretty sure it can provide energy when you need it. I’m thinking that liquefied coal could do that too. I’m also thinking you forgot about that invention called a battery? Just admit it that you’re a oil whore just like most others. Be honest with yourself for a change.
jm
February 14th, 2012
5:02 pm
bro dude. you are ignorant my friend
Natural gas plants are not “alternative”. They’re proven technology all over the country and provide a huge portion of base load.
jm
February 14th, 2012
5:05 pm
“oil whore”
yeah. i drive a prius.
and my utility bill is $43 a month because my home is so well insulated.
bro, your petulant ignorance is showing.
GaBlue
February 14th, 2012
5:05 pm
A: The 19th Amendment.
Q: What is the biggest thing standing between Santorum and the Presidency, Alex?
AmVet - You cons have got to ask yourself one question: Do you feel lucky? Well, do ya, punks?
February 14th, 2012
5:06 pm
Santorum is not an ardent pro-lifer.
He’s an ardent idiot and ideologue with semi-permanent foot-in-mouth-disease.
He got absolutely destroyed in the last election he was in, and he insists on embarrassing himself once again?
OK…
kaycee
February 14th, 2012
5:08 pm
It is interesting how certain bloggers will bloviate about federalism and “states’ rights” but contradict themselves when it is convenient. The Schiavo case, as far as I can see, was an issue properly addressed at the state level. The feds needed to keep their big noses out of it. It was embarrassing to see Congress fall all over themselves trying to inject themselves into the debate.
Kamchak
February 14th, 2012
5:08 pm
That sign was meant solely for that ship and as encouragement for those troops, not the whole war.
Also:
“The check’s in the mail.”
“Don’t worry, I’ve had a vasectomy.”
“No, those pants don’t make your butt look fat.”
“The smoking gun is the mushroom cloud.”
jm
February 14th, 2012
5:09 pm
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-02-14/spending-won-t-fix-what-ails-u-s-transport-commentary-by-edward-glaeser.html
Brosephus
February 14th, 2012
5:11 pm
jm
My petulance is nothing when compared to your word vomit here. Just keep doing what you’re doing. CNG in vehicles IS an alternative energy source. Broaden your mind and you’re likely to broaden your horizon. And, yes, even if you’re driving a Prius, you’re still an oil whore. That vehicle is not 100% electric is it?
jm
February 14th, 2012
5:12 pm
Kam. I know the person that put it there. PR mishap, but it was purely meant to encourage the troops.
Midori
February 14th, 2012
5:12 pm
I remember the Schiavo disaster.
Bill Frist diagnosed her from the floor of the senate
The entire GOP looked like a bunch of morans — especially when someone claimed Terry could walk and talk.
the woman didn’t even have an effing brain!!!
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/15/national/15cnd-schiavo.html
jm
February 14th, 2012
5:13 pm
“even if you’re driving a Prius, you’re still an oil whore”
hilarious.
Jay, you see how idiotic your liberal readers have become?
ragnar danneskjold
February 14th, 2012
5:13 pm
I thought the effort to preserve Terri Schiavo’s grasp for life admirable, and the efforts of the Great American death cult, aka democrat regulars, an abomination. The parents desperately wished to continue efforts to recover the life of their child, and were willing to accept the costs and responsibility. Of course, the unfaithful husband was successful in his effort to snuff his wife (did he ever marry the girlfriend?) I think that case told more about “character,” and the way it has polarized along party lines in America, than even the abortion debate.
As to the cheap shot against President Bush – do we ever expect anything else from leftists? – he did not hang the banner, and one certainly cannot imagine Chauncey landing on an aircraft carrier to congratulate troops for their efforts during wartime. More likely he would cut Defense funding.
Joe Hussein Mama
February 14th, 2012
5:14 pm
jm — “That sign was meant solely for that ship and as encouragement for those troops, not the whole war.”
Which is why it was all over the evening news. GMAMFB.
Brosephus
February 14th, 2012
5:14 pm
Kam. I know the person that put it there. PR mishap, but it was purely meant to encourage the troops.
^^^This^^^ coming from the same person who got upset about The First Lady saying that she was REALLY proud of her country, even when the quote was misquoted.
AmVet - You cons have got to ask yourself one question: Do you feel lucky? Well, do ya, punks?
February 14th, 2012
5:14 pm
GaBlue, LOL.
As for Mission Accomplished, it was just one of innumerable disgraceful stunts by the worst excuse for an American leader ever.
But the chickenhawks sure lapped it all up…
Redneck Convert (R--and proud of it)
February 14th, 2012
5:15 pm
Well, I recall this Terri Schiavo. Seems she could look around and smile but she had no brain. And the Republicans had a good reason to keep her on life support. See, she was a Republican.
Have a good night everybody.
Aquagirl
February 14th, 2012
5:15 pm
I think he’s horribly flawed, but not for being an ardent pro-lifer…
Pro-life? Her brain was goo, honey. Pro-vegetable maybe.
Let him shove Congress in the middle of your family tragedy and maybe you’d feel a bit differently. Oh, wait, it’s somebody else so you obviously don’t give a flying fig.
And where’s all our big-gubmin’t haters? They seemed to be MIA when this originally happened too.
Kamchak
February 14th, 2012
5:15 pm
Kam. I know the person that put it there.
I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night.
With Shakira.
And Katy Perry.
Brosephus
February 14th, 2012
5:16 pm
jm
Are you calling me an idiot? Or do you not realize that the gas you put into your Prius comes from refined crude oil. When you buy that Nissan Leaf or equivalent vehicle, come talk to me. Otherwise, your attempt at labeling somebody an idiot is merely a reflection in the mirror.
Jefferson
February 14th, 2012
5:16 pm
Sometimes you just don’t want the train to ever stop, what about tomorrow Scarlet ?
ragnar danneskjold
February 14th, 2012
5:17 pm
Certainly leftists think there is no reason for judges to obey the law as passed by Congress. Hope they remember that next time an Obomination like ObamaCare comes around.
Joe Hussein Mama
February 14th, 2012
5:18 pm
Midori — “Bill Frist diagnosed her from the floor of the senate”
And he was wrong in his conclusions. Plus, I believe it’s a violation of some ethical provision to diagnose a patient you haven’t personally examined. Frist diagnosed Schiavo based on his viewing of an edited videotape provided by Terri’s parents.
Erwin's cat
February 14th, 2012
5:19 pm
I’m not sure which is more out of context of the two….but hey, why not force an inappropriate comparison for the sake of political canon fodder
Joe Hussein Mama
February 14th, 2012
5:21 pm
R. Danneskjold — “I thought the effort to preserve Terri Schiavo’s grasp for life admirable”
Well, of course you would. You couldn’t possibly tolerate her husband making her medical decisions for her, as every applicable law, legal principle and precedent in the United States has held. Mr. Schiavo prevailed in *every* legal proceeding except one near Terri’s death, and in no legal decision was he ever faulted in any way.
Of course a supposed libertarian like you would cheer the use of state power to micromanage a single American family. Hypocrite.
ragnar danneskjold
February 14th, 2012
5:23 pm
Dear Joe @ 5:21, I fear you need an Oxford Dictionary. The purpose of government is to protect the helpless from the malicious. Leftists turn that aphorism on its head, daily.
bman
February 14th, 2012
5:23 pm
Rick Santorum is a crazy, crazy man. If it ends up with crazy man vs Obama, I will stay home on voting day.. .. and hope that Obama wins. I’m not too worried though… .. pretty sure Romney will end up winning.
Cynic
February 14th, 2012
5:24 pm
Santorum’s creepy, the article is a ridiculous reach.
Joe Hussein Mama
February 14th, 2012
5:24 pm
R. Danneskjold — “Dear Joe @ 5:21, I fear you need an Oxford Dictionary. The purpose of government is to protect the helpless from the malicious. Leftists turn that aphorism on its head, daily.
Dear Rags @ 5:23, I fear you need a copy of the Constitution. Nowhere in it is such a putative purpose specified. It might be an aphorism as you suggest, but it’s neither law nor Constitutional.
AmVet - You cons have got to ask yourself one question: Do you feel lucky? Well, do ya, punks?
February 14th, 2012
5:26 pm
Although lots of people had previously and correctly considered Frist a total neo-con nutjob sellout, that despicable stunt sent him to the very bottom of the con septic tank.
Where his legacy will likely remain forever.
Rags, I’ve got to hand it to you. If nothing else you certainly are unflappable.
After those multiple tape measure shots that you served up to JB earlier today, most guys would not come back for more bush league set ups.
There’s a long drive! It’s going, going… Oh my goodness, it’s in the upper deck!
ragnar danneskjold
February 14th, 2012
5:27 pm
Dear Joe @ 5:24, if you ever bothered to read the Constitution, you would know all I preach here daily. You probably don’t think the Constitution’s purpose is to limit the reach of the central government either, do you?
Why oh why?
February 14th, 2012
5:28 pm
J – out of curiosity, why do you allow jm to demean these boards with his off-topic, juvenile, ad hominem, grossly ignorant invective? Surely he’s a good candidate for, at a minimum, a slap on the wrist or, preferably, an outright ban. Him and his rhetoric have no place on this blog.
Matti
February 14th, 2012
5:29 pm
Joe H. Mama @ 5:21,
Nicely put! My thoughts almost verbatim!
md
February 14th, 2012
5:29 pm
For what it’s worth:
“As explained by Cmdr. Conrad Chun, a Navy spokesman, “The banner was a Navy idea, the ship’s idea. The idea popped up in one of the meetings aboard the ship preparing for its homecoming and thought it would be good to have a banner, ‘Mission Accomplished.’ The sailors then asked if the White House could get the sign made. … The banner signified the successful completion of the ship’s deployment,” Cmdr. Chun continued noting that the Abraham Lincoln was deployed 290 days, longer than any other nuclear-powered aircraft carrier in history.”
ragnar danneskjold
February 14th, 2012
5:29 pm
“We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”
Nowhere does it say the purpose of the government is to enable the malicious to snuff out the helpless.
Redneck Convert (R--and proud of it)
February 14th, 2012
5:29 pm
Well, I got a PC problem maybe one of you computer Norman Einsteins can help me fix. When I’m on Bookman’s blog and I hit that little half circle with the arrow to bring on the next set of posts, my PC bounces right up to the top of Bookman’s blog. Instead of coming to rest at the last post the way it use to. What’s going on here? Has a librul Democrat got his hands on my PC and screwed things up?
Paul
February 14th, 2012
5:30 pm
And the spotlight centers on Santorum.
Keep trying to rewrite the history, Rick. Maybe you can fool just enough people to get the nomination and guarantee Pres Obama’s reelection.
Midori
I know I’m walking on thin ice here, but…
“the woman didn’t even have an effing brain!!!”
Maybe that’s why Santorum identified so closely with her?
rags! Glad you’re back! I think you signed off right after you made an assertion and I asked for clarification:
Your defense comment (”And, in typical Democrat fashion, the only areas where Obama proposes actual spending cuts for 2012 are the two areas where spending is mandated by the Constitution, military and the post office. No leadership there.”)
: are you saying there are no upper limits? That any cuts from any baseline demonstrates no leadership?
If funding is reduced for development and concurrent purchase of fighter aircraft that are years behind schedule and have critical flaws, that’s no leadership?
If funding is cut for one surveillance program and the duties transferred to another surveillance program because it will save millions of dollars, that’s no leadership?
Midori
February 14th, 2012
5:30 pm
looks like Ragnar is just as brain dead as Terry
Midori
February 14th, 2012
5:31 pm
Midori
I know I’m walking on thin ice here, but…
“the woman didn’t even have an effing brain!!!”
Maybe that’s why Santorum identified so closely with her?
great minds, Paul!!
Tommy Maddox
February 14th, 2012
5:32 pm
Why have flashbacks? How about three years and NO BUDGET from our lovely Senate?
Quit looking for stupid crap in the past Jay and stick with the stupid stuff that is right now – courtesy of the Party in power.
Midori
February 14th, 2012
5:32 pm
md – come now.
I mean really.
and that guy Cheney shot in the face was sooooooo sorry he got in the way of the buckshot, too!!
ragnar danneskjold
February 14th, 2012
5:33 pm
Dear Joe @ various times, my thoughts on the purposes of government arise from my understanding of the writings of Robert Nozick. He goes back to the first thought, “why would anyone endeavor to organize a government?” The short answer is that it is to be a “mutual protection organization.” The infuses my world view.