Former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum blasted critics of Donald Trump Thursday who, he said, had no problem soliciting an endorsement from the billionaire real estate mogul but now will not support him holding a debate.
“Many of my opponents jockeyed to be the first to fly up to New York and use Donald Trump for a photo op and no doubt try and secure an endorsement. But when Donald wants to moderate a debate – they refuse to attend. That’s what’s so wrong with politics today – hypocrisy," Santorum said in a statement released Thursday.
The reference was to The Newsmax ION Television 2012 Presidential Debate Dec. 27 in Des Moines, Iowa. Santorum and Newt Gingrich have both agreed to participate in the forum that Trump has agreed to moderate.
Several major candidates, including Mitt Romney, have declined to participate as some critics in the GOP label Trump a potential third-party candidate. But Trump said he has no plans to launch a third party and is only interested in beating President Barack Obama -- as a Republican.
Backing Trump, a host of major conservative figures and organizations have called on candidates to attend the Newsmax ION Debate.
They include:
- Grover Norquist, Americans for Tax Reform
- Sarah Palin
- Ralph Reed, Faith and Freedom Coalition
- Tea Party Express
- Dick Morris
- Jeffrey Lord, former Reagan aide
- Al Cardenas, American Conservative Union
- Rep. Steve King
And Fox News host Sean Hannity told Trump himself that he'll attend.
“I’ll be there,” Hannity told Trump during the real estate mogul’s appearance on Hannity’s TV show Monday night.
"At this critical time in our nation’s history, just weeks before Iowans cast this important vote – many of the other candidates want to hide behind TV ads and mail pieces," Santorum said Thursday. "We plan to be there front and center in person to debate Newt directly, and if it’s just the two of us, we’re fine with it.
"There’s no doubt that any of us are better than Barack Obama – however, we can’t afford to put up a person who can’t clearly articulate a vision or has a glass jaw or a unprincipled past. Donald Trump knows business and knows global markets – and we all know he’ll be able to bring in a broad audience. And let’s be honest, at least Donald Trump will have more in common with the candidates than with the vast majority of past moderators.”
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