Rick Santorum Creeps Me Out.

I swear, I was looking for a better word than creepy, and I guess if I come up with one, I'll change the title. That's probably why I'm not a writer :) But the guy reminds me of Greg Stillson from "The Dead Zone" by Stephen King. I read that book a long time ago, but the impression that I got from the Stillson character has lasted. And that guy is always played by Rick Santorum (google Santorum)

Stephen King is obviously a talented writer, and paints a vivid picture of an ambitious man who runs for President. Clearly, there is much more to the story than this. But, the hero of the story "sees" Stillson starting a nuclear war in the future. And while this is probably some kind of slander or libel or something, Rick Santorum always makes me think of Greg Stillson.

In one debate, Mr Santorum says: "If Rick Santorum, and when Rick Santorum is President, Iran will not get a nuclear weapon, because the world, as we know it, will be no more." He said it, I didn't. I'm sure that he doesn't mean that he will end the world as we know it. Maybe he means that it will take an end to the world as we know it for him to get elected. It's hard to say for sure, but it's spooky.

And then, in that one debate in Tampa he's talking about Cuba, and how we can't help them out now, because  (I guess) we need to hold something back in case the Castros die???  "[the sanctions] should continue until the Castros are dead, then we should make it very clear, that if you want mountains of aid, if you want a normal relationships, if you want to improve your economy, if you want to have the opportunity for freedom ... that's why the sanctions have to stay in place, because we need to have a very solid offer to come forward and help the Cuban people"

You're probably thinking that I'm kidding with that "mountain of aid" crap - but no - that's for real. But then he let's loose this gem: "And you're right, Ron. It's not 1962. They're now with the Cubans and the Venezuelans, the Nicaraguans. There is a growing network of folks now working with the jihadists, the Iranians, who are very, very excited about the opportunity to having platforms 90 miles off our coast, just like the Soviets were, very anxious to have platforms 90 miles off our coast, or in Venezuela, or in Nicaragua, and other places they could come across the southern border." He sure seems to be accusing Mexico of something, just not sure what.

I got distracted there, by the implied culpability of Mexico - what he sure as hell seems to be saying is that "the jihadists" are teaming up with people in Venezuela and Nicaragua and we'll throw Iran in there somewhere so that they have a way to launch their "phantom nuke" from Cuba.  So, are the Iranians now the jihadists??? WTF? I'm confused, Rick.

And then, in the last debate, Mr. Santorum continues to scare the piss out of me. "...Our policy in Central and South America under this administration has been abysmal. The way we have treated, in particular, countries like Honduras - Honduras, which stood up for the rule of law - which threw out a dict- a would be dictator - who was using the Chavez playbook from Venezuela, in order to try to run for re-election in Honduras. And the United States government, instead of standing behind the pro-democra- the people in the parliament, the people in the Supreme Court who tried to enforce the Constitution of Honduras, instead of siding with them, the Democrats President Obama sided with two other people in South America, excuse me Central America and South America. Chavez, Castro and Obama sided against the people of Honduras. This is a consistent policy of siding with the leftists, siding with the Marxists siding with those who don't support Democracy. Not siding with our friends in Columbia." The guy cannot imagine minding his own freaking business about anything!

And I'm no expert on Honduras. I mean, I've been there, and I know Hondurenos but that doesn't make me an expert.  But the part about "Honduras, which stood up for the rule of law" made me laugh out loud. I must have missed that part during my stay. As did my Honduran friends during their stay.

I understand that people are worried with Ron Paul and his view of foreign policy. But at least RP has reasons for thinking what he does, and he's got some really smart and talented people who think like he does. I don't know where Mr. Santorum is getting his information. My guess would be that he actually believes what the US government spews. And some people are voting for this guy.

Jesus wept.