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First, flexibility of viewpoint, not dogmatic but willing to tailor a message to a mood and audience.
Next, praise of Romney for efforts to see a women's health clinic being built in Massachusetts - doing for women in that State what our City of Ramsey Republicans did here, for veterans. Veterans and Women both deserve to see their healthcare needs met and advanced by government action. And the VA stands as best proof that the federal government can run effective healthcare provision at all levels from funding and policy, to delivery between patient and doctor.
Also, in the VA they do use bargaining power of the provider to attain favorable drug prices down to the individual patient level. So, Santorum's praise of Romney reflects well on Santorum, himself, and reflects even better on Romney. This screen capture:
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So, veterans' health federal policy and programs being given an attaboy and boosted in Ramsey by Ramsey's governing Republican council majority; and womens' health federal policy and programs similarly boosted by Romney in Massachusetts - with Santorum praising the latter on his website. All that goes to show the Republicans are not as hidebound and backward thinking as many might believe. They are supportive of public healthcare needs. They are not always the troglodytes they sometimes paint themselves to be.
_____________UPDATE______________
I wonder if the media is being fair. Strib, for example, paints Santorum as a culture warrior. I never have seen a single cultural thing to the man, but they write as they do. Actually it is not Strib itself doing that directly, it is Strib carrying a WaPo news feed, saying in part:
Asked on ABC's "This Week" how his faith fits in with his ideas about governing, Santorum said he disagreed with the "absolute separation" between church and state outlined by Kennedy in a 1960 speech. "I don't believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute," he said. "The idea that the church can have no influence or no involvement in the operation of the state is absolutely antithetical to the objectives and vision of our country."
Santorum and his aides insist it is the media that focuses on social issues, but the candidate spent an hour Saturday lecturing to a group of about 1,000 people in a church auditorium in Hixon, Tenn., about the dangers of a feel-good culture.
"True happiness comes from doing God's will," he said as the audience at Central Baptist Church cheered and gave him a nearly minute-long standing ovation. "It comes from not doing what you want to do, but doing what you ought to do."
That's not culture, that's belief, that's opinion where others believing church and state might meld doubtlessly share other opinions with candidate Santorum. Some shared ideas, maybe not all, regarding proper thoughts within a theocracy. Opinions can differ.
Among culture warriors Santorum fights in the lightweight division. Or has he intentions if successful, to fight heavyweight? Finally, pros and cons to any job.
__________FURTHER UPDATE__________
This from Seattle Times:
Also drawing attention is a 2008 speech to Ave Maria University in Florida, a private Catholic school established by the Domino's Pizza founder. In it, Santorum warned that Satan has been waging a spiritual war against the United States and has infiltrated academia, liberal Protestant churches and politics.
"Satan has done so by attacking the great institutions of America, using those great vices of pride, vanity and sensuality as the root to attack all of these strong plants that have so deeply rooted in the American tradition," Santorum said, in a video posted by Right Wing Watch, a project of the liberal advocacy group People for the American Way.
"We look at the shape of mainline Protestantism in this country and it is in shambles. It is gone from the world of Christianity as I see it."
Romney, Santorum's main rival for the nomination, struggles with conservatives not only because he once supported legalized abortion, which he now condemns, but also from distrust of Mormon teaching among some Christians.
Well, Santorum was not quoted saying a thing against Mormons (or Utah in general). He is against mainline Protestantism, when gone astray, and he disrespects Satan. He has yet to go on record about Moroni, Book of Mormon. And he opposes "absolutist doctrine." A real open and tolerant guy that way. And if you doubt that last nugget, do a word search of the Seattle Times item, for "absolutist doctrine."
It's there, big as life. He said it.
Santorum has to be understood, before you can fully appreciate him for what he is.