Santorum to the Sanitarium ...

... mental sanitarium, that is.  I have not devoted much attention to Rick Santorum, the almost forgettable GOP candidate and former GOP Senator from Pennsylvania.  I write "almost" because just as Santorum is about to exit collective memory and consciousness, he manages to utter a pronouncement that places him on the short-list of politicians worthy of complete marginalization.  All one has to do is recall his pronouncements on Iran or any one of many issues of social concern (e.g., abortion).

Santorum had some interesting comments--and pointed attacks--during last week's GOP debate in Nevada, but he has been largely quiet during the campaign.  His poll numbers and campaign fundraising garner little attention because his campaign is barely a blip on the presidential primary radar.  Focus is given--some say rightly--to Romney, Perry, and now Cain; Santorum is referenced but usually when being presented as an after-thought.  I certainly support the media's treatment of Santorum.

This week, however, Santorum decided to utilize the power of campaign ads to strike at one (of many) of Godfather Cain's weaknesses: the issue of abortion.  The three minute long campaign ad is below:  

Cain has certainly revealed his inability to adopt consistent positions on a host of issues of primary concern to the Christian Conservatives.  Santorum, in stark contrast, maintains consistent positions against abortion and gay marriage and has decided to exploit Cain's pronounced vulnerability on these issues.  The above campaign ad is long and tiring to watch but it does have a clear focus: to put a dent into Cain's ascendancy.  OK.  But, really, Cain will do more damage to his own ascendancy than can any political opponent or campaign strategist.  This ad is an obvious effort by Santorum to continue courting the conservatives for whom abortion is a major concern.

The Iowa caucus is in the near future and conservative Republicans are likely to take issue with Cain's "flip flopping" on abortion, but I doubt that this ad will serve to propel Santorum to the top of the list.  Even if the ad succeeds in denting Cain's ascendancy, Santorum will still have to neutralize both Perry and Romney and possibly even the Texas Congressman, Ron Paul.  You remember Ron Paul, do you not?  

On Thursday, CBS News reported that both Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum criticized Perry for entertaining the possibility of skipping several of the upcoming GOP debates.  Their criticisms were solid and expected.  Perry has not been performing well in the recent debates, so his decision to possibly duck out is politically calculated but, also, politically foolish.  Perry's political handlers should dedicate more time to pre-debate preparation.  Perry should memorize sound-bite responses to his opponents' vulnerabilities and to construct retorts (both witty and substantive) to his opponents' allegations.  A strong Texas cowboy would never cowardly miss a debate.  Truly, at this rate, the candidates are granting Santorum easy, and abundant, access to exploitable political error.

All great primaries are, at the very least, part political sideshow; but it seems that this GOP presidential primary is all dramatic show--not even dramatic show masquerading as detailed political discussion.  I do not know what this says about the state of American democracy, but as a blogger, I can say: do not let the curtain come down.  And let Santorum continue to sidestep the sanitarium.