Russell Saunders

Russell Saunders is the ridiculously flimsy pseudonym of a pediatrician in New England. He has a husband, three sons, daughter, cat and dog, though not in that order. He enjoys reading, running and cooking. He can be contacted at blindeddoc using his Gmail account. Twitter types can follow him @russellsaunder1.

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19 Comments

  1. There’s no good reason why he wouldn’t be back in ’16. Unlike most of the rest of the field, he wasn’t in it for the grift. And say what you will about the man*, but nobody worked harder and did more with less than he did this cycle.

    *like for instance, “his views are odious”.

    • I think we’ll have to keep an eye out for what he does in the meantime. It is kind of surprising that Huckabee didn’t run this year, but he kind of took a look around and opted out. It wouldn’t surprise me if Santorum decided to do the same, given his family circumstances. Hard to say.

      It will be *really* interesting to see what happens if he does run in ’16. Assuming Obama wins, he is next in line and that does matter. Whereas this year there were three potential NIL candidates (Romney, Huckabee, and Palin), he’s the only one I am seeing right now for 2016 (at least until the VP pick is made). But… he’s Rick Santorum! C’mon!

      Poor Tom Pawlenty.

      • If he doesn’t run in 2016, he’s out of politics, I’m guessing.

      • Disagree Will, in 2016 the GOP A-listers will be in the race and Santorum will be out in the cold. He’s too far to the right to be the “next in line”. Though assuming Romney loses I suppose there could be a huge revolt in the base going on so who knows.

  2. Needless to say, I’m not sorry to see him go, but IF his daughter’s illness is the reason, then I feel compassion.

      • But I have compassion anyway. If only Santorum had as much compassion for others.

    • He had originally cited his daughter’s illness as a reason why he was in the race, and she had been hospitalized previously during the run.

      • And he did take those days off, at a time where he was beginning to get traction.

        • My daughter would be more important to me, too, if I had one. Granted that I’m not running for president in the first place but I can easily see a guy like Santorum prioritizing his family ahead of his career — it’s consistent with his rhetoric and both his supporters and his critics indicate that he seems to really believe in the things he says.

          Best wishes to the Santorum family. And a sigh of relief that the GOP will not be going off the deep end this cycle after all.

          • I wish the Santorum family nothing but the best. I would view the father in the family with more sympathy were he not so intent on demolishing mine.

          • Indeed Burt, but if Mitt loses what lesson is the GOP base going to take from this going forward?

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