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  • Presidential candidate Rick Santorum gives a thumbs up to the more than 4,000 people who came Thursday to Oral Roberts University to hear his remarks on ObamaCare and other issues. Salesha Wilken

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February 10, 2012

Thumbs up for Oklahoma: Santorum makes campaign stop to large crowd

Salesha Wilken Staff Reporter

CLAREMORE — Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum received a warm welcome Thursday afternoon as more than 4,000 guests gathered at the Mabee Center on the campus of Oral Roberts University.

What was originally scheduled to be a town hall meeting with a few students asking questions became a forum for Santorum to speak on the issues.

Santorum’s view on ObamaCare and its clear denial of first amendment rights was the hot button issue.

“I think this election is the most important in your lifetime,” he said, “it doesn’t matter how old you are.”

When there is talk about abortion and how being pregnant would deny someone their dreams, there is a problem, according to Santorum.

The government should not be able to force rights upon the public, the Catholic Church may be first but they wont be last if they get away with it, he said.

Santorum was speaking of the controversy about ObamaCare forcing Catholic Charities and other Catholic organizations to provide contraception,  including the morning after pill and abortion coverage to employees as part of their health insurance policy.

Santorum said that for Catholics to be forced to pay for something they consider to be a matter of grave sin and moral wrong is like Barbara Boxer’s statement that “the right of women to choose trumps religious liberty.”

The law will impose a $150 million dollar fine for refusing to provide abortions and the other contraceptive services.

Santorum explained that this law is just one more step in the federal government using its power to push a radical agenda.

“The constitution is the operators manual of America and it was for over 200 years. This document revolutionized the world,” he said. “We function best when we allow people to exercise their rights.”

Santorum speech was filled with passion and urgency as he stated, “Look at how knitted this community is, because of something that feeds us in more ways than one, without the government.”

Santorum was asked to speak from the heart about why voters should vote for him his response was simple.

“Because I think our country is in trouble and we need a leader that believes in you, that believes in someone who believes in limited government and the ability for people, families and communities to build strong networks to provide for themselves better than the federal government can,” Santorum said.

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