Leaving aside the fact that it is way too early to be talking about who is potential frontrunner in the upcoming Republican presidential primary race, which ABC's Jonathan Karl admitted right in the beginning of this segment from Sunday's This Week, I've got to ask: what world is former Sen. Rick Santorum living in?
He's in an extreme state of denial if he honestly believes that the Republican clown show which was their 2012 presidential primary race -- which he helped lead -- was somehow good for the party.
No one bothered to ask him why, if things worked out so well for them, RNC Chair Reince Priebus just shortened up their primary schedule.
KARL: But on 2016, I've got to show you this poll, OK. Now and 2016 polls are a little ridiculous this far out, but take a look at the leaders here. Thirteen, 13, 12, 11 percent. No -- this is the first time that we've had a Republican nomination contest where there is absolutely nobody that can lay claim to the title of frontrunner.
ROBERTS: Rick Santorum.
KARL: -- Rick Santorum... They tried right now. But I mean this is...
SANTORUM: Well, someone did win 11 states in the last primary. And, you know, look, I think that's a good thing. I mean we're -- we -- you know, we -- we have, on the other side, the anointed candidate. And that's -- that's going to be a problem for them in the long term. I guarantee you, that's going to be a problem because it's...
JONES: Talk about that.
SANTORUM: -- there will be -- Hillary Clinton. There will be a focal -- a focus on her and it will be, you know, death by 1,000 cuts over the next 30 -- three years.
On the Republican side, the Democrats have a big disadvantage. They have no one to shoot their guns at. And I mean they'll shoot at Chris Christie for now. But I'm someone who, in July of 2011, there were six leaders in Iowa between July in 2011 and January of 2012. That's -- that's not a bad thing for the Republican Party, to sort of sort this out -- find out who...
JONES: Tou think the primaries you guys went through was a good thing for your party last time?
It was good for our party.
SANTORUM: It would have been better had...
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- to avoid it.
SANTORUM: -- been resolved, but...
SANTORUM: -- but it, but what -- no, it's not a bad thing for -- for there to be...
JONES: Senator, I...
SANTORUM: -- for there to be controversy...
JONES: -- I disagree with you when it...
(CROSSTALK)
SANTORUM: -- in the party.
JONES: -- when it -- when it comes to the Democrats and Hillary Clinton right now, you're seeing some very interesting dynamics.
First of all, the old -- the new establishment, the Obama establishment, Priorities USA, has already moved into the Hillary Clinton camp. So you have both of the Democratic old establishment and new establishment united. It opens up the door for some populists, but in the -- here's what's going to happen to you guys.
Whoever gets your nomination is going to have to run against four of us -- Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton, Obama and Michelle Obama. Four...
I'm tired of them anointing Clinton this far ahead of time as well, but they just can't stop themselves. Santorum's not wrong that she's going to have her problems with the attacks from the right if she is nominated, but let's not pretend they'll treat any Dem who wins the primary any better.
That said, if the Republicans have another repeat of 2012 where they keep pushing their party to the right in their primaries by the likes of Santorum and his ilk, they're going to be lucky if they ever win another presidential election.
