Anita Perry, Rick Santorum come to Cornell for Presidential Candidates Series
by Tom Kirk, Editor In Chief
Photo by Hilary Swift
On Thursday, Dec. 8, Anita Perry, the wife of Texas governor and Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry, came to Cornell as part of the Presidential Candidates Series. On Monday, Dec. 12, former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum visited the campus as part of the same series.
Mrs. Perry spoke in Hedges conference room for approximately 15 minutes and did not take questions. Her speech focused on her husband’s small-town upbringing and values. After first going into detail about Mr. Perry’s life growing up as the son of tenant farmers and going to a school with 56 students, Mrs. Perry talked about his record of military service. “We were taught in that part of Texas that, to who much is given, much will be required. And after he graduated Texas A&M University, he volunteered to serve our country in the United States Air Force.”
Mrs. Perry stated that her husband’s story showed that America was still the land of opportunity. “My husband is the living proof that the American Dream is alive and well for those who work hard and persevere….If there’s one thing I want you to take away from today, it’s that the American Dream is alive, and the American Dream is alive for your generation.”
Although she did not go into detail, Mrs. Perry stated that her husband would reform Washington. “We live in the greatest country in the world. And America is not broken, but Washington is…my husband happens to think that Washington needs a complete overhaul. He wants to cut taxes for working families. He wants to close corporate loopholes, and pass a flat tax that ends the IRS as we know it today…he wants Congress to balance the budget.” Pointing to her husband’s record as Governor of Texas, Mrs. Perry said that Rick Perry would be able to fix the American economy. “Since he became governor, and he is the longest-serving governor in Texas, Texas has gained, in the past ten years, more than one million jobs, while the rest of the country has lost over two million jobs.” Mrs. Perry concluded with a call for support, saying, “This is the most serious election I have seen in my lifetime.”
Many students grabbed bumper stickers and signs. However, it was not immediately clear how many of them were genuine supporters, as some students could be seen tearing stickers up or throwing them away. As Chelsea Steelhammer (13) said, “I came at the end because I was Practicum-ing, and so I just stole a bunch of posters and then recycled them....”
Mr. Santorum’s visit was quite different. Between his speech and an extensive Q&A session, Mr. Santorum spoke to Cornell students for nearly an hour and a half. The former Senator spoke extensively and specifically about the issues facing the nation and policies he believed needed to be changed. He was often called upon to defend his position against spirited questions or even attacks.
After being introduced by Cornell Politics Professor Rob Sutherland, Mr. Santorum talked a little about his background before launching into an explanation of his view of America and, in particular, how it contrasts with that of current President Barack Obama. Throughout his speech, Mr. Santorum contrasted himself with President Obama, characterizing the election as a debate of “bottom up versus top down” control. He stated, “I think there’s a foundational issue in this election… and that is what is America going to be? I would make the argument that President Obama has a very different view of the future of America than I do.” Mr. Santorum further stated, “The President of the United States looks at America as a country that is broken, not just in the last few years, but fundamentally broken.” Mr. Santorum referenced an April 13, 2011 speech by President Obama where, in reference to entitlement such as social security, he stated, “We are a better country because of these commitments. I’ll go further – we would not be a great country without those commitments.” Mr. Santorum stated, “The President of the United States said that until the government used its power to take money from some and re-distribute it to others, America was not a great country…. If that’s the way you look at America, then your prescription as to how we’re going to solve problems is going to be very different than if you look at America the way I look at America.” Mr. Santorum added, “Do you think millions of people come to America so that big government can take from some and give to others?”
After speaking for roughly 20 minutes, Mr. Santorum opened the floor to questions. Topics ranged from nuclear proliferation to healthcare to gay marriage. At several points, the exchanges were tense. When speaking in favor of drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) Mr. Santorum asked the crowd to describe the area for him. After receiving an answer of “Beautiful” from Jack Bethel (13), Mr. Santorum countered by saying, “It is flat, it is barren, it is frozen over 10 months out of the year, it is not a crucial wildlife habitat for anything of particular significance.” At that point, gasps, mutters and some laughter could be heard throughout the crowd. Mr. Santorum continued, “We’re drilling all over Pennsylvania, in people’s backyards and on their farms, and yet we can’t drill in the most remote section of a wilderness that’s frozen 10 months out of the year?” Apparently seeking an answer from the crowd, Mr. Santorum asked, “What great ecological damage can be done?” One student responded, “Well what’s going to happen in 100 years when all the oil is gone? We need a green plan. What is going to happen to all of our kids?” Mr. Santorum then went on to assert that the United States had 260 years of oil at the current rate of drilling. “In 100 years, as technology continues to develop, we’ll have alternatives. But does it make sense to force alternatives down our throat that will destroy the economy?”
Another issue where Mr. Santorum found himself at odds with many in the audience was on the issue of gay marriage. In explaining his support for traditional marriage, Mr. Santorum argued that children, “by every qualitative and quantitative study — and common sense — do better in homes with a mother and a father.” Mr. Santorum contended that traditional marriage had the support of the American people, saying, “In the 32 states where the public voted, traditional marriage won.” The former senator had similarly conservative views on abortion, which may not have endeared him to many in the audience. At one point Mr. Santorum stated, “You are a survivor generation. The most dangerous place in America today is in the womb.” Gasps and muttering could be heard during this portion of his speech.
In regards to healthcare, Mr. Santorum criticized government-run healthcare, saying, “That’s a top-down approach…some may say that smart people should do an analysis and determine where the best use of those tax dollars is… that’s fine, unless of course you’re the person who they’re saying can’t be allocated the resources.”
Mr. Santorum reiterated his support for “bottom-up” solutions throughout his speech and question-and-answer session. “This is the fundamental question. Are you a people that believes we need to be free, that we need to have limited government, or do you believe that we are better of being ruled by those who know better… you can talk about healthcare, you can talk about education, talk about any issue, the fundamental question is, do you believe in bottom-up or top-down?”
Regardless of how many converts they got from Cornell, the visits of Anita Perry and Rick Santorum mark the first steps in an important Cornell tradition. According to RJ Holmes-Leopold (’99), Director of the Career Engagement Center, “Cornell has a history of inviting Presidential candidates from both political parties leading up to the Iowa Caucuses. The college has previously hosted then-Senator Barack Obama, former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, former Secretary of State Madeline Albright, former Vermont Governor Howard Dean, and former Secretary of Labor Elizabeth Dole.” There is hope that more candidates will come before the year is done. According to Holmes-Leopold, “The invitation process starts with a formal letter of invitation from President Brand to various campaign staff members of the candidates, and is usually followed up by a letter from the College Republicans or the Cornell Democrats…. We currently have two visits (the Anita Perry and Rick Santorum visits) scheduled, but continue doing outreach to other campaigns.”
Given the high turnout at the events so far, other candidates for the nation’s highest office may find it worth their while to court the politically active population of Cornell College.