GOP hopeful Santorum woos Cedar Rapids Republicans

Iowa Republicans need to step up in “the most important election since Abraham Lincoln,” presidential hopeful Rick Santorum said Tuesday in Cedar Rapids.

“I believe in  you,” Santorum said.  “I believe the people in Iowa are going to get it right.”

Santorum, 52,  a three-term former congressman and two-term U.S. senator from Pennsylvania, spoke to about 100 Republicans at the Clarion Hotel in southwest Cedar Rapids. His appearance was one of the state party's Chairman's Series,  which provides a platform for potential national candidates heading into the caucus year.

“You are blessed to be here at a time when your country needs you,” said Santorum, who's not yet an official candidate.

In a 30-minute speech followed by a friendly question-and-answer session, Santorum said President Barack Obama doesn't share the same values as Iowa Republicans

“In 2008 Americans were convinced they needed a president they could believe in,” he said. “What they realized America needs is a president who believes in them.”

Santorum said his priorities as president would be “get government under control, and repeal Obamacare. That's what we have to do to get the economy right-sized.”

“We have to motivate the American public to embrace a culture that says the government shouldn't be doing all these things for us,” he said.

Santorum said Obama and Democrats in general don't share his belief that  “America is a moral enterprise.”

When first elected to Congress in 1990 “I really believed Republicans and Democrats really wanted the same thing,” Santorum said. “I don't believe that anymore.”

Santorum said a comment in Obama's April 13 budget address “shocked me. I think it's an important thing to focus on to understand the different visions.”

According to Santorum, Obama not only defended Medicare and Medicaid, “he went one step further. He said America was not a great country until those programs.”

“It offends me, it upsets me when the president of the United States says our country was not a great country until people like him, people who believe in goverment, says they're going to do things for you,” said Santorum.

Obama's actual quote was that  “we're a better country because of these commitments.  I'll go further.  We would not be a great country without those commitments.”

Santorum told reporters after his speech he's optimistic he's connecting with likely caucusgoers.

“I think people are seriously starting to make decisions as to who they are going to support,” he said. “I think I understand why I believe what I believe in, and I can communicate that.”