Ames, Iowa-If reporters covering the Republican "straw vote" here and those watching the event on television were surprised by the prolonged cheers for a candidate considered at best a long shot, there was a simple explanation: Rick Santorum was hitting hard on cultural issues to an audience with which those issues have long resonated.
Noting the oft-heard conclusions that "social issues are not important," the former Pennsylvania senator told the overflow crowd "I will not back down on the sanctity of life!" The resulting applause was loud and vigorous.
"America is a moral enterprise," Santorum continued, "Our rights came from a Creator." Again, the applause was stunning.
He went on to speak of a strong country "based on a moral society." Santorum did also touch on a call for repeal of the Affordable Health Care Act, his role in the House in the "Gang of Seven" that helped expose corruption in the House Bank, and how proud he was on the "five most hated Republicans list" of Democratic political gunman James Carville (whose client, Democratic Sen. Harris Wofford, Santorum unseated in 1994).
But he concluded as he began, reminding his audience how he authored the landmark legislation banning partial birth abortion that President Bush signed into law. The crowd at the Iowa State University coliseum roared and cheered Santorum, his wife Karen, and five of their seven children as they left the podium.
As to whether that will translates into straw votes remains to be seen.
