Rick Santorum's smiling money man: 'all I did was write a check'
He was the man on stage Tuesday night, beaming in the glow of Rick Santorum's three-state sweep. He stood just behind the candidate himself–a spot often associated with close advisers or family members. Who was this man? Meet Foster Friess, a Christian millionaire who uses his money to support what he calls "founding father" values–and candidates like Santorum.
Friess' presence on stage was immediately noticed by CNN's Erin Burnett, who described Friess as a "big investment banker" who's donated nearly half of the $730,000 Santorum's super PAC has raised. Burnett also questioned whether Friess' presence at the candidate's side raises doubts about the supposed wall dividing campaigns and the super PACs that support them.
Asked about that on CNN's Starting Point with Soledad O'Brien Wednesday morning, Santorum said Friess "doesn't run my super PAC. He may be a donor to it, but the person who runs my super PAC, I haven't spoken with in about five months."
Santorum told CNN he and Friess had been friends for 20 years, but their relationship does not include talking about super PACs or strategy. "We don't talk about anything regarding those matters."
Friess tells Burnett "our laywers have told us that you just don't talk about the super PAC...all I did was write a check."
In the interview that airs on Erin Burnett OutFront at 7 and 11 p.m., Friess, who's regularly described as a 'billionaire,' says he's not sure where that idea came from, describing his wealth as far less. "I guess you could call me a billionaire wannabe."
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So...santorum believes the man whn writes the big checks can do anything he wants...typical.
I don't care who gives you money and who you talk to just don't lie about it.
Typical rep. Arrogance...major hypocrites
The fact that they all call them "my super PAC" tells the whole story
Obama 2012!!!
You all realized that if Santorum wins the presidency in 2012, you have no other alternative with your spouse except the missionary position. Other than the missionary position, you will be prosecuted with the fullest extend of the law
this super pac sheet has got to stop
thanks radical right and bush stacked supreme court
ya know while your busy bashing all the liberals your also destroying the country
thanks.......... moderate independent
Remember when CNN was singling out each wealthy Obama donor back in 2008?
Me either.
Our "founding fathers" were Indian killing slave owners. We now have DNA evidence that most of them were rapists.
By the way to all the people who loves APPLE every time you buy their products is like giving the money to the Chinese because if you didnt know APPLE bigest factory is............of course in CHINA that's why they are no Jobs in USA all the Jobs are in CHINA hahahaha there you go APPLE lovers (Erin) and also they waiste a lot of the Chinese water to make their products that you will use for a year or two and then buy the new one ....what a waiste don't you think?
CNN is committing crime by allowing people to be blacklisted into moderation
Mike , I have an idea, just shut up. I see post after post of your complaining.
The really idsgusting thing is that people like Santorum did not have any problem at all with Romneycare when it passed..oh noooo, they thought it was a great idea..why the people from the Heritage Foundation showed up for the bill signing..and now like the back stabbers they are they change their minds.As for the government takeover of Wall Street..I had not noticed that Wall Street has ceased to exist or that it had been taken over..and this is coming from a guy who voted 5 times to raise the debt ceiling.
thanks CNN for black listing me. I have always maintained civility and good discourse in these rooms. but because old tea partiers work together and report liberal, you are tilting the balance, you are silencing opinions that are contrary to scoailly conservative GOP tea partiers.
CNN allows accounts to be blacklisted by activists who ban together and report opposing voices.
I spent a year being part of this forum. But Tea Partiers have combined forces and reported me, thus making all of my posts go into moderation, so they won't be read until hours past, at which time they are buried in the history of posts.
Tea Partiers organize and come into this room and "report" anyone with an opinion contrary to theirs. This effectively censors free speech, and CNN just lets it happen.
Why do all my comments go to moderation? Have I been censored by TeaPartiers ???
Friss a Christian politico on "Founding Fathers" values ...? Well, here's Thomas Jefferson's values:
History, I believe, furnishes no example of a priest-ridden people maintaining a free civil government. This marks the lowest grade of ignorance of which their civil as well as religious leaders will always avail themselves for their own purposes.
-Thomas Jefferson to Alexander von Humboldt, Dec. 6, 1813.
Hi, it looks like is easy for us ( Men) to choose what women should do with their life, its almost like countries in the midle east that women dont get the respect as a human being, I belive is up to women to choose and vote for that resolution, please men with old ideas step aside and let women dicide, God is the one who will judge, not the people who just make money for themselve in the name of God, those are the ones who will go to Hell in the first Bus, look at the rich pastors around USA playing with peoples faith and taking all the money they can so they can live like millionars...AMEN !
Stephen Colbert exposed this type of Super PAC/Candidate relationship weeks ago. For comic effect, but dead serious.
We have Citizens United to thank for these billionaires at the sides of candidates.
"Lori...how about that..the man who claims that Romney blaied out Wall Street {how stupid is that}..actually voted to bail out the steel industry. hmmmmmm" Neither of those industries should have been blaied out. As such both men are not as Conservative as some of us would like, but on balance, Mr. Santorum did not distort the markets quite as bad.
Santorum is a extremist right wing Christian fanatic with wired beliefs, His supporters want to force the rest of the nation to adopt their beliefs. This nation will no longer be a free nation and we will all lose our freedoms.
The overt racist has rendered the anti-christ irrelevant. Obama is very happy and is probably doing a jig.
Good to see this so called christian wating his money. He got what he paid for....a fraud.
It's like I always say; follow the money and you will see who politicians owe their allegiance to. Ron paul get most of his money from $20 & $30 donations from normal people.
we need to buy crying towels by the gross for these republicans
Santy showing $ muscle to Romney that's all that was.
i am against Catholic Sharia law in the US
All politicos seem to bought and sold. If you want to know what they really act like, talk to people who have crossed them. Are they dirty, punitive, small, overly sensitive, or gracious, forgiving, MATURE, and big-hearted? The latter is what we need that we have had very little of out of our politicians on the whole.
How come nobody's interested in where Obama gets his money from ?
If you believe Santorum I have a bridge in the middle of the swamp for sale. Friends for 20 years and he gives $730,000 to the political pac and they don't talk about it or what's in it for him, give me a break! I guess Santorum will be visiting a Church in the morning, specifically to visit the confessional. As a politician he probably hits the confessional on a daily bases.
Santorium is a sleeeze bag and will say what you want to hear but will pick your pocket at the same time. He tried to bill a Pittsburgh Suburbs school District 100,000.00 because his wife self taught their children while living in Virginia. He also got beat for his Senate seat by an unknown Altmire . We had our fill of Slick Rick who married a women that lived with an abortion doctor for 7 years. So much for his beliefs.and religion.
Considering all of the liberal legislation from the bench, especially within the last couple of days, I am now inclined to vote for Rick Santorum just to balance the scales somewhat.
If you're a right-winger, you're a wrong thinker.
I understand why a community would want to be represented by someone who understands the primary language of most of the residents. The part I don't get is what makes anyone think they would be well represented by a person who is not fully bilingual. However, I still think it should be up to the citizens of the community to decide who they want to represent them and that all official business should be conducted in English.
It seems like the puppet masters are far more obvious this election than they have been in past elections. Maybe they just don't care about anonymity anymore. Maybe there's just more exposure in a more media-saturated world. Maybe I'm paying more attention.
I actually like knowing though. I like knowing that Gingriches man Sheldon Adelson is an Isreal-firster and a Zionist. I'm guessing he would push for American blood and treasure be used to protect Isreal damn the cost and justification. I believe we need to be an ally to Iseal including some military support. But I don't think they are always right and I don't care for the influence they have over our government.
Who will make Rick Santorum's success as President. The philosophy of his friend is success via deferring to others.
Hitler was against both abortion and rape as a crime. Very necessary to creat the largest possible pool of expendable .armed forces personnel
Don't forget that he also was in favor of culling the population of those he deemed defective.
ok tony. now put your tin foil hat back on.
More Obama speak non-sense Tony ...when are you going to write intellegent ideas?
I bet they don't talk. They are all dirty crooks.
Yeah, and Obama never talks to George Soros either right? Especially about how he is buying American legislation.
Yup on both sides of the asile
It appears Santorum has been watching the Colbert Report on his Superpac and been taking notes–reality's gotten more absurd than satire.
So his contributor to his Super PAC was right behind in as he spoke on stage...But they don't coordinate....And I have great swamp land to sell you too...Pass laws today to stop money in politics. Rich individuals shouldn't be buying politicians...A sure way to destroy Democracy.
Thank Bush and his bought and paid for slease-bag John Roberts. Remember Bush was "elected" as a minority president in 2000 by his father's appointee to the "supreme bought"
Come on grow up ...Bush won and you lost end of discussion.
Roberts was appointed in 2005. Get your facts straight. Although you really didn't care about the facts, did you? You just thought you were clever with the "supreme bought" line.
...if Romney says he will go after Obamacare then I have just as much faith in that as I do in anything Rick Santorum might say on the scjbeut.BTW, it might take years to completely dismantle Obamacare and Congress might even decide to keep provisions on issues like pre existing conditions.
"A sure way to destroy Democracy."
It has been destroyed for quite a while now.
Off the Corporations, By the Corporations, For the Corporations"
sad, sad, sad!!
Ron Paul 2012 for freedom, less taxation and more accountable, non-elite government!
Money and politics have gone hand in hand since the beginning of time. It will never end unfortunately. The only way to make a statement is to VOTE. Less than half the people eligible to vote are even registered and less than half the registered voters even vote. We deserve what we get.
Uh Oh..another one percenter likes a conservative!..Oh the humanity!
I hope, really hope, that Santorum wins the primary (although it's extremely unlikely, I know). Obama will thoroughly trounce him in the genera electionl. Much better than the 5 percent win he'd have over Romney.
Keep your kids inside the guys in the long trench coats are banding together.
Amazing how all the left leaning anchors on CNN have been weeded out and we are left with swift boat enabler blitzer, Romney loving king and any republican will do Burnett. My case in point is the absolute blackout by CNN on the trevails of the Wisconsin republican corruption now on trial.
, there have been many times I've had to say to myself, He's still bteter than the best Republican. If I want MY type of change I should do more than complain and a bunch of other excuses to continue to stand behind the President. It's good to see him stand up for the right thing, letting me support him without turning a blind eye to the things I wish he had done differently.
Look on the bright side - Americans always get the best politicians money can buy!!
Really doesn't matter who the GOP candidate is as long as Obama's media groupies and entourage host the debates as they continue to focus on fluff and avoid substance such as spending, wars, super pacs, freedom of choice, consitution and the role of govt, etc
What color do you think is most flattering on Michelle? When do you know you were in love?
The illusion of democracy my friend. They do a damn good job at it.
This is actually the reason I have no fear that our economy will crumble in the next 20 years. They have mastered the art of procrastination and I am counting on it now.
Procrastination of the end of times. Maybe we can get 40-50 years....I hope so.
And the current congress is worried about what? Wedge social issues and saying No! When they get in power they jump straight to their stupid lists of ax grinding issues.
They both do it .it's not like one party is any different than the next. they Try to keep everybody mad so there's always some lame excuse for the girdlock. every 4 to 8 years they change sides so no one catches on.
If the Republicans were in charge the world would end in 20 years. If the Democrats were in charge the world would end in 50 years. So with shared power, we have about 35 years left.
We've had how many debates where the candidates have an open forum to talk? Do you group Fox News into your collection of media elites fawning at Obama?
For 'conservatives' it's always about how you are being prosecuted or discriminated for your beliefs/opinions. Talk about a bunch of crybabies. Endless complaining doesn't make the middle like you any better. Eventually people just get sick of it.
Ten strait quarters of GDP growth, Obama took out 'the mad dog of the middle east' (as Reagan called him), over 3 million new private sector jobs since June of 2009 (the month after Obama's stimulus started) and starting in 2014 no more 'pre-existing conditions' on any health plan (plus full Medicare for those at 133% of the poverty line and deductions for private insurance to 400% of it). However it's all terrible to you, not one good thing has happened in years according to 'conservatives'.
That's because in their mind "right" is always right. Hell, 9/11 was Clinton's fault, as if one person could be responsible for the intelligence failure that took place.
Redneck.....I think someone is a bit jealous of the conservative belief.....admit it, you are really a conservative......but while on CNN.....we be pretending.
Conservatives LOVE debates, because they see them as a win-win: if their candidate does well, then they talk about how he beat the other guy, talked circles around him, etc... if their candidate does poorly, then they talk about how the media is biased against conservatives, and their base loves it.
Don't get me wrong: liberals are hypocrites, too. But conservatives are hypocrites and whiners.
You libs have the same response to everything. Obama has no record to run on. You have to scratch out things to say when asked what has he done. By the way Mr. Bush second worse president? What about Jimmy Carter? Blame it on Bush...what is new. Obama promised if he did not have this economy turned around in three years he would be looking at a one term presidency. Obama has no credit for taking down Bin laden. He gave the go ahead but besides that the process of the mission started back in 2007. Obama is trying to fundamentally transform America and people are sick of him thinking he knows what is best for America by pushing his progressive socialist agenda. Compare Mr, Bush and Mr. Obama from top to bottom. Numbers do not lie my friends. Have some common sense and stop being so closed minded.
God Bless
as a ardent Obama supporter, I'm glad that Santorum won. I hope he wins more. I hope that by the time the GOP convenes the convention there's a huge drop-down-drag-out floor fight. i hope they keep airing their dirty laundry. I hope they keep talking up the evangelical ultraconservative platform. I hope they keep on trying to out conservative each other and make fun of "moderates." I hope they keep talking about laws against abortion, against gays, against food stamps, against funding social services, against birth control... LOL By the time the election hits, they will have talked themselves out of the White House and both Houses of Congress. Thanks for the fish!
Goooo Santormoron, you unelectable loose cannon. Suck up that money.
how can u be a obama suppoter when a fiscal consertive republican prez,congress&seneate gave this country a balance surplus economy. obama gave us 2 war, tax break for the job creator(without the job) that not paid for.get real
That's all can save Obama otherwise he has no chance in million years to get reelected.
The best weapon Democrats have against Republicans is the Republicans themselves. It's like Bush, the second worst president in US history short of Nixon, leading the way to Democratic victories across the board. The digger they deep the more dirt that falls on them. Barnum & Bailey has nothing on the GOP debates!
Your just ignorant and have no real life experiance about the world if you support obama. No wonder you liberals hang out on cnn. Seriousley man up and join the military for 3 years, see what the rest of the world is like, and your views will change. (here come 20 posts about how all of you idiots were in the army....)
Remember: Reagan won after just such a battle. Obama's worst enemy, right now, is the economy; his second worst enemy is himself. If his poll numbers don't improve, he may still lose against the republican idiot who stumbles to victory.
Santorum will not have enough money for the general. He also won't get the independent vote.
Oh yes he will!
Oh no he won't. I'm Independent. Most of my friends and associates are. He's toast.
With all due respect, no he won't
Well, he'll get this independent's vote.
Please don't count Missouri as one of Santorum's conquests. The Missouri primary was a sham. It's non-binding. It was a beauty contest, nothing more. Missouri spent $7 million for nothing. I live in Missouri and no one I know voted, I mean NO ONE!
Wildly inappropriate!
What about that comment is inappropriate? Please tell us.
I see a Mitt Romney ad in the works with Santorum using the term Big Government against Romney, then Santorum's vtniog record being checked off. One vote after another.Not a smart move on Santorum's part to try and draw a comparison.He loses big time.
Yeah, and you obviously know everybody right?
I don't know anyone either who voted in the Minnesota caucus last night but that doesn't mean people didn't show up.
You are the narcissistic one aren't you?
The door begins to squeak though it has opened only a crack.
A tiny shaft of light enters into the darkness.
Thus begins the newest episode of "INNER SANCTORUM."
BaBummm BaBummm
Rick is excited, kind of like an Alter Boy the first time a Catholic Priest takes a liking to him.
Where will it lead?
Along the Yellow Brick Primary Road where he must continue to fight off the challenges of the mean, the spiteful, the dishonest bad people ..... or ..... will his door suddenly SLAM SHUT in his face again?
Does God know the answer?
Many Catholics seem to think so!
The same Catholics who support a church that condoned child molestation for centuries.
The same Catholics who took their lawsuit money & now are able to finance the republican Catholic of the month.
What does the future hold?
Tune in next week (or tomorrow) for another episode of "INNER SANCTORUM."
Very good!
Good article. When will Erin do the same for Obama's money men such as Rezcko, Corzine and the Mexican drug fugitives?
These lies had no effect four years ago. What makes you think they will have an effect this time around?
Corzine and the Mexican drug lords? You mean those people who donated to Obama but had their money returned? Won't see them on podium with BO pulling the strings.
Drug cartel guys have not yet been returned although I assume they will follow through after they got caught.
Corzine has bundled tens of millions that has not and won't be returned. He was a finalist for treasury.
Good point.
You "libs" are amazing ! Obama and the Clintons get campaign money from everyone including Chinese "poor" people which is beyond questionable. A U..S. businessman (an "evil capitalist") donates to Santorum and in your "self righteousness" it's criminal. Your an amazing group of hypocrites !
lol... no. we just like to see you guys squirm when you realize that "your guys" are pulling the very same tricks you accuse "our guys" of doing. fact is, i'm glad that santorum won. I hope he wins more. I hope that by the time the GOP convenes the convention there's a huge drop-down-drag-out floor fight. i hope you keep airing the dirty laundry. I hope you keep talking up the evangelical ultraconservative platform. I hope you keep on trying to out conservative each other. I hope you keep talking about laws against abortion, laws against gays, laws against food stamps, laws against funding social services, laws against birth control... sigh. by the time the election hits, you guys will have talked yourselves out of the White House and both Houses of Congress. Thanks for the fish!
...and I bet you are the same person that wishes Obama actually had a message.
My claim has always been that Republican voters are infinitely more uneducated and bigot than anyone else, and those people should not be able to elect a President that would look and sound too much like themselves. Your comment comes as a consecration. Thank you.
I personally agree with Sanitorium that we don't have nearly enough stonings in the US and that he's the only one who can bring that one home if he gets elected.
Clearly you think he would have won without the money. Just on the basis of his attractive platform and personality. So why not dump donations and run without?
Come on Tony ...who raises the most money ...with Union PAC's support. Any ideas? Why don't you inform us. Who spent the most in the last election, and said they would accept federal funding ...then went in another direction. Wow, could it be the snake now masquerading as our president?
No actually it would be called worry.... Don't worry, just think about Obama for another day beyond the day that the Republicans come-a-knoch'n.....you silly demo's...
The word you were looking for is "you're".
Right now, this "lib" is still p*ssed off about the Citizen United ruling, and still upset that super-PAC's are even legal. Whether liberals also use them is not relevant - what is relevant is making sure EVERYONE knows which candidates are owned by which billionaires. If Obama is owned, too, then we should make sure everyone knows that, too.