Yes–the same Rick Santorum who finished some 500,000 votes behind Mitt Romney in the Florida primary, has made this already roller-coaster of a race even more interesting.

If that isn’t shocking enough, Ron Paul, who finished last in the Florida primary, took a cool second place in Minnesota, beating the general consensus frontrunner, Mitt Romney.

In his victory speech, Santorum was quick to turn his attention towards Obama. He told the crowd, “This President believes’ that Americans are incapable of liberty.”

He went on to blast Obama for a rule requiring Catholic hospitals and institutions to include birth control in their health insurance plans for employees.

Eight days ago, in Newt Gingrich’s closing speech to his second place finish in Florida, he told the crowd that it was a two man race between him and Santorum. This is clearly not the case, as Gingrich finished last in Minnesota, and was not even on the ballot in Missouri.

Although Santorum did not receive any delegates in the Minnesota and Missouri caucuses, he did stymie Romney’s streak of success thus far in the race.

Only four states and a month remain until Super Tuesday, which is where the real front-runners are expected to emerge.

For now, it’s a big guessing game for Indecision 2012.

The vice president left the FSU practice gym at 2:20 p.m. for the six-minute drive to the Challenger Learning Center. He passed the small “Occupy Tallahassee” encampment and three demonstrators stood on the sidewalk of Madison street, waving, as one made a cellphone video of the motorcade.
Gatekeepers at the Challenger Center, an IMAX theater and exhibit hall with a space theme, said 300 supporters attended the fund-raising event. One of them was Barry Richard, the attorney who argued President Bush’s case successfully in Bush v. Gore in 2000. Richard a former Democratic state representative from Miami, is an attorney practicing in Tallahassee and his wife, Allison, arranged the Challenger event.
“I think they’re going to get re-elected,” Richard said outside, before the vice president spoke. “He’s been an exceptional president, probably the best in my lifetime. I think people have a comfort level with the guy.”
Florida Democratic Party Chairman Rod Smith of Alachua revved up the crowd, introducing Vice President Biden.
“People are excited about 2012 and I’ll tell you why they’re exicted about 2012, because we’ve got an administration that’s proven it knows what it’s doing, they know how to do it and we’re going to re-elect this administration, this president and this vice president.
“I’m going to cut the evening very short for everybody. I promise you, if you watch Florida you’re going to know how the nation goes, very early, and Florida is going to vote Democratic in 2012.”
Smith summed up by repeating something he said Biden says, “The most important thing about this campaign: If you want to know in 2012 what we’ve got to say, it’s very simple – General Motors is hiring and Bin Laden is dead.”
The Vice President began by calling out for former US Rep. Allen Boyd, D-Monticello, who was defeated in 2010 after switching his vote and supporting national health care. Boyd was not there or did not respond in the tightly packed crowd. Biden also thanked Allison Richard and Rod Smith.
He repeated the stuff about unemployment when he and Obama took office. Citing Smith’s introduction, he said, “Osama Bin Laden is dead and General Motors is alive. It’s a metaphor, it’s a metaphor for our foreign policy and our domestic economic policy”
He said the American people don’t mind sacrifice to restore “the middle class promise” of a job, homeownership and sending kids to college.
“But I’ll tell you what Americans don’t like in my neighborhood, where I came from, and I suspect in yours, they don’t like being taken for suckers. They don’t like being taken for suckers,” he said, drawing laughter and applause. “They’ve been asked to give and give and give. They’ve been asked to keep their wages stagnant, they’ve been asked to cut back on a whole bunch of things and they’ve done it.
“They look around and they think there’s a big chunk of society out there that isn’t in on the game.”
Speaking of “simple basic fairness,” Biden said “I think the American people are tired of being tired.”
“They’re tired of diminished horizons,” he said, adding that he and Obama recently met with CEOs and other top execs from Seimen’s, DuPont, Ford, Masterlock, and other “major, major companies.” He said the business trend is that “millions and millions of jobs will be coming back home from abroad.” Biden said American companies realize that “the safe bet” for protecting intellectual property and other business advantages is to manufacture in the US.
He said economic productivity had “been a race to the bottom” under Republican administrations, with companies trying to find cheap labor overseas. He said the chairman of Ford told him the automaker is investing over $16 billion in plant and equipment, creating over 12,000 jobs in the US. He said Masterlock moved to Mexico and China and is now returning to Milwaukee.
“Mitt Romney says the best way to deal with foreclosures is to let everything hit the bottom.” (The crowd muttered loudly) “No, no, no, no – by the way, from purely a dollars and cents standpoint, he could get ready to argue that, that’s right out of the business school manual. But guess what? We’re not reorganizing and purchasing companies, we’re trying to rebuild a country.”
He said the GOP candidates are showing true colors in debates and that the DNC ought to sponsor 19 more so the voters can see them.
“For the first time, the Republicans are not – as we say, to use a football metaphor – they’re not hiding the ball. They’re saying exactly what they believe. For real – no, it’s good – it’s good because for the first time we can have an honest debate. These guys aren’t out there saying, ‘We’re compassionate conservatives, we want to fight to protect Medicare and Medicaid …’ They’re just being straight up, saying what they believe.”
“Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich, I think they’re slightly different, and I mean this sincerely. I think it’s more about obstructionism for them. For them, their actions say what they really believe.”
Poor people have no habit of working
“These are the same guys who are calling the president a ‘food stamp president’ – a thinly veiled, I don’t know what it is, but it’s inappropriate. It’s inappropriate.”
He estimated that Super PACs will spend $200 million to $800 million “to go after Barack.” He said the Democrats can’t compete with money but need volunteers, “to put the best ground game in the history of presidential politics back on the ground. We can’t match their multi-millionairs writing $2, $5, $10, $20 million checks, but we can match every dollar they put out there with somebody on the ground.”
He concluded by quoting Florida Gov. Lawton Chiles, a friend from their U.S. Senate days, who was governor 1991-98 (he died in Dec. 12, 1998), “I didn’t come here to stay, I came here to make a difference.”
“Ladies and gentlemen, we got a long road ahead. But here’s what I know – with your help, we’re going to stay four more years and we are going to make a difference.”
As the crowd applauded, Biden shouted his thanks and called out, “God bless you all, and may God protect our troops. Keep the faith. We’re gonna do this.”

Noah Miller, a junior at the University of Central Florida, got the idea to start the publication in May of last year with long time friend Alex Zafran a junior at George Washington University.

“The reason we came up with it was to encourage more involvement in the political system,” Miller said.

The Fancy has a staff of around 40, several of which are students at the University of Central Florida.

Maurice Wahba, an Information Technology major at UCF and website developer for the Fancy, got involved because he thought the idea was fresh and new.

“Humor is a passion of mine so The Washington Fancy was naturally a good fit. It’s been rewarding so far and I look forward to becoming an essential part of the team,” said Cesar Vallejo an advertising/public relations major at UCF and runs the marketing and social media for the site.

The site has already been featured on Washington DC publications like The Washington Times Communities and TBD.com.

The site’s creator said he hopes to bring humor to the tense GOP Presidential Primary and the upcoming 2012 Presidential election.

Florida is the biggest electorate yet, with winner-take-all in delegates. Thus far in the race, Romney has more than three times the amount of delegates than any other candidate. Fortunately for Romney’s opponents, there are still 95 percent of the delegates to be given out.

Newt Gingrich is here tonight in Orlando at the Rosen hotel hosting a primary results party. Newt Spoke in front of an optimistic crowd all holding up signs saying “46 More States”.

Gingrich did not seemed phased by his second place finish, telling the crowd that it is a two-man race between him as the true Republican and Romney, who he called the Massachusetts moderate.

He ended his speech by reminding all of his supporters that this is the most important election of their lifetime.

Check out the video below for highlights from Newts speech here in Orlando.

Also check out some photos from the event!

Current polls show Mitt Romney ahead in Florida with Newt Gingrich trailing behind. Gingrich had a massive victory in South Carolina earlier this month however, Romney has been able to slow his momentum here in Florida.

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We asked UCF students who they plan on voting for in the election. Check out the video below! Also, share your comments on who YOU would like vote for!

According to the campaign, Monday night’s Orlando rally will be called the “Crossing the Finish Line Rally,” and will include appearances by Gingrich and Michael Reagan.

The Orlando rally is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. and should end by 8 p.m. It will be at the Renaissance Airport Hotel and 5445 Forbes Place, Orlando, FL.

The rally is on his public schedule, so it is open to the public.

Mitt Romney has had rallys in Orlando as well. KnightNews.com was there for his Friday rally. Check out the related posts on the right for a link to our video report on that one.

Romney earned 47.62 percent of the vote. Ron Paul was second with 23.81 percent, Rick Santorum was third with 14.29 percent and Newt Gingrich got only 9.52 percent of the vote, according to a press release sent by Ryan Heffner of the FFCR.

There were eight chapters in attendance — Eckerd, FAU, UCF, UF, USF, UWF, UM — along with five FFCR executive board members present for the vote.

KnightNews.com is the college student’s best source for 2012 Florida Presidential Primary coverage. Check out our video report from Romney’s Orlando rally on Friday.

And check back for continuing coverage and more video as we countdown to Tuesday’s vote.

Herman Cain Endorses Newt Gingrich for President

Atlanta, GA – Former presidential candidate and Georgia businessman Herman Cain announced his endorsement of Newt Gingrich for president earlier this evening at the Palm Beach County GOP Lincoln Day Dinner. In addition to his endorsement, Cain has accepted Newt’s invitation to co-chair the Tax Reform and Economic Growth Advisory Council for Speaker Gingrich.

“It is time for conservatives and Republicans to refocus their attention on the ultimate mission of defeating President Obama,” Cain said. “I believe Speaker Gingrich is the bold leader we need to accomplish this mission.”

“America’s challenges are too great for mere tinkering around the edges. Just like Herman, who ran his campaign based on big ideas, I am running on bold solutions that will boost job creation, cut bureaucratic red tape, and fundamentally transform Washington,” Gingrich said. “I’m honored to have Herman’s support, and I look forward to working with him to help put the American people back to work.”

Cain and Gingrich have been friends for more than 20 years. In the early 1990’s they worked together to defeat Hillarycare, and as speaker, Gingrich appointed Cain to the National Commission on Economic Growth and Tax Reform (also known as the “Kemp Commission”).

It’s put Rubio back on the radar. What do you think? Would he really decline the spot if it were offered to him? Should he?

Rubio continues to keep a high profile. He appeared in the New York Times and just released this Weekly GOP Address Video on YouTube about the American Dream:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUD_jxv5ygw

KnightNews.com was at the at the Lanco & Harris paint warehouse in Orlando where the rally took place. Check out our video and a few photos from the event.