Former Sen Rick Santorum (right) sits down to speak with NewsChannel 15's Tim McGinnis at a Myrtle Beach restaurant.
MYRTLE BEACH -- Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum spoke to the Myrtle Beach Tea Party at Logan's Roadhouse in Myrtle Beach Wednesday afternoon.
Before his speech he sat down with NewsChannel 15 to talk about a possible run for the White House, healthcare and Egypt.
When asked if he will run for president he said, "Like I've been very consistent in saying, I'm testing the waters, and like everybody knows here in Myrtle Beach, if you're testing the waters, you've got to get in and swim around a little bit."
Mr. Santorum believes the best way to begin tackling the United States' budget deficit, which is over $14 trillion, is to start with healthcare. "The bottom line is the two programs that are bankrupting the country more than anything else, well three programs, is Obamacare, Medicare and Medicaid. People talk about social security, it's important, I've been out front on this issue. But, unless you deal with those three programs, you're not going to be able to deal with the escalating cost of the federal government."
On Egypt, he says President Barack Obama hasn't focused enough on foreign policy. Santorum says, "Obama's doctrine was play with whoever the players are. I think he sees the Middle East, he sees foreign policy as a distraction. He's interested and focused on making the U.S. a Western European socialist republic, that's his focus and everything else is a distraction, and we're seeing what happens when you don't pay attention to those things."
Our full interview with Rick Santorum will air Sunday morning at 9:00 a.m. on Carolina This Week on NewsChannel 15.
