2012 Presidential Campaign Blog

The Oklahoman Endorses Mitt Romney for President

THE OKLAHOMAN: “MITT ROMNEY IS BEST MAN TO RESTORE NATION'S GREATNESS”

“Mitt Romney Is Best Man To Restore Nation's Greatness”

The Oklahoman
Editorial
December 18, 2011

http://newsok.com/the-oklahoman-endorsement/article/3632600

In 2008, we were among the voices of the Heartland that warned of the perils of a Barack Obama presidency. These were voices crying in the wilderness. County by county, until all 77 were included, Oklahomans rejected the rhetoric of hope and change peddled by Obama.

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Stop inane bashing

Today we call on those in the Heartland to stand united. Let's put a stop to the inane bashing going on in the Republican presidential race. Let's unite behind a man who can beat Obama and let's do it sooner rather than later.

That man is Mitt Romney.

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Today we face economic disaster — partisan gridlock in government, unfathomable national debt, lack of moral leadership, threats from terrorists, energy dependence — the list continues to build and weaken the foundation of our nation.

We cannot let a bad president with a bad record walk into a second term because the Republican Party couldn't unite around a candidate who is not only electable but capable of leading, uniting and governing America.

That leader is Mitt Romney.

Newt Gingrich, a skilled orator who isn't short on intellect or ideas and who has won against the Democrats in the past, is not the man who can wrestle a second term away from our current president. Mitt Romney can. A Wall Street Journal/NBC poll shows Obama with a 51-40 lead over Gingrich. That same poll shows Romney just two points away from the president, 47-45, which is within the margin of error. Over time, the Gingrich spread will widen while the Romney difference, if he is allowed to focus on November, will shrink and overtake the incumbent.

Aligns with our values

Romney aligns with our values in Oklahoma and throughout the Heartland. He made that clear in a Dec. 7 meeting with members of the editorial boards of The Oklahoman and The Washington Examiner.

Romney brings hands-on experience and pragmatism. He's been criticized for changing his opinions through the years on some serious issues. But with years and life experience come wisdom, which can lead to a closer look and a change of opinion. Who among us has not evolved as a person as the years mount?

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Mitt Romney exudes wisdom, in addition to decency, compassion, pragmatism and coalition-building skills. For a Republican to get elected in Massachusetts is remarkable, perhaps a bigger feat than Republican Ronald Reagan getting elected governor in California.

Romney is a self-made man. Obama is a government-made man. Romney's skill set includes three areas of expertise that are needed to run this country:

He has success in the private sector. Romney led Bain Capital from a staff of seven people managing $37 million to 115 people managing $4 billion. His firm on average doubled its return on realized investments every year.

He has success in the public/private sector. “In 1999, three years before the 2002 Winter Olympics,” Reuters reported, “the Salt Lake City games were mired in a bribery scandal and facing a $400 million budget shortfall.” Cutting expenses, Romney turned this potential world-stage disaster into an overwhelming success, a factor in his subsequent election as governor of Massachusetts.

He has success in the public sector. Romney took office as governor midway in a fiscal year facing a potential $650 million shortfall in the Massachusetts budget. By restructuring state government, increasing some fees and making legislative changes to the state's tax code, he was able to balance the budget without tax increases.

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In 2008, all 77 of our counties lined up against Barack Obama. It's time for us to line up for Mitt Romney. From here, this movement needs to grow throughout the Heartland. Together, our voices can lead Republicans, independents and Reagan Democrats in other states out of the wilderness. We can be the voice of reason by supporting someone who on Day One will send a jobs package to Congress with the goal of putting America back on a path of robust economic growth.

In the remaining days, weeks and months of his presidency, he will rely on the collective strength of this nation to restore us to greatness. Mitt Romney is the man — the only man — who can beat Barack Obama.

Senator Bob Dole Open Letter To The Voters Of Iowa Des Moines Register Newspaper Advertisement

SENATOR BOB DOLE: “MITT ROMNEY IS THE KIND OF MAN THAT IOWANS SHOULD SUPPORT”

“A number of my friends are currently candidates seeking the GOP nomination. But the time has now come for us to decide who among them can defeat Barack Obama in 2012. I’ve made my decision, and I believe our best hope lies in Governor Mitt Romney.” – Senator Bob Dole

Senator Bob Dole
Open Letter To The Voters Of Iowa
December 18, 2011

Full Letter Below:

An Open Letter to the Voters of Iowa

On January 3, the Iowa caucuses will gather and take a momentous first step as the Republican Party begins the process of selecting a nominee for the position of President of the United States.

A great deal is at stake.

In the last few years, our beloved country has fallen on rough times. We have now gone 34 months with unemployment over 8 percent, the longest such stretch since the Great Depression. Nearly twenty-five million Americans are unemployed, working part-time when they would like to work full-time, or have simply quit looking.

Millions of Americans have lost their homes to foreclosure. Around three out of four Americans believe our nation is headed in the wrong direction. And they are right; our nation is indeed headed in the wrong direction. We need to turn it around.

A number of my friends are currently candidates seeking the GOP nomination. But the time has now come for us to decide who among them can defeat Barack Obama in 2012. I’ve made my decision, and I believe our best hope lies in Governor Mitt Romney.

I’ve known Mitt and his family for decades. His parents instilled in him a strong work ethic, rock-solid conservative values, and a deep sense of service to others. These traits—which have shone through in both the debates and my own visits with him—will serve him well in the White House.

As President, Mitt Romney will succeed in turning this country around. He rescued a flailing Winter Olympics when it was mired in financial scandal. He was an exceptional Governor of Massachusetts, who managed to both balance the state’s budget and cut taxes while dealing with an overwhelmingly Democratic state legislature.

Before his time in public service, Mitt Romney spent his career in the private sector, solving real problems in the real economy. He has helped to start or turn around numerous Main Street businesses that you know, like Sports Authority and Staples. He wasn’t just an investor. He got his hands dirty, and one of the results was the creation of tens of thousands of jobs. He has the experience and talent to get America back on the right track.

Governor Romney has already presented a bold, sweeping, and detailed proposal to guide this turnaround. It is more than just a jobs plan. It is a fundamental reorientation of the American economy on the basis of conservative principles. It takes power from the federal government in order to get Washington out of the way so that America can get back to work.

The nation can’t afford four more years of Barack Obama’s failed leadership. We absolutely need to choose a nominee who can win next November. I’ve run for President myself and twice I had the deep honor of finishing first in the Iowa caucuses. I have many friends in the state. Some of them even call me the President of Iowa. When I say that Mitt Romney is the kind of man that Iowans should support, I know whereof I speak.

And one last point: when it comes to agricultural policy, you can trust Mitt—I do.

God Bless America,

Des Moines Register Endorses Mitt Romney for President

DES MOINES REGISTER: “MITT ROMNEY IS BEST TO LEAD”

“Mitt Romney Is Best To Lead”
Des Moines Register Register Editorial Board
December 17, 2011

http://caucuses.desmoinesregister.com

Sobriety, wisdom and judgment.

Those are qualities Mitt Romney said he looks for in a leader. Those are qualities Romney himself has demonstrated in his career in business, public service and government. Those qualities help the former Massachusetts governor stand out as the most qualified Republican candidate competing in the Iowa caucuses.

Sobriety: While other candidates have pandered to extremes with attacks on the courts and sermons on Christian values, Romney has pointedly refrained from reckless rhetoric and moralizing. He may be accused of being too cautious, but choosing words carefully is a skill essential for anyone who could be sitting in the White House and reacting to world events.

Wisdom: Romney obviously is very smart. He graduated as valedictorian at Brigham Young University and finished in the top 5 percent in his MBA class at Harvard, where he also earned a law degree. Romney also exhibits the wisdom of a man who listened and learned from his father and his mother, from his church and from his own trials and errors in life. He does not lack self confidence, but he is not afraid to admit when he has been wrong.

Judgment: Romney disagrees with Democrats on most issues, but he offers smart and well-reasoned alternatives rather than simply proposing to swing a wrecking ball in Washington. He is a serious student of public policy who examines the data before making a decision. His detailed policy paper on the economy contains 87 pages of carefully crafted positions on taxes, energy, trade and regulatory policy, complete with 127 footnotes.

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Rebuilding the economy is the nation’s top priority, and Romney makes the best case among the Republicans that he could do that.

He stands out in the current field of Republican candidates. He has solid credentials in a career that includes running and starting successful businesses, turning around the 2002 Winter Olympics and working with both political parties as Massachusetts governor to pass important initiatives. He stands out especially among candidates now in the top tier: Newt Gingrich is an undisciplined partisan who would alienate, not unite, if he reverts to mean-spirited attacks on display as House speaker. …

This ability to see the merits of tough issues from something other than a knee-jerk, ideological perspective suggests that Mitt Romney would be willing to bridge the political divide in Washington. Americans are desperate for the Republicans and Democrats to work together. His record of ignoring partisan labels to pass important legislation when he was governor of Massachusetts suggests he is capable to making that happen.

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Mitt Romney 2012 “Election Night New Hampshire” Blog Ads Seen in 300x250, 336x280, 250x250, 160x600, 728x90, & 468x60 Sizes

   

Romney For President Releases Television Advertisement In South Carolina: “Leader”

ROMNEY FOR PRESIDENT RELEASES TELEVISION ADVERTISEMENT IN SOUTH CAROLINA: “LEADER”

Boston, MA – Romney for President today announced a television advertisement that will run in South Carolina titled “Leader.” “Leader” has previously run in Iowa and New Hampshire. Throughout his life, Mitt Romney has been true to his family, his faith, and his country. As president, he will stay true to those same values and will never apologize for America.

Script For “Leader” (TV:30)

MITT ROMNEY: “I think people understand that I’m a man of steadiness and constancy. I don’t think you’re going to find somebody who has more of those attributes than I do.

“I’ve been married to the same woman for 25 – excuse me, I’ll get in trouble – for 42 years. I’ve been in the same church my entire life. I worked at one company, Bain, for 25 years. And I left that to go off and help save the Olympic Games.

“If I’m President of the United States, I will be true to my family, to my faith, and to our country, and I will never apologize for the United States of America.

“I’m Mitt Romney, and I approve this message.”

Mitt Romney Campaigns with Governor Nikki Haley in South Carolina on Friday, December 16, 2011

Mitt Romney Campaigns with Governor Nikki Haley in South Carolina

Boston, MA – Today, Mitt Romney and Governor Nikki Haley will hold a rally with supporters in Greenville, South Carolina. Tomorrow, Mitt Romney and Governor Haley will hold town hall meetings in Charleston and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Friday, December 16, 2011

Event: Mitt Romney and Governor Nikki Haley Hold a Rally with Supporters in Greenville                

When: 4:30 PM EST

Location:                 

Boiling Springs Fire Station
208 Blacks Drive
Greenville, South Carolina

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Event: Mitt Romney and Governor Nikki Haley Hold a Town Hall Meeting

When: 9:15 AM EST

Location:                 

Memminger Auditorium
56 Beaufain Street
Charleston, South Carolina

Event: Mitt Romney and Governor Nikki Haley Hold a Town Hall Meeting

When: 2:20 PM EST

Location:                 

Horry-Georgetown Technical College
Grand Strand Campus Conference Center
743 Hemlock Avenue
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Romney For President Releases New Television Advertisement In New Hampshire: “Milford, NH”

ROMNEY FOR PRESIDENT RELEASES NEW TELEVISION ADVERTISEMENT IN NEW HAMPSHIRE: “MILFORD, NH”

Boston, MA – Romney for President today released a new television advertisement in New Hampshire titled “Milford, NH.”  Americans across the country are struggling in today’s economy and President Obama’s policies have only made things worse. Mitt Romney is a conservative businessman with the leadership experience and record to turn around the economy, create jobs, and create a brighter future for the nation.

Ad Facts: Script For “Milford, NH”

MITT ROMNEY: “We’re here in Milford today saying hi to some folks.”

MITT ROMNEY: “Able to find work in this tough economy?”

PERSON 1: “I’m hopeful to get a job soon.”

MITT ROMNEY: “You’ll be seventy. What keeps you from retiring?”

PERSON 2: “Financial.”

PERSON 3: “My head is just above water.”

PERSON 4: “Right now, survival is success.”

MITT ROMNEY: “We’ve got to get this economy going again. At the foundation of everything good is a very strong economy.”

MITT ROMNEY: “It seems like Washington is just broken.”

PERSON 5: “So very pleased to meet you.”

PERSON 6: “We need help and I think you are the only that can change it.”

MITT ROMNEY: “I’m Mitt Romney and I approve this message.”

South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley Endorses Mitt Romney

SOUTH CAROLINA GOVERNOR NIKKI HALEY ENDORSES MITT ROMNEY

Boston, MA – Mitt Romney today announced the support of South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley. Governor Haley will serve as Co-Chair of Romney for President’s National Steering Committee.

“It is an honor to have the endorsement of Governor Haley,” said Mitt Romney. “As a successful businesswoman who entered public service so government could better serve the people, Governor Haley’s career-long efforts to reform government, make government more accountable to the taxpayers, and fight wasteful spending should be examples for leaders across the country. These conservative principles of smaller government are what I am fighting for in my campaign and will be the basis for restoring economic prosperity and fiscal health.”

“The election next November will have ramifications for generations,” said Governor Nikki Haley. “Neither South Carolina nor the nation can afford four more years of President Obama, and Mitt Romney is the right person to take him on and get America back on track.  He is a conservative businessman who has spent his life working in the economy, and he understands exactly how jobs are created.  He is not a creature of Washington, and he knows what it means to make decisions – real decisions – not simply cast a vote.  Our country will need real leadership to undo President Obama’s failed policies, and replace them with the conservative principles Mitt Romney learned turning around businesses and a failing Olympics and successfully, conservatively governing a Democratic state. I am proud to endorse him and will work my hardest to ensure he is elected so we can turn around our country.”

Background On Governor Haley:

Governor Nikki Haley Is The 116th Governor Of South Carolina. Haley served as member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from 2005 to 2010. Throughout her career in public service, Haley has been a conservative leader in the fight for smaller and more efficient government. In 2009, she was named “Friend of the Taxpayer” by the South Carolina Association of Taxpayers. Prior to her public service, Haley worked in her family’s business and helped it grow into a multi-million dollar company.

Iowa State Representative Renee Schulte Statement on Tonight’s Debate in Iowa

IA REP. RENEE SCHULTE: ROMNEY THE RELIABLE LEADER WE NEED IN THE WHITE HOUSE

Boston, MA – Iowa State Representative Renee Schulte made the following statement on tonight’s debate in Iowa:

“Mitt Romney won tonight’s debate by again proving that we need a president from outside Washington with private sector experience, not another Washington insider. Throughout his life, Mitt Romney has demonstrated the leadership experience required of the president; Newt Gingrich has proved time and again that he is an unreliable leader. Speaker Gingrich’s recent attacks on Paul Ryan’s plan and the private sector are prime examples of why he is not trusted by conservatives. We need a president who has experience creating jobs, not someone who only has theories about how to create them.

Former Iowa Senate President and Ambassador Mary Kramer Statement on Tonight’s Debate in Iowa

AMBASSADOR MARY KRAMER: “ROMNEY HAS DISPLAYED THE STEADFAST LEADERSHIP NEEDED TO FIX THE ECONOMIC MESS”

Boston, MA – Former Iowa Senate President and Ambassador Mary Kramer made the following statement on tonight’s debate in Iowa:

“Mitt Romney showed again tonight that he has the conservative record and experience that Iowans and voters across the country are looking for in our nominee and president. Throughout this campaign and throughout his life, Mitt Romney has displayed the steadfast leadership needed to fix the economic mess that President Obama has created. Whether it is on creating jobs, the top concern facing our country, or keeping America strong overseas, Mitt Romney’s record and policies stand head and shoulders above the rest of the field.”