2012 Presidential Campaign Blog

Romney Campaign "We Did Build This” Events to be Held in Cedar Rapids, Davenport, and Des Moines on Wednesday, July 25, 2012

"We Did Build This” Events to be Held Across Iowa

On Wednesday, “We Did Build This” events will be held in Cedar Rapids, Davenport, and Des Moines to allow small business owners the chance to respond to President Obama’s insulting claim that “if you've got a business -- you didn't build that. Somebody else made that happen.”

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Event: Cedar Rapids “We Did Build This” Event

Location:                 

Victory Office
155 Collins Rd NE Suite A
Cedar Rapids, IA 52402

Program Time:        2:30  PM CST

Who:  

State Rep. Renee Schulte, House District 37
Shawn Graham, Owner, Clean Cut Property Services Inc.
Rob Gettemy, Entrepreneur and instructor of entrepreneurship at University of Iowa

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Event: Davenport “We Did Build This” Event

Location:                 

Scott County GOP Office
311 W. Kimberly Rd.
Davenport, IA 52806

Program Time:        10:30 AM CST

Who:  

Brian Kennedy, Iowa Chairman of Romney for President
Mark Ross, Founder, IGO Partners
Delia Meier, Senior Vice President of the Iowa 80 Group

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Event: Des Moines “We Did Build This” Event

Location:                 

Victory Office
2775 86th Street
Urbandale, IA 50322

Program Time:        1:00 PM CST


Who:  

Al Koch, CEO and President of Henning Construction
David Greenspon, President of Competitive Edge Advertising Specialty Mfg. Company
Dan Moulten, Founder of Moulton & Associates
Michael Brown, President/CEO of CrossFit Des Moines

Romney Mobile HQ Coming To Iowa

Romney Mobile HQ Coming To Iowa

Beginning tomorrow in Des Moines, the Romney Campaign Mobile HQ will be coming through Iowa.

Our Mobile HQ will be firing up volunteers at Victory Offices across the state and making grassroots stops along the way.

On Thursday, Mobile HQ will play host to two special guests visiting Iowa to fire up supporters.

Obama for America Releases New Television Ad: “Always”

Obama for America Releases New Television Ad: “Always”

CHICAGO -- Obama for America released a new television advertisement today titled “Always.” Despite the Romney campaign’s attempts to distort President Obama’s words, the President has always believed in the drive and ingenuity of America’s entrepreneurs and workers. He believes the only way to create an economy built to last is to build it from the middle out, not the top down. Ensuring a strong economy starts with investments in education, energy, innovation and infrastructure, continuing to help our entrepreneurs and workers grow our economy and the middle class.

The American people have a clear choice in this election between two fundamentally different visions of how to grow the economy, create middle-class jobs and pay down the debt.

“Always” will air in Virginia, North Carolina, Florida, Ohio, Iowa, and Nevada.

"Those ads taking my words about small business out of context; they're flat out wrong. Of course Americans build their own business. Everyday hard-working people sacrifice to meet a payroll, create jobs, and make our economy run.

And what I said was that we need to stand behind them as America always has. By investing in education, training, roads and bridges, research and technology. I'm Barack Obama and I approve this message because I believe we're all in this together."

Former Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Agriculture Patty Judge to Kick Off “Made in Iowa” Tour in Sioux City, Mason City, Iowa

Patty Judge to Kick Off “Made in Iowa” Tour in Sioux City, Mason City
Tour to Focus on Drought, Farm Bill and Wind Industry

DES MOINES - Tomorrow and Thursday, former Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Agriculture Patty Judge will kick off the Obama campaign’s “Made in Iowa” tour with press conferences in Sioux City and Mason City.  In Sioux City, she will be joined by Rob Hach, a Republican supporter of President Obama, who is the CEO and President of a wind development small business. In Mason City, she will be joined by Kirk Kraft, a Republican and former Mayor of Clear Lake who oversaw one of the first wind farms in Iowa. Judge will also visit Storm Lake, Spencer, Emmetsburg, Algona, Webster City, and Iowa Falls to meet with local media.

The “Made in Iowa” tour will highlight Iowa’s farming and wind energy industry, two industries that President Obama has strongly supported, which are the backbone of Iowa’s economy.  Patty Judge will discuss the drought, the need for Congress to pass a Farm, Food and Jobs Bill and the importance of the wind industry.  Judge will draw a contrast between President Obama’s record to build an economy that is built to last and Mitt Romney’s record on rural issues and agriculture. The Republicans joining Judge will talk about the importance of the Wind PTC to their businesses, and how the President’s support for small businesses is helping to grow the wind industry, while Romney would continue to give tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans.

“The drought affecting Iowans and farmers across the country, strongly reiterates the need to maintain a strong farm safety net,” said Judge.  “The President has a strong record of standing by our country’s rural communities to ensure that U.S. agriculture continues to experience one of its most productive periods in American history.”

The 2008 Farm Bill disaster programs have expired and Congress needs to act to ensure that we have the tools to help farmers during significant drought. But Mitt Romney has refused to call on Republicans to pass the farm bill, and failed to give his position on crop insurance and conservation. When asked about what his positions were on farm programs, he told the Des Moines Register, “I can’t tell you exactly what my posture will be. I can also tell you I’m not running for office based on making promises of handing out money,” he said. [Des Moines Register, 10/20/11]

When it comes to the wind industry, Mitt Romney’s “Plan for Jobs and Economic Growth,” calls wind and solar, “two of the most ballyhooed forms of alternative fuel.”  He said that wind has failed to become “economically viable.”  Earlier this month, Romney’s campaign confirmed that Mitt Romney would let the wind production tax credit expire [The Hill 7/11/12]. He would let this growing wind industry wither as we compete with countries around the world for these jobs and jeopardize 37,000 jobs already here. This is troubling news for the energy industry, but specifically for Iowans. 

The wind energy industry is critical to Iowa’s economy, as it leads the nation in the number of wind jobs with 7,000 jobs. Wind generates nearly 20% of Iowa’s energy and provides over $14 million in lease payments to rural landowners and family farmers. The Wind Energy Tax Credit tax is slated to expire at the end of the year and the Obama Administration has called on Congress to renew the credit. This was reiterated by President Obama when he visited TPI Composites in Newton in May.

Wednesday, July 25

10:00AM

WHO: Former Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Agriculture Patty Judge
Rob Hach, Republican supporter of President Obama, who is the CEO and President of a wind development small business

WHAT: “Made in Iowa” press conference on the farm and wind industry.

WHERE:      

OFA Sioux City Office
520 14th street
Sioux City, IA

Thursday, July 26

11:00AM

WHO: Former Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Agriculture Patty Judge
Kirk Kraft, a Republican and former Mayor of Clear Lake who oversaw one of the first wind farms in Iowa

WHAT: “Made in Iowa” press conference on the farm and wind industry.

WHERE:      

OFA Mason City Office
219 North Federal
Mason City, IA

Former Minnesota Senator Norm Coleman Statement on Mitt Romney’s Speech to the VFW

SEN. NORM COLEMAN: “ROMNEY WILL RESTORE AMERICAN LEADERSHIP AND ENSURE ANOTHER AMERICAN CENTURY” 

Boston, MA – Former Minnesota Senator Norm Coleman today made the following statement on Mitt Romney’s speech to the VFW:

“American power abroad is rooted in our strength at home. Barack Obama has singularly failed to breathe life into the U.S. economy, and has set the U.S. military on a path toward budget cuts that his own Secretary of Defense has called ‘devastating’ to our national security. Mitt Romney’s speech to the VFW shows that with the right leadership our country need not follow a path of decline, but instead a path of leadership. Governor Romney will restore American leadership and ensure another American Century. And Governor Romney would never tolerate a White House staff that leaks America’s national-security secrets, as Sen. Dianne Feinstein, chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, has found to be the practice under Barack Obama.”

 

Mitt Romney Unveiled his Strategy to Restore Faith With Veterans at the VFW National Convention Today in Reno, Nevada.

MITT ROMNEY’S STRATEGY FOR RESTORING FAITH WITH OUR VETERANS

Boston, MA – Mitt Romney addressed the VFW National Convention today at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center in Reno, Nevada. Below is his strategy to reform the Department of Veterans Affairs and restore faith with our veterans.

Restore Faith With Our Veterans

As president, Mitt Romney will implement reforms to the Department of Veterans Affairs to restore faith with our veterans. The system has struggled to keep up with the needs of our returning warriors. Since 2008, the backlog for disability benefit claims has doubled, veteran suicide rates have sharply increased, and the unemployment rate for returning veterans remains high above the national average.

Get Veterans Working Again

Mitt Romney will unleash the American economy to grow again and create well-paying jobs. He will cut taxes, lift job-killing regulations, and slash debt to encourage job creators to invest and grow their businesses. He will reverse President Obama’s defense cuts that could force 200,000 troops out of the service. With the unemployment rate for returning veterans at unacceptable levels, it is vital that veterans aren’t sent from the front lines to the unemployment lines.

Make the System Work

Governor Romney will not allow an entire generation of veterans to lose faith with the VA. Because veterans strongly prefer to receive care within the VA system, focus will be directed toward improving and strengthening that system.

Modernize the VA

· Mitt Romney will reduce the backlog of benefits claims by eliminating unnecessary bureaucracy, implementing a reliable electronic claims processing system, and ensuring that the VA is able to handle the more complex claims arising from the post-9/11 wars.

Simplify Claims for Common Injuries

· For disability claims that require less documentation to prove injuries, an expedited application process for disabilities commonly incurred or aggravated by military personnel should be created.

Make World-Class Health Care Available To All Veterans Who Need It

· Mitt Romney will expand the footprint of the VA health system to reach more of the 41 percent of veterans that live in rural areas and speed the availability of Internet-based consultations, tele-homecare, and tele-monitoring. He will ensure that the VA health system can meet the unique needs of veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with debilitating injuries.

Reverse Obama-Era Defense Cuts

President Obama signed legislation that cut half a trillion from the military, while submitting a budget request that grew nearly every other federal agency. Mitt Romney will prioritize restoring, preserving, and protecting the proud Armed Forces that our veterans built. That means reversing cuts that could:

· Force thousands of troops out of uniform and onto an overburdened Department of Veteran Affairs.

· Degrade training, equipment, and leadership needed by our deployed forces in Afghanistan.

· Shrink the military to the smallest Navy since 1916, the smallest Army since 1940, and the smallest Air Force in our history.

Make National Defense and Veterans A Top Priority

President Obama’s first term was marked by significant cuts to our wartime military, but expansive growth to the rest of the government. Mitt Romney believes that keeping the American people safe from harm is our Republic’s most sacred responsibility. Defense and veteran spending is less than 20% of the federal spending, but has absorbed over 50% of deficit reduction efforts to date. Governor Romney will rebuild, revitalize, and restore a military that has been worn ragged by ten years of war and systemic budget cuts. Mitt Romney will:

· Put our Navy on the path to increase its shipbuilding rate from nine per year to approximately fifteen per year and maintain a fleet of 11 aircraft carriers.

· Modernize and replace the aging inventories of the Air Force, Army, and Marines, and selectively strengthen our force structure.

· Add 100,000 active duty troops.

· In the first 100 days, begin reversing Obama-era cuts to missile defense and commit to a robust multi-layered national ballistic-missile defense system to deter and defend against nuclear attacks on our homeland and our allies.

Becky Ogle Joins 2012 Democratic National Convention as Senior Advisor on Disability and Access

Becky Ogle Joins 2012 Democratic National Convention as Senior Advisor on Disability and Access
 
CHARLOTTE – Today the Democratic National Convention Committee (DNCC) announced that Becky Ogle, a recognized leader in the disability rights community and a veteran democratic convention advisor, has formally joined the DNCC as Senior Advisor on Disability and Access.  Ogle will serve as a liaison between delegates with disabilities and the DNCC leading up to and during convention week.
 
“From the beginning, the DNCC’s goal has been to ensure that the 2012 Democratic National Convention is open and accessible to more Americans than ever before, and ensuring that we are doing everything possible for our disabled delegates is a key part of that effort,” said convention CEO Steve Kerrigan.  “We’re delighted to welcome Becky to the DNCC family.  Becky brings a wealth of knowledge and experience, and she will help us make this convention more accessible in every sense of the word.”

Ogle has advised the DNCC remotely over the past several months, but now that delegates have been selected in all 56 states and territories, she has joined the team on the ground in Charlotte.  Ogle will be responsible for outreach to and resources for delegates with disabilities as they finalize their plans and travel to Charlotte in September.  She will also conduct site visits at convention venues and hotels across Charlotte to ensure that accommodations are made so that all delegates can fully participate in convention activities.
 
“I am excited to be working with the 2012 Democratic National Convention team to make sure all delegates to this convention have the best possible experience and are able to participate fully,” Ogle said.  “This convention will be historic in its work to include more Americans than ever before and that includes delegates with disabilities."
 
The DNCC has made accessibility a priority throughout the planning of the 2012 convention.  From transportation and housing to selecting official convention venue sites that are ADA compliant, organizers of the 2012 DNC are working to ensure that we can accommodate all individuals including delegates with disabilities.  Additionally, a closed captioning system will be available on the convention floor for delegates who are deaf or hard of hearing.
 
Ogle, a native of Tennessee, has advised four prior Democratic National Conventions, including the 2008 convention in Denver.  Ogle has also served as a Senior Advisor on Disability Issues for the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and as Executive Director of the Presidential Task Force on the Employment of Adults with Disabilities during the Clinton Administration.

Mitt Romney Campaign Launches Refreshed Website Design

Obama for America Releases New Television Advertisement: “The Choice”

 Obama for America Releases New Television Advertisement: “The Choice”

CHICAGO -- Obama for America released a new television advertisement today titled “The Choice.” The American people will decide over the next four month between two fundamentally different plans for our country, and OFA’s new ad features President Obama laying out the choice of how to grow the economy, create middle-class jobs and pay down the debt. The President’s plan ensures everyone pays their fair share and still invests in the things we need to create jobs and grow our economy over the long term, like education, energy, and infrastructure.

“The Choice” will air in Colorado, Florida, Iowa, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.

"Over the next four months you have a choice to make. Not just between two political parties or even two people. It's a choice between two very different plans for our country.

Governor Romney's plan would cut taxes for the folks at the very top, roll back regulations on big banks, and he says that if we do our economy will grow and everyone will benefit.

But you know what? We tried that top-down approach. It's what caused the mess in the first place.

I believe the only way to create an economy built to last is to strengthen the middle class. Asking the wealthy to pay a little more so we can pay down our debt in a balanced way. So that we can afford to invest in education, manufacturing, and homegrown American energy for good middle class jobs. Sometimes politics can seem very small. But the choice you face, it couldn't be bigger."

Iowa 2016 Presidential Preference Poll - Public Policy Polling

Iowa 2016 presidential preference poll

Hillary Clinton continues to have a dominant lead in Iowa Democrats’ preferences for their 2016 presidential nominee almost three years before actual candidates will begin chowing down on cobs of corn.  The straw poll on the Republican side is much closer, with three candidates locked at the top and two others in double digits.

Clinton tops Vice President Joe Biden 60-18, with no one else even approaching 5%.  New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Massachusetts Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren each have 3%, Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer and Virginia Sen. Mark Warner are at 1%, and Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley and Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick register almost no support.  14% favor someone else or are not sure.

The victors of the two most recent Republican caucuses, Mike Huckabee and Rick Santorum, are tied at 17%, with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie right on their tails at 16%, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul at 11%, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio at 10%, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush at 8%, Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan at 6%, and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin each at 4%, with only 8% not behind a candidate.

Iowa 2016 presidential preference poll - Public Policy Polling