2012 Presidential Campaign Blog

RNC Chairman Reince Priebus and Co-Chairman Sharon Day Message Commemorating Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

RNC Chairman Reince Priebus and Co-Chairman Sharon Day Message Commemorating Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
      
WASHINGTON – Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Reince Priebus and Co-Chairman Sharon Day released the following message commemorating Martin Luther King, Jr. Day:
 
“As we commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. today, we reflect on his monumental impact on America,” said RNC  Chairman Reince Priebus. “We celebrate his life, spirit and enduring legacy of a more just society where opportunity is equally afforded to all.”
 
“Dr. King’s vision transformed a nation and his work healed the wounds of the sinister injustices of racism and segregation. In 2012, when we look back to 1963, the year Dr. King delivered his famous speech from the Lincoln Memorial, we realize how far we’ve come. But we also recognize there is more work to be done.
 
“America is indeed a better place thanks to Dr. King, but the work of forming a ‘more perfect union’ is never finished. As Americans, we must continually fight against the prejudice, hate and injustice that is still present in our society.”
 
“As Republicans, we strongly believe that America must be a nation where, in the words of the Pledge of Allegiance, there truly is ‘liberty and justice for all,’” said RNC Co-Chairman Sharon Day. “On this day when we honor the memory of a great civil rights leader, let us recommit ourselves to the cause of freedom and the dream of a nation with true equality of opportunity.”

DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s Statement on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day

DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s Statement on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Washington, DC – Today DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz released the following statement commemorating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day:

“Today we reflect on and celebrate the life and legacy of a great American who made our country stronger, better and more just.  Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. lived and ultimately gave his life advancing a vision of America where all citizens are truly equal, regardless of the color of their skin or their station in life. As leader of the 20th century civil rights movement, Dr. King helped plant the seeds for many other movements that encompassed the ideals of equality, justice and opportunity for all. 

“The work of Dr. King and many other civil rights pioneers has yielded tremendous progress, but the work is not done.  The economic struggles facing far too many Americans proves that this work must continue.  Too many families are having trouble making ends meet, too many parents worry if their children will experience a better quality of life and the dreams of too many of our nation's young people are being deferred.  That’s why President Obama is so committed to rebuilding our economy for the long term, he's working to make sure that every American has access to economic opportunity now and for generations to come.  

"Towards the end of his life, Dr. King recognized that the next frontier of the civil rights movement required bearing witness to the scourge of poverty.  He had a vision for a 'Poor People's Campaign' bringingtogether a coalition unified in the belief that the moral measure of any society is found in how we treat the least among us.  It is our charge today, as we honor Dr. King, to take up this call and renew our fight for equality and justice for all Americans, and to make sure that the American Dream is available to everyone who seeks and works toward it.”

Jon Huntsman for President Announces Revised Schedule Details For January 16, 2012

Jon Huntsman for President Announces Revised Schedule Details For January 16

Columbia, SC – Jon Huntsman for President today released the following revised schedule for Gov. Huntsman on Monday, January 16.

Monday, January 16

11:00 a.m. – Governor Huntsman Will Deliver Remarks Myrtle Beach Convention Center Room 202 2101 N Oak St Myrtle Beach, SC 29577

*3:00 pm and 9:00 pm events have been removed from the schedule.

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South Carolina State Senator Tom Davis Endorses Ron Paul for President

Ron Paul Receives Pivotal Endorsement of South Carolina State Senator Tom Davis
Palmetto State Tea Party favorite and GOP heavyweight goes all in for Ron Paul

COLUMBIA, SC – 2012 Republican Presidential candidate Ron Paul received today the key endorsement of tea party favorite and South Carolina political heavyweight, state Sen. Tom Davis (R-Beaufort).
 
The consequential endorsement took place at a press conference at 6:00 p.m. EST at the Palisades Conference Center, located in Myrtle Beach.
 
Sen. Davis is the most influential fiscal conservative in the South Carolina General Assembly and his endorsement virtually assures that fiscal conservatives in the “First in the South” primary state will take notice.  His endorsement also is viewed as a political game-changer by many in South Carolina Republican Party circles.
 
Those outside South Carolina also have stated the importance of the Davis endorsement.
 
One of Paul’s rivals for the Republican nomination, Rick Santorum, recently spoke on the weight a Davis endorsement carries.  Ruminating on the prospect Davis might endorse him the former U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania told The Hilton Head Island Packet newspaper that, “To get an endorsement from someone like Tom Davis is a big deal.  It would speak volumes to folks and make them take notice and give us a look.”
 
Sen. Davis, as it turned out, took a far different path and instead endorsed a fellow fiscal conservative.
 
“We’re excited and grateful to have Sen. Davis’s endorsement, as it carries tremendous weight in South Carolina,” said Ron Paul 2012 National Campaign Chairman Jesse Benton.  “Sen. Davis knows a true fiscal conservative when he sees one.  He’s uniquely qualified to distinguish between establishment candidate Mitt Romney and the conservative alternative to Romney, Ron Paul.”
 
Sen. Davis’s full statement of endorsement follows.
 
Statement from Sen. Tom Davis
 
“It’s easy to campaign on lower taxes, less spending and fewer regulations – it’s another thing entirely to stand up for these limited government principles when the entire Washington establishment is aligned against you.  Yet for more than three decades Ron Paul has cast thousands of lonely votes in our nation’s capital based on the constitutional principles that this country was founded on – and that the Republican Party has promised to protect.  Yet while generations of politicians – including far too many Republicans – were losing their way or caving to the status quo, Ron Paul was standing as a Tea Party of one against a towering wave of red ink.
 
“2012 marks the fifth consecutive year in which the federal government is going to spend well over $1 trillion in money it doesn’t have.  Each and every American taxpayer is now on the hook for $135,000 worth of federal debt – and last year’s debt deal adds another $7 trillion in deficit spending over the coming decade.  Meanwhile the U.S. Senate hasn’t passed a budget in nearly 1,000 days.
 
“I’m endorsing Ron Paul because enough is enough.  Despite this wave of unprecedented government spending, our unemployment rate has remained above 8 percent for the last 34 months and 146.4 million Americans – one out of every two people in this country – are now classified as poor or low-income.
 
“Government activism and government intervention clearly hasn’t fixed our economy – which is why the Republican Party needs a nominee who isn’t wedded to that failed approach.  We won’t chart a path to fiscal solvency or victory in November by running toward the failed ideas of the left – we will achieve those victories by returning to the principles that the Republican Party once stood for.
 
“That is why I am proud to endorse Ron Paul for president.
 
“Ron Paul’s record matches his rhetoric, his fiscal plan matches the fiscal challenges that our nation is facing and his movement represents the taxpayers whose interests have been ignored in the political process for far too long.
 
“I’m also endorsing him because unlike what the pundits have led you to believe, he is the candidate who gives the Republican Party the best chance to beat Barack Obama in November.
 
“We have a choice: We can keep electing candidates who talk about change only during political campaigns as a way to get elected, or we can finally elect a candidate who will walk the walk and make that change a reality – restoring our bottom line, our individual liberties and our national pride in the process.”

The Charlotte Observer Endorses Mitt Romney In South Carolina

CHARLOTTE OBSERVER: “ROMNEY HAS WHAT S.C. REPUBLICANS ARE LOOKING FOR”

“Romney Has What S.C. Republicans Are Looking For”

Charlotte Observer
Editorial
January 15, 2012

http://www.charlotteobserver.com

South Carolina Republicans on Saturday will have the last real chance to slow Mitt Romney's climb to the GOP presidential nomination. But why would they want to?

…

The former Massachusetts governor doesn't spark fire in many S.C. bellies, but business-oriented Republicans need not feel queasy when voting for him. Romney is a lifelong leader with remarkable business credentials. From Bain & Co. to the 2002 Olympics, Romney has demonstrated an ability to turn things around in a crisis.

Leading Bain Capital in the 1980s, Romney shined in his role as investor. In January 1991 he returned to Bain & Co. and within two years had rescued it from collapse. Similarly, the Olympics in Salt Lake City were nearly $400 million behind where they needed to be when Romney came in. He took charge and led the Olympics to success, and to a profit.

Republicans are debating Romney's record at Bain and how many jobs he created. But with a stubbornly high S.C. unemployment rate currently at 9.9 percent, is there really any candidate in this primary field who could be better trusted on that front than Romney?

He has as much or more executive experience as any of his rivals. As a Republican governor in a liberal state, he showed the ability to pass important public policy under challenging circumstances, and he helped erase a projected $3 billion deficit.

…

Some voters may wish he would throw out the red meat that Rick Santorum and Ron Paul do, but Romney's sensible, authoritative, conservative approach will do more for the cause than theirs will.

The Greenville News Endorses Mitt Romney In South Carolina

GREENVILLE NEWS: “ROMNEY BEST CHOICE FOR REPUBLICANS”

“Romney Best Choice For Republicans”

Greenville News
Editorial
January 15, 2012

http://www.greenvilleonline.com

South Carolina Republicans go to the polls Saturday to have their say on their party’s presidential nominee. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is the strongest candidate on the ballot, and he is best qualified to mount a serious campaign this fall.

…

Romney is best equipped of the Republican candidates to help this country get its financial house in order, to rein in a federal government inclined to add crushing regulations, to free business capital to create jobs and to improve the lives of Americans up and down the economic ladder. He is thoughtful when it comes to protecting the country, enhancing its national security and improving its relationship with trusted allies. At the same time, his executive experience in the business world and in state government gives him an undeniable advantage in this Republican primary.

…

With 25 years of business experience on his resume, Romney has an appreciation for the extraordinary ability of American workers, a clear-eyed view of what it takes to create and retain jobs, and a realistic understanding of the pressures on American businesses in a fragile economy and global marketplace. With a term as governor of Massachusetts on his resume, he has a demonstrated ability to provide leadership during challenging times, make tough and unpopular decisions, and work with lawmakers with other political beliefs so he can advance much of his agenda and avoid suffocating gridlock.

…

Whether it was taking over the faltering 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics or the governorship of a state with budget problems, Romney has demonstrated a management style and leadership traits that would serve him well in the White House if his party is victorious in November. His intimate knowledge of the business world, that also includes familiarity with some of the sharp edges of the free-market system, would serve him well, too.

As he wrote in a column on these pages a few months ago when the National Labor Relations Board had endangered the new Boeing plant in South Carolina, “America’s workers have long been the most productive in the world. If we unshackle them from the self-interested restrictions of federal bureaucrats and union bosses alike, I have no doubt that they will produce wonders far beyond those, like Boeing’s Dreamliner, that have already made America the great country that it is.” That is not a dreamy-eyed philosophy, but one that comes from a man who has spent more time in the business world than in government work.

Jay And Jordan Sekulow Announce Support For Mitt Romney

JAY AND JORDAN SEKULOW ANNOUNCE SUPPORT FOR MITT ROMNEY

Boston, MA – Mitt Romney today announced the support of Jay Sekulow and Jordan Sekulow of the American Center for Law and Justice*.

“Jay and Jordan have been on the front lines fighting for conservatives – it is an honor to have their support,” said Mitt Romney. “On issues of great importance to me, including religious freedom and protecting human life, Jay and Jordan have been tireless leaders. I look forward to working with them to ensure that we can bring conservative change to Washington.”

“In order for conservatives to make the changes in Washington that we have been fighting for, we must first defeat President Obama and have a leader with a proven record of getting things done,” said Jay Sekulow. “Mitt Romney is the one candidate who can take his pro-growth message to the American people and defeat President Obama. Throughout his life, he has proven that he will not back down from difficult situations – fixing the mess that President Obama has left will not be easy.”

“Mitt Romney’s record as governor and vision for our country is one that conservatives should be proud to support,” said Jordan Sekulow. “He cut taxes, balanced budgets, and defended both traditional marriage and life in a politically difficult environment. Mitt Romney’s ability to defeat President Obama and enact conservative change is why I support him and so many conservatives are backing his campaign.”

Background On Jay and Jordan Sekulow

Jay Sekulow is Chief Counsel of the American Center for Law and Justice. He is an accomplished Supreme Court advocate, renowned expert on religious liberty, and a respected broadcaster. Jay Sekulow is an attorney with a passion for protecting religious liberty, freedom, and democracy. For nearly a quarter of a century, he's been on the front lines - working to protect religious and constitutional freedoms in the courts, in Congress, and in the public arena. At the Supreme Court of the United States, Jay Sekulow has argued 12 cases - including several landmark cases which have become part of the legal landscape in the area of religious liberty litigation.

Jordan Sekulow is the Executive Director of the American Center for Law and Justice. He is the host of the Jordan Sekulow Show, a syndicated radio program that provides cutting analysis of today's political and legal landscape and regularly features elected officials and conservative leaders from across the U.S. and around the globe. He also serves as co-host, along with ACLJ Chief Counsel Jay Sekulow, of the Jay Sekulow Live! radio broadcast and the ACLJ This Week television broadcast. Jordan, an attorney, has an LL.M. from Georgetown Law Center and oversees the organization’s international offices.

* Organizational references are for identification purposes only.

South Carolina Newspaper "The State" Endorses Jon Huntsman

In Case You Missed It: Huntsman Could Bring Us Back Together
January 15, 2012
TheState.com - Editorial
...

Mr. Huntsman is a true conservative, with a record and platform of bold economic reform straight out of the free-market bible, but he’s a realist, whose goal is likewise to get things done. Under his leadership, Utah led the nation in job creation, and the Pew Center on the States ranked it the best-managed state in the nation.

He also is head and shoulders above the field on foreign policy. He served as President George H.W. Bush’s U.S. ambassador to Singapore and President George W. Bush’s deputy U.S. trade representative and U.S. trade ambassador, and the next entry on that resume is even more impressive: He was a popular and successful governor in an extremely conservative state, well positioned to become a leading 2012 presidential contender, when Mr. Obama asked him to serve in arguably our nation’s most important diplomatic post, U.S. ambassador to China. It could be political suicide, but he didn’t hesitate. As he told our editorial board: “When the president asks you to serve, you serve.”

We don’t agree with all of Mr. Huntsman’s positions; for but one example, he championed one of the nation’s biggest private-school voucher programs. And with George Will calling him the most conservative candidate and The Wall Street Journal editorial page endorsing his tax plan, independent voters might find less to like about his positions than, say, Mr. Romney’s or Newt Gingrich’s.

What makes him attractive are the essential values that drive his candidacy: honor and old-fashioned decency and pragmatism. As he made clear Wednesday to a room packed full of USC students on the first stop of his “Country First” tour, his goal is to rebuild trust in government, and that means abandoning the invective and reestablishing the political center.

Don’t expect him to engage in meaningless hyperbole or apologize for his occasional moderate positions. As he explained recently: “We have to draw from ideas that are doable and not so outlandishly stupid that they create a lot of political infighting and finger-pointing and never, ever in a thousand years are going to get done.” And don’t expect him to spout ridiculous superlatives about the existential threat the incumbent poses to our nation; President Obama simply has failed to lead or has led in the wrong direction, he argues.

Why on earth would we want a candidate to say anything worse about his opponent? Explain why he’s wrong, and why you’re right, and let the voters choose.

We need a president who can work within our poisonous political environment to solve our nation’s problems, not simply score partisan points. Someone who understands that negotiation is essential in a representative democracy, and that there are good ideas across the political spectrum. Someone who has a well-defined set of core values but is not so rigid that he ignores new information and new conditions. Someone who has shown himself to be honest and trustworthy. And competent. Someone whose positions are well-reasoned and based on the world as it is rather than as he pretends it to be. Someone with the temperament and judgment and experience to be taken seriously as the commander in chief and leader of the free world.

We think Mr. Romney could demonstrate those characteristics. Mr. Huntsman already does. And we are proud to endorse him for the Republican nomination for president of the United States.

Ron Paul to Receive Game-Changing Endorsement at Event in South Carolina

Ron Paul to Receive Game-Changing Endorsement at Event in South Carolina
Gets consequential support in run-up to the Palmetto State’s January 21st presidential primary

COLUMBIA, SC – 2012 Republican Presidential candidate Ron Paul will receive a consequential endorsement related to the South Carolina primary at a special event in Myrtle Beach.

The event will take place on Sunday, January 15th at 6:00 p.m. at the Palisades Conference Center.

Event details are as follows.  Time is Eastern.

Sunday, January 15, 2012

6:00 p.m.
Palisades Conference Center*
10000 Beach Club Drive
Myrtle Beach, SC 29572-5304

[*Next to Hilton Myrtle Beach Conference Center and Resort]

Doors open to the public at 5:20 p.m.

Free parking is located in the garage across the street.