i accept your nomination for president of the united states. >> this is diversity, spread like stars, like a thousands lights. >> i called on every american to rise above. >> they had their chan. they have not led. we will. >> a big night tonight in tampa. the main event after two days of speeches that set the stage, the republican ticket is now officially sealed. i'm wolf blitzer. >> good afternoon. i'm anderson cooper. last night paul ryan set the bar high. tonight we'll let you decide if

he did. we'll replay his speech in full over the next hour. let's get started. >> mr. chairman and delegates, i accept your nomination for president of the united states. [ applause ] i do so with humility, deeply moved by the trust that you have placed in me. it's a great honor and an even greater responsibility and tonight i'm asking you to join me to walk together to a better future and by my side i've chosen a man with a big heart

from a small town. he represents the best of america, a man who will always make us very proud, my friend and america's next vice president, paul ryan. in the days ahead, you're going to get to know paul and janna better. i saw a strong and caring leader, confident in the moment that this demands and i love the way he lights up around his kids and how he's not afraid to show

the world how much he loves his mom. but, paul, i still like the play list on my ipod better than yours. four years ago, i know that many americans felt a fresh excitement about the possibilities of a new president, and that choice was not the choice of our party, but americans always come together after elections, and we are a good and generous people, and we are united by so much more than what divides us. when that election was over, when the yard signs came down and the television commercials timely came off of the air, americans were eager to go back to work to live our lives the way that americans always have, optimistic and positive and confident in the future.

that very optimism is uniquely american. it is what brought us to america. we are a nation of immigrants with children and grandchildren and great grandchildren who wanted a better life. the driven ones, and the ones who woke up in the middle of the night telling them that the life in the place called america could be better. they came not just in pursuit of the riches of this world, but for the richness of this life. freedom, freedom of religion, freedom to speak their mind, freedom to build a life, and yes, freedom to build a business with their own hands. this is the essence of the american experience. we americans have always felt a special kinship with the future when every new wave of immigrants looked up and saw the statue of liberty or knelt down and kissed the shores of freedom

just 90 miles from castro's tyranny, these new americans surely had many questions, but none doubted that here in america they could build a better life. that in america, their children would be blessed more than they. but today, four years from the excitement of that last election, for the first time, the majority of americans now doubt that our children will have a better future. it is not what we were promised. every family in america wanted this to be a time to get a little ahead, puts a side a little more for college and do more for the elderly mom who is now living alone or give a little more to the church tor charity, and every small business wanted these to be the best years ever to hire more, do more for those who had stuck with them through the hard times and open up a new store or sponsor that little league team. and every new college graduate thought they'd have a good job by now and a place of their own and start paying back the loans and build for the future.

this is when the nation was supposed to be paying down the national debt and rolling back the massive deficits. this was the hope and change that america voted for. it is not just what we wanted, it is not just what we expected, but it is what americans deserved. [ applause ] >> you deserved it because during these years you worked harder than ever before, and you deserved it because when it cost

more to fill up your car, you cut out lights and worked longer hours and when you lost that job with $22 and benefits you worked two jobs at $9 an hour. [ crowd chanting "usa" ] >> you deserve it, because your family depended on you and you did it because you're an american, and you don't quit. you did it because it is what you had to do. driving home late from the second job or standing there watching the gas pump hit $50 and still going, when the

realtor told you that to sell your house you'd have to take a big loss, and in those moments you knew that it just was not right, but what could you do except work harder, do with less, try to stay optimistic and hug your kids a little longer and maybe spend more time praying that tomorrow would be a better day. i wish president obama had succeeded, because i want america to succeed. but his promises gave way to disappointment and division. this is not something that we have to accept. now is the moment when we can do something, and with your help, we will do something. now is the moment when we can stand up and say, i'm an american. i make my destiny, and we deserve better and my children deserve better, my family deserves better, my country deserves better.

[ applause ] more of mitt romney's acceptance speech right after the break. why wouldn't you make that call? see, the only thing i can think of is that you can't get any... bars. ah, that's better. it's a beautiful view. i wonder if i can see mt. rushmore from here. geico. fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance. ♪ i can do anything ♪ i can do anything today ♪ i can go anywhere ♪ i can go anywhere today ♪ la la la la la la la [ male announcer ] dow solutions help millions of people by helping to make gluten free bread that doesn't taste gluten free. together, the elements of science and the human element can solve anything.

solutionism. the new optimism.

and the human element can solve anything. one is for a clean, wedomestic energy future that puts us in control. our abundant natural gas is already saving us money, producing cleaner electricity, putting us to work here in america and supporting wind and solar. though all energy development comes with some risk, we're committed to safely and responsibly producing natural gas. it's not a dream. america's natural gas... putting us in control of our energy future, now. let me be clear, our problem

with president obama isn't that he's a bad person. okay? by all accounts, he, too, is a good husband and a good father and thanks to lots of practice a good golfer. our problem is not that he's a bad person. our problem is that he's a bad president. [ applause ] >> senator marco rubio. more of romney's speech now. so here we stand. americans have a choice a decision to make that choice you will need to know more about me and where i'd lead our country. i was born in the middle of the century in the middle of the country, the classic baby boomer.

it was a time when americans were returning from war, and eager to work. to be an american was to assume that all things were possible. when president kennedy challenged americans to go to the moon, the question wasn't if we'd get there, but it was only when we'd get there. the souls of neil armstrong's boots on the moon made permanent impressions on our souls and ann and i watched the steps together on her parent's sofa and like all americans, we went to bed that night knowing that we lived in the best country in the history of the world. god bless neil armstrong. tonight that american flag is still there on the moon, and i

don't doubt for a second that neil armstrong's spirit is still with us, that unique blend of optimism, humility and the utter confidence that when the world needs someone to do the really big stuff, you need an american. my dad had been born in mexico and his family had to leave during the mexican revolution. i grew up with stories of his family being fed by the u.s. government as war refugees and my dad never made it through college and he apprenticed as a carpenter. he had big dreams and he

convinced my mom, a beautiful young actress to give up hollywood to marry him and move to detroit. he led a great -- [ applause ] -- he led a great automobile company and became governor of the great state of michigan. we were mormons and growing up in michigan that might have seemed unusual or out of place, but i really don't remember it that way. my friends cared more about what sports teams we followed than what church we went to. my mom and dad gave their kids the greatest gift of all, the gift of unconditional love. they cared deeply about who we would be and much less about what we would do. unconditional love is a gift that ann and i have tried to pass on to our sons and now to our grandchildren. all of the laws and the legislation in the world will never heal the world like the loving hearts and arms of

mothers and fathers. you know, if every child could drift to sleep feeling rapt in the love of the family and god's love, this world would be a far more gentle and better place. my mom and dad were married for 64 years. and if you wondered what their secret was, you could have asked the local florist. because every day dad gave mom a rose which he put on her bedside table. that's how she found out what happened on the day my father died. she went looking for him, because that morning, there was no rose. my mom and dad were true partners. a life lesson that shaped me by

everyday example. when my mom ran for the senate my dad was there for her every step of the way. i can still see her saying in her beautiful voice, why should women have any less say than men about the great decisions facing our nation. don't you wish you could have been here at this convention and heard leaders like governor mary fallon and governor nikki haley and governor suzanne martinez and secretary of state condoleezza rice? as governor of massachusetts, i chose a woman lieutenant governor, a woman chief of

staff, half of my cabinet and senior officials were women. and in business i mentored and supported great women leaders who went on to run great companies. i grew up in detroit and in love with cars and i wanted to be a car guy like my dad, but by the time i was out of school, i realized that i had to go out on my own and if i stayed around michigan in the same business, i'd never really know if i were getting a break because of my dad. i wanted to go someplace new and prove myself. those weren't the easiest of days. many long hours and weekends working, and five young sons who seemed to have this need to re-enact a different world war every night. but if you ask ann and i what we'd give to break up just one more fight between the boys or wake up in the morning and discover a pile of kids asleep in our room, and well, every mom and dad knows the answer to that.

those days were the -- [ applause ] -- these were tough days on ann particularly. she was heroic through it all. five boys with our families a long way away and i had to travel a lot for my job then and i'd call to try to offer some support, but every mom knows that doesn't help get the homework done or get the kids out the door to school. and i knew that her job as a mom was harder than mine and i knew without question that her job as a mom was a lot more important than mine. and as america saw tuesday night, ann would have succeeded at anything she wanted to do.

[ applause ] like a lot of families in a new place with no family, we found kinship with a wide circle is of friends through our church. when we were new to the community, it was welcoming and as the years went by, it was a joy to help others who had just moved into town or just joined our church. we had remarkably vibrant and diverse congregations from all walks life and many who were new to america. we prayed together, and our kids played together, and we always stood ready to help each other out in different ways. that is how it is in america. we look to our communities, our faiths, our families for our joy, our support in good times and bad. it is both how we live our lives

and why we live our lives. the strength and power and goodness of america has always been based on the strength and the power and the goodness of our communities and our families and our faiths. that's the bedrock of what makes america, america. in our best days we can feel the vibrancy of america's communities large and small and when we see the new business opening up downtown and go to work in the morning and see everybody else on the block doing the same thing. it is when our son or daughter calls from college to talk about which job offer they should take and you try not to choke up when you hear that the one they like best is not too far from home. it is that good feeling when you have more time to volunteer to coach your kids' soccer team or help out on school trips burk for too many americans, those kind of good days are harder to come by and how many days have you woke up feeling that

something special was happening in america? many of you felt that way on election day four years ago. hope and change had a powerful appeal, but tonight i ask a simple question, if you felt that excitement when you voted for barack obama, shouldn't you feel that way now that he is president obama? you know, there is something wrong with the kind of job he has done as president when the best feeling you had was the day you voted for him. >> mitt romney was said to be working on his speech all week. more now after the break. ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ [ male announcer ] at&t. the nation's largest 4g network. covering 2,000 more 4g cities and towns than verizon. at&t. rethink possible. covering 2,000 more 4g cities and towns than verizon. that's a good thing, but it doesn't cover everything. only about 80% of your part b medical expenses. the rest is up to you. so consider an aarp medicare supplement insurance plan, insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company. like all standardized medicare supplement plans, they pick up some of what medicare doesn't pay. and save you up to thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket costs. call today to request a free decision guide

to help you better understand what medicare is all about. and which aarp medicare supplement plan works best for you. with these types of plans, you'll be able to visit any doctor or hospital that accepts medicare patients... plus, there are no networks, and you'll never need a referral to see a specialist. there's a range of plans to choose from, too. and they all travel with you. anywhere in the country. join the millions who have already enrolled in the only medicare supplement insurance plans endorsed by aarp, an organization serving the needs of people 50 and over for generations... and provided by unitedhealthcare insurance company, which has over 30 years of experience behind it. call today. remember, medicare supplement insurance helps cover some of what medicare doesn't pay -- expenses that could really add up. these kinds of plans could save you up to thousands in out-of-pocket costs... you'll be able choose any doctor

who accepts medicare patients. and you never need referrals. so don't wait. with all the good years ahead, look for the experience and commitment to go the distance with you. call now to request your free decision guide. this easy-to-understand guide will answer some of your questions, and help you find the aarp medicare supplement plan that's right for you.

we own this country. [ applause ]

thank you. thank you. yes, we own it. and it's not you owning it and not politicians own itting. politicians are employees of ours. they are just going to come around and beg for votes every few years. it's the same old deal. but i think it's important that you realize that you're the best in the world and whether you're democrat or whether you're a republican or whether you're libertarian or whatever, you're the best and we should not ever forget that. and when somebody does not do the job, we've got to let them go. [ applause ] >> actor and director clint eastwood turned out to be the

mystery speaker, all part of the buildup to the main event, romney's highly anticipated acceptance speech. here's more of it. >> the president hasn't disappointed you because he wanted to. he has disappointed america because he hasn't led america in the right direction. he took the presidency in a way that one that is essential, he had no experience at hand. all of his experience was in the government. i learned the real lessons about how america works from experience. and when i was 37, i helped to start a small company and my partners and i had been working for a company that was in the

business of helping other businesses. and so some of us had this idea that if we really believed that our advice was helping companies, we should invest in companies, and we should bet on ourselves and our advice. so we started a new business called bain capital. the only problem was that while we believed in ourselves, not many other people did. we were young and had never done this before, and we almost didn't get off of the ground. in those days sometimes i wondered if i had made a really big mistake. and by the way, i thought about asking for my church's pension fund to invest, but i didn't. i figured it was bad enough that i might lose any investor's money, but i didn't want to go to hell, too.

[ applause ] shows what i know. another of my partners got the episcopal church's pension fund to invest, and today there are a lot of retired priests who should thank him. that business we started with ten people has now grown into a great american success story and some of the companies we helped start are some you have heard from tonight. and some of them are the staples, where i'm pleased to see the obama campaign has been shoppinging. and the sports authority, which, of course, became a favorite of my boys. and we helped start an early childhood learning company called bright horizons that first lady michelle obama rightly praised and at a time when nobody thought that we would see a new steel mill built in america, we took a chance and built one in the cornfield of indiana. today, steel dynamics is one of the largest steel producers in the united states.

these -- these are american success stories. and yet at the centerpiece of the president's entire re-election campaign is attacking success. is it any wonder that someone who attacks success has led the worst economic recovery since the great depression? [ applause ] in america, we celebrate success. we don't apologize for success. [ applause ] now -- now, we weren't always successful at bain.

but no one ever is in the real world of business. that is what this president doesn't seem to understand. business and growing jobs is about taking risks, sometimes failing, and sometimes succeeding but always striving. it is about dreams. usually it does not work out exactly as you might have imagined. steve jobs was fired at apple. and then he came back and changed the world. it is the genius of the american free enterprise system to harness the extraordinary creativity and talent and industry of the american people with a system that is dedicated to creating tomorrow's prosperity, not trying to redistribute today's. [ applause ] that's why every president since

the great depression who came before the american people asking for a second term could look back at the last four years and say with satisfaction that you are better off than you were four years ago, except jimmy carter. and except this president.

mitt romney made his speech tonight on why he should be the next president of the united states. take a look. >> this president can ask us to be patient. this president can tell us it was someone else's fault, and this president can tell us that the next four years he'll get it right, but this president cannot tell us that you are better off

today than when he took office. america has been patient. americans have supported this president in good faith. but today, the time has come to turn the page. today the time has come for us to put the disappointments of the last four years behind us and to put aside the divisiveness and the recriminations and to forget about what might have been and to look ahead to what can be and now is a time to restore the promise of america. many americans have given up on this president, but they haven't ever thought about giving up, not on themselves, not on each other, and not on america. what is needed in our country

today is not complicated or profound. it doesn't take a special government commission to tell us what america needs. what america needs is jobs, lots of jobs. in the richest country in the history of the world, this obama economy has crushed the middle-class. family income has fallen by $4,000, but health insurance premiums are higher and food prices are higher. utility bills are higher. gasoline prices have doubled. today more americans wake up in poverty than ever before. nearly 1 of 6 americans is living in poverty. look around you. these are not strangers. these are our brothers and sisters, our fellow americans. his policies have not helped to create jobs, but depressed them. this i can tell you where president obama would take america. his plan to raise taxes on small business won't add jobs, it would eliminate them.

his assault on coal and gas and oil will send energy and manufacturing jobs to china. his trillion dollar cuts to the military will eliminate hundreds of thousands of jobs and also put our security at greater risk. his $716 billion cut to medicare to finance obama care will both hurt today's seniors and depress innovation and jobs in medicine. and his $1 trillion deficits, they slow the economy, restrain employment and cause the wages to stall. for a majority of the americans who now believe that the future is going to be better than the past, i guarantee you this, if barack obama is re-elected, you'll be right. i'm running for president to

help create a better future, and a future where everyone who wants a job can find a job. where no senior feels for the -- fears for the security of their retirement. an america where every parent knows that their child will get an education that leads them to a good job and a bright horizon, and unlike the president, i have a plan to create 12 million new jobs. [ applause ] paul ryan and i have five steps. first by 2020, north america will be energy independent by taking full advantage of our oil, our gas, our coal, our lithium, and our renewables.

second, we will give our fellow citizens the skills they need for the jobs of today and the careers of tomorrow. when it comes to the school your child will attend, every parent should have a choice and every child should have a chance. third, we'll make trade work for america by forging new trade agreements and when nations cheat in trade, there will be unmistakable consequences. and fourth, to assure every entrepreneur and every job creator that their investments in america will not vanish as have those in greece, we will cut the deficit and put america on track to a balanced budget. [ applause ]

and fifth, we will champion small businesses, america's engine of job growth and that means reducing taxes on businesses, not raising them. and it means modifying the regulations that hurtle small businesses the most. and we must rein in the skyrocketing costs of health care by replacing obama care. today women are more likely than men to start a business, and they need a president who

respects and understands what they do. and let me make this very clear. unlike president obama, i will not raise taxes on the middle class of america. as president, i'll protect the sanctity of life. i'll honor the institution of marriage. and i will guarantee america's first liberty the freedom of religion. up next, mitt romney wraps up his speech. his closing message to american voters right after this. i'm only in my 60's...

i've got a nice long life ahead. big plans. so when i found out medicare doesn't pay all my medical expenses, i got a medicare supplement insurance plan. [ male announcer ] if you're eligible for medicare, you may know it only covers about 80% of your part b medical expenses. the rest is up to you. call and find out about an aarp medicare supplement insurance plan, insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company.

like all standardized medicare supplement plans, it could save you thousands in out-of-pocket costs. call now to request your free decision guide. i've been with my doctor for 12 years. now i know i'll be able to stick with him. you'll be able to visit any doctor or hospital that accepts medicare patients. plus, there are no networks, and you never need a referral. see why millions of people have already enrolled in the only medicare supplement insurance plans endorsed by aarp. don't wait. call now. morning because my back hurt so bad. the sleep number bed conforms to you. i wake up in the morning with no back pain. i can adjust it if i need to...if my back's a little more sore. and by the time i get up in the morning, i feel great! if you have back pain, toss and turn at night or wake up tired with no energy, the sleep number bed could be your solution. the sleep number bed's secret is it's air chambers which provide ideal support and put you

in control of the firmness. and the bed is perfect for couples because each side adjusts independently to their unique sleep number. here's what clinical research has found: ® 93% of participants experienced back-pain relief. ® 90% reported reduced aches and pains. ® 87% fell asleep faster and enjoyed more deep sleep. for study summaries, call this number now. we'll include a free dvd and brochure about the sleep number bed including prices, and models plus a free $50 savings card. and how about this? steel springs can cause uncomfortable pressure points. but the sleep number bed contours to your body. imagine how good you'll feel when your muscles relax and you fall into a deep sleep! i'm not just a back surgeon, i'm also a back patient. i sleep on the sleep number bed myself and i highly recommend it to all of my patients. need another reason to call? the sleep number bed costs about the same as an

innerspring but lasts twice as long. so if you want to sleep better or find relief for your bad back, call now. call the number on your screen for your free information kit with dvd, brochure and price list. call right now and you'll also receive a $50 savings card just for inquiring about the sleep number bed. ask about our risk-free 30-night in-home trial. call now for your free information kit and a free $50 savings card. call now! mr. president, it is time to

stop blaming your predecessor for your failed policies. jeb bush speaking tonight made a crucial vote with 29 electoral votes. here's the rest of mr. romney's speech. >> president obama promised to begin to slow the rise of the oceans -- and to heal the planet. my promise is to help you and your family. [ applause ]

i will begin my presidency with a jobs tour. president obama began his presidency with an apology tour, and an america who he said dictated to other nations, and no, mr. president, america has freed other nations from dictators. every american -- [ crowd chanting "usa" ]

-- every american was relieved the day that president obama gave the order and s.e.a.l. team six took out osama bin laden. on another front every american is less secure today because he has failed to slow iran's nuclear threat. in his first tv interview as president he said that we should talk to iran. we are still talking, and iran's centrifuges are still spinning. president obama has thrown allies like israel under the bus even as he has relaxed sanctions on castro's cuba, and he abandoned the friends in poland by walking away from the missile defense commitments, and he is eager to give russia's president putin the flexibility that he desires after the election. under my administration, our friends will see more loyalty

and mr. putin will see a little less flexibility and more backbone. [ applause ] we will honor america's democratic ideals, because a free world is a more peaceful world. this is the bipartisan foreign policy legacy of truman and reagan and under my presidency, we will return to it once again. you might have asked yourself if these last years are really the america we want.

the america that was won for us by the greatest generation. does the america we want borrow $1 trillion from china? does it fail to find the jobs that are needed for 23 million people and for half of the kids graduating from college? are those schools lagging behind the rest of the developed world? and does the america we want succumb to resentment and division among americans? the america we all know has been a story of the many becoming one, and uniting to preserve liberty and uniting to build the greatest economy in the world, and uniting to save the world from unspeakable darkness and everywhere i go in america, there are monuments that list those who have given their lives for america. there's no mention of their

race, their party affiliation or what they did for a living. they lived and died under a single flag fighting for a single purpose. they pledged allegiance to the united states of america. that america, that united america can unleash an economy that will put americans back to work, that will once again lead the world with innovation and productivity and will restore every father and mother's confidence that their children's future is brighter even than that of the past. that america, that united america will preserve a military so strong that no nation would ever dare to test it. that america, that america that united america will uphold the constellation of rights that were codified in the

constitution. that united america will care for the poor and the sick, will honor and respect the elderly and give a helping hand to those in need, and that america is the best within each of us. that america we want for our children. if i'm elected president of these united states, i will work with all of my energy and soul to restore that america, to lift our eyes to a better future, and that future is our destiny. that future is out there. it is waiting for us. our children deserve it. our nation depends on it. and the peace and the freedom of the world require it, and with your help we will deliver it. let us begin that future for america tonight. thank you so very much. may god bless you. may god bless the american people, and may god bless the united states of america.

great shot. how did the nba become the hottest league on the planet? by building on the cisco intelligent network they're able to serve up live video, and instant replays, creating fans from berlin to beijing. what can we help you build? nice shot kid. the nba around the world built by the only company that could. cisco. so what i'm saying is, people like options. when you take geico, you can call them anytime you feel like saving money. it don't matter, day or night. use your computer, your smartphone, your tablet, whatever. the point is, you have options. oh, how convenient. hey. crab cakes, what are you looking at? geico. fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance.

try capzasin-hp. it penetrates deep to block pain signals for hours of relief. capzasin-hp. take the pain out of arthritis.