>> we are back in our skybox. let me introduce he is also announcing that he is leaving the institution at the end of his term. how many conventions is this for you? >> i started in 1972. >> i started -- read people in your party who have called this particular convention a little flat in tone. have you felt that way? >> i really have not, but i can account for other people. it is tough to get in. one thing i have heard is because of the security and the periphery is controlled lot by security officers, it has been difficult to get in and out. that is one of the prices you pay when you have some concerns about security. >> you were listening to a group of ohio women -- women are so

important to your party and turnout in the fall. a strong reaction to condoleezza rice. she says she has no future ambitions in politics, but are you hoping she is ron? >> she was great last night. as partisan as i have ever heard. she was pretty clear where she stood last night. i thought that was good. i thought governor martinez was excellent. i wondered what they put her between condoleezza rice and paul ryan, but after her speech last night i understand why. she really connected with me. i think she probably connected with a lot of other people. by the way, i was struck by writ not meet -- mitt romney for years ago. that was a great clip. >> how important is the speech today? >> very important. the american people do not feel they really know mitt romney. however he is going to do it tonight, he needs to let people know what makes him tick.

i think when they get a feel for the person he is, they will like camelot. there is a bit of a knock on him that he is not personable. i know him. he is funny. he is personable. he is amiable. he is a really nice guy. i hope that comes across. i am not sure why it has not in the past. >> and other person joining us who knows mitt romney well, the republican congressman from utah. he is down here on the convention floor. he will be with us. congressman, let me ask you -- two days during this convention, he said,, no excuses, game on. how important is the speech in that context? >> this is the first time mitt romney has the opportunity to introduce himself.

-- the world series will be here before you know it. a lot of americans are focusing for the very first time. mitt romney will be much like his wife, i thought she knocked out of the park. paul ryan was just great. this is really mitt romney's moment. >> steve sculley is on the floor with the chairman of the republican national committee. >> they are ready to go behind the podium. how are you holding up? >> i am doing great. i am losing my voice, of course, but it has innate -- been a good week. >> the speech tonight, what you expect to hear from it from the? >> it will be about the mitt romney story, how to get america working again. really what it will culminate into is a message of a brighter future for everybody in america. things are not going well right now. we know that. we want to talk about a positive message, the message of the american dream, and that this party will embrace success for everybody. >> the vice president will be in green bay on sunday.

wisconsin is a battleground state, is it not? >> i think the republicans will be able to take wisconsin. 10 electoral votes. that gives us a lot of options. i think we win it. i think wisconsin helped lead the way. >> have you had a chance to talk to congressman paul ryan since his speech last night? >> i did. he is doing well. he is excited about moving on and is excited about tonight. >> the chairman, reince priebus, thank you for being with us. >> you bet. >> center jon kyl of arizona and a congressman from utah. a question about your perspective -- respective bodies of congress. senator kyl, we have seen a lot of canada's before this convention it will you talk about those who are aspiring to the senate, and what the republican conference might look like if they are successful. >> we think we will be in control of the senate. that means we need to pick up

four seats. there are a lot of seats in play that were not earlier. it will depend on how well the romney ran ticket does. this is an integrated campaign for the house, senate, and the presidency. there's a lot of cooperation, particularly because paul ryan has been selected as the vice- presidential nominee terry we know paul very well. there had been something missing in the obama administration. they have not worked that well with either democrats or republicans in the congress. i think we are looking forward to the opportunity to have close collaboration with ryan and romney and begin to get things done. >> the house republicans -- with the selection of paul ryan, can you give us a sense of when the republican congress is meeting? how has your momentum changed with this election? >> every house member shares something in common with mitt romney and paul ryan. they will be on the ballot together.

it just so happens that they know, and respect, and admire paul ryan. he is the youngest member to ever become the chairman of the budget committee. that's a lot. he really truly leads us by example. not only does he talk the talk, he is a man of principle and is able to put pen to paper and put together a viable plan that, for two years running, the budget committee has passed out of the house, out of committee. that is in large part due to the leadership of paul ryan. we could not be happier to have him on this ticket. if he really is the right guy at the right time to question for both of you -- the elevation of the discussion about medicare in the fall campaign. with congressman ryan on the ticket, you say it is high time for this country to get into a serious debate. are voters ready for that debate? >> that is what chris christie, the governor of new jersey said. we are ready for an adult

conversation. as president obama himself said, medicare is going broke in eight or nine years. if the party says they are not going to touch medicare, they say they are willing to allow it to go broke. that means if you are 56 years old, you are not going to have medicare when you needed. what the republicans want to do is ensure that medicare will be there for you. nobody age 55 or older is going to have a change in their medicare. those 55 or younger can keep the traditional medicare if it wants to. but under the romney-ryan plan, if you want to go with one of the alternatives, you will be able to do that. you'll not have to pay a dime more. you can even pockets the money if you buy an insurance plan that will save you. you get a choice. that is what it comes down to. the insurance companies will be vying for business. >> congressman? >> senator kyl is exactly right. when the summit from the select

paul ryan, it meant a couple things. one, we would play offense, not defense. paul ryan is one of the best people to articulate the vision of how to make the enhancements to the various entitlement programs so they are there for future generations. we have to be crystal clear that those who are 55 years old and older, there will not be alterations, but for younger generations we need to enhance the program, make necessary adjustments, and the candid with the american people. you tell the american people the truth and tell them there is a pathway to fix this. i think will be successful. you cannot say you will have a root beer in every cup. that will not win the election. we will be candid with the american people. that is when it from me and paul ryan will be the next president and vice-president. >> do you believe seniors, who historically turned out to vote more, are ready for this? >> they have to be. they understand the country is on track. they look at the kids and their

grandkids. they look at the massive debt. we are running a debt clock here, approaching $16 trillion. you can not continue to bar that night. -- borrow that money. we are not spending money. we are borrowing and spending this money. seniors as much as anyone understand that. that is why you have to have serious leadership. it is about leadership. >> let's talk about paul ryan speech, particularly on medicare. we do not have that clip. let me talk about that medicare issue. the obama campaign has been hitting hard. i wonder about their ability to frame the issue so that people are concerned that benefits they have been paying into will not be there when they are ready to retire. >> the obama campaign has been totally dishonest. they are trying to suggest that people are going to have to

sacrifice, that they will have to lose something. as both of the congressman and i said, anybody 55 years of age or older will not have any change whatsoever. if you are less than 55 years of age, you can still have the same medicare program that exists today, but what romney and ryan are proposing is, if you are 55 or younger, you will have an alternative. you can buy insurance with money that is provided to you from the united states government. that choice will enable us to reduce the cost of care and provide a wider array of benefits because, like i said, the insurance companies will be competing for your business. therefore they will reduce their costs, enhance benefits, just as we have with medicare part d with the premiums are far lower than they were ever projected to be if people have more choices. that is the essence of the romney-rind planned. you do not have to take it if you do not wanted. but if you do, you have that choice, and it might be the best

thing for you. >> we have steve scully on the floor, then we will have a clip of congressman ryan. >> susan, as you talk about the issues of medicare and medicaid, we will pick to talk about the important issue at this convention, the traditional balloon drop. we are joined by the founder of my own pat balloon, you are the guy responsible to make sure balloon's fall on time. what is involved? >> a lot of coordination. our guys are getting set up in the catwalks we are going over final keys. it is a lot of organization. everything is going to go find. >> what is the tradition of the balloon drops over the years? it is one of those quintessential pictures we remember from conventions past. >> it has become a tradition. it is very iconic. the balloon drop, we have been doing them since 1988 for the rnc. we pushed up the quantity larger to what used to be. it is something everybody looks

forward to. it is a celebration. it looks like champagne bubbles coming off down on the crowd, you know. >> when were they hoisted to the top of the forum? how will they all come down? >> over 100,000 balloons. we inflicted them last week. they were inflicted from 8:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.. five hours. we used students from a high school locally. we have a special system worked at where we make it simple for them to inflate of rapidly. they were rigged by 6:00 p.m. that evening. it is all done in eight or nine hours. >> how do you make sure they have come down? there have been conventions for the had to pull the strings a few extra times. >> never when i am involved. >> anything else coming down the sides balloons? >> we have 500 pounds of specially made, very beautiful confetti. the drop will be very nice. we are looking forward to a great event. >> spectacular hd pictures on c-

span television. >> of course. >> thank you for joining us. >> this is the first high- definition convention, i think. this will be something to see the balloon drop. that guy has a nervous job. >> like fireworks on the fourth of july. >> let me go back to seriousness. i will surely that clip of paul ryan talking about medicare last night. >> in congress, when they take up the heavy books and the long charts about medicare, my thoughts go back to a house in janesville. my wonderful grandmother had alzheimer's. she moved in with mom and me. though she felt lost at times, we did all the little things that made her feel loved. we had help from medicare. it was there, just like it is therefore my mom today. medicare is a promise. we will honor it. irani-right administration will

protect -- a romney-arion administration will protect medicare for my generation and yours. [cheers and applause] our opponents can consider themselves on notice. in this election. on this issue, the usual posturing on the left is not going to work. mitt romney and i know the difference between protecting a program and a reading it. our nation needs this debate. we will win this debate. [cheers and applause] >> that is paul ryan on medicare. i will give it since we have talked about medicare to another important issue, immigration. your state has been ground zero

for some of the immigration debate over the past couple of years. people like former florida governor jeb bush have been saying that this party needs to revisit its approach about immigration policy. what is your view? >> john mccain and i have for years been trying to have a balanced approach. we tried to get legislation passed in the senate which did not pass. then-senator obama was one of the people who opposed the legislation we were trying to put forward by voting for some killer amendments. i think the american people are ready for a discussion. once they know the administration will enforce the laws that currently exist. the problem is this administration has made it very clear they have no intention of enforcing current laws because they do not like them. that is what has to change. the opportunity for real reform will exist when president romney says, ok, we will enforce the law. we will also find ways to deal with all of the people who are

here illegally and provide guest worker opportunities for those who we need to help us with our economy. that is the way forward. i think that requires the collection of mitt romney. >> what is next for you after the senate? >> i am not sure. i will leave the senate at the end of this term. i believe in the private sector. i want to protect the private sector. >> thank you for being with us. >> i appreciated very much. >> will return to steve scalise on the floor. the music is getting underway. steve? >> we are here with the ohio attorney general on the comment center kyle was to send about whether this campaign can be about serious issues as we look at the deficit and the debt. the comments about medicare and medicaid. is the country ready for this conversation? >> that is a great question. i think they are. one indication is, when paul ryan was selected by governor romney, commentator said the

country is not ready for this debate. he has been very well received. his speech last night was well- received. i think people are. we cannot sleep these problems under the rug any longer. its huge, huge deficit. medicare and medicaid, social security -- people are ready to deal with them. >> in 2000, tim russert had the iconic white board. many people say it is now ohio, ohio, ohio. how critical is this for the campaign's? >> it is critical for both. it will come down to a couple other states. we have looking to a close race in ohio. i was heartened by what i have been hearing. last sunday, a very reliable paul was -- poll was a dead heat

between mitt romney and the president, 10% undecided. >> you will be watching the governor's speech tonight. a prime vantage point with the ohio delegation did what is governor romney needed to do? >> i like in this race to 1980. people have made up their mind that obama has not done a great job. the swing voters have made their mind up. the real question is, are they comfortable with romney? the same issue back in 1980 when we had carter running against reagan. people knew he did not do a good job, but they were not sure about ronald reagan. it broke in the end a very strong for reagan. i think it is a possibility that a strong that will happen this time. >> thank you for being with us. >> congressman jason schiff its -- chaafetz is still here with

us. i wanted to talk about the get out of the vote effort in western states. one thing that is interesting is that former new mexico governor gary johnson is pulling in some of the western states in a high single digits. that could make a difference for the outcome. how will you make sure that republicans support this ticket? >> their desire to defeat barack obama. they recognize, i think, the implications of former years of an untethered barack obama. we will probably see republicans and independents come together to say, we have to do the right thing. let's not waste their vote. let's defeat president obama and get this country back on track. big energy and big enthusiasm moving forward, absolutely moving forward with the campaign. a lot of young people are involved. the other thing, mitt romney will have a financial advantage. he has out fund raised the

president. he will have more assets going into the last days of the campaign. >> are there any issues in your own campaign for reelection, in your district, that we have not talked about tonight that you will be emphasizing? >> is about jobs and the economy. you cannot avoid foreign policy. you have to talk about the denigration of the military. if you look at the physical infrastructure we have, that will have to be beefed up. there is a lot of waste, fraud, and abuse. we'll have to deal with the sequestration issue. that will still be an issue that comes up in the next 60 days. >> any idea of what the outcome of that will be? >> mitt romney has laid out very clearly, said very strongly, we can no longer have the least number of shifts we have had in decades. we cannot do that and still expect to be an economic and military superpower. focus on jobs and the economy.

that is job one. we have to look at the federal government -- protect united states of america from our foreign adversaries. they are real, they are out there. it is something mitt romney is very confident about moving forward. >> by coincidence, the c-span delegation has been sharing the same hotel as the top delegation. we have seen the congressman in the lobby. >> you guys are a rowdy group. in comparison to the utah delegation. let's compare apples to apples, but still. >> thank you very much for giving us your talk tonight. >> thank you. >> steve scalise is on the floor. >> we are joined by utah senator orrin hatch. he faced a tough primary. you are running from -- for reelection to read you have a lei from hawaii. where did that come from? >> one of the hawaii women. >> mitt romney, you have known

him for many years. what does he need to do tonight? >> he just needs to do himself -- the himself. -- be himself. this is one heck of a guy. he is honest, a good man, a wonderful family man. he has been successful with the utah olympics, the governor ship, he has done a lot. he will do a very good job. his wife did a very good job you do you think the media have been fair in the coverage thus far of mitt romney? >> i have not been watching a lot, but i think it is unfair. we expect that. we know how tough it will be. >> will we hear more about his mormon faith? >> i suspect we will hear some of that. what people need to realize is that, mormons are just trying to

live the wonderful teachings of jesus christ. that summarizes our belief. we want to live in accordance with what jesus christ taught. we are also some of the biggest supporters of israel, of the jewish people, here in america and over in israel. we are a people of peace wherever they are, including our muslim brother and sisters -- brothers and sisters. the real name of the church is the church of jesus christ of latter-day saints. mitt romney is the epitome of what mormon mails should be. >> has there been a misunderstanding about your faith in care of this has been a misunderstanding from the beginning. people who know their mormon neighbors are generally very happy to have them there. they know they are morally upright, decent, honorable people. they live good lives. they do not drink or smoke.

frankly, the whole goal is to be more like a savior, jesus christ. that kind of sums up the way they feel. it is just a nickname for the church. the owner name for the church is the church of jesus christ of latter-day saints. it is the fourth-largest church in america. >> have you had a chance to talk to mitt romney? what is his new tonight? >> i have not had a chance, but i do chat with his kids once in a while. i do not think many have had a chance. they have kept behind the stage. i know the man. he is one of the great people in this country. he is one guy who can pull us out of the mess we are in. that is all i can ask of him. get us out of this mess. if anybody can do it, it is mitt romney.

he has been successful in everything he has ever tried, whether the utah olympics, bain capital, or being governor of the very difficult state, massachusetts. 85% of the state legislature opposed almost everything he was doing, yet he brought them together and did a great job. ted kennedy used to tell me he was really respectful of mitt romney. he said, this is one good man. for him to volunteer, when he has everything, to have a terrific life of leisure and everything else, for him to volunteer to take over this gut- wrenching job at this got- wrenching time as president of the united states, you cannot help but love the guy for being willing to do that. >> senator orrin hatch of utah, thank you very much. >> nice to be with you. >> they are gathering the convention delegates to order. the gavel will come down in a couple of minutes.

i want to tell you about the evening. as soon as the convention is over, we will open up phone lines on this important last night to get your reaction to governor romney's speech. we will hear about well out -- how you think he presented himself and his ideas to the public. if we will also take reaction on twitter. we will be part of that conversation, beginning soon after 11:00 eastern time. let me give you a sense of how the night will proceed. they have divided up into hourlong segments. the evening session will begin in the 7:00 the hour, congressmen bonnie mack -- connie mack of florida, a video tribute to resident -- president reagan, and newt and cassette grin -- gingrich. in the 9:00 hour, there is an emphasis on governor romney's past career highlights. you'll hear from the campaign

chair bobwhite, the founder of staples, the national retail chain, tom stemberg. staples was part of governor romney's bain experience. we would hear from kerry healy, who served as lieutenant governor in massachusetts when mr. romney was governor there. a group of former olympic athletes will be speaking there. many activities and i will be off the main stage. in the 10:00 hour, senator rubio of florida will be introducing mitt romney. we will hear governor romney's presidential acceptance speech. gavel-to-gavel coverage here, without commentary on c-span 3 lots of commentary is available from you and convention delegates on our campaign convention hub. you can have your laptop or tablet in your lap and watch the commentary from the floor and around the country via twitter

and join in on that conversation. we will take you down to that convention floor. we will see you in our skybox as soon as the convention is over. [conversation] [crowd murmuring]

[crowd murmuring] x ladies and gentlemen, please give a very well -- warm welcome to the speaker of the house, john boehner. [cheers and applause] >> thank you all. delegates, alternates, ladies and gentlemen, the 2012 republican national convention will come to order. before the presentation of colors, please join me in welcoming the united states central command joint forces color guard team. [cheers and applause]

>> left, left, left. one, too, 3, 4, left, left. left, left, left, marked time. left, left, left turn. present. bring it back up, bring it back up. >> please remain standing for the pledge of allegiance, the national anthem, and the invocation. >> it is my pleasure to welcome

a marine combat veteran and former executive director of the republican party of hawaii who will lead us in the pledge of allegiance. [applause] >> i pledge allegiance, to the flag, of the united states of america, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. mahalo and semper fi. [cheers and applause] >> please welcome to the states -- stage the performing group who will lead us in the national anthem. [applause]

♪ oh say can you see by the dawn's early light ♪ ♪ what so proudly we hail at the twilight's last gleaming. ♪ whose broad stripes and bright stars ♪ through the perilous fight ♪ over the ramparts we watched ♪ ♪were so gallantly streaming and the rockets' red glare ♪ the bombs bursting in air ♪ gave proof through the night ♪ there our flag was still ♪

you -- and does that star spangled banner yet wave ♪ ♪ over the land of the free and the home of the brave ♪ [cheers and applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, please

welcome can hutchins of massachusetts to lead us in this evening's invocation. [applause] >> are kind and loving heavenly father, with our heads in prayer at the beginning of this invocation, we thank you for the wondrous blessings that fill our lives, the duty of the heavens and the earth and all things on it that were created under the hands as a lasting testament to that level for us. father in the world of turmoil, where evil seeks evo, we humbly pray for those who suffer physically and spiritually. we pray for the little children who are often left homeless and hungry and afraid. have our hearts filled with the

desire to reach out and provide of our substance so that those who have lost their homes, those who feel the ravages of disease and war and famine, might receive succor and be filled with rays of hope and faith. we thank you fought other -- we thank you, father, for the healing gifts of the atonement of that son jesus christ and his resurrection. we know it is by your sacred offerings that we can be cleansed and made worthy. we thank you for the gift of the holy ghost, the instrument through which we may have a spiritual witness of the and the sun. -- thy sun. us to have a joyous part in our homes and families and in this great land that was born of the kind of freedoms that bless us with the capacity to live and worship according to the

dictates of our conscience. this prayer is offered in a sacred and holy name of jesus christ, amen. [applause] >> please remain standing while the colors are retired. >> left, left, left, left. left, left, left. one, too, 3, 4. left, left, left.

[applause] >> as the permanent chair of this convention, i am proud to declare the honorable mitt romney of massachusetts and the honorable paul ryan of wisconsin, the republican party nominees for president and vice president of the united states of america. [cheers and applause] ♪

♪ ♪ >> please give a warm welcome to congressmen connie mack fort --

of a florida, our candidate for the united states senate. [cheers and applause] >> once again, it is morning in america. there are new leaders on the horizon. mitt romney and paul ryan, america's comeback team. growing up, i had a plaque on my wall that read, battles do not always go to the fastest or the strongest. sooner or later, those who win are those who think they can. we have always been a people with big dreams and limitless potential. after all, this is america. our success is built on our values and our principles. so many of them are under attack. our commitment to freedom and liberty and to everything that makes our country great seems to embarrass the blame america

first crowd. they penalize individual achievement, praising the power of government. but they have not, cannot, and will not destroy our spirit. [cheers and applause] we are proud to be americans. we are proud of our nation. we are proud of our heritage. we are proud of our success. it is our commitment to the american story. it is our athletes in london who brought home more medals than any other country, even china. [cheers and applause] it is our best and brightest, who landed an extraordinary rover on mars. it is nobel prize winners, scientists, writers, artists. the second to none who inspire us all. these are the achievements brought about by a free society that honors individual effort. we owe it to those who have

given so much to regain our strength and remain the strongest force for freedom the world has ever seen. our allies deserve an unwavering support. r&d these need to know that we stand to defend freedom -- our enemies need to know we stand to defend freedom at all costs. [cheers and applause] america was built on the belief that free enterprise, hard work, passion, and faith. we have the awesome responsibility to make that dream a reality. that dream is not an impossible dream. it is the american dream. it is sure, it is strong, it is steady. mitt romney's plans to restore america's promise and purpose will be realized, and the american dream will once again be available to all her children.

we are in nation of dreamers. henry ford, thomas edison, alexander graham bell, the wright brothers, dreamers like neil armstrong, who sought new land and took a giant leaps into american exceptional wasn't. dreamers like my friend myexceptionalism. dreamers like my friend. let me tell you his story. in 1960, he fled castro's cuba. he came to new york. he became a taxi driver. he worked hard and saved his money. he became a citizen. he moved to florida. he started a business building boats. he raised a family. he put his children to school. he sold his business. now he worries about what opportunities lie ahead for his children and their children.

he has lived the american dream, as have so many others. that is what this election is all about. making the american dream a reality again. it is not about the past, what was done wrong. it was not -- it is not about blaming america. it is quite the opposite. tonight we embark on a renewal of the american dream. tonight we honor those who have come before us and have done so much, many have even given their lives. tonight, we honor our children and their children, to insure their dreams, whether it is playing under the lights or starting a business or being a doctor or nurse or a soldier or salesman. or even a president or vice president. dreams can become a reality.

after all, this is america. it is morning once again. and thank you. god bless america. god bless you. thank you. i love you, florida. [cheers and applause] ♪ >> do not let anyone tell you that america's best days are behind her. that the american spirit has been vanquished. we have seen the triumph too often in our lives to stop believing in it now. >> for more years. four more years. >> these were golden years in the american revolution. when freedom gained new life and america reached for her best.

as we continue our journey, think of those who travel before us. these are the boys. these are the men who took the cliffs. these are the champions who helped free a continent. these are the heroes who helped end a war. we see and hear again the echoes of our past. the song, it echoes out forever and fills the unknowing air. it is the americans on the. it is hopeful - the american song. it is hopeful, big party, idealistic, daring. -- big-hearted, idealistic,

daring. and fair. >> the first woman ever nominated to the supreme court. that is our heritage. >> these things, for all our problems and differences, we are together. we raise our voices to the author of this most tender music. may he continue as we fill the room with our sound and unity, a faction, and love. one people, under god -- >> mr. gorbachev, tear down this wall. dedicated to the dreams of freedom he has placed in the human heart. they rushed forward, streaming, across the border.

we call upon you to pass that dream of freedom and a hopeful world. >> mr. speaker, the president of the united states. >> thank you very much. i have a letter with me. it came from peter sweeney, he is in the second grade in the riverside school in at dr. -- rocco center. he said, i hope you did baca, or you might have to take a -- make a speech in your pajamas. [laughter] what ever else history may say about me when i am gone, i hope it will report that i appealed to your best hopes, not your worst fears. to your confidence rather than your doubts. in this springtime of hope, some sunlight -- america's is

eternal. thank you, and god bless america. [cheers and applause] >> please welcome former speaker newt gingrich of georgia, and his wife, c allista gingrich. [cheers and applause] >> thank you. thank you for that warm welcome. what a wonderful tribute to president reagan and the spirit of the american people. >> it is fantastic to see so many friends here, friends from decades of service to the party, service in public life, and those who have helped us over the past few years. we are delighted that tonight we come together to once again

renew the american spirit and put real leadership back in the white house this november. [cheers and applause] >> the election of mitt romney and paul ryan will decisively move america to a better future. remembering president reagan reminds us that the choices we make matter. this year is as important as the choice we made in 1980. >> over three decades have passed since ronald reagan was first elected to the white house. yet the impact of his leadership is still evident today. while in office, president reagan had three major goals. to restore the economy, to revive the american spirit, and to defeat totalitarianism

democracyng throughout the world. >> by remaining true to his conviction, through his relief -- belief in the american people, and with tremendous optimism, president reagan achieve these goals. >> it is striking how president carter and president obama both took our nation down a path that in four years weekend america's confidence in itself and our hope for a better future. >> both weaken respect for america abroad. both increased government programs sold with waste and inefficiency that failed to produce results. both made promises they could not keep. as a consequence of ineffective policies, both were unable to revive our economy and create jobs. >> for example, both crippled

american energy production when there were better ways to develop and use our abundant energy resources. the romney plan for north american energy independence is exactly the kind of bold, visionary leadership reagan believed in. it is what we need now. [cheers and applause] >> the reagan presidency also teaches us that there is a better way to put americans back to work, creating millions of jobs and helping every american to achieve success. the reagan program of tax cuts, regulatory reform, and spending controls worked. in smallnd's belief business owners and entrepreneurs -- reagan's belief

in small business owners and entrepreneurs is a stark contrast to obama's massive deficits and a passion for taxing those who create jobs. the romney plan for a stronger middle-class has deep roots in ronald reagan's approach. >> reagan's commitment to reform welfare and create a work requirement was a major achievement when he was governor of california. his pioneering work led to the historic welfare reform bill that congress and the president past 30 years later. this bipartisan legislation reduce the size of government, made our country more competitive, and put millions of americans back to work. [applause] >> tragically, president obama gutted this achievement and,

like jimmy carter, over four years produced little effective legislation that brought the two parties to gather in the interest of the nation. of the working requirement in welfare reform is just one example of his direct repudiation of president reagan's values. obama is proud of what he has done, and of his politically motivated partisanship, but he should be ashamed for putting politics before people. [cheers and applause] >> the governor romney will return america to work, and to the principles that are at the core of president reagan's legacy. this year, the american people will once again have an important choice to make. >> each of us must commit

ourselves in the tradition of ronald reagan to come together. president reagan said, there is no substitute for victory. this november, we cannot settle for anything else -- a less. [cheers and applause] this is the most critical election of our lifetime. each of us must do our part now to insure that america remains, in the tradition of president reagan, a land of freedom, hope, and opportunity. thank you, god bless you, and god bless america. [cheers and applause] ♪

♪ ed, sealed,ign delivered"] >> one of the reasons the united states is the greatest country mankind has ever known is because, throughout our history, people from across the world have made a choice to make

america their home. >> at times, they have helped make america the great symbol of freedom is. >> i believe in the promise of america. with hard work, anything is possible, regardless of where we come from. >> that inspiring story was repeated time and time again. millions of hispanic americans have strengthened america. >> at our convention takes place in a city that exemplifies how hispanics has contributed -- have contributed. >> at every corner of the united states, hispanics have helped create america's history. >> in reaching each aspect of our culture, strengthening our families, reinvigorate -- reinvigorating our faith. >> they are defending america with bravery and exemplary patriotism. >> when i think of the

republican party of lincoln and reagan, i see a political party much in line with the values that latinos share. >> we share a belief that america is really an exceptional nation. >> or with hard work, dreams can come true. >> america's a entrepreneurial spirit is alive in the hispanic community. millions of hispanics are working hard to achieve a better future for their loved ones. that is the american dream. >> it is not a coincidence that hispanics who have achieved historic milestones are republicans. >> the first hispanic member of congress. >> the first latino governor -- all republicans. >> hispanics will continue to be one of the leading voices of the republican party. the bonds that unite us are the pillars of the grand old party. >> our hispanic american leaders are as diverse as our people. >> we have seen the election of three governors. >> a senator from florida. >> the soon to be elected

senator from texas, ted cruz. >> in 2010 alone, all the hispanics elected to congress in a wave of reform or republicans. >> new faces are always a merchant at the state and local level. >> inspiring examples of how bright art teacher can be. >> for far too long the hispanic community has been taken for granted by the other party. they deserve and expect much more than empty promises. >> front candidates during election time. >> it is not just about si se puede. >> it needs to be about como se puede. >> for the sake of our grandchildren, we must do better. i know how to revive the american dream. my commitment is that i will not let you down. >> hispanics will have a critical role in the future of the republican party. with mitt romney, hispanics will play a leading role in the

coming american research institute the american experience continues to unfold. >> our country will be further enriched. >> leadership by hispanic men and women, and the new leadership to come. >> together. >> together. >> we can revive the american dream. [cheers and applause] >> i am honored and humbled to speak to you tonight. i am incredibly proud of my father, and i love him dearly. it is my privilege to say a few words in spanish, so please bear with me for a moment. [speaking spanish]

>> it's easy to forget. thank you. it's easy to forget that the story of my father's success begins with the story of two

immigrants. my grandfather, who came to this country with little more than hope in the opportunity of america. through their hard work and perseverance, they lived the american dream. they gave opportunity to their children they would not have had anywhere else. the republican party is dedicated to preserving that opportunity for all americans. [applause] we have had the privilege of hearing about different chapters of the same inspiring story from governors sandoval and martinez and seem to be senator cruz. we are seeing the story played

out in the lives of many other hispanic americans who have become leaders in the republican party and throughout our nation. these leaders play a vital role in the romney-run comeback, as we fight to put america back on the path to prosperity. thank you. [applause] >> are country was founded upon the american dream of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. for generations, americans have worked hard to preserve these dreams. but what is this american dream? for some, it is the opportunity to achieve prosperity and make their own way. for others, it is the opportunity to provide for their children strong education and career opportunities. whatever the american dream is to you, that is very court is

the belief in freedom. freedom to go where you want to go and choose what is important to you. to achieve your god-given right to be who you want to be. >> i want to be a scientist. i want to be a doctor. >> i want to be a teacher. >> i am going to own my own business. >> i am going to find a cure for cancer. >> i am going to leap the tallest building in new york. >> i want to be the next mark zuckerberg. >> i want to be an engineer. >> the next generation of americans has the drive to reach their dreams.

will they be equipped to pursue them? >> ladies and gentlemen, delegates and alternates, please give a warm welcome to the former governor of the great state of florida, jeb bush. >> thank you. thank you all very much. [cheers and applause] welcome to florida. before i began my remarks, i have something personal i would like to share with you. i have been so blessed to be

part of a family that has committed its life to public service. my granddad and my father have been incredible role models for meat and served our country honorably. my brother, well, i love my brother. [applause] he is a man of integrity, courage, and honor, and during an incredibly challenging time, he kept us safe. [applause] so, mr. president, it is time to stop blaming your predecessor for your failed economic policies.

you were dealt a tough hand, but your policies have not worked. in the fourth year of your presidency, a real leader would accept responsibility for his actions, and you haven't done it. gotten that off my chest, let's talk a little bit about our kids and education. this election is about the future of this nation. we can shake that future with what we do here. with what we do on november 6. we can restore america's greatness. that starts with a strong economy, a smart energy policy, lower deficits, and the president who puts america's workers and job creators first. but to have a great future, a

secure future, a future that is equal to our potential as a nation, we need to do something else. we must make sure that our children and grandchildren are ready for the world we are shaping today. it starts in our homes, in our communities, and especially in our schools. as a candidate in governor, i visited over 400 florida schools. i saw children read their first sentences, saw their first long division problems, explore the miracles of chemistry and physics. that is the essence of education. students getting a chance at a future. there are many reasons to believe america's future is bright, but also reasons to worry. of 34 advanced nations in the world, american students ranked 17th in science, 25th in math. only one-quarter of high-school graduates are ready for their

next desks. china and india produced eight times more engineering students each year than the united states. this is a moral cost to our country, our failing schools need to be fixed. we say that every child in america has an equal opportunity, but tell that to a kid in his classroom learning is not respected. tell that to eight parent stuck at a school where there is no leadership. tell that to young, talented teacher who just got laid off because she did not have tenure. the sad truth is that equality of opportunity does not exist in many of our schools. we give some kids a chance, but not all. that failure is the great moral and economic issue of our time and it is hurting all of america. [applause] i believe we can meet this challenge. we need to set high standards

for students and teachers, and provide students and their parents the choice is they deserve. the first step is a simple one. we must stop prejudging children based on their race, ethnicity, or household income. [applause] we must stop excuse in failure in our schools and start removing -- start rewarding improvement and success. we must have high academic standards that are benchmark to the best in the world. all kids can learn. governor romney believes it, and the data proves it. while he was governor, massachusetts raised standards, and today their students lead the nation in academic performance. here in florida, in 1999, we were at the bottom of the nation in education. for the last decade, the state has been on a path of reform.

under the leadership of governor rick scott and local leaders, our focus every day is whether students are learning. that is in it. today, where students are reading on grade level, passing rigorous college prep courses, and graduating from high school, and perhaps most exciting, those traditionally left behind are showing the greatest gains. among african-american students, florida is ranked fourth in the nation are academic improvement. among low-income students, we are ranked third for gains. among students with disabilities, we are ranked first. among latino students, the gains were so big, they require a new metric. right now, fourth grade hispanic students read as well or better than the average of all students in 21 states and the district of columbia. [applause]

these kids were once written off, but today, thanks to teachers like sean duffy, we are changing that. >> i am honored to be an educator, to help the next generation of leaders, thinkers, s.ilders, and entrepreneurshi sadly, i am part of a dwindling field. i've seen too many good teachers come and go. that teachers get locked into the system, and good teachers leave for more money. what we are teaching does not always match what our students actually need. to that end, i helped launch a stem black in my high school. these labs focused on -- i helped launch a stem lab.

we turn students away from education each year by not providing a robust curriculum that keeps up with a world in which the students live and will eventually work. at the end of the day, all of what we do, from the educators to the policymakers, has to be student focused and student center. after all, students matter most, and that is what counts. thank you. >> thank you, sean. i know that your high school is proud of your efforts, and we need more great teachers like you. teachers who don't give up on a kid, who recognize that every child can learn, and don't waste of precious year of a student's life. if you are a great teacher and your students are mastering their subjects, no matter your age or years of experience, you should have a job.

education is hard work, but if you follow some core principles and challenge the status quo, you can get great results. here is another thing we can do. let's give every parent in america a choice about where their child attends school. [applause] everywhere in our lives, we get a chance to choose. go down in the supermarket aisle and you will find an incredible selection of milk. you can get a whole milk, buttermilk, 2% milk, low-fat milk, or skim milk, organic milk, and milk with extra vitamin d. chocolate, strawberry, or vanilla. doesn't even taste like milk. they even make milk for people who cannot drink milk. my question to you is, shouldn't parents have that kind of choice in schools to meet the needs of

their students? .overnor romney gets it mitt romney believes parents, regardless of the code or income, should be able to fit -- to send their child to the school that fits them best. that has set him up against some entrenched interests. many draw the line at school choice. sorry, a kid. giving you an equal opportunity would be too risky, and what upset powerful political forces that we need to win elections. i have a simple message for them. you can either help it -- help the politically powerful unions, where you can help the kids. -- or you can help the kids. for those that have been involved in this, you know it is

are to take on the unions. they fund campaigns. they are well-organized. election day, they will show up. meanwhile, the kids are not old enough to vote, but you and i know who deserves a choice. governor romney knows it, too. let me introduce you to frantz lucide. because we get them a choice, he had a great election. >> i grew up in the inner city of miami, in a place where your zip code determines your chance of success. my own childhood was in failing schools. thanks to governor bush's's school choice program, i got the chance to choose a better school. making education a priority, i enrolled in one of that tavis i schools in miami -- one of the

toughest high schools in miami. it was my mother really pushed for a choice in my education. i am glad she did. her devotion to my future as given the chance to succeed. i graduated from wagner college and looking forward to a life of learning and serving my community. [applause] the knows what the future would have held if i didn't have a choice in my education. but i do know the numbers for failure, and i probably would not have a good chance. governor bush's school choice program gave me a chance to achieve academic success in a school that was the best fit for me. i took it from there. thank you. >> it is an incredible honor to

see you grow up, his story and many others are driving force across this nation to bring about necessary change. some of the biggest reformers are republicans. governor mitch daniels in indiana and bobby jindal in louisiana have expanded school choice beyond -- expanded school choice beyond what we have here in florida. the governor in maine and georgia are transforming education by pushing schools to harness the power of technology and digital learning. others are raising the best teachers and separating dealt the ineffective ones. that earns some enemies. some of them slashed the superintendent of the tires, but he did not back down. governor scott walker in

wisconsin led his state to adopt reforms that promote early literacy, and required that teacher in dalmatians inc. student achievement. governor sandoval pushed for reforms of last in, first out, where teachers are hired and fired based on their years in the system, not their effect in the classroom. mitt romney understands that states must lead this national movement. in massachusetts, governor romney narrowed the gap between students of different races, raised testing standards, and put into place a merit scholarship, the john and abigail adams scholarship, to give students four tuition free

years at any massachusetts institute of higher learning. he intends to be a champion for equality of opportunity, a president who always puts students first. in this election, remember this. our future as a nation is at stake. the fact is, this election is not just about one office. it is about one nation. if we want to continue to be the greatest nation on the planet, we must give our kids what we promised them, and equal opportunity. it starts in the classroom. it starts in our communities. it starts where you live, and it starts with electing mitt romney the next president of the united states. thank you. god bless you. god bless our excellent teachers, and god bless the united states of america. [cheers and applause]

>> for the last 3.5 years, we have seen hopes and dreams diminish a false promises and weak leadership. americans are tired of being tired. to all of the thousands of good and decent americans who want nothing more than a better chance, a fighting chance, hold on all little longer. a better america begins tonight. we launched this campaign in june on a farm in new hampshire. each of us has chosen to walk a different path end life. we are united by one great, overwhelming passion. we love america. we believe in america. it has been an extraordinary

journey. we have a moral responsibility to keep america the strongest nation on earth, the whole of the earth, the shining city on a hill. this president puts his faith in government. we put our faith in the american people. hours will be a united party with a winning ticket for america. we are free people pursuing happiness in their own way, creating free enterprise is that employ more and more americans. i see america with a growing middle class, with rising standard of living. i see children even more successful than their parents, and others congratulating them for their achievement, not attacking them for it. join me in the next set for that deffenbaugh -- for that destination. the dreamers can dream of a

little bigger and we can start again. this time, we will get it right. our greatest days are ahead. we are, after all, americans. god bless this great nation. god bless the united states of america. thank you so much. ♪ ♪

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>> please welcome back representative cathy mcmorris rogers, from the great state of washington. >> ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the final evening of the 2012 republican convention.

we have had a few wonderful days, hearing the inspiring stories of republicans from across the country. from some of our party's great leaders like governor jeb bush, who we just heard from. to every day men and women, working hard to survive in the president barack obama -- in the obama economy. they have told us how we can do better. they have reminded us that we built it, and we have learned about how under a romney-rhine administration, we can change it. of course, tonight is the main event. tonight, we will hear from the next president of the united states, mitt romney. [cheers and applause]

and we have chosen him because we believe in america. we believe in an america that doesn't punish success, but celebrates it. and america that encourages hard work and personal responsibility. and we believe in an america where every child has a chance to succeed. tonight, we'll hear from some of the people who know mitt romney best. in their words and from their stories we will learn why he is the right man to defeat barack obama this november. and restore america to greatness. we will hear from their family friends whose lives have been faithd by the romney's

and generosity. we will hear from former colleagues who worked beside him when he was governor of massachusetts. you'll hear from the ceo of stables, a successful company that mitt romney helped create and expand during his time at bain capital. we are delighted to have a number of former olympians with us tonight, to remind us of the great comeback that mitt romney engineered at the salt lake city olympics. and we are excited that florida senator mark a rubio is here -- marco rubio is here to share his personal story and vision of an america where everyone can still capture the american dream. to get the next portion of the evening started, i would like to welcome to the stage grant

bennett, president of cps technologies, and friend of mitt romney. [applause] >> i have been blessed to spend thousands of hours over many years with a dear friend and remarkable man named mitt romney. these wonderful, even glorious hours together were spent in serving our fellow men and women. they were spent in service in our church. [applause] we embraced christ's admonition, in as much as she had done it to one of the least of these, you have done it unto me.

the church of jesus christ of latter-day saints, of which we are members, has an unpaid lay clergy. walt raising his family and pursuing his career, mitt romney serve in our church, the voting 10, 15, and even 20 hours a week doing so -- devoting even 20 hours a week to doing so. he did so on his own time and at his own expense. [applause] i was his assistant when he was our pastor. i had a front-row seat, and it was marvelous to behold. as we began working together, he asked, how early can i call you

in the morning? i answered, 6:00 a.m. i regret my answer. [laughter] mitt romney became my alarm clock. a typical morning call. grant, it's mitt. i am at the airport. hazel young tripped last night and bruised her hip. please visit her this evening in give her my love. i will arrange for meals and i will visit her on my way home from the airport tomorrow. in our early morning calls, he did notiscuss questions of theology. he found the definition of religion, given by james in the new testament, to be a practical guide. pure religion is to visit the fatherless and the windows in their affliction -- andy widows

in their affliction. so what specifically did mitt romney do as our pastor? for one or two evenings each week, and several hours every weekend, week after week and year after year, he met with those seeking help with the burdens of real life, burdens we all face at one time or another. unemployment, sickness, financial distress, loneliness. mitt prayed and counseled with church members seeking spiritual direction. single mothers raising children. couples with marriage problems.

use with addiction. immigrants separated from their families, and individuals whose heat had been shut off, to uphold the dignity and respect the privacy of those who came, he met with them in private and in confidence. he has upheld that trust. [applause] his response to those who came was compassion in all its beautiful varieties. he had a listening to the year and a helping hand, drawing on the skills and resources of those in our congregation. he provided food and housing, rides to the doctor, and companions to sit with those who were ill. he shoveled snow and rake leaves for the elderly. he took down tables and swept

floors at church dinners. he was often the last to leave. years later, i became the pastor. only then did i understand the dedication this calling requires and the clarity this service provides into the full range of our shared inexperience. mitt challenged each of us to find our life by losing it in service to others. he issued that challenge again and again. [applause] the church itself was a marvelous vehicle for extending that challenge. mitt seldom delivered the sermon himself. he gave that opportunity to fellow church members. he saw to involve everyone, so

everyone could grow. he taught faith in god, personal integrity, self-reliance, and service to our fellow man. [applause] and he did what he challenged us to do. the lead by example. bge he led by example. i treasure every minute we served together. i am grateful for my apprenticeships in the things that matter most, under the hands of a deeply good man named mitt romney. [applause]

it is my privilege to introduce two families from our congregations. that and ted will be followed by pam. [applause] >> good evening, folks. my wife and i are people of modest means. i made my living as a professional firefighter for 27 years. [applause] prior to moving to randolph, vt., we lived in massachusetts. it was there and we met mitt

romney and his family. it has been over 30 years since we have lost our son that, david. the memories are still vivid and painful. but we wanted to share them with you, because david's story story, part of mitt's and america deserve to hear it. back in the early 1970's, mitt visited our home numerous times. with his older son tagging along. he was in the vanguard of our support system when we receive the news that no parent is prepared to confront. you cannot measure a man's character based on the words he utters before adoring crowds

during times that arepy is revealed in his actions during times of trouble. the quiet hospital room of a dying boy. this is the time to make that assessment. in 1979, tragedy struck our family when our youngest son, david, was diagnosed with hodgkin's disease. it was a cancer. >> over a period of seven months, he was in and out of children's hospital in boston

for treatment. throughout that agonizing time, mitt romney took time from his busy schedule to visit david. they developed a love and friendship. on one of his visits, he discovered that david was very fond of fireworks. he went out and bought a box full of every kind of fireworks that had to sit on the closet shelf because they could not be set off in the city. we waited until we were able to go to maine, where we set them off on the sand dunes, with permission from the fire and police departments. for that simple but awful gift, mitt brought joy to a young boy who had not experienced any for too long. he also gave the rest of us a welcome relief. on another visit, david, knowing mitt had gone to law school at harvard, asked him if he would

help him write a will. he had some prized possessions he wanted to make sure were given to his closest friends and family. the next time mitt went to the hospital, he was equipped with the old yellow legal pad and pen. together, they made davids will. that is a task that no child should never have to do. but it gave david peace of mind. so after david's death, we were able to give his skateboard, his model rockets, and his fishing gear to his best friends. he also made it clear that his brother, peter, should get his ruger .22 rival. how many men do you know that would take the time that of their busy lives to visit a terminally ill 14-year-old and help him settle his affairs? david also help us plan his funeral. he wanted to be buried in his

boy scout uniform. he wanted mitt to announce his eulogy, and he was there to honor that request. we will be ever grateful to mitt for his love and concern. [applause] >> we humbly with thy god will continue to bless mitt romney and paul ryan in their efforts. in doing so, he will bless the united states of america. [applause]

>> in 1982, my husband, grant, and i move from california to massachusetts with our newborn son. being a churchgoing family, we look for the nearest chapel, and soon found ourselves in a congregation led by clearly bright and capable man named mitt romney. i knew he was special from the start. at the time, we did not own a drier, and the day he stopped by to welcome us, i was embarrassed to have laundry hanging all of the house, but he was not fazed. in fact, as he spoke, without a word, he joined me, and started helpfully plucking clothes from around the house and boldin them. by the time he left, not only did i feel welcome, my laundry was done. as grant and i juggle school, jobs, church, and family, we

grew to love the romney's. we are honored when they regularly trusted us to stay with their five rambunctious but very loving sons when they travel. it was when our daughter kate was born three and half months early, however, that i came to fully appreciate what a great treasure of friendship we had. kate was so tiny, and very sick. her lungs not yet ready to breed, her heart unstable, and after suffering a severe brain hemorrhage at three days old, she was teetering on the very edge of life. as i sat with her in intensive care, consumed with the mother's worry and fear, dear mitt came to visit and pray with me. as our clergy, he was one of very few visitors allowed.

i will never forget how, when he looked down tenderly at my daughter, his eyes filled with tears, and he reached out and gently stroked her tiny back. i could tell immediately that he did not just see a tangle of plastic and tubes and wires. he saw our beautiful little girl, and he was clearly overcome with compassion for her. during the many months that our kate was hospitalized, they often cared for our 2-year-old son, peter. they treated him like one of their own, like a sixth son. they invited him to stay the night when needed. with thanksgiving rolls around, kate was still struggling for life. brain surgery was scheduled, and the holiday was the furthest thing from our mind. but that morning, i open my door and defined mitt and his boys, arms loaded down with the thanksgiving feast.

of course, we were overcome. when i called to thank ann later, she confessed, it was mitt's idea. most of the work had been done by him. she and the boys had just happily chip then. eventually we move from boston. our daughter kate grew into an amazing girl of faith and love. but complications of her birth remained with her, and after 26 years of both miracles and struggles, she passed away just a year and a half ago. in the midst of making the final decision to run for president, which has to be the most difficult of their lives, when passing,rd of kate's both mitt and ann call to reach

out in sympathy and express their love. it seems to me, when it comes to love and our neighbors, we can talk about it, or we can live it. the romneys live in it, every single day. when the world looks at mitt romney, they may see him as the founder of a successful business, the leader of the olympic games, and as governor. but when i see mitt romney, i know him to be a loving father, a man of faith, and a caring and compassionate friend. it is with great excitement and renewed hope that i think of how our country will be blessed as it is led by a man who is not only so very accomplished and capable, but who is devoted his entire life quietly serving others.

that man is mitt romney. [applause] ♪ ♪

>> please welcome romney for present and chairman and friend .f mitt, bob lighwhite >> thank you. i have a question for you. ann romney spectacular on tuesday night? i agree. she has some really great stories about mitt, and so do i.. for 30 years, i have been at mitt romney's side when he did

extraordinary things. as he says, i am his wing man. i was there when he turned around desperate situations, fixed big, broken things, and had a profoundly positive impact on people's lives. our journey began when mitt ask a small group of us help him start an investment company called bain capitalmitt was absolutely clear what he expected from each of us. we would act with absolute integrity, mutual respect, true teammates, and we would recognize the profound responsibility we owe it to

those who had placed their trust in us. [applause] integrity, respect, responsibility, trust. these are not just words to mitt romney. these are principles the lives by. he also applied them to the way we worked. first, he built catena. he recruited the best people he could find, which dealt for ideas, encouraged or dissent, and fostered real cooperation. next, he gave us a clarity of purpose. our investors include pension funds, colleges, and charities with noble missions. we would invest wisely and treat their money as carefully as we

treated our own. we would support of your norris -- entrepreneurs and invest in troubled situations. we would help them grow and try to make their companies better, and we would be held accountable for our performance. when things went wrong, we would not blame others. and finally, he took decisive actions. he made tough decisions, coalesced the team, and move forward. time and time again, i have seen this decisive leadership. when our old consulting firm was on the verge of collapse's, they asked him to come back and help. he answered the call.

when many thought the situation was hopeless, mitt was not deterred. i will never forget when he said a thousand employees and their families depend on us, and we cannot let them down. when the obstacles seemed insurmountable and others panicked, mitt was the calm in the storm, and he never lost hope. his confidence gave us confidence, and that company not only survived, it project. today the company is recognized as one of the best places to work in america. [applause] i saw something similar when he was asked to help save the 2002 salt lake city olympics. when we first realized the

magnitude of the financial and management challenges, i was skeptical whether they could be saved. mitt never doubted what could be done. he applied the same principles of leadership, and the olympics became a story that made america proud. when he was elected governor of massachusetts, he asked that i held him to assemble a team that would serve the public trust and be loyal to the principles he held the year. that team accomplished so much, because they got republicans and democrats to focus on the real problems and achieve real results. [applause] so why has mitt taken so many challenges?

it is because he believes it is important to make a difference and to always give something back. in every pursuit, he feels a sense of responsibility and commitment to serve. even though we work endless hours at bain capital, mitt found time to serve his church and counsel people in need. someone needed help, he was there. when our partners daughter went missing in new york, he said we cannot just stand by and do nothing, we have to go find her. it closed down our entire office, took all of us to boston, mobilized the search effort, and within days, we found hurt, and imam and dad and daughter were reunited -- a mom

and dad and daughter were reunited. mitt wanted us to give something back, too. he inspired the formation of bain capital children's charity. it not only donates money to were the children's causes, it got bain employees involved in their communities. go back and look at every pursued in his life. surrounding him are people who have worked with him over and over again. they trust him. they respect him. they want to be part of his team, and they want to be part of the change. today, we need urgent change in washington.

we need a proven leader with passion and compassion. i have seen mitt romney be that leader. he is the right man at the right time to be the next president of the united states. thank you very much. >> indian have been successful, you didn't get there on your own. i am always struck by people who think, it must be because i was just so smart. if you've got a business, you didn't build that. somebody else make that happen. >> the question really is, what did bain do to help us get started? >> i think when bain came in,

all of our standards raised. >> mitt romney knew how to motivate people. >> he was a people person. >> mitt romney ashley did help me build this business. -- actually did help me build this business. >> 6500 people working here would not be employed today. >> he would take that leap of faith and would invest. >> if you have a business, you didn't bill that. somebody else make that happen. >> please welcome the founder of staples, tom stemberg. [cheers and applause]

>> 25 years ago, i had a crazy idea for new business. i wanted to do with office supplies would home depot had done with home improvement. i the business would be called staples. it was not easy at first. i had a vision and a business plan. that i met mitt romney. he helped make it come alive. mitt was an unusual guy. he already enjoyed great success but he knew the value of the dollar. when i told him about staples, he got really excited. the idea of saving -- excited at the idea of saving a few cents on paper clips. who would not make a better president? someone who knows how to waste

$535 million on solyndra? the truth is, mitt was not a typical investor. he was a true partner. some saw an unproven new business, he saw a store that could save people money. he recognized that efficiency creates consumer value and he never looked at staples merely as a financial investment. he sold engine of prosperity it would become. today combustibles employes nearly 90,000 people. it has over 2000 stores, 50 distribution centers. as part of a competitive industry that helps entrepreneurs and small businesses get started on their own. [applause] for may as a founder, it was the realization of a dream.

-- kumi is a founder, it was the realization of a dream -- for me as a founder, it was the realization of a dream. to see him demonized and that private industry that has created so many jobs -- over an d over again. fiction, half truths, and downright lies. [applause] now, you have to ask yourself, why would an administration that cannot create any jobs demonize someone who did? i've got a theory. i think when it comes to jobs, new businesses, and economic

growth, they just do not get it. you know, they say mitt romney is out of touch with ordinary americans. they just do not get it. the night before we opened the first store, i asked our people to do back to back all letters. that is when i got a phone call from mitt. he wanted to come over and talk with the team and spent time with them and he told me in clear terms, tom, this business is all about the people. but this obama-biden campaign, they just do not get it. there will tell you that private equity is focused on the on the short term. tell that to the founders of of bright horizons day care, a company that has transformed corporate debt care. most people did not give the

business a chance. it went five straight years without making a profit. mitt and bain capital stood by them. they believed in the division and that -- the interest of how important it was for women to enjoy -- to join the work force and have on-site day care for their children. [applause] it was an overdue revolution in the american workplace. today, the company employs over 19 dozen people. president obama and his friends, they just do not get it. the obama campaign will tell you that bain capital was a form of vampire capitalism, drain the blood from a company and then

move on. they just cannot get it. where were they when mitt state with stables for 15 years long after -- staples for 15 years long after mitt had sold his stock? 18 years later, the company employs 6000 people. this illustration, they just do not get it. they have a democratic senate that does not act, a president who does not believe, and a vice president who cannot stop talking. [applause] they just do not get it. they do not get it because they

do not believe in the spirit of the entrepreneur. they did not understand what it means to risk money to create something new. they do not understand the hard work it takes to get a business off the ground. the sacrifices you make, the little league games a mess, they do not see this as a country of opportunity where someone like myself, the son of immigrants born in newark, new jersey, and proud of that, gov. christie, can live the american dream. let me tell you, my friend mitt romney gets it. [applause] i could not be more confident in saying the american people get it. this a member -- november, they

will elect mitt romney as president of the united states. [applause] >> it is a lot of courage to invest in a brand-new american still making entity in the 1990's or the turn of the millennium. most people view of the american steel industry as in a state of decay. who in the world would take that leap of faith and would invest? >> today, the chairman and chief executive officer. >> the question really is, what did bain do to get us started

and what has that meant? they allowed of entrepreneurs to do what they do best, to go out and procreate and as a result of the success of the first mill, was the second and third and fourth and fifth that allowed spin-off jobs to be treated. without that, we would not exist today. there would not be a steal dynamics. it is the fifth largest steelmaker in america. the most profitable can compete with china or any other nation on earth in the cost of production of flat rolled steel. we employed 250 people and we have 6500 people working in a climate that was not friendly to anyone and in an interstate -- industry that people thought had perished. mitt and his team put us over

the top and they're one of the reasons we're who we are. he is a good businessman. that is what america needs. sunshine state ofig florida. welcome ray fernandez. >> thank you. the last few months, we have had a lot of false information about bain capital. i am proud to tell you what i saw. the experience improved my job and gave me opportunities that i part of the wilwere american dream. i became a sales representative for a contact lens business. when my parents immigrated from

-- here in cuba where my parents emigrated. the government owed everything but nothing worked. -- owned everything but nothing worked. mitt romney and bain capital came in and invested money in marketing. this is the real bain capital. the story the obama campaigned as a white t year. because [unintelligible] workers like me were inspired by

what we saw. when the company went public, a few years later, i was well rewarded. with that money, my wife [unintelligible] through that pharmacy. none of this would have been possible without bain capital's investment to a struggling company. as a result, we're doing what we love. serving our community. we're building our future. stories like this need to be told. my life today is better because of bain capital. mitt romney helped turn around like company. i cannot imagine anyone better prepared to turn around this country.

[cheers and applause] thank you. >> i got the chance to start my own business. i know what it's like to hire people. >> freedom and free enterprise are what creates jobs, not government. >> from this experiences, i ran the olympics in 2002. we had not only a scandal to deal with but a financial crisis. we had $100 billion we put into the end, there. the real experience was in massachusetts. we cut our spending, the legislation was [unintelligible] i want to use those experiences to help america have a better future. we believe the greatest days of america are ahead. we are, after all, americans.

>> please welcome former lieutenant governor of massachusetts, karen healey, who served with governor romney. [applause] >> 10 years ago as chairman of the massachusetts republican party and flew to sell weight -- solly city. i had a message from the grassroots. come back to massachusetts. our state needs you. mitt romney had turned around companies and turned around the olympics. massachusetts needed mitt romney to turn us around. massachusetts was in deep trouble. we had a massive budget gap and soaring unemployment. people in my state or losing

hope for themselves, their families, and their children. sadly, very much like our country finds itself today. mitt romney accepted the challenge. how did he fix our state? he quickly assemble the cabinet of the best and brightest, drawing on both parties from republicans and democrats, half woman, half man to give the full spectrum of ideas and advice and the respective different opinions. he valued open debate. what it was all said and done, mitt romney knew how to make a decision. [applause] governor romney did what many thought was impossible. he turned around a $3 billion budget gap and treated at $2

billion rainy day fund. he even worked to streamline government but at the same time, made certain to safeguard protections for the elderly, children, and the homeless. in education, governor romney give parents more choices, insisted on tough standards for teachers and students and massachusetts schools became the best in the nation. [applause] we cleared out regulations on small businesses and we cut taxes 19 times. and as a result, unemployment dropped to only 4.7%. unlike president obama, governor romney's economic policies were rewarded with a credit upgrade.

those of the facts and figures. when people find out i served as his lieutenant governor, they ask me the same question, what is he like? first and foremost, mitt romney is a good and honorable man, committed to public service and his country. on the morning he took the oath of office, his first act was to focus public attention on those in need. we served breakfast to homeless veterans, encouraging volunteerism and knowledge in the special debt we owe to those who sacrificed for our country. [applause] it may not know this but mitt romney never took a salary as governor. but he worked harder than anyone i know. every morning, very early before the rest of us arrived, he would

meet with his economic secretary. they worked tirelessly because for mitt romney, creating jobs was his top priority. [applause] he was always the hands on later. tunnels of austin's collapsed, killing a passenger in her car, he dove in and fix the problem. he immersed himself in the engineering challenges, personally oversaw a safety inspections, abolished crimea's them, and corruption, and restored public confidence. [applause] that is the mitt romney i.n.l.. he is ready to bring that same work ethic, vision, and integrity to the white house. [applause]

mitt romney will never let our children's education the second- best, or allow their future prosperity to the mortgage by today's political cowardice. he will respect those who build things with their own minds and their own hands. mitt romney will not just talk about family values. he will live them. every day. [applause] i will tell you another thing, mitt romney understands that the world is safer when our country leads and he will never apologize for meerkat. -- america. [applause] mitt romney will lead us back to an america we can be proud of

and look ahead to the future where the american dream is alive again and with an every man and woman's reach. thank you, mitt romney for believing in america and ameritech, you can believe in mitt romney. thank you. >> dreams are essentially all their aspirations and hopes, the things you're trying to work toward and house -- someday hope to achieve. >> he helped insure more students received a higher education by establishing the john and abigail adams scholarship program. >> it is a lot of pressure to find a school that you can afford and get the education that you would like. the reason i ended up in

massachusetts was the scholarship. >> the program rewards the highest performing massachusetts high school graduates with a four year scholarship. >> the award allowed me to get an undergrad degree in exercise physiology. >> i working on -- as a research associate. patients can get the best quality of care. it is always satisfying when i can see that other people are learning from what i've done. >> i think helping people figure out what their dream as and start moving towards it, is one of the most rewarding experiences you can have as an individual.

i would someday like to have a family of my own, and bring my kids in a way that they understand true values. i really hope that my children have the same opportunity to go to college, and able to choose a college that offers what they want to pursue for a career. thank you, mitt romney. i really appreciate you making my dreams and reality. [applause] >> please welcome the former massachusetts secretary of work force, james edmunds. >> thank you for the warm welcome. i am honored to be here with you tonight to share my feelings about mitt romney. by way of background, my politics is as a liberal democrat. by passion is about education, work force training, and

leadership. when i first met governor romney, i was struck by his humanity, his grace, his kind manner. it was just the two of us in his office when i met him. i could tell immediately by our interaction that he is the real thing. authentic. he struck me then dannell as honest, transparent, and inclusive. i somehow knew that his demanding of himself and he is demanding of anyone who is part of his administration.

i wanted to be around him, and in that kind of environment where my energy, skills plan talent could be channeled along with others toward the public good. i could tell by our conversation that the governor was in office not for himself, or to promote himself, but for the people. [applause] my initial size of the of the man held true -- up of the man held true. i saw him up close and personal many times, and he always dressed in his administration to make government better for the people. one area where he made a positive difference is in improving the representation of women in senior positions in

massachusetts state government. before governor romney took office in 2003, women were significantly underrepresented among top roles in government. with 52% of the population but 32% of the jobs. over the next 2 1/2 years, 42% of the new appointments made by governor romney were women. [applause] in fact, based on a survey by the state university of new york, massachusetts was ranked first in percentage of women holding top state positions. [applause] this led the boston globe to note, women fill 10 of 20 top

position in the administration, making the commonwealth one of five states that come close to matching the percentage of top women appointees to the proportion of women in the overall population. this achievement happens because mitt romney cared about the issue. he took action to fix it, and he delivered -- and he gavdelivered results. [applause] he is unquestionably an amazing stored and leader, a serb leader, -- servant leader, and someone whom i respect very much. that is the kind of leadership that has always inspired me. unselfish leadership. [applause]

the late steven covey writes about two types of people. what type is all about themselves and their success and the other type works as hard as i can answer lee succeeds, but their success is motivated by doing good for others. that is how i see governor romney. he is authentic. [applause] he is open to good ideas wherever they come from. it does not matter if they are from a liberal democrat like me. he will listen and he is inclusive. as a great leader, he brought out the best in me, and i.n.l. as president, he will bring out the best in our country.

>> ladies and gentlemen, singing "taking it to the street," please welcome taylor hicks. >> how we doing? but i amkoiowow me, your brother ♪ ♪ i was raised here what kind inkow m know your world is abou♪ ♪

♪ taking it to the streets ♪ ♪ take this message ♪ everywhere ♪nd him togetherr people live ♪ telling me the things you're

gonna do for me ♪ ♪ taking it to the streets ♪ ♪ you telling me the things ♪'ru're gonna do for me ♪ taking it to the streets ♪

here we go ♪ ♪ taking it to the streets ♪

♪ [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, please welcom three time gold medal olympiad and the first american to ever win five medals in an individual event in five consecutive olympic games, kim rohde. >> thank you, i have had the good fortune, the amazing blessing to represent this great country as a proud member

of team usa at the last five olympic games in double track skeet shooting competitions. i won my first gold medal in 1996 in atlanta. i just returned from the olympics in london a few weeks ago with another gold medal. [applause] this was one of record-setting 104 medals won by a team usa, including 58 by women which is the most ever. i think it is safe to say we show the world that women of america are a force to be reckoned with. [applause] i am honored to share the stage tonight with a handful olympic

champions. tell me to introduce them to you. dan jansen, an american favorite. medals.g four andy gable, a silver medal winner, rowdy gaines, a silver medalist. noel case, the 2007 world champion and 2010 olympian. bill schiffenauer. jimmy shea, winning the gold

medal in 2002. a two-time world cup champion bobsledders and two-time olympian. scott hamilton, an american 1984 gold medalist, known for its backflip. christopher young, an american paralympic alpine skier who won two gold medals and two silver medal. and a gold medalist speedskater in 2002. defeating the soviet union in the famous merkel on ice -- miracle on ice.

[crowd chanting "usa"] >> from the time when i walked into the olympic games in atlanta as a wide-eyed 60-year- old to the moment a few weeks ago when i heard our national anthem played in london as a seasonal -- a seasoned veteran, i have seen our country prosper, and most recently, falter. there were many times when things were going very well and times when it or not. it was in those times when things were difficult that i learned to rely on strong leadership. to get me as it would say in my world, back on target. the strong leadership of the more experienced team mate of my coaches and most important, the

strong leadership of my mom and dad. [applause] i came here tonight because i believed that today, our country is off target. we need the leadership of mitt romney and paul ryan to turn our country around. so that millions of americans who have taken aim at their own dream come out whatever they may be, have the opportunity for those dreams to come true, just like our dreams did. we need strong leadership. we need new leadership, and we need it now. [applause] we're here on stage because we know americans need the leadership of mitt romney and paul ryan. thank you all so much and good night.

[applause] >> ok. thank you. good evening. i am honored to have this opportunity tonight to talk with you about the global significance of the olympic movement. its ideals, and its meeting, and how it was rescued by mitt romney. it has been over 10 years so many of you might have forgotten. in 2002, due to bring scandals and mismanagement, the olympics, not just those games, but the olympics as an institution were threatened. thankfully, mitt romney was there to salvage a desperate

situation. his leadership not only turned around as games by solving the operational and financial problems, but he did something deeper. he drew a line in the sand and said if the games would have the highest standards of -- that the games would have the highest standards of integrity. he put olympians, the athletes, and the ideals of the olympics back at the center of the games. he focused on restoring the olympics to the top pedestaled sports, and he preserve the opportunity and idealism of the olympics for future generations. i was fortunate to compete in the olympics as captain of the 1980 u.s. miracle on ice hockey team. thank you. and that team was proud and

honored to let the cauldron for the 2002 winter olympics in salt lake city. that action of passing along the flame of the olympic spirit symbolizes something grander than all of us. it is the single greatest movement that brings all humans across the world together. well -- we are fortunate that mitt romney kept that fire burning. [applause] as a result of the 2002 olympics, i had the opportunity to get to know mitt and ann romney. mitt is a brilliant leader who is committed to the highest ideals and is a wonderful and caring family man. just like the olympics needed his leadership 10 years ago, america desperately needs mitt romney's leadership today. [applause]

please join me in making him the next president of the united states. thank you. [applause] >> i am a five foot four mexican-american from southern california. [applause] now are the three reasons -- those of their three reasons to become a winter olympic champion. a dream grew within my heart that someday, maybe, i could represent my country at the olympic games, and i chased that dream for over 20 years and eventually, it led me to salt lake city. [applause]

with great effort and the help of some amazing people along the way, i have become one of the top speed skaters in the world and the finish line is in sight. when the olympics appear on the horizon, that dream was almost derailed. the old bolsheviks were mired in scandal and budget deficits and worse, the national tragedy of september 11 that shook our entire nation to its core. it was a time of uncertainty. in my olympic world, there romney was at the helm. his vision and commitment got the game's back on track and gave me the opportunity to realize my athletic dreams. not only did he facilitate my dream in 2002, he facilitated the dreams of all athletes from around the world.

at that time, i had met him briefly but after the olympics, i got to know him and for a period of time, i live with him and his family. i know him and i know him well. i know him as a businessman and as a leader. i know him as a father and as a very busy grandfather. i am proud to say that i know him as a friend. [applause] you might think my greatest moment came when i stood on the podium for the first time with a gold medal wrapped around my neck. but you would be wrong. in fact, the most powerful olympic memory came before the olympics started. it is a story i have heard mitt friends a number of times on the campaign trail. i can share with you first hand what it was like for me.

february july 8, 2002 was a cold but clear night in salt lake city. it was a night of the opening ceremonies. i was competing the next morning so i was trying -- planning not to attend, but that changed. the second i got the call from the u.s. olympic committee hours before the ceremony asking me if i would be able to be one of the eight athletes selected to carry the world trade center flag into the opening ceremony. [applause] i was floored. instantly, i knew it was something i had to do. something i wanted to do. it was an honor beyond anything i could have ever imagined. while it is 10 years later, at that time, our country was still reeling from the ones, the trauma -- wounds, the trauma,

and the pain of september 11. the other athletes and i gather backstage crew were standing with the authority officers whose job it was to oversee the flag and the began telling us how proud they were bus as the families -- and the families of the victims were proud of us and all the people who lost their lives were proud of us. when it came time to begin the procession, i touched the flag for the first time, and i remembered a physical sensation unlike anything i have ever experienced. [applause] if it is possible to feel yourself being touched, that is what i fell. -- your soul being touched, that is what i felt. the silence was deafening.

that flag, which has flown over so much pain and loss, still stood for life, love, and the hope of a nation. [applause] there are few times in any life when the motion of the moment is all that exists -- the motion of the moment -- emotion of the moment is all that exists. i stood there holding that flag, the symbol of everything our country had ever been through, with tears streaming down my face. that moment came under the leadership of mitt romney. [applause] he not only inspired me but inspired all of team usa.

we went on to win a record number of medals. today, our country is struggling. but the right leaders can inspire us to push on and overcome seemingly insurmountable challenges, and to accomplish great things. mitt romney is the kind of leader. [applause] thank you and god bless. [applause] >> please welcome the chorus from tampa bay city life church.

america ♪orn in ♪ america, where people dare to dream ♪ ♪ willing to fight for america ♪ the free ♪land of ashes, from the america ♪ ♪america, land that i love bless america ♪ fe fromeep america sae

above ♪ , america, america america ♪ shining mountains, seas, america ♪ you and me ♪at's americahite, and blue, ♪ ♪america, ♪ that's right, america, it's your america ♪

america, our america ♪ merica, i'm proud to be born in america ♪ ♪ america, we will achieve ♪ ♪ 'cause all things are possible, america ♪ ♪ america, i do believe ♪ ♪ and if you believe, sing along, sing along ♪ ♪ my country tis of thee, sweet

land of liberty ♪ ♪ united we stand, america ♪ ♪america, land of the free ♪ america ♪ [cheers and applause] ♪ never met a girl could make me

feel the way that you do, you are all right ♪ ♪you're out of sight ♪ look out baby, 'cause here i come ♪ ♪ get ready, get ready ready, 'cause here i come ♪ ♪ on my way seek wanna play hide and with love ♪ ♪ >> i am a guy who believes in the vision of the founding fathers.

i believe this is the land of opportunity. if we restore the principle of opportunity and hope and give everyone a fair chance, you are going to see this country come roaring back. >> you can never predict what kind of tough decisions are going to come in front of the president's desk. and if you really want to know how person will operate, look at how they have lived their life. >> they were asking me about what is going on with, you know, with what happened with the scandal, and what my opinion is,

if we can pull this thing off and i said, it is going to be just fine. how do now? i said -- how do you know? i said because i just met mitt romney. >> people were afraid, thinking something terrible could happen. the way we look at these events changed drastically, more so than any other olympic games, the world is watching this one. how well the united states respond? can they put on the games? >> it was worse than i expected. the turnaround was a turnaround for public relations. it turned out to be a financial and governmental turnaround. prexy was not a figurehead. he was not only running the show but he was out there speaking to the people, showing them through his words, through his actions, what the olympics could mean to the united states. >> what i was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, he dissolved

in tears. >> it was the toughest time in my life standing there with ann, as we hug each other, and the diagnosis came. >> i was very, very ill. i do not know that people knew how sick i was. i was frightened. i needed him desperately. >> i am happy in life as long as i have my soleil with me. >> mitt decided he was going to honor heroes throughout the country and the torch relay would be about heroes and he chose me as his hero. my life was in jeopardy, and i was like, as will double as a person could be, and i trust mitt, i trust him with my life. >> she is gorgeous, absolutely beautiful. i cannot explain love. i do not know why it happens. i do not know why it endures the way it does. at the beginning, i sat with

her, chatted with her, put my arm around her, and something changed. >> my 16th birthday party is when we became sort of an item. mitt helped plan it. it was the beginning of our romance. 1968, he flew into the detroit airport before christmas. his mother had her arms open and he runs right by her and grabs me. >> on the car ride home from the airport i said, i feel like i have never been away and she said, i feel the same way. >> by the time we got home, we tell everybody, we're getting married like next week. we compromised and waited until march 21. >> sweet baby. >> my brother and i fought a lot. >> 3, not bad.

four, it's got to be a little much. >> very rambunctious. >> and that it was the fifth one and craig was my most active child. he was a handful. me.on't squirt >> she was always begging for us to be quiet. >> we could get in trouble but we could ner say anything about -- bad about my mom. >> i traveled a lot and i could hear the boys in the background and she might be a little exasperated. i said do not forget, what you are doing is more important than what i am doing. >> often i had more than five sons, i had six sons. >> he was really playful. >> you know, you know. >> mitt would walk in the door

and leave the briefcase at the door and never think about work again until the next morning. >> i felt like we were the most important thing in his life. >> i went to mom if you wanted money. he was way too cheap. >> he replaced it -- he solved that with tinfoil and duct tape. >> i have worked since i was 12. i know what party is, i have been up thru it. >> he idealized his father. he really was his hero. >> in the summer, my dad used to pack up our family and take as to the great national parks. -- us to the great national parks. it was during those trips that i fell in love with america. that -- dad was born in mexico.

his parents and grandparents had moved to mexico. they were refugees. i remember ann asking my dad, what was the most meaningful accomplishment and without hesitation, he said having raised you four kids. family for my mom and dad was everything. my dad worked for his dad. he was a dry will guide. back then they called it lath and plaster. i grew up watching my dad lead. >> i am concerned about america. i am concerned about what is happening to america. >> if he felt some way about a particular issue, there was no question about how he felt. friends called him the brick because he was immovable. he let me tagalong in some unusual settings. i did not realize he was giving me an experience that was more helpful from the leadership standpoint than anything i

learned in school. staples is a good example where bain and company could support the executive of a good company. >> what is behind the numbers was great people. >> he valued every employee. he made a point to let us know that every employee was critical to the success of staples. >> why would anyone want to save on envelopes and file folders? he is a cheap son of a gun. if he could save 50 cents on paper clips, he would drive a mile to do it. >> i have seen it do it first hand -- him do it first hand. >> he was the only one who allowed them to grow, add jobs, build factories. >> when i became governor, i took the skills i learned and looked at our state is -- budget. we were 3 billion -- $3 billion

out of balance. >> he asked for a list of campaign promises. there were something like 44 promises. he each and every promise that was made. i said, he is different. >> i cut spending dollars in massachusetts. we balance the budget and went from a $3 billion budget gap to over $2 billion of a rainy day fund. >> we were in a fiscal crisis when he came into office. when he came out, we were on much more solid footing. >> his whole life has brought in to the point of being able to have the skills and the experience, to be able to tackle something as difficult as turning the country around. >> mitt romney is in this race and not just for himself. he is in it to improve the lives of the american people. >> i know he understands the

economy. he is uniquely qualified to get our economy moving again. >> take control. >> he is not a stuffed shirt guy. >> he is an authentic leader. >> he is a man of extraordinary character. >> an amazing, humble person. >> he finds a way of turning adversity into success. >> he is the guy who can do it. >> i will devote every waking hour of my energy to getting america strong again. that is what an american president has to do.

♪ [cheers and applause]

>> thank you very much. thank you. thank you very much. save a little for mitt. [cheers and applause] i know what you are thinking. you are thinking, what is a movie tradesman doing out here? you know they are all left wingers out there. at least that is what people think. that is not really the case. there are a lot of conservative people, a lot of moderate people, republicans, democrats,

in hollywood. it is just that the conservative people by the nature of the word itself play closer to the vest. they do not go around hot dogging it. [cheers and applause] but they are there, believe me, they are there. i just think, in fact, some of them around town, i saw john voigt, a lot of people around. john is here, an academy award winner. a terrific guy. these people are all like- minded, like all of us. so i somr. obama sitting here. i was going to ask him a couple of questions. about -- i remember three and a half years ago, when mr. obama won the election. i was not a big supporter. i was blessed in that night when

they were talking about hope and change and talking about, yes we can, it was dark outdoors, people were lighting candles. they were saying, i just thought, this was great. everybody is trying, oprah was crying. [laughter] i was even trying. finally, and i had not cried that hard since i found out that there is 23 million unemployed people in this country. [cheers and applause] that is something to cry for. that is a disgrace, a national disgrace. we have not done enough, obviously. this administration has not done enough to cure that. whenever interest they have is not strong enough.

i think possibly now it may be time for somebody else to come along and solve the problem. [cheers and applause] so, mr. president, how do you handle promises that you have made when you were running for election, and how do you handle them? what do you say to people? do you just -- people were wondering. even people in your own party were very disappointed when you did not close gitmo. i thought closing that, why close it, we spend so much money on it.

i thought maybe as an excuse -- what do you mean y, shut uo p? [laughter] i thought maybe it was just because someone had the stupid idea of trying terrorists in downtown new york city. [cheers and applause] i have to hand it to you. i have to give credit where credit is due. you did finally overruled that. now we are moving onward. i know you were against the war in a iraq. that is okay. but the thought the war in afghanistan was ok. you thought that was something worth doing. we did not check with the russians to see how did it -- they did there for 10 years. [laughter] [cheers and applause] but we did it.

it is something to be thought about. i think that, when we get to maybe -- you mentioned something about having a target date for bringing everybody home. you gave that target date, and i think mr. romney asked the only sensible question, why are you giving the date out now? why do you not just bring them home tomorrow morning? [cheers and applause] i thought, i am not going to shut up. it is my turn. [laughter] we will have to have a little chat about that. i wondered, all these promises, i wondered about when the --

what do you want me to tell romney? i cannot tell him to do that. he cannot do that to himself? [laughter] [cheers and applause] you are getting as bad as biden. [cheers and applause] of course we all now, biden is the intellect of the democratic party. [laughter] kind of a grin with a body behind it. but i just think that there is so much to be done. i think that mr. romney and mr. ryan are two guys who can come

along. i never thought it was a good idea for attorneys to the president, anyway. -- be president, anyway. [cheers and applause] i think attorneys -- they always argue everything, way both sides. -- weigh both sides. they are always devil's ad vocating this and that. i think it is maybe time for a businessman. how about that? [cheers and applause] a stellar businessman. i think it is that time. i think if you just step aside and mr. romney can take over. you can maybe still have the

plane. maybe not -- may be a smaller one. not the gas guzzler you take to colleges to talk about student loans and stuff like that. you are an ecological man. why would you want to drive that around? anyway. i am sorry. i cannot do that to myself either. [laughter] [cheers and applause] i would like to say something, ladies and gentlemen. something that i think is very important. you, we, we own this country. [cheers and applause] we own it. it is not you owning it, not politicians owning it.

politicians are employees of hours. -- ours. [cheers and applause] they are just going to come around and beg for votes every few years. it is the same old deal. but i think it is important that you realize, you are the best in the world. whether you are a democrat or republican orrin libertarian or whatever, you are the best. we should not ever forget that. when somebody does not do the job, we have to let them go. [cheers and applause]

okay, just remember that. i am speaking out for everybody out there. if it does not work -- [shouting] i do not say that word anymore. maybe one last time. i am saying, we do not have to be masochists and vote for somebody we do not really even want in office just because they seem to be nice or maybe not so nice, if you look at some of the recent ads. [cheers and applause] but ok. you want to make my day? [cheers and applause]

are right. i started, you finish it. go ahead -- >> make my day! >> thank you very much. [cheers and applause] ♪ >> please welcome, from the great state of florida, senator marco rubio. [cheers and applause] >> thank you. thank you. thank you. i think i just drank clint

eastwood's water. [laughter] thank you so much for having me here today and during this convention here in florida. before i begin, this is such an important night for my country -- our country. i want to begin with your permission, 80 seconds, to talk about another country. a country located a few miles away, the country of my parents birth. there is no freedom or liberty in cuba. i ask for your prayers that soon freedom and liberty will be there as well. [cheers and applause] this is a big honor for me. not so long ago i was just a underdog candidate. the only people who thought i could win all live in my house. [laughter] four of them were under the age of 10. this is incredible.

when i was asked to introduce governor romney, who will hear from in just a moment, he is backstage, ready to go. i called a few people to ask them, what should i say? they had a lot of different opinions. the one thing they all said was, do not mess it up. so i thought the best way to introduce mitt romney, the next president of the united states -- [cheers and applause] is to talk about what this election is about. i am so honored to do this here in florida at the republican national convention in front of all you patriots. [cheers and applause] i watch my first convention in 1980 with my grandfather. my grandfather was born to a farming family in rural cuba. childhood polio let him come and the disabled. because he could not work the farm, his family sent him to school. he was the only one in his family who knew how to read. he was a huge influence on the

growing up. as a boy, i sat on the porch of my house and listen to his stories about history and politics and baseball. he would talk on one of its three daily cigars. --'s on one of his three daily cigars. it has been three decades since last sat on that porch. i do not remember all the things to talk to me about. the one thing i remember is the one thing he wanted me never to forget. the dreams he had when he was young became impossible to achieve. but there was no limit to how far i could go, because i was an american. [cheers and applause] for those of us -- here is why i say that. those of us who were born and raised in this country, sometimes it becomes easy to forget how special america is. my grandfather understood how different america was from the rest of the world because he

knew life outside america. tonight, you will hear from another man who understands what makes america exceptional. [cheers and applause] mitt romney knows america's prosperity did not happen because our government simply spend more money. it happened because our people use our own money to open a business. when they succeed, they hire more people who invest and spend their money in the economy, helping others start a business or create jobs. tonight, we have heard for a long time now about mitt romney's success in business. it is well known. we have also learned he is so much more than that. mitt romney is a devoted husband, a father, a grandfather, a generous member of his community. a role model for younger americans like myself. everywhere he has been, he has volunteered his time and talent

to make things better for those around him. we are blessed that a man like this will soon be the president of the united states. [cheers and applause] let me be clear so that nobody misunderstands. our problem with president obama is not he is a bad person. by all accounts, he is a good husband, a good father. a good golfer, he takes a lot of time to practice. [cheers and applause] our problem is not that he is a bad person. our problem is that he is a bad president. [cheers and applause] do you think he is watching tonight?

his new slogan is the word, forward. forward. a government that spends $1 trillion more than it takes index and $800 billion stimulus that treated more debt than jobs? paid for with higher taxes and cuts to medicare, scores of new rules and regulations -- these ideas to not move us forward. these ideas move us backwards. [cheers and applause] these are tired and old big government ideas that have failed every time and everywhere they have been tried. these are ideas that people come to america to get away from. [cheers and applause] these are ideas that threaten to make america more like the rest

of the world instead of helping the rest of the world become more like america. [cheers and applause] as for his old slogan, under barack obama, the only change is that hope is hard to find. now, sadly, millions of americans are insecure about their future. instead of inspiring us by reminding us of what makes a special, he divides us against each other. he tells americans that they are worse off because others are better off, that richer people got rich by making other people poor. hope and change has become divide and conquer. [cheers and applause] but in the end of this election, it does not matter how you feel about president obama. this election is about your future, not about his. [cheers and applause]

this election is not simply a choice between a democrat and republican. it is a choice about what kind of country you want america to be. [cheers and applause] as we prepare to make this choice, we should rammer what made a special. -- remember what made us special. for most of our human history, almost everybody was poor. power and wealth only belonged to a few. your rights or whatever your role is alleged to have to read your future was determined by your past. if your parents were poor, so would you be. if you were born without opportunities, so with your children. america was founded on the idea that every person has got-given rights. -- god-given rights. [cheers and applause] founded on the belief that power belongs to the people, that

government exists to protect our rights and serve our interests, and that nobody should be trapped in the circumstances of their birth. we should be free to go as far as our talents and work can take us. [cheers and applause] we are special because we are united, not as a common race or ethnicity, we are bound together by common values. the family is the most important institution in society. [cheers and applause] almighty god is the source of all we have. [cheers and applause]

we are special. we are special because we have never made the mistake of believing we are so smart that we can rely solely on our leaders or our government. our national motto, in god we trust, reminding us that faith in our creator is the most important american value of the mall. [cheers and applause] -- of them all. [cheers and applause] and we are special because we have always understood the scriptural at -- admonition, for everyone to whom much is given, from them much will be required. my fellow americans, we are a uniquely blessed people, and we have honored those lessons with the enduring example of an exceptional america. [cheers and applause]

i know for many of you watching at home tonight, the last few years have tested your faith in the promise of america. maybe you are at an age when you thought you would be entering retirement, but because your savings and investments are right at your future is uncertain. maybe after years of hard work this is when you expected this to be your prime earnings -- burning years. instead, you are right off and house is worth less than your mortgage. it may be studied hard and finished school, but now you know thousands of dollars in student loans, cannot find a job in your field, and had to move back in with your parents. you want to believe we are still that special place where anything is possible. you just do not seem -- things not seen to be getting any better. you wonder if things will ever be the same again. yes, we live in a troubled time, but the story of those who came

before us reminds us that america has always been about new beginnings. mitt romney is running for president because he knows, if we are willing to do for our children what our parents did for us, like in america can be better than it has ever been. [cheers and applause] my mother was one of seven girls. parents often went to bed hungry so their children would not. my father lost his mother when he was 9. he had to leave school to go to work. he would work for the next 70 years of his life. they immigrated to america with little more than the hope of a better life. my dad was a bartender. my mom was a hotel maid, a cashier, a clerk at kmart. they never made it big. they were never rich. yet they were successful.

just a few decades removed from hopelessness, they made possible for us all the things that have been impossible for them. many nights, growing up i would hear my father's keys at the door as he came home after another 16-hour day. many mornings, i woke up just as my mother got home from the overnight shift at kmart. when you are young and in a hurry, the meaning of moments like this escapes' you. now, as my children get older, i understand it better. my dad used to tell us -- [speaking in spanish] in this country, you'll be able to accomplish all the things i could -- i never could. a few years ago, i noticed a bartender behind the portable bar in the back of the ballroom. i remembered my father, who

worked many years as a banquet bartender. he was grateful for the work he had, but to that was not like he wanted for us. -- that was not the life he wanted for us. he stood behind the ball all those years so that one day -- the bar all those years so that one day i could stand in front, behind the podium. [cheers and applause] that journey, that journey, from behind the bar to behind this podium, goes to the essence of the american miracle. we are exceptional, not because we have more rich people. we are special because dreams that are impossible anywhere else, true here. -- come true here.

[cheers and applause] but that is not just my story. that is your story. that is our story. that is the story of your mother's, the struggle to give you what they never had. the story of your father who worked two jobs so the doors that were closed to them will be open to you. that is the story of that teacher or that coach who taught the lessons that may do for you are today. -- made you fool you are today. the story of a man born into an uncertain story in a foreign country, whose family came to escape the revolution. who struggled poverty and the great depression, but rose to be admired businessman and public servant. in november, his son, mitt romney, will be elected president of these united states. [cheers and applause]

in america, we are all just a generation or two removed from somebody who made our future the purpose of our lives. america is the story of everyday people who did extraordinary things, a story woven deep into the fabric of our society. their stories may never be famous, but in the lives they lived, you will find the essence of america's greatness. to make sure that america is still a place where tomorrow is always better than yesterday, that is what our politics should be about. that is what we are deciding in

this election. [cheers and applause] we decide, do we want our children to inherit our hopes and dreams? or do we want to inherit our problems? mitt romney believes, if we succeed in changing the direction of our country, our children and grandchildren will be the most prosperous generation ever, and their achievements will astonish the world. [cheers and applause] the story about time will be written by americans who have not yet even been born. let us make sure the right that we did our part. that, in the early years of this new century, we live in an uncertain time but we did not allow fear to make us abandon

what made us special. we chose more government instead of more freedom. we chose the principles of our founding to solve the principles of our time. we chose a special man to lead us in a special time. we chose mitt romney to lead our nation and, because we did, the american miracle lived on for another generation to inherit. [cheers and applause] my fellow republicans, my fellow americans, i am proud to introduce to you, the next president of the united states of america, mitt romney. [cheers and applause]

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♪ ♪

♪ [cheers and applause]

>> thank you. mr. chairman, mr. chairman and delegates -- [cheers and applause] mr. chairman, and delegates, i accept your nomination for president of the united states. [cheers and applause]

i do so with senility, -- humility, deeply moved by the trust placed in me. it is a great honor. it is an even greater responsibility. i ask you to walk together to a better future. by my side i have chosen a man with a big part from a small town. [cheers and applause] 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. [cheers and applause] in the days ahead, you will get to know paul and janna better.

last night, you saw a strong and caring leader who is down to earth and confidence in the challenge this moment demands. i love the way he lights up around his kids. he is not embarrassed to show the world how much he loves his mom. [cheers and applause] but paul, i still like the play list on my ipod better than yours. [laughter] [cheers and applause] four years ago, i know that many americans felt a fresh excitement about the possibilities of a new president. that choice was not the choice of our party, but americans always come together after elections. we are a good and generous people, united by so much more than what divides us. when that election was over, when the signs came down and the television commercials finally came off the air, americans were

eager to go back to work, to live our lives the way 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, the children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren of the ones who wanted a better life. the driven ones. the ones who woke up at night, hearing that voice telling them that life in a 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. [cheers and applause]

this is the essence of the american experience. we americans have always felt a special kinship with the future. when every new wave of emigrants looked up and saw the statue of liberty, or not down and kiss the shores of freedom 90 miles from castro's tierney, they had many questions, but none doubted that here in america they could build a better life. their children would be blessed more than they. 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. that is not what we were promised. every family in america wanted this to be a time when they could get a little ahead, put aside a little more for college, do more for the elderly mom who is now living alone. give a little more to their church or their charity. every small business wants to

have this be their best year ever, when they could hire more, do more for those who stuck with them through hard times. opening a store, sponsor that little league team. every new college graduate thought they would have a good job by now. a place for their own. they could start paying back some of their loans and build for the future. this is what our nation was supposed to start paying down the national debt, rolling back massive deficits. this was the hope and change america voted for. it is not just what we wanted, it is not just what we expected, it is what americans deserve. [cheers and applause]

you deserved it because you worked harder than ever before during these years. you deserve it because, when it cost more to fill up your car, you put in longer hours. when you lost that job, you took to jobs at $9 an hour instead. -- two jobs at $9 an hour instead. [cheers and applause] you deserve it because your family depended on you. you did it because you are an american, and you do not quit. you did it because that was because you have -- what it was

because you had to do. watching that gas pump hit $50 and still going. when the realtor told you that you would have to take a big loss on your house. at those moments, you knew this just was not right. but what could you do except work harder, do with less, try to stay optimistic, hugged your kids a little longer, maybe spend more time praying tomorrow would be a better day. i wish president obama had succeeded, because i want america to succeed. [cheers and applause] but his promises gave way to disappointment and division. this is not something we have to accept. now is the moment when we can do something. with your help, we will do something. [cheers and applause]

now is the moment where we can stand up and say, i am an american, i make my destiny, we deserve better, my children deserve better, my family deserves better, my country deserves better. [cheers and applause] so here we stand. americans have a choice, a decision. to make that choice, they need to know more about me and where i would lead at our country. i was born in the middle of the century, in the middle of the country. there is 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 challenge was not when -- whether we would get there, it was when we would get there. [cheers and applause] the souls of neil armstrong -- soles of neil armstrong's boots on the moon made permanent impressions on our souls. like all-american is, we went to bed at night knowing we live in the greatest country in the history of the world. [cheers and applause] got less neill armstrong -- god bless neil armstrong. [cheers and applause] tonight, that american flag is still there on the moon. i do not -- cannot doubt for a

second that his spirit is still with us. that unique blend of optimism, senility, and the utter confidence that, when the world -- optimism, humility, and the utter confidence that, when the world needs someone to do that, you need an american. [cheers and applause] my dad had been born in mexico. his family had to leave during the mexican revolutionary i grew up with stories of his family being fed by the u.s. government as war refugees. my dad apprenticed as a carpenter. he had big dreams. he convinced my mom, a beautiful young actress, to give up hollywood to marry him. they moved to detroit. [cheers and applause] he led a great automobile company and became governor of the great state of michigan.

[cheers and applause] we were mormons. growing up in michigan, that may have seemed out of place, but i do not remember it that way. my friends cared more about what sports teams we follow that what church 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 isann and i-- a gift that ann and i have tried to give it to our children. all the laws and legislation is in the world will never heal the world like the lot of mothers and fathers. -- love of mothers and fathers. [cheers and applause]

if every child could go to sleep feeling trapped in the love of their family and god's love, this world would be a far more gentle place. [cheers and applause] my mom and dad were married for 64 years. if you wondered what their secret was, you could have asked the local florist. [laughter] every day, dad gave mom a rose, which he put on the bedside table. that is how she found that the day my father died. she went looking for him because, that morning, there was no rows. my mom and dad were two partners. that was 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 as saying in her beautiful voice, why should women have any less safe than

men about the greeks decisions facing our nation? -- great decisions facing our nation? [cheers and applause] don't you wish you could have been here at this convention and heard leaders like governor mary fallon, governor nikki haley, governor susana martinez, secretary of state condoleezza rice? [cheers and applause] as governor of massachusetts, i chose a woman lieutenant governor, a woman chief of staff. half of my cabinet and senior officials were women.

in business, and mentored and supported great women leaders who went on to run great companies. i grew up in detroit, in love with cars. i wanted to be a car guy like my dad. by the time i was out of school i realize i had to go out on my own. if i stayed around michigan in the same business, i would never really know if i was getting a break because of my dad. i wanted to go someplace new and improve myself. those were not the easiest of days. many long hours, weekends working. five young sons who seemed to have a need to reenact a different world war every night. [laughter] if you ask ann and i. what we would give to break up just one more fight between the boys, wake up in the morning and discovered a pile of kids asleep in a room. every mom and dad knows the answer to that. those days -- [cheers and applause]

these were tough days on ann, particularly. she was heroic. five boys with our families a long way away. i had to travel a lot for my job then. i called and tried to offer support. every mom knows that that does not help did the homework done or get the kids out the door to school. i knew that her job as a mom was harder than mine. i knew without question that her job as a mom was a lot more important than mine. [cheers and applause] as america sought tuesday night, ann would have succeeded at anything she wanted to do. [cheers and applause]

like a lot of families in a new place with no family, we found kinship with a wide circle of friends through our church. when we were new to the community, it was welcoming. 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 endeavors congregations from all walks of life. many who were new to america. we prayed together. our kids played together. 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 and support, in good times and bad. it is 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

power and goodness of our communities, our families, and our faith stres. [cheers and applause] a that is the bedrock of what makes america america. in our best days, we can feel the vibrancy of american communities, large and small. when we see that new business opening up downtown. when we go to work in the morning and see everybody else in the bloc during the same thing to read when our son or daughter calls from college to talk about what a job offer they should take. you try not to choke up when you hear the one they like best is not too far from home. the good feeling when you have more time to volunteer to coach for kids' soccer team or help out on school trips. for too many americans, those kind of good days are harder to come by. how many days have you woken up feeling that something really special was happening in america?

many of you thought the way on election day four years ago. hope and change had a powerful appeal. tonight i would ask a simple question to read if he thought that excitement when you voted for barack obama, should you not feel that winnow that he is president obama? -- way now that he is president obama? [cheers and applause] you know there is something wrong with the kind of job he has done and the best feeling you had was the day you voted for him. [laughter] [cheers and applause] the president has not disappointed to because he wanted to. the president has disappointed america because he has not lead america in the right direction it he took office without the basic qualification that most americans have. one that was essential to the task at hand. he had almost no experience

working in a business. jobs to him are about government. [cheers and applause] i learned the real lessons about how america works from experience. when i was 37, i helped to start a small company. my partners and i had worked for a company in the business of helping other businesses. some of us have the idea that, if we really believe our advice was helping companies, we should invest in companies. we should bet on ourselves and our advice. we started a new business called bain capital. the only problem was, well we believe in ourselves, not many other people did. we were young and had never done this before. we almost did not get off the ground. in those days, sometimes i wonder if i had made a really big mistake. by the way, i thought about asking my church's pension fund

to invest, but i did not. i figured it was bad enough that i might lose my investors' money, but i did not want to go to hell, too. [laughter] [cheers and applause] shows what i know. another of my partners got the episcopal church pension-fund to invest. today, there are a lot of happy retired priests who should thank him. [cheers and applause] that business we started with 10 people has now grown into a great american success story. some of the companies we help start sarbanes to know and have heard from tonight. an office company called staples, where i am pleased to see the obama campaign has been shopping. [laughter] [cheers and applause] the sports authority, which became a favorite of my boys.

we helped start an early childhood learning company called bright horizons that first lady michelle obama praised. at a time when nobody thought we would ever see a new steel mill built in america, we took a chance and build one in the cornfield in indiana. [cheers and applause] today, steel dynamics is one of the largest steel producers in the united states. [cheers and applause] these are american success stories. yet, the centerpiece of the president's entire reelection campaign is attacking success. is it any wonder that somebody who attacks success has led the worst economic recovery since the great depression? [cheers and applause] in america, we celebrate success. we do not apologize for success. [cheers and applause]

now we were not always successful at bain, but nobody ever is in the real world of business. that is what this president does not seem to understand. business and growing jobs is about taking risk, sometimes failing, 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. 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 dedicated to

creating prosperity. [cheers and applause] that is 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, you are better off than you were four years ago. except jimmy carter. and except this president. [cheers and applause] this president can ask us to be patient. this president can tell us it was