beneath and then you have ryan, an electrifying the audience. winning wave -- rave reviews, even from the left. marco rubio in his introduction, setting the place on fire. people love this next generation of republicans. is there any worry that the juxtaposition of romney with this energy below him, the next generation, could lead people more wanting that next generation, not his? >> they came to that conclusion during the primary. they know it right now. even one of ron nepos best speeches did not measure up to marco rubio or paul ryan. he does protect the party in some ways. he stays focused very he stays on message. as a transitional party figure, that is about as much as republicans can expect right now. >> we appreciate you joining us. one thing that we look at in

this piece on how the speech we measured is likability. we look at the poll out this morning. you see a 20-point gap between romney and barack obama. people see barack obama as a more likable person. one of the things you have to do is see more approachable and likable in the speech. did he achieve that? >> i think you could say he was likable, almost. he does not come across as an electric personality. he did not have moments of great humor. the part of the beginning of the ipod -- it was fine. it was likable enough. he did not seem unlikable. we were talking about, a lot of people sit -- he struck people as weird. i did not see that. he was convincing, doggett,

disappointed. the hope is that people will find that appealing, the stark contrast between obama's electricity, but a failure to deliver on that promise to do a great point. what the campaign hopes and will argue -- you tried the magic, tried the surprises, tried celebrity. i am somebody who can come in. the subtext was very much an appeal of a free market versus government. let's take a look at this clip where he uses steve jobs to talk about the unpredictability of the markets and the potential of free-market. >> 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 risks, sometimes failing, sometimes exceeding, 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 machine whose purpose is to create prosperity. >> throughout the speech, the past three days, every person who went on stage, everybody spoke the same tone. everybody liked barack obama, but he let you down. he relied too heavily on government as part of the solution. the republican message is that we have to turn it back to business, free markets, individual responsibility, a theme he had from the beginning to the and. >> i found that kind of striking.

bara obama is a good guy. he inherited a bad economy. he made it worse. he is criticizing you and demonizing you if you are successful. there are places, lots of campaigns are targeting ohio and virginia. they are spending time in florida. that is a winning message for them. >> let's play a parlor game. the left will take this speech apart how? what will be the most effective critique of the wrong speech? >> my guess is it will be that he said nothing -- mitt romney offered no details, no program, nothing but empty rhetoric. >> what do you think? >> people will say it was more justifying who he is, where he came from, as opposed to talk about where we will go. the items on a checklist -- did

you get the details right? he said, pass on that, we are working on them. >> about the paul ryan speech, democrats will say that was full of half truths. he talked about the record of bain, but it does not get at the full story. what mitt romney did not say will be the headline for democrats. >> the only time he really gets into the specifics of what his agenda would be is this plan to create 12 million jobs, but in a speech if that you obviously do not talk about exactly how it will do it. energy independence, creating jobs, not raising taxes, having new trade agreements. championing small businesses by not raising taxes on -- the one thing we know from president obama, one of the biggest difference is we are certain of between president obama and mitt romney is that when the bush tax cuts expire, there is no way that president obama will extend the tax cuts that benefit people making more than 200 to $2,000.

there is no doubt that -- $250,000. mitt romney, there is no doubt that he would. boiling down is is a 59-point plan he put out earlier. he did not go through all the points. this is their effort to package it in a madison avenue white and start referring to it to -- it does not have details. >> those are topics. looking ahead, they have the speech. we spent a lot of time talking to romney officials about what his experience will be going for it. they say, listen, we have energy for republicans. we have consolidated the party because paul ryan brought energy that did not exist before it was on the ticket. we have money and a message. there is no day between now and the end of the election where republicans get out spent.

they have so much money in the romney campaign. they have so much money from the outside groups. close to $1 billion, all the money that will be spent from outside groups on elections. they feel they will be able to hammer that message relentlessly in the 10 states that matter. they are betting that at some point, probably after that first debate, they will start to move the needle. there will no longer be a tie. >> i think this is why i am more of a downer about the speech than others at this table. something needs to change for mitt romney to wind. if things stay the way they are, state-by-state or nationally, barack obama wins. there is not a game changing element to this speech. he did not go backwards -- he did not come across in poky. he did not try to be some and he was not, which would be much worse. but this does not give him any sort of rocket propulsion. >> we ran into a ton of

republican operatives who said that polling in the 10's when states -- you should have seen the look on their face. in ohio, down almost 9 points. in north carolina, a state they thought it would be pulling away in, because of the demographics they are trailing. as you had into this crucial part of the campaign in the states that matter, not interest work schick. they told us, they have to keep putting one state or two away. >> you said there were 17 million viewers watching paul ryan. that would not surprise me if we have a similar gap for medtronic. i do not see anything really -- mitt romney. i do not see anything coming out of the speech. he is not so exciting that you to into see what he has to say. a fine speech may not be good

and off. >> we talked earlier on our coverage about what the moment would be in both campaigns. they have a theory that what matters is what gets picked up, what makes "the daily show, " what makes the morning radio shows. eastwood -- that is not the image the republican party wants as it tries to appeal beyond the party of older white men. that is the biggest concern of the campaign. they want diversity, more women. >> we are all over 40 here. clint eastwood does not speak to younger americans. >> i have to admit -- one media relations manager asked us what our favorite clint eastwood movie is. i am not going to lie, i can not

acting in one and i am in my mid 20's. -- i cannot name one, and i am in my mid 20's. >> let's take a look at romney talking specifically to women. >> my mom and dad were true partners. a life lesson that shaped me by everyday example. when my mom ran for the senate, my dad was hurt -- therefore her every step of the way. i can still see her saying in her beautiful voice, why should women have any less safe than men about the great decisions facing our nation? [cheers and applause] don't you wish you could have been here at this convention? heard leaders like governor mary fallin, governor nikki haley, governor suzanne martinas, senator kelly ayotte take, secretary of state condoleezza rice? [cheers and applause]

>> in the interview mitt romney did with politico on saturday, he got very numb -- animated when he talked about the gender gap. he said, when i was governor of massachusetts, i had more women in my cabinet than any other leader in the other 49 states. he feels he has done everything he can to reach out. he feels he has been an inclusive leader in business and government, yet time after time we see that he does have a problem. what is the strategy for romney to change that in the final 10 weeks? >> i would not -- i would not doubt the fact he has had women in his businesses and administration agreed nobody is questioning that. i do not think it is simple -- essam are saying, i have women surrounding me, that makes it ok. the republican party has been challenged with gender issues. while we have social issues like reproductive rights, this is a

tough climate. even if he picked up with an outstanding speech, this is a bit of a difficult climate for that kind of movement. >> for republican of yours, do you -- and viewers, on our even stage, a former speaker newt gingrich. i asked him about the gender gap. he says, why does barack obama do so badly with men? >> that is the other side of the lands. as we look ahead to the democratic national convention, they are to radically different strategies for how you win in a divided country you have the one side -- one size fits all strategy of mitt romney. he wants to talk about the economy treat he wants to talk about change. there is a more surgical approach for barack obama. he is looking for how can i get more hispanics to vote for me? how can i get more women to vote

for me? how can i use the of the bailout and use it effectively to turn out in places like michigan and ohio? >> specific things -- specific efforts in virginia. >> a much different approach. >> this is a classic incumbent approach. clinton had a similar effort in 1996. george w. bush won that way over john kerry. barack obama is a noun. -- known. they are not going to fundamentally change the impression, so they have to animate certain voting blocs. the reason romney has a national strategy is because he believes the fundamentals should allow him to win. what they need to do is change. he needs to change how he is viewed. if you do that in virginia, you

are going to do it in ohio and michigan. the past is not different in different places the way it is for obama. >> continue to grab the ball on this one. one of the challenges today was to take his tenure at bain capital and make it an asset. so much money had been spent by the obama campaign to make a bain capital a bad thing. to make his success a bad thing. did he do anything in the speech to be able to put it in a more positive light, particularly for people who tune in for the first time? >> john had a great point when he said that very few times has been capital been described by mitt romney on his own terms. outside forces, other people speaking on his behalf, or democrats. his own rivals in the party put it in a negative light. putting it in his own terms, not

that long of dimension. he opened the door to be able to get there, defining it more positively. >> marco rubio spent one minute talking about, before romney went onstage -- his speech was welcomed by the audience. he seems to have a spark. he had a connection. >> he was funny and -- >> a great life story, obviously. >> he turned out to be a great in producer. he got people pumped up. he reminded people that there was -- >> let me say, the speech, romney was prudent not to pick rubio as vice president. he would have seemed plausible as a potential president.

he looked and sounded like it. appealing, but not presidential. >> one thing that we race in the peace we did before, how this speech will be received on the media. this idea of competence. do we think that he achieved -- does he come off as a competent alternative? we talk about this all the time. he does not believe he will ever be loved. we do not even know if you'll be like. he just needs to be seen as a plausibly safer, possibly better alternative to barack obama. this seems to move them in a decent direction. it does not do it decisively, but moves them in that direction. >> can he take his business experience to show how he would perform in a private -- public rollbacks i think -- public role?

he did that, but it was by san he would focus on two or three really big things in the way that barack obama, with his expansive rhetoric and big plans, never would. that is the message he has focused on. >> let's take a look at a highlight of all the speeches. it will be the speeches -- what did people take from the experience of the coverage? >> good evening, everyone. welcome to barack obama's retirement party. >> when i heard the current president say, you did not build that, i was first in salted, then i was anchored, and then i was saddened that anyone in our country, much less the president of the united states, believes that roads create business success and not the other way around. >> you were dealt a tough hand,

but your policies have not worked. in the fourth year of your presidency, a real leader would except responsibility for his actions. you have not done it. >> we entered an era of absentee leadership without purpose or principal in new jersey. i'm here to tell you tonight, it is time to end this era of absentee leadership in the oval office and centiliters back to the white house. america needs mitt romney and paul ryan, and we need them right now. >> a partner on this amazing journey. i can tell you, mitt romney was not handed success. he built it. >> d.c., the essence of america -- you see, the essence of america is not national become ethnicity, or religion. it is an idea. and what an idea is.

that you can come from humble circumstances and you can do great things. it does not matter where you came from. it matters where you are going. >> college graduates should not have to live out their 20's in their childhood bedrooms. staring up at fading obama posters and wondering when they can move out and get going with life. >> 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 this election. >> if i am elected president of the united states, i will work with all my energy and sold to restore that america, to the dow rise to a better future. that future is ours -- to see us rise to a better future. that future is waiting for us.

our children deserve it, our nation depends on it, the peace and freedom of the world requires it, and with the help we will deliver it. let us begin that future for america tonight. thank you so very much. god bless the american people. may god bless the united states of america. >> take it all end. what republicans wanted to accomplish with this convention. taken the fact there was a storm that elated. taken that kristi's speech did not hit what people thought it would hit. what you think the tape we will be for your average undecided voter on the totality -- take away will be for your average undecided voter? >> i think the republicans did a good job of making this a fine line between individual opportunity, which they stand for, and public entitlement, what they say barack obama stands for. they did a good job of -- that is a good job of how obama had lost control of his message.

he would never say that. >> thank you very much. thank you to our viewers. >> on our convention hub website, c- span.org/campaign2012, you can watch videos from both conventions and share your own videos. here are some videos from attendees at the republican convention. >> i am from las vegas. i am an alternate delegate for the great state of nevada. the most important issue this election is the economy, with the unemployment and foreclosure rate. >> i am from new york, here for the rnc convention. i see the biggest issue is getting the economy back on track so we can leave our kids with a better country. >> my name is james. i am an alternate delegate from south carolina. i am supporting it romney has

the economy is the most important issue. the president is shown he is way over his head. >> i am a delegate from new jersey for the 12th congressional district. i'm supporting romney. >> republicans close to their convention in town but tonight with an acceptance speech by their presidential candidate, mitt romney. he highlighted his business experience and economic policy, saying america needs jobs, lots of jobs. the candid what -- candidate was introduced by senator marco rubio of florida. this is one hour. 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, a few 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 livde 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 puff on one of his three daily cigars. it has been three decades since i last sat on that porch. i do not remember all the things he talked 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 in? an $800 billion stimulus that created more debt than jobs? paid for with higher taxes and cuts to medicare, scores of new rules and regulations -- these ideas do 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] [cheers and applause]

>> but in the end, this election, it doesn't matter how you feel about president obama because this election is about your future, not about his. and this election is not simply a choice between a democrat and a republican. it's a choice about what kind of country we want america to be. as we prepare to make this choice, we should remember what made us special. for most of human history, everybody was poor. power and wealth belonged only to a few. your rights were what allow -- what your rulers allowed you to have. your future was defined by the past. your future was defined by your parents. if you were born without opportunity so would your children be but america was founded on the principle that every american that is

god-given rights. [applause] founded on the belief that power belongs to the people. that government exists to protect our rights and serve our interests and that no one 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. and we're special, we're special because we're united not as a common race or common ethnicity. we're bound together by common values. the family -- but family is the most important -- the family is the most important institution in society. and that almighty god is the source of all we have.

[cheers and applause] we're special because we never made the mistake of believing that we are so smart 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 them all. and we're special -- we're special because we've always understood the script yurl -- scriptural admonition that to whom much is given, much will be required. well, my fellow americans, we are a uniquely blessed people and we have honored those

blessings with the enduring example of an exceptional america. 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're at an age when you thought you'd be entering retirement but because your savings and investments are wiped out your future is uncertain. maybe after years of hard work, this is the time you expected to be your prime earning years and instead you've been laid off and your house is worth less than your mortgage. maybe you were -- you did everything you were told you needed to do to get ahead but now you owe thousands of dollars in student loan, can't find a job in your field an you've had to move back in with your parents. you want to believe that we're still that special place where anything is possible. but you just don't -- things don't seem to be getting any better. and 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 and mitt romney is running for president because he knows if we are willing to do for our children what our parents did for us, life in america can be better than it has ever been. [applause] my mother was one of seven girls whose parents often went to bed hungry so their children wouldn't. my father lost his mother when he was 9. he had to leave school and go to work and he would have worked -- and 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 cashier, a hotel clerk, a cashier. they never made it big, they were never rich, yet they were successful. because just a few decades removed from hopelessness, they made possible for us all the things that had been possible for them. many nights growing up i would hear my father's keys jingling at the door as he came home after another 16 hour day. many mornings i woke up as my mother got home from the overnight shift in k mart. when you're young and in a hurry, the meaning of moments like this escape you. but now as my children get older, i understand it better. my dad used to tell us -- [speaking spanish] in this country, in this country you'll be able to accomplish all the things we never could. a few years ago, during a

speech, i noticed the bartender behind a portable bar in the back of the ballroom and i remembered my father, who worked for many years as a ban debt -- banquet bartender. he was grateful for the work he had but that's not the life he wanted for us he stood behind a bar at the back of the room all those years so one day i could stand behind a podium in front of a room. [applause] that journey -- that journey from behind that bar to behind this podium goes to the essence of the american miracle. that we're exceptional not because we have more rich

people here. we're special because dreams that are impossible anywhere else, they come true here. but -- [applause] but that's not just my story. that's your story. that's our story. that's the story of your mothers, who struggled to give you what they never had. that's the story of your fathers who worked two jobs so that the doors that had been closed for them would be open for you. that's the story of that teacher or that coach that taught you the lessons that made you who you are today. and it's the story of a man who was born into an uncertain future in a foreign country, his family came to america to escape revolution. they struggled through poverty and the great depression. and yet he rose to be an admired businessman and public servant. and in november, his son, mitt romney, will be elected

president of these united states. [applause] in america, we are all just a generation or two removed from someone who made our future the purpose of their 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 live, you will find the essence of america's greatness. and to make sure that america is still a place where tomorrow

is always better than yesterday, that's what our politics should be about and that is what we are deciding this election. we decide do we want our children to inherit our hopes and dreams or do we want them to inherit our problems? because 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. the story of our time will be written by americans who haven't yet even been born. let us make sure they write that we did our part. that in the early years of this

new century, we lived in an uncertain time. but we did not allow fear to cause us to abandon what made us special. we chose more government instead of more freedom. we chose the principles of our founding to solve the challenges 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. 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] >> mitt! mitt! mitt!

>> thank you, thank you. thanks, guys. thank you. [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2012] [cheers and applause]

>> thank you. mr. chairman. mr. chairman and delegates. mr. chairman and delegates, i accept your nomination for president of the united states.

i do so with humility, deeply moved by the trust you place in me. it's a great honor. it's an even greater responsibility. and tonight i'm asking you to join me to walk together to a better futureened and by my side i've chosen a man with a big heart from a small town. [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.

in the days ahead, you'reoing to get to know paul and jana better. but last night, america got to see what i see in paul ryan a strong and caring lead whore is down to earth and confident in the challenge this moment demands and i love the way he lights up around his kids and how he's not embarrassed to show the world how much he loves his mom. but paul, i still like the playlist on my ipod better than yours. four years ago, i know that many americans felt a fresh excitement about the possibilities of a new president. that choice was not the choice of our party but americans always come together after elections. we're a good and generous people and we united by -- and we are united by so much more

than what divides us. when that election was over and the yard signs came down and the television commercials came off the air, americans were eager to go back to work and live our lives the way americans always have, optimistic and positive and confident in the future. that very optimism is uniquely american. it's what brought us to america. we're a nation of immigrants, we're the children and grandchildren and great grandchildren of the ones who wanted a better life. the driven up withs. the ones who woke up at night hearing that voice telling them that life in the place called america could be better. they came not just in pursuit of the riches of this world, but for the richness of this life. freedom. freedom of religion. freedom to speak their mind. freedom to build a life and yes, freedom to build a business with their own hands.

[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 immigrants looked up and saw the statue of liberty or knelt down and kissed the shores of freedom 90 miles from castro's tyranny, these new americans had many questions but none doubted that here in america they could build a better life. that in america, their children would be blessed more than they. but today, four years from the excitement of that last election, for the first time, the majority of americans now doubt that our children will have a better future. it's 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

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

>> u.s.a.! u.s.a.! u.s.a.! u.s.a.! you deserved it because during these years, you worked harder than ever before youch deserved it because when it cost more to fill up your car, you worked longer hours. or when you lost the job that paid $22.50 an hour, you took two jobs that paid $9.25 an hour. [cheers and applause] you deserve it because your

family depended on you and you did it because you're an american and you don't quit. you did it because it was what you had to do. the driving home late from that second job or standing there watching the gas pump hit $50 and still going. when the realtor told you that to tell your house you'd have to take a big loss, in those moments you knew that this just wasn't right. but what could you do except work harder, do with less. try to stay optimistic. hug your kids a little longer. maybe spend more time praying that tomorrow would be a better day. i wish president obama had succeeded because i want america to succeed. but his promises gave way to disappointments and division. this isn't something we have to accept. now is the moment when we can

do something, and with your help, we will do something. now is the moment when we can stand up and say, i'm an american. i make my destiny. we deserve better. my children deserve better. my family deserves better. my cupry deserves better. -- my country deserves better. [cheers and applause] so here we stavend, americans have a choice, a decision. to make that choice you need to know more about me and where i'd lead our country. i was born in the middle of the century, in the middle of the country. classic baby boomer. it was a time when americans were returning from war and eager to work.

to be an american was to assume that all things were possible. when president kennedy challenged americans to go to the moon, the question was whether -- wasn't whether we'd get there, it was only when we'd get there. the souls of neil -- sew the soles of neil armstrong's boots on the moon made permanent impressions on our souls. ann and i watched it together on her parent's sofa. like all americans we went to bed that night knowing we lived together in the greatest country in the history of the -- history of the world. [cheers and applause] god bless neil armstrong. [cheers and applause]

tonight that american flag is still there on the moon and i don't doubt for a second that neil armstrong's spirit is still with us, that unique blend of optimism, humility and the utter confidence that when the world needs someone to do the really big stuff, you need an american. [cheers and applause] my dad had been born in mexico and his family had to leave during the mexican revolution. i grew up with stories of his family being fed by the u.s. government as war refugees. my dad never made it through college. he apprenticed as a lathe and plaster cor penter. 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 and growing up in michigan that might have seemed unusual or out of place but i really don't remember it that way. my friends cared more about what sports teams we followed than what church we went to. my mom and dad gave their kids the greatest gift of all. the gift of unconditional love. they cared deeply about who we would be and much less about what we would do. unconditional love is a gift that ann and i have tried to pass on to our sons and now to our grandchildren. all the laws and legislation in the world will never heal this world like the loving hearts and arms of mothers and fathers. [cheers and applause]

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

i could still see her saying in her beautiful voice, why should women have any less say than men about the great decisions facing our nation. [cheers and applause] don't you wish she could have been here at this convention? and heard leaders like governor mary fallin, governor suzanne in a martinez and 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. and in business, i mentored and supported great women leaders who went on to run great companies. i grew up in detroit in love with cars and wanted to be a car guy like my dad but by the time i was out of school i realized i had to go out on my own. if i stayed around michigan in the same business i'd never know if i was getting a break because of my dad. i wanted to go someplace new and prove myself. those weren't the easiest of days. many long hours and weekends working, five young sons who seemed to have this need to re-enact a different world war every night. but if you ask ann and i what we'd give to break up just one more fight between the boys, or wake up in the morning and discover a pile of kids asleep in our room, every mom and dad

knows the answer to that. those days were the -- [cheers and applause]these were, 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 faiths. [cheers and applause] 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. 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. if you felt that excitement when you voted for barack obama, should you not feel that 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 -- we 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 built 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 somebody else's fault. this president can tell us the next four years will get it right. this president cannot tell us that you are better off today than when he took office. [cheers and applause] america has been patient. americans have supported this president in good faith. today the time has come to turn the page. today the time has come to put the disappointments of the last four years behind us. to put behind the decisiveness. to forget about what might have been and to look ahead to what could be. that is the time to restore the promise to america. [cheers and applause]

many americans had given up on this president, but they have not thought about giving up. not on themselves or each other, not on america. what is needed in our country today is not complicated or profound. it does not take a special government commission to tell us what america needs. america needs jobs, lots of jobs. [cheers and applause] in the richest country in the history of the world, this economy has crushed the middle- class. family income has fallen by $4,000. but health insurance premiums are higher. utility bills are higher. gasoline prices have doubled. today more americans wake up in poverty than ever before.

one out of six americans are living in poverty. these are not strangers. these are our brothers and sisters. his policies have not created jobs, they have the trust them. this i can tell you about where president obama would take america. his plan to raise taxes will not add jobs, it would eliminate them. [applause] his assault on coal and gas and oil will send energy and manufacturing jobs to china. his trillion dollars cuts to the military will eliminate hundreds of thousands of jobs and put security greater at risk. his $716 billion cut to medicare to finance obamacare will hurt

seniors and depress madison. his trillion dollar deficit slowed our economy, restrain employment and cause which is to stall. the majority of americans now believe the future will not be better than the past, i guarantee you this, if obama is reelected, you will be right. [applause] i am running for president to help create a better future. or everybody who wants a job can find a job. no senior fears for the security of their retirement. where every parent knows a child will get an education that leads them to a bright horizon. unlike the president, i have a plan to create 12 million new jobs. [applause]

paul ryan and i have a five steps. by 2020 north america will be energy independence by taking full advantage of our oil, gas. [cheers and applause] we will give our fellow citizens the skills they need for the jobs of today and the careers of tomorrow. when it comes to the school your child will attend, every parent should have a choice. every child should have a chance. [applause]

we will make trade work for america by forging new trade agreements. what nations cheat there will be unmistakable consequences. to assure every entrepreneur and every job creator that their investments will not vanish as have those in greece, we will cut the deficit and put america on track to a balanced a budget. [cheers and applause] and at fifth, we will champion small businesses, reducing taxes on business, not raising them. simplifying and modernizing the

regulations that hurt small business the most. we must rein in the cost of health care by repealing and replacing obamacare. today women are more likely than men to start a business. they need a president that knows and respects what they do. let me make this very clear. unlike president obama, i will not raise taxes on the middle class of america. [applause] as president, i will protect the sanctity of life. i will honor the institution of marriage.

[cheers and applause] i will guarantee of america's first liberty, the freedom of religion. [applause] president obama promised to begin to slow the rise of the oceans. my promises to help you and your family. [cheers and applause]

i will begin my presidency with a job store. president obama began with an apology toward. he said america dictated to other nations. no, america has freed other nations from dictators. [cheers and applause] [chanting "usa!"]

every american was relieved of the day president obama gave the order and seal team 6 took out osama bin laden. [applause] on another front, every american is less secure today because he has failed to slow iran the's nuclear threat. in his first interview he said we should talk to iran that. there centrifuges are still spending. he has thrown israel under the bus, even as he has relaxed sanctions on cuba. he abandoned our friends in poland. he is eager to give vladimir putin the flexibility he

desires. after the election, under my administration our friends will see more loyalty and mr. vladimir putin will see a little less flexibility and more backbone. [cheers and applause] buwe will honor america's democratic ideals because a free world is a more peaceful world. this is a bipartisan foreign policy legacy of the truman and reagan. we will return to it once again. [applause]

you might have ask yourself if these last years are really the america that we want. the america that was one for us by the greatest generation. does the america we want to borrow $1 trillion from china? is it fell to find jobs needed for 23 million people and for a half the kids graduating from college? are those schools lagging behind the rest of the developed world? it does the america we want succumb to resentment among the americans? the america we know has been a story of the many becoming one. you 19 to preserve liberty and to build the greatest economy in the world. you nighty and to save the world -- united to save the world from darkness. there is no mention of race, party affiliation or what they

did for a living. [cheers and applause] they lived and died under a single flag that fighting for a single purpose. they pledged allegiance to the united states of america. that united america can unleash an economy that will put americans back to work that will once again lead the world with innovation and productivity and will restore every father and mother's confidence that their children's future is brighter than the past. that united america will preserve a military so strong no nation would ever dare to test it. [cheers and applause]

that america -- that united a america will uphold the consolation of rights endowed by our creator and codified in the constitution. [cheers and applause] that united america will care for the core, the sec, will honor and respect the elderly. -- the core, at the sick, and honor and respect the elderly. if i am elected president of the united states i will work with all my energy and soul to restore that america. to lift my eyes to a better future. that future is our destiny. that future is waiting for us. our children deserve it. with your help we will deliver it. let us begin the future for america tonight.

thank you so very much. may god bless you and may god bless the american people and may god bless the united states of america. [cheers and applause] ♪

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♪ >> mitt romney and paul ryan will be making their first joint appearance when they visit richmond, va. together. you can watch a live 2:00 eastern on c-span. coming up next, more speeches

from tonight's convention in tampa. newt gingrich, jeb bush, and kerry healey. turn tothe democrats' hold a convention. on tuesday delegates will vote on the platform. it will hear from former president jimmy carter, the san antonio mayor julian castro, and first lady michelle obama. on wednesday, elizabeth warren, former president bill clinton, and the roll call of states. on wednesday it wraps up with speeches from joe biden and president barack obama. you can watch gavel-to-gavel

coverage of the democratic national convention live from charlotte, north carolina here on c-span. >> during the republican and democratic conventions, we are asking middle and high school students to send a message to the president as part of the documentary competition. students will answer the question "what is the most important issue the president should consider in 2013. there is $50,000 and total price is available. the student can video competition is open to students grades 6 through 12. >> more from the gop convention in tampa. newt gingrich along with his wife together spoke to the assembly. in their remarks, they criticized president obama's

economic policies and discuss the legacy of ronald reagan in the party. then we will hear from jeb bush/. >> 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, spreading democracy throughout the world. >> by remaining true to his conviction, through his 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. >> 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 reduced 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 together in the interest of the nation. obama's waiving of the work 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] >> 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 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] >> ladies and gentlemen, please give a warm welcome to the former governor of a florida, job bush. -- jeb bush. >> thank you very much. [cheers and applause]

thank you. welcome to florida. thank you. before i begin my remarks, i have something that 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 grandfather and my father have been incredible role models for me and served our country honorably my brother, well, i love my brother. [cheers and applause] he is a man of integrity, courage, and honor. during incredibly challenging

times, he kept us safe. [cheers and applause] mr. president, it is time to stop blaming your predecessor for year failed economic policies. [cheers and applause] you were dealt a tough hand it. you were dealt a tough and your policies have not worked. in the fourth year of your presidency, a real leader would accept responsibility for his actions and you have not done it. now that i have gotten that off my chest, let's talk a little bit about our kids and education. this election is about the

future of the nation. we can shape the future with what we do here. with what we do on november 6. we can restore america posted greatness. that starts with a strong economy, a smart energy policy, lower deficits, and a president who puts america's workers and job creators first. but to have a great and future, a secure future, a feature that is equal to our potential as a nation, we need to do something else. we must make sure our children and grandchildren are ready for the world we are shaping today. it starts at enter our homes and our communities and especially in our schools. as a candidate and gov. i visited over 400 florida schools. i saw children read for their first sentences, saw their first

long division problems, explore the miracles of chemistry and physics. that is the essence of education. children getting a chance at a future. there are many reasons to believe the future is bright but also reasons to worry. of 34 advanced nations in the world, american students ranked 17th in science and 25th and math. only one-quarter of a graduates are ready for the next steps. china and india produce eight times more engineering students 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. tell that to a kid whose classroom learning is not respected. tell that to a parent's debt at a school with no leadership. tell that to a young talented

teacher who did -- who was laid off because she did not have tenure. we give some kids a chance, but not all. that failure is the great moral and economic issue of our times, and that is hurting all of america. [applause] i believe we can meet the challenge. we need to set high standards for students and teachers and provide parents the choices they deserve it. the first step is a simple one. we must stop prejudging children based on their race, ethnicity, or child -- or a household income. we must stop excusing failure at schools and start rewarding improvement and success. and in we must have high academic standards that are benchmark to the best in the

world. all kids can learn. gov. romney believes it and the data proves it. while he was governor of massachusetts raised standards and today there state leads the nation in academic performance. here in florida, 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 rick scott and local leaders, our focus every day is whether students are learning. that is it. today more students are reading on grade level, passing rigorous college prep courses, and graduating from high school. perhaps most exciting, those traditionally left behind are showing the greatest gains. among african-americans, florida is ranked fourth in the nation among the academic improvement.

for low income we are ranked third. among students with disabilities, we are ranked first. among the latino students, the gains were so big they require a new metric. 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. today thanks to teachers like shawn duffy we are changing that. [applause] >> i am honored to be an educator to help the next generation of leaders, thinkers, builders, an entrepreneurs. i am part of a dwindling field. i have seen too many good teachers come and go do to poor

working conditions at little pay. that teachers get locked into the system and good teachers leave for more money. on top of the bureaucratic challenges, teaching does not always match what our students need it. to that and i helped launch a stem lab at my high school that focuses on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and helps students learn proficiency in these fields. we turn students away from education by not providing a robust curriculum that keeps up with the 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 policy makers has to be student focused and students entered. [applause] after all, students matter most. that is what counts. thank you. [applause]

>> thank you i know your high school is proud of your efforts. we need more great teachers like you. teachers who do not give up on a kid into recognize every child can learn and do not waste a precious year of the student's life. if you are a great teacher and your students are mastering their subjects, no matter their age you should have a job. education is hard work. if you cover corerinciples and to 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 into any supermarket aisle and you will find an incredible

selection of milk. you can get whole milk, 2% milk, low-fat milk or skim milk, or dam it -- organic milk, chocolate, strawberry or vanilla, it does not even taste like milk. even make bilk -- they make the milk for people who do not to drink milk. parents have that choice for schools? [applause] governor mitt romney gets it. he believes parents regardless of zip code or income should be able to send their child to the school that fits them best. that sets them up against some entrenched interests. there are people who say support strong schools but draw the line at school choice.

it would upset powerful political forces that we need to win elections. i have a simple message for the masters of delay and deferral. you can help the politically powerful unions or you can help the kids. [applause] for those who have been involved, you know it is hard to take on the unions. they are well organized. election day they will show up. the kids are not old enough to vote. you and i know who deserves a choice. governor mitt romney knows it too. let me introduce you -- we gave him a choice, you got a great election. [applause] >> i grew up in the inner city of miami in a place where your

zip code determines your chance of success. my only option was an unproductive and failing school. i knew that could lead to an unproductive and failing future. thanks to gov. bush's choice program, i got a chance to choose a better school. making my education my priority, i went to one of the toughest high schools in miami. i am sure like a lot of us, it was my mother, kara let, who pushed for the choice in my education. -- carlette, pressed for my choice in education. her devotion has given me a chance to succeed. i graduated from wagner college and i am looking forward to a life of learning and serving my community. [cheers and applause] who knows what the future would have held if i did not have a

choice in my education. i do know the numbers for failure. i probably would not have had a good chance. the school choice program gave me a chance to achieve academic success in a school that was best for me. i took it from there. thank you. [applause] >> that is an incredible honor to see you grow up. it is the driving force across this nation to bring about necessary change. some of the biggest reformers are republicans. mitch daniels, bobb jindal have expanded school choice to what we have here in the florida. governor in maine and georgia

are transforming education by pushing schools to harness the power of technology and digital learning. the idaho governor and superintendent are raising up to the best teachers and separating out the ineffective ones. that earned them some enemies. he did not back down. gov. scott walker in wisconsin led his state -- [cheers and applause] gov. walker led his state to adopt reforms that promotes early literacy and required teacher evaluations inc. and achievement. and in nevada a push for reforms to end last in first out where teachers are hired and fired based on years in the system and not the impact on the classroom. the governor and tennessee is making sure every classroom has an effective teacher.

mitt romney understands states must lead to the national movement. in massachusetts, gov. romney narrowed the gap between students of different races. he put into place a merit scholarship that to give this students for tuition free years that any institution of higher learning. he is a champion for bringing hope to education. he intends to be a champion -- somebody always puts students first. the future of the nation is at stake. 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 kids what we promised them -- and equal opportunity that starts in the classroom, starts in the

communities, and starts where you live. it starts with electing mitt romney the next president of the united states. [applause] thank you. god bless you. god bless the teachers and god bless the united states of america. >> you can watch a video from the republican and democratic conventions, discuss the campaigns and share your own videos. here are a few videos from attendees at the republican convention. >> an alternate delegate for the great state of nevada. the most important issue is the economy. with the unemployment and foreclosure rates, we need romney and ryan.

>> i see the biggest issue before us is getting the economy back on track so we can leave our kids a better country. >> i am an alternate delegate from texas. i support romney for president because the economy is the most important issue. the president has shown he is in way over his head. >> i am a delegate for the congressional district. i support mitt romney. >> on tomorrow morning's washington journal, stan greenberg office his reaction to mitt romney's speech. joe allbaugh discusses resources for hurricane relief. and frank newport talks about

undecided voters. alive at 7:00 eastern on c-span. >> i can always surmise. in a movie we rattle out of cages. >> i grabbed my cameraman and pretend to be important. i go on to one of the un's bosses. these people seem pretty upset. >> does anybody know a good song we can sing all the way to the airport? 99 bottles of beer. nobody? >> i was told there would be un peacekeepers who have killed. >> at the beginning of the crisis and here, we had them fighting each other.

>> it sounds to me like he is dodging the question. >> i walked out of my apartment on the upper west side of manhattan, nothing particularly exciting happens there. i came out and i was greeted by a man waiting very nicely dressed -- well-made suit. he was waiting for me outside the apartment and said, are you ami horowitz? i said, yes, i am. he simply said, is this movie more important than your family. >> why does an investment banker make a film on you and wasting crimes committed by its troops? find out sunday with ami horowitz on sunday's "q &a." >> former lieutenant governor

kerry healey. the talk about his ability to work with the democrats in the state legislature. >> i flew to saw lake city not to see the olympics but to meet the man who had saved them. i had a message from the grass roots. come back to massachusetts. our state needs you. mitt romney 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 were losing hope for themselves, their families, and their children. sadly, very much like our country finds itself today, mitt

romney answered the call of service and accepted the challenge. how did he fix the state? he quickly assembled a cabinet of the best and the brightest drawing on both parties, half women, half men to give him the full spectrum of ideas and advice. he respected different opinions. he valued open debate. when it was all said and done, mitt romney knew how to make a decision. [applause] gov. mitt romney did what many thought was impossible. he turned it around a $3 billion budget gap and created a $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.

and education gov. romney give parents more choices, insisted on tough standards for teachers and students. massachusetts schools became the best in the nation. [applause] we cleared out regulations on small businesses. we cut taxes 19 times. as a result unemployment dropped only 4.7%. unlike president obama, gov. romney's economic policies were report -- rewarded with a credit upgrade. [applause] those are the facts and figures. when people find out i served as the lieutenant governor they ask me the same question. what is he like?

first and foremost, a mitt romney is a good and honorable man committed to public service and his country. [applause] on the morning he took the oath of office, his first act was to focus public attention on those i in need it. we served breakfast to homeless veterans and acknowledge the special that we owed to those who sacrificed for our country. [applause] every morning early before the rest of us arrived, a mets would meet with the economic secretary. creating jobs was his top priority.

matt was always a hands on a leader. when one of boston's tunnels collapsed tragically killing the passenger, he did not blame others. he jumped in and fixed the problem. he immersed himself in the engineering problems -- engineering challenges, abolished cronyism and restored public confidence. that is the mitt romney i know. he is ready to bring the same work ethic, vision and integrity to the white house. [applause] mitt romney will never let our children's education be second- best or allow future prosperity to be mortgaged by today's

political cowardice. he will respect those who build things with their own minds and own hands. [applause] mitt romney will not just talking about family values. he will live them. every day. i will tell you another thing the. mitt romney understands the world is safer when our country leads. he will never apologize for a america. [cheers and applause] mitt romney will lead us back to an america we can be proud of and ahead to a future where the american dream is alive again and with every man and woman's reach.

thank you mitt romney for believing in america. ameritech, you can believe and mitt romney. thank you. >> please welcome the secretary of workforce, jane edmonds. >> thank you for the warm welcome. i am honored to be here to share my feelings about mitt romney. by way of background, my politics as as a liberal democrat. my passion is about education and work force training and leadership. when i first met gov. romney, i was struck by his humanity,

grace, his kind manner. it was just the two of us in his office when i met him. as a finalist for a cavernous -- cabinet position. i could tell by our interaction that he is the real thing that. he struck me then and now as honest transparent and inclusive. [applause] i somehow knew during the meeting he is demanding of himself. he would be demanding of anyone who would be part of his administration. i wanted to be a round him. in that kind of environment where my skills and 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 up of the men held true. during the four years i served and enter his cabinet, i saw him up close and personal many times. -- in his cabinet, i saw him up close personal many times. one area where he made a positive difference is improving the representation of women in senior positions in massachusetts state government. [cheers and applause] before governor mitt romney took

office in 2003, women were significantly under represented. with 52% of the population but just 30% of the jobs. over the next 2.5 years, 42% of the new appointments made by gov. romney were women. 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 know it women held 10-20 top positions and gov. romney's administration making the commonwealth one of five states that come close to matching the

percentage of top appointees to the proportion of women in the overall population. this achievement happened because mitt romney cared about the issue. he took action to fix it. he delivered results. [applause] he is unquestionably an amazing steward and leader. a servant leader and somebody who i respect very much. that is the kind of leadership that has always inspired me. unselfish leadership. he writes about two kinds of people. one type is all about

themselves and their success, and the other type works as hard as they can. their success is motivated by doing good for others. that is how i see governor mitt romney. he is authentic. [applause] he is open to good ideas wherever they come from. it does not matter if they are from a democrat like me, he will listen and is inclusive. as a great leader, he brought out the best i in me. i know as president he will bring out the best in our country. [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 so mr. 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 crying. finally, and i have 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, shut up? [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 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 were 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 be president, anyway. [cheers and applause] i think attorneys -- they always argue everything, weigh both sides. they are always devil's advocating 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 -- maybe 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 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 or 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] >> it is the democrats' turn to hold a convention. on tuesday delegates will vote on the party platform. we will hear from jimmy carter,

julio castro and michelle obama. former president bill clinton and the vote on the nomination. the convention wraps up thursday with acceptance speeches from vice-president joe biden and president barack obama. you can watch gavel-to-gavel coverage of the democratic national convention live from charlotte north carolina here on c-span. >> coverage continues next week with the democrats and north carolina. every speech live on c-span, c- span radio and online at c- span.org. >> the problem is as simple and direct as this. we either get back to the task of building children the way we know how or we keep the building

jails and a america. it is time to stop building jails and in america. >> i am an alternate delegate. my first convention. i am voting for mitt romney. >> these are my daughters. i am a delegate because i want to participate in the process and support mitt romney. i am concerned about the future for my daughters. >> most important issue is the issue of debt. we have to deal with that. >> connect with other viewers with twitter and google handouts. >> this is coverage of the convention of 2012 in tampa, florida.

>> republicans closed their convention with an acceptance speech by the presidential candidates. he highlighted his business experience and economic policy is saying america needs jobs -- the lots of jobs. he was introduced by marco rubio of florida. >> 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, a few 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 livde 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 puff on one of his three daily cigars.

it has been three decades since i last sat on that porch. i do not remember all the things he talked 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 in?

an $800 billion stimulus that created more debt than jobs? paid for with higher taxes and cuts to medicare, scores of new rules and regulations -- these ideas do 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 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 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] .

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he talked about what he was doing to make the games a success. to me that was one of the critical moment in the turn it around and the games. for people to see this guy will literally do anything including risking personal injury to make them a success. they were a tremendous success that seem to follow him everywhere he has gone. i do not think that is a coincidence. he has worked hard. he has surrounded himself with the best people to ensure success. he will take the same know-how and experience to the white house. he has achieved some tremendous things. i think his greatest achievements lie a had of him. they lie ahead of him in the white house. with your help we can make that happen. [applause] thank you very much.rodu chairman again but i have better news for you.

[laughter] sorry, chairman. [applause] it is my great honor to introduce somebody who i will be honest -- moved me to tears last time with her speech. let's give her a great hand. secretary of state condoleezza rice. [applause]

>> thank you. how is the delegation doing this morning? thank you. thank you so much for the warm welcome. i am delighted to join you. i have to tell you a couple of connections to the great state of wisconsin that i have. my dad went to madison to study of all things at football. he was a football coach when i was born. he spent some time at the university of wisconsin. i spoke last night about the transformative power of education. my grandfather, who found his way to college from a little sharecropping town of in alabama called utah, alabama did get a

college education. my and theresa in 1952 became one of the first black women to get a ph.d. in english literature from the university of wisconsin in madison. [applause] she road to books on dickens, but we will not hold that against her. thank you for everything you are doing and will be doing. this is an election of consequence. this is a time when we all have to work as hard as we possibly can to elect mitt romney and your native son paul ryan. this is really an election of consequence because the country is at a crossroads in terms of the moment to pay back a crushing debt. i am really amazed and alarmed at the running debt clock and

that we have in the convention hall. it just reminds us that every day the situation gets worse. paul ryan has led on that issue. i am so pleased he was able last night to address not the debt in terms of dollars, but the debt in terms of what it means for our future, for the future of our children and grandchildren. for the future of our leadership in the world. this is a time of consequence because we are at a crossroads on that issue. we are at a crossroads in terms of our willingness to deal with the entitlement load we are carrying. we cannot continue to mortgage the future for generations because we have piled up obligations and the entitlement reform is going to be very important. we really do as a leadership have to tell the american people the truth about what is ahead of us. it is hard work.

americans are accustomed to hard work. they are accustomed to taking on a hard and difficult task. are accustomed to succeeding. we are at a crossroads in terms of our international leadership. this is a time when the world is and the considerable chaos after three great shots. the shock of 9/11 that fundamentally shifted our concept of national security. the shock of the global financial economic crisis. the global economic financial crisis changed our concept of economic prosperity and security. indeed, i can remember as a little girl, my grandfather saying to my mother, you and john have to buy a house as soon as you possibly can because the value of your house never goes down. now, look at what americans are experiencing. the financial shock is

reverberating across the country. people who are unemployed and have been unemployed for a long time wonder if they are ever going to be employed again. they have reason to wonder. the longer you are unemployed, the less likely you are ever to be employed again. this is the crossroads we are dealing with as far as financial issues. we had the shock of the arab spring. those are shifting the tectonic plates of the international system. is the united states of america going to be there to lead in a way that makes certain when the tectonic plates reshuffle and settle again that they will be in favor of free peoples and free markets. that is what we have always stood for. we have been willing to have a view of how human history ought to unfold. when the united states does not have a view. when the united states does not

speak in a robust voice, bad things happen. and that is what we are seeing. [applause] we are at a crossroads in terms of rebuilding, restating, affirming who we are. this is a country that was built on opportunity and the willingness of people to seize it. it did not really matter whether you came here from someplace else to do that. or whether you were born here. you understood that you might not be able to control your circumstances, but you can control the response to your circumstances. if you work hard, if you were willing to put all of the effort into it, that you would prosper. my parents used to say and segregative birmingham alabama, there are no victims.

by the way, he will have to be twice as good. they said that not as a matter for debate. they said that as a matter of fact. i tell my students, the mantra "you have to be twice as good"is not a bad a mantra. i do not care what color or gender you are. it is not a bad mantra. [applause] that's believe has prevented us from being an entitled people and an aggrieved people. it is not too long after agreement shows up, why do i not have that -- that entitlement shows up. why do they not give me? that is the death knell of a society that is built on hard work and individual responsibility as a belief that you can overcome your circumstances.

of course for our people to be able to do that, we have to work hard to make it true through quality education or -- for every child regardless of circumstances. as i said last night, these days i can look at your zip code and i can tell you if you will get a good education. that is unraveling the fabric of who we are. this is a crossroads for us as a country. i am grateful for your engagement in the political process. there is no other way for american citizens to take hold of the course of our country than to get involved, to go door-to-door, to make phone calls, to raise money, to do all of the things we know we have to do to elect mitt romney and paul ryan. thank you very much. i look forward to victory in in america. -- victory in in november.

[applause] >> thank you madam secretary. we really appreciated your wonderful remarks. what a wonderful morning. was a dog great? i just want to make a couple of announcements. i want to recognize a few more people. this is the last time we will be getting together. i wanted to first of all acknowledge mary who has been a tremendous asset. [applause] mary has been tremendous.

she served as co-chairman of the arrangements. this has been a wonderful convention. i guess i have to say personally, you have been such a support system for me as chairman. i appreciate all that you have done. also, we have not seen steve a lot because he has been the sergeant of arms and the convention. what an honor to introduce our own paul ryan. steve king has just been a rock on the national committee. this guy has found the fountain of youth. thought he was ready to get out of politics, but we are glad to have him back. he has done a wonderful job as our national committee man. [applause] as i said, this is the last that

we are meeting as a group and i want to thank you as chairman. i have been proud of what we have done. we have 68 days until another election believe it or not. we here in wisconsin have a chance to make history. you think about what is at stake in the next 68 days. on the presidential level, we have not had a republican when wisconsin since 1984. scott likes to say he was only in high school band. that was probably -- i was probably 33 them. we can do this. we are so close. we have 25 a victory center is opening around the state and we have a chance to do this for the first time since 1984. obviously, we have a senate seat. with tommy thompson at the top of the ticket we have a wonderful candidate. [applause] we all have to work. we have to double down and work

really hard. we can be the 51st seat. it would really be a hollow victory of mitt romney when president but harry reid was back at senate majority leader. ron johnson needs another friend. we need two centers for the 4 -- the state of wisconsin for the first time since the mid- 1950s's. also want to say, i have been thinking people. there are a lot of financial friends are here. i want to say, thank you and god bless you. we have tried to be good stewards of your resources. we have done a lot of good things. we cannot do it without you guys helping us financially. to the legislators here. we tried to be a good support system for you. thank you for carrying the water. i always say it is great to get your good friend scott walker elected governor. i learned on the day we signed the budget june 26 of last year,

it is more important of the good policies they do. what governor walker and the legislature did, we are the blueprint for the rest of the nation. the rest of the nation is watching wisconsin for what we are doing. we are the incubator for good ideas. it is because of our legislators. i want to thank the legislators for everything they have been doing. finally, i want to thank the republican national convention as the convention for the activists and the grassroots people. many years ago i tried to be proud of just being a grass- roots activist. i used to do the phone calls. i would tell you, you guys have been fabulous. what we have asked you to do, i do not think it is fare. i just really appreciate all the hard work that we have done. we think of so many things. it seems like 10 years ago. you know what, the people of in this from our hard-working gop

activists. that is why we are sitting in this place here on the verge of something really, really special. i want to thank everybody from the bottom of my heart. god bless you and thank you for everything you are doing. [applause] thank you. thank you. "washingtonorning's journal," stan greenberg's reaction to mitt romney's acceptance speech. joe allbaugh discusses the

emergency resources on the federal level. and frnak newport talks about the attitudes of undecided voters. 7:00 eastern on c-span. >> c-span's gavel-to-gavel convention coverage continues next week with the democrats in north carolina. every speech live on c-span, c- span radio and online at c- span.org. >> so many of the problems we re about a back to how we raise our children. we either get back to the path of building our children the way we know how or we will keep building jails in america. it is time to stop building jails and america and get back to the path of building our children. >> an alternate delegate. my first convention. i am voting for romney.

>> the survey delegate from delaware. these are my doctors. i want to participate in the process. i want to vote for my candidate mitt romney. >> most important issue is the issue of debt. debt is a time bomb waiting to blow up and destroy us. we have to deal with it. >> connect with other viewers with twitter and google handouts. >> this is part of c-span's coverage of the convention of 2012. >> convention hub at c- span.org/campaign2012. >> more from the convention in tampa. newt gingrich along with his wife callista spoke to the assembly. they criticize president obama's economic policies and discuss the legacy of ronald

reagan in the republican party. we will hear from the governor of florida, jeb bush. >> 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, spreading democracy throughout the world. >> by remaining true to his conviction, through his 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. >> 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 reduced 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 together in the interest of the nation. obama's waiving of the work 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] >> 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 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] >> ladies and gentlemen, please give a warm welcome to the former governor of a florida, jeb bush. [cheers and applause] >> thank you very much. [cheers and applause] thank you.

welcome to florida. thank you. before i begin my remarks, i have something that 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 grandfather and my father have been incredible role models for me and served our country honorably my brother, well, i love my brother. [cheers and applause] he is a man of integrity, courage, and honor. during incredibly challenging times, he kept us safe.

[cheers and applause] mr. president, it is time to stop blaming your predecessor for year failed economic policies. [cheers and applause] you were dealt a tough hand it. you were dealt a tough and your policies have not worked. in the fourth year of your presidency, a real leader would accept responsibility for his actions and you have not done it. now that i have gotten that off my chest, let's talk a little bit about our kids and education. this election is about the future of the nation. we can shape the future with

what we do here. with what we do on november 6. we can restore america posted greatness. that starts with a strong economy, a smart energy policy, lower deficits, and a president who puts america's workers and job creators first. but to have a great and future, a secure future, a feature that is equal to our potential as a nation, we need to do something else. we must make sure our children and grandchildren are ready for the world we are shaping today. it starts at enter our homes and our communities and especially in our schools. as a candidate and gov. i visited over 400 florida schools. i saw children read for their first sentences, saw their first long division problems, explore the miracles of chemistry and physics.

that is the essence of education. children getting a chance at a future. there are many reasons to believe the future is bright but also reasons to worry. of 34 advanced nations in the world, american students ranked 17th in science and 25th and math. only one-quarter of a graduates are ready for the next steps. china and india produce eight times more engineering students 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. tell that to a kid whose classroom learning is not respected. tell that to a parent's debt at a school with no leadership. tell that to a young talented teacher who did -- who was laid off because she did not have tenure. we give some kids a chance, but

not all. that failure is the great moral and economic issue of our times, and that is hurting all of america. [applause] i believe we can meet the challenge. we need to set high standards for students and teachers and provide parents the choices they deserve it. the first step is a simple one. we must stop prejudging children based on their race, ethnicity, or child -- or a household income. we must stop excusing failure at schools and start rewarding improvement and success. and in we must have high academic standards that are benchmark to the best in the world. all kids can learn. gov. romney believes it and the

data proves it. while he was governor of massachusetts raised standards and today there state leads the nation in academic performance. here in florida, 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 rick scott and local leaders, our focus every day is whether students are learning. that is it. today more students are reading on grade level, passing rigorous college prep courses, and graduating from high school. perhaps most exciting, those traditionally left behind are showing the greatest gains. among african-americans, florida is ranked fourth in the nation among the academic improvement. for low income we are ranked third. among students with

disabilities, we are ranked first. among the latino students, the gains were so big they require a new metric. 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. today thanks to teachers like shawn duffy we are changing that. [applause] >> i am honored to be an educator to help the next generation of leaders, thinkers, builders, an entrepreneurs. i am part of a dwindling field. i have seen too many good teachers come and go do to poor working conditions at little

pay. that teachers get locked into the system and good teachers leave for more money. on top of the bureaucratic challenges, teaching does not always match what our students need it. to that and i helped launch a stem lab at my high school that focuses on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and helps students learn proficiency in these fields. we turn students away from education by not providing a robust curriculum that keeps up with the 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 policy makers has to be student focused and students entered. [applause] after all, students matter most. that is what counts. thank you. [applause] >> thank you i know your high

school is proud of your efforts. we need more great teachers like you. teachers who do not give up on a kid into recognize every child can learn and do not waste a precious year of the student's life. if you are a great teacher and your students are mastering their subjects, no matter their age you should have a job. education is hard work. if you cover core principles and to 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 into any supermarket aisle and you will find an incredible selection of milk. you can get whole milk, 2% milk, low-fat milk or skim milk, or

organic milk, chocolate, strawberry or vanilla, it does not even taste like milk. even make bilk -- they make the milk for people who do not to drink milk. should parents have that choice for schools? [applause] governor mitt romney gets it. he believes parents regardless of zip code or income should be able to send their child to the school that fits them best. that sets them up against some entrenched interests. there are people who say support strong schools but draw the line at school choice. it would upset powerful political forces that we need to win elections. i have a simple message for the

masters of delay and deferral. you can help the politically powerful unions or you can help the kids. [applause] for those who have been involved, you know it is hard to take on the unions. they are well organized. election day they will show up. the kids are not old enough to vote. you and i know who deserves a choice. governor mitt romney knows it too. let me introduce you -- we gave him a choice, you got a great election. [applause] >> i grew up in the inner city of miami in a place where your zip code determines your chance of success. my only option was an unproductive and failing school.

i knew that could lead to an unproductive and failing future. thanks to gov. bush's choice program, i got a chance to choose a better school. making my education my priority, i went to one of the toughest high schools in miami. i am sure like a lot of us, it was my mother, kara let, who pushed for the choice in my education. her devotion has given me a chance to succeed. i graduated from wagner college and i am looking forward to a life of learning and serving my community. [cheers and applause] who knows what the future would have held if i did not have a choice in my education.

i do know the numbers for failure. i probably would not have had a good chance. the school choice program gave me a chance to achieve academic success in a school that was best for me. i took it from there. thank you. [applause] >> that is an incredible honor to see you grow up. it is the driving force across this nation to bring about necessary change. some of the biggest reformers are republicans. mitch daniels, bobb jindal have expanded school choice to what we have here in the florida. governor in maine and georgia are transforming education by pushing schools to harness the power of technology and digital learning. the idaho governor and superintendent are raising up to the best teachers and separating out the ineffective

ones. that earned them some enemies. he did not back down. gov. scott walker in wisconsin led his state -- [cheers and applause] gov. walker led his state to adopt reforms that promotes early literacy and required teacher evaluations inc. and achievement. and in nevada a push for reforms to end last in first out where teachers are hired and fired based on years in the system and not the impact on the classroom. the governor and tennessee is making sure every classroom has an effective teacher. mitt romney understands states must lead to the national movement.

in massachusetts, gov. romney narrowed the gap between students of different races. he put into place a merit scholarship that to give this students for tuition free years that any institution of higher learning. he is a champion for bringing hope to education. he intends to be a champion -- somebody always puts students first. the future of the nation is at stake. 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 kids what we promised them -- and equal opportunity that starts in the classroom, starts in the communities, and starts where you live. it starts with electing mitt

romney the next president of the united states. [applause] thank you. god bless you. god bless the teachers and god bless the united states of america. >> more republican convention speeches from clint eastwood, marco rubio, and mitt romney. later, washington journal live with your phone calls. >> during the republican and democratic conventions, we are asking middle and high school students to send a message to the president. in a short video, students will answer the question "what is the most important issue the

president should consider in 2013?" there is $50,000 in total prize is available. the competition is open for students in grades 6-12. go online to studentcam.org. >> gavel-to-gavel convention coverage continues next week with democrats in north carolina. use the convention hub. make your own video clips and cheer them. >> of many problems go back to how we raised our children. the problem is as direct as this. we get back to the past a building show the way we know how or we will keep building jails and america. it is time to quit the building jails and america and get back to building our children. >> i am an alternate delegate.

my first convention. i am voting for romney. >> i am a delegate from delaware. these are my daughters. i am a delegate because i want to participate in the process. i am concerned about the future for my daughters. >> the most important issue is the issue of debt. it is a time of bomb waiting to blow up and destroy us. >> connect with other c-span viewers with torture and google hangouts. >> this is part of c-span's coverage of the republican convention in 2012. >> clint eastwood was a republican special guest speaker last night. his improvised remarks about president obama provided a rare

unscripted moment at the convention. roger ebert wrote that clint eastwood looked sad and pathetic. later, a marker rubio and mitt romney. -- maro rubio and mitt romney. [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 so mr. 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 crying. finally, and i have 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, shut up? [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 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 were 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 be president, anyway. [cheers and applause] i think attorneys -- they always argue everything, weigh both sides. they are always devil's advocating 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 -- maybe 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 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 or 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] >> republicans closed with a speech by mitt romney. he highlighted his business experience and economic policy saying america needs lots of jobs. the candid it was introduced by marco rubio of florida. this is one hour. >> center 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, a few seconds, to talk about another country. a country located a few miles away, the country of my parent'' 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 livde 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 puff on one of his three daily cigars. it has been three decades since i last sat on that porch. i do not remember all the things he talked 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. [cer