call-in from the gulf coast. the caller: we have done very, very well. i never lost power or lost by at&t cable. a lot of my friends for without power for days. guest: the providers on the power side -- oh, tv -- have worked closely together over the past few years to ensure that their infrastructure is approachable during a time of disaster and will continue to operate to serve clients like yourself and the citizenry. it has been a remarkable process. it is hard to believe it was seven years, but everybody has done a lot better job this time around, particularly individual citizens heeding the warnings from local folks. host: a caller pointed out that

this was a category one storm and the levees survive. what is your sense on the outlook for the 2012 hurricane season, the rest of it? guest: we are only halfway through. it could be a rough season. i am not a meteorologist, but everyone knows we need to rain in our country. we have a drought that is affecting literally everything we have, agricultural products. we want rain, but we don't want the accompanying damage that comes with this. unfortunately, hurricane isaac state offshore for every longtime the gulf at this time of year was very, very warm. as long as that chugs along, have these bands in bands of rain storms, and what it did the last couple of nights is spawn heavy tornadoes just cropping up at any moment.

host: in the longer-term forecasts, looking at climate change, oceans are getting warmer, things are happening, storms could be more intense, etc., these coming out of those organizations, does fema have to change the model for how they react to things and how much money they need for potential storms? guest: there is the disaster assistance find that this house that the office of management and budget -- sorry for all the jargon. but, as always makes sure that the disaster assistance fund -- but congress always ensure that the disaster assistance fund is funded properly. they may drop down with the disaster is going on, but congress always makes sure there is money for that, because we have disasters all over the world. global warming -- i cannot speak

to that, but we measure our cans on the -- we measure hurricanes on the safter- simpson system. it may be a category one, as isaac was originally, but the amount of damage after the storm hits does not really fit the category 1 so we need private getting together with the -- fema congress getting together with the private sector as all these storms continue to intensify, as we move forward guestd. host: lawrence, kansas is next, on the independent line. caller: good morning.

first, prayers to everyone on the gulf coast. guest: absolutely. caller: i would mention to people to look into whether weaponry -- a recent film was put out that points to geo- engineering projects to be used for whether it weaponry. my question has to do with the way the federal government appears to take advantage of crises or even generate crises in order to test their powers or expand their powers. we saw this with katrina, using u.s. military domestically to take people's guns from them in some of those quarters. my specific question for mr. allbaugh is, september 11, fema set up bioweapons exercises, and

he was reporting directly to dick cheney, and further evidence -- host: you are suggesting what, tom? caller: that september 11 was apparently generated crisis -- host: i will let you go then. guest: absolutely not, and it is regrettable that we continue to have these rumors fed by the internet. september 11 was not created crisis by this government. i'm sorry, tom, but you are wrong. host: republican line, cleveland, ohio. caller: good morning. i wanted to ask mr. allbaugh, what does past experience with hurricanes suggest as to how many people heed the warnings of local authorities and vacate the premises moving to another location in light of the

impending storm? how many people stick it out in their homes, and how this affects the planning of local first responders and/or fema? guest: thank you for your question. it is an excellent question because it does impact the responses as folks remain in their home. there is no way to demand someone leave their property. however, for their own safety, they should heed warnings of local officials and authorized officials, every time they hear about someone preparing to evacuate. the reason is twofold. anytime someone stays on their property, not only are they putting their own lives in jeopardy and extreme danger, first and foremost, but they are

putting the lives of the first responders, the coast guard, the national guard, local police departments, everybody at risk. somebody has to go out in the middle of a storm, assuming it is safe enough to travel, and rescue those folks. that is the most difficult lesson to get across to individuals who don't want to leave their home. as i mentioned earlier, we have a lot of folks who did not think they would be impacted this time around and have been. there are lots of search and rescue teams that are making sure, going house-to-house, that people have been rescued, or they have found a way to leave themselves. as to the numbers, it is hard to ascertain that, except that fema will to an after-action

report and look at the number of people who have been rescued and the folks who've gone to public shelters and put that together so that they can come up with a plan to help locals respond to these types of events much better. host: a couple more calls for joe allbaugh. julie on our democrats' line. caller: hi. i am glad to get on. i was on the mandatory evacuation in the canyon fire -- right. and romn caller: ann romney was bragging about how he would cut funding for teachers and -- guest: action, the way the system works is that when local

and state officials outstripped their resources, fema exist to help fund the overtime safety and even the hourly rate of officers and emergency personnel to the local community, or to the state. i don't think any president, whether they or democrat, republican, or from mars, for that matter, is going to allow fema to be unfoununded in a time of disaster when people's lives are at risk. the number one responsibility of any president of the united states is to protect not only our shores but the integrity of our system, so that no one has to put their life in danger. we have some who don't adhere to that, and will stay on the property even though they have been warned several times. those are the ones with it the highest risk of losing their life. host: who makes the call for

mandatory evacuation? guest: that is decided at the local level. even though there is a lot of integration and discussions, tabletop exercises before an event, i always worry about new orleans and those coastal states. host: when they say it is mandatory evacuation -- guest: they cannot force you out. those who do not adhere to that are putting their lives at risk. host: about five more minutes with joe allbaugh on hurricane isaac, fema, and we have a special line set aside for gulf coast residents. a story in "the new york times" -- "low-profile victim's hard hit on the gulf coast."

"even the 26 miles of the beach took a huge amount of water and wind for nearly two days, with nearly every national news organization focused on new orleans and whether it's levies would hold, the death of mr. parker was barely noticed." he mentioned that the damage in mississippi that is causing consideration and concern for officials down there. guest: unfortunately, not everyone listens to the warnings. i am sorry for that individual's loss. we are so fortunate we did not have the losses we had in katrina seven years ago. i promise you that gov. bryant in mississippi, governor jindal in louisiana, jay nixon of missouri, and -- well, it

doesn't matter -- those governors are interfacing with local officials trying to get the word out. the word was out. everybody knew. you must have lived in a cave if you did not hear there was an evacuation not only requested, but mandated. it is the biggest lesson we've learned in seven years. host: september is traditionally preparedness month across the country. are americans better prepared individually as families and they used to be? guest: the are. it is about education and individuals taking responsibility for themselves. if you do not participate in a mandatory evacuation, you need to have your own plan. don't sit around and wait for the government to take care of you. that is a band plan -- bad plan,

bill. host: rich from ohio. caller: i am concerned about forest fires where we have not clean and harvested them and could make a difference. and roads -- if concrete roads would help whatsoever. i will hang up and listen to your answer. guest: let me take the last half. you have strong industries in this country that will never have all-concrete, nor all- asphalt roads. depending on your state, the climate, and the local situation, that dictates whether i.t. has a concrete road or asphalt. back to your first point, you are absolutely right about the under-brush. that is the biggest problem we face. i had a personal fire three years ago that wasn't the cause

of a wildfire, but could easily have gotten out of hand at our neighborhood not taken upon itself to clear out the underbrush and thinned the trees. what i mean by that is that some communities don't allow clearing. they think it is very aesthetic ally pleasing tidwell, it might be until there is a fire. we have the folks who moved out into the country and they think they are immune from fires. they needed to do a thorough clearing so that your home and possessions and the ones will have the ability to survive if a fire is in your neighborhood. it is not a federal issue, even though the feds are brought in. it starts at the local level. host: one political question before you leave.

you ran george w. bush's campaigned for governor in the 1990's. how do you think the convention for the storm as it approached louisiana? guest: they appeared to have the right approach. i did not hear anyone bellyache. they appear to have an amended the appropriate plans to relocate folks if the hurricane went over tampa. it missed tampa. they canceled one day, and i am not sure anyone really minded about that. the state and local, the feds, and a fist with republican leaders, as they will with convention planners in north carolina. there is no difference. at the end of the day, it is all about preserving life and property. they did a great job. host: joe allbaugh, thanks for

joining us this morning. guest: you bet, bill. host: up next, our "by the numbers" segment, with the demographics of undecided voters in the u.s. our guest will be frank newport. that is all ahead as "washington journal" continues. >> 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 studentcam video documentary competition. students will answer the question, what is the most important issue the president should consider in 2013? for a chance to win the grand prize of $5,000, and there is $50,000 in total prize is available. c-span's studentcam video

competition is open to students grades 6 through 12. for complete details and rules, go online to studentcam.org. >> c-span's gavel-to-gavel coverage of the democratic convention starts next week. every minute, every speech, live on c-span, c-span radio, an online at c-span.org. featured speakers tuesday and include it the mayor of san antonio and first lady michelle obama. wednesday, massachusetts senate candidate elizabeth warren and former president bill clinton. thursday, vice president joe biden and president barack obama. use our convention hubs to make insured video clips and video clips >> we offer opportunity, we demand responsibility, we will build an american community again. the choice we offer is not conservative or liberal. in many ways, it is not even a

republican or democratic. it is different, it is knew, and it will work. >> connect with other c-span viewers with twitter and google hangouts. c-span.org/campaign2012. "washington journal" continues. host: every week on a c-span, we bring you "america by the numbers." we have for frank newport, editor in chief of gallup, joining us from new york to talk about undecided voters. thank you for being with us on "washington journal" this morning. guest: it is my pleasure to be with you, bill. host: as the campaign gets under way for the ronny-brian campaign, who are the undecided voters? guest: the question is actually how to you the fine undecided

voters -- how do you define undecided voters? we are looking at registered voters who, when we asked the initial question, who would you vote for, romney or obama -- actually, right now we're saying romney-ryan versus obama-biden -- they don't give us an answer. they say they lean towards one of the candidates or stay undecided. but our assumption is that they don't immediately say romney or obama, then they are not as certain in their vote as others. that is about 12% of the registered population. other people can do it differently. you can follow up and say, are you certain or might you change nineyour mind -- change your mind? this gives us a good core of people who are somewhat likely to shift.

host: 12% undecided by age group in a recent gallup poll. we'll looking at it and decided by party, in terms of republicans, 15% being undecided, 58% of independents, 20% of democrats. among all voters, the undecided s are among 32% republicans, 33% independent, 33% democrat. independents are traditionally the largest number of undecided s? guest: yes. on the left, that was all undecided voters. the big takeaway, six out of 10, are independents. that is the signal characteristic of these people, that they don't have a party allegiance either way.

they are less and in part as an orientation and are more able to move one way or the other. that chart you just saw is the most important thing we will look at. it tells us we have a group of people who do not have a mooring in a strong partisan orientation and are more flexible as to which candidate they are going to vote for. host: we are joined by frank newport from gallup, taking questions about voters, particularly and decided an independent. -- undecided and independent. if you are truly undecided, no matter your party, number to call --

the strategists said our poll showed undecided at 2%. guest: there was another poll by abc news and "the washington post" that showed it in the 20% range. it depends on how you define and decided. 2% is a very small number. let us why although you tended to find many ways in justification's for looking at it and number for ways. the way we're looking at it here is a good insight into who these people are and they are basically people who don't have strong attachments to the political system. host: "the washington post" editorial on mitt romney's speech last night. "some independents have been attracted to him as an upright, churchgoing family man with the ability to identify and solve

problems. others perceive him as an authentic and remote." what is the task ahead for mitt romney among undecideds? guest: keep in mind that whenever we discuss what the test ahead for mitt romney or barack obama, the task first and foremost is to make sure that he committed voters on their side turned out to vote. turnout is key. if barack obama does as well as he did among hispanic voters, that does not do him a bit of tod if they don't turn out vote. these candidates are trying to motivate their base to come out to vote. people talk about this -- i then asked this many times as we sit and pour over the data. both campaigns realize that you cannot do just one thing. clearly, mitt romney is seen as

remote. when you ask americans who is the more likable candidate, obama is winning by over 20 points. an amazing distinction at there. obama has a higher favorable rating, he does better when you ask who cares about the interests of people like me. romney will, his c.l. image, it does better when you ask who can -- romney, with his c.l. image, does better when you ask who can better handle the economy. they are trying to romney more likeable. whether they succeeded ferments be seen. -- remains to be seen. both sides are doing everything they can to win over undecideds. host: if you are undecided, we have a set aside a special line for you.

oakland, california, ben on our democrats' line. caller: good morning. i have a poll question i would like to get out there. would you buy george bush's used car from mitt romney? guest: heh.. well, thank you for the suggested but we will carefully consider whether to put that in the next gallup poll. i think what the caller is getting at is perceptions of honesty or dishonesty. it is whether you think a person is honest or not is different from saying i like them or they care about me. host: james in kansas city on our independent line. caller: a quick question about what you showed earlier and a breakdown of that. host: go ahead.

the 50% of undecided? caller: yeah, the undecided? host: is your question again? caller: what is the educational breakdown of those undecideds? higher education, college, dropouts, whatever it is? host: did you get that, frank newport? guest: i did, and what i can tell you in general is that undecideds as a group are educationally no different -- well, actually, there was a slight difference. undecideds are somewhat more likely to out high school to less education. that is true of the middle group as well, that undecideds are less likely to be college graduates or to have postgraduate education. that is probably one reason why it they are less involved in the

system, because they are not actively involved in traditional, and educated people are more likely to vote or be involved in general. that is not just the 58%. that is all undecided. you see that bar for high school or less is somewhat higher for undecided that it is for all voters. host: next call. caller: i am basically calling to say that, for the undecided voters, what are they undecidedabout? mitt romney, people saying they don't know him. i think last night he showed that he is our great father, sympathetic, apathetic, a great businessman. i don't -- empathetic, a great businessman. i don't understand why people

continue to not feel he cannot run the country better than obama. host: i will let you go there, and hang on, because we have an undecided voter. robert, you may have heard diane's question. what are you undecided about? caller: what has got my concern is the price of fuel. i'm a truck driver, and i and exposed to it on a regular basis, and it is a superdrag on our economy. i am upset that the president has eight laissez faire attitude about that but i've voted for him last time, but this is a huge drain any needs to be addressed -- and it needs to be addressed. host: frank newport, what did you hear in that response and is that a question you ask? guest: that is interesting. he was undecided apparently

because he is more of a single issue voters. since his livelihood depends on at the cost of gasoline, that is a crucial issue for him. there are other printers to say that might crucial issue is -- there are others who say that my crucial issue is x -- say, education, if you are a teacher. everybody has concerns a particular to them. the previous caller -- i believe she was from texas, a red state, and she felt strongly in support of romney. and we have our caller from one of the bluest states and in the country, rhode island are massachusetts, and they would not understand how anybody could not support barack obama. people from ideologically one side or the other cannot fathom how one does not share their convictions for one side of the other. that is why we do the polling, said th -- so that we break out

of our closet use of the world and find that people do not share our "of course" sentiment about romney or obama. host: it sounds like our caller from daytona beach, robert, was going to vote -- you're pulling reflects a propensity on the part of undecideds to vote -- nine to 10%, on a scale of one to 10, is a they definitely will vote, and among all voters, 83%. but given that typically our voting levels are well below 83%, are these numbers optimistic in both regards? guest: people do over report their certainty to vote, that is true. the relative difference is what the chart early shows us, and these undecided voters are

significantly lower on certainty to vote them all voters. what that tells us in part is that it reflects what i've been talking about, that undecideds are less connected to the system and more likely to be independent and less partisan and probably less likely to show up on election day. one issue with undecideds is that date in general are a little more checked out of the system and are less likely to be likely voters. host: lewis is in brooklyn on our democrats' line. good morning. caller: is that me? host: that's you, go ahead. caller: i have a question to ask. i believe you are having an investigation by the justice department on gallup? host: is there an investigation going on, is that your question? caller: i know there is one going on on gallup and i wonder

if that will affect is pulling any way. host: i will let mr. newport respond. guest: no, absolutely not in large part of what gallup does is business. we have contracts, we do business, we do analysis, we have a wide variety of business services and we provide many dissatisfied clients around the world, including the federal government. -- many, many satisfied clients around the world, including the federal government. host: let's hear from another undecided caller, another from florida. bob, hi there. what is it going to take to make you decide, or are you leaning one way or the other? caller: i called in on the undecided line because that is

the way i was feeling until last night. it was really just a dog and pony show. i am apt to vote on absentee ballot, because i am somewhat disabled, and i do vote in every election. i have to go with mr. obama. i think he has done as well as anybody could be expected to do in the four years, having all the problems that he did. i am going to say that i am decided from an undecided view after watching the dog and pony show last night. host: we will take bob out of the undecided column and into for president obama. do undecided voters typically decide real late?

guest: 0, yeah. he calls it a dog and pony show. we all know that the political conventions on both sides have little official function anymore other than to certify the nominees. did that are basically media shows. over history, the conventions cause a bounce. undecideds can move one way or the other coming out of the conventions. what we're looking for here is not just to see if there is a bounce out of this convention -- an anti-bounce for this caller, it sounds like. but typically, conventions poll in five percentage points more people for that party's nominee.

we will see what happens next week. in september, does the race reset itself? that is what we're looking for. did we come out of the race rather than being tied, but with one of the candidates more ahead? that will be fascinating, at least from a polling perspective, to see what happens. host: back to florida, this time on our republicans' line. joe, hello. you are on the air. caller: i would like to say one thing. last time i was watching part of the convention on c-span, and all for what i would switch between the other channels, like msnbc, fox, cnn, and even pbs. on msnbc, they did not show the speeches of the people describing mitt romney, like the

couple of their that had a 14- year-old son. they cut tim pawlenty's speech. and they broadcast their own views, campaigning basically for obama. i think this is a really bad thing. people are not getting all the information they should be receiving about either candidate. as far as -- you know, and they just keep constantly promoting their own point of view. it seems everybody on air was a liberal. host: i want to ask you about the influence of negative ads on undecided voters. do they work? guest: we have been asked that question for a long time.

what i like to look at is the proof is in the pudding answer, and that is that the political consultants, media consultants who work for the candidates, are not stupid. they have big budgets and decide to spend lots of money running negative ads. my assumption is that the smart men and women assume they work. we know, when you ask americans and do you like negative ads, they say no, we hate negative ads, and people deny that they make an impact, but i.t. is clear that the relentless pounding home can make a difference. host: historian robert dallek wr ote an opinion piece in "the wall street journal" about negative advertising.

"negativity is positively venerated in politics." "the greatest deterrent is independent voters, who, despite remaining a considerable minority, exert considerable influence in results. drawing them to one side of the other is often beyond a candidate's control. an uptick or downturn in the economy, is that of the time, or an october surprise can make a difference -- a slip of the tongue, or an october surprise can make a difference. the charm of personal appearance, such as kennedy's and his first debate with the nixon, can become a decisive consideration." guest: that is kind of everything but the kitchen sink. he is right. debates can have an impact. we saw that in 1980, in addition to the 1960 debate, when ronald

reagan convince voters he was an acceptable alternative. slips of the tongue can make an impact. what happened with the hostages in iran a leading up to the 1980 election made an impact. there are many, many factors that go into pushing voters are one way or the other. one of the most fundamental he mentioned in that piece is the economy. the economy started to boom in 1984 and 1996 when reagan and clinton were seeking reelection, and they did not need to do much. sr.carter in '80 and bush in '92, the economy sank their attempts to get reelected, regardless. host: but that window is much smaller than it was in previous elections? guest: not necessarily.

there is talk that we are more polarized in this country. we have other data looking at, for example, presidential job approval split by republicans and democrats to show that we may be more polarized but i am not sure that evidence compared to previous elections shows that there are more or less and lesse it's -- more or undecideds than previously. host: next caller, patricia. caller: i am a college graduate. i am undecided. it was congress that gave us the decrease in our credit rating. as for paul ryan, he is supposed to be so truthful and honest and everything else, while he wasn't.

i would consider myself a reagan democrat. there are a lot of us older people of there that are very undecided. i don't know how your gallup poll works or something, but there's a lot more of us out here than you think. thank you so much for your service, thank you. host: thank you, patricia. guest: well, there we have it, an undecided. reagan democrat is someone oxymoron a way of describing undecideds to agree. they are not dyed in the wool, will not routinely vote for one candidate or the other just because of partisan orientation. there are a lot of americans like that they are republican, conservative, and will vote for

anybody under that banner, like some democrats. but there are those who are convicted -- conflicted. host: august 1 through 29 for dallas, here is what it looks like any terms of -- for gallup, here is what looks like for undecideds. do the undecided numbers tended to change over time in terms of gender? host: not really. gender is not a major factor. undecided voters are not hugely more women than anybody else, nor are they usually more men. ant: chris says he is undecided voter. caller: i am undecided because i hate all of them.

i'm a social conservative and i have been voting republican since ronald reagan. host: who would be your ideal nominee? caller: the republicans have not renominated anybody since reagan that i like to i held my nose and voted for mccain. i would not vote for obama and biden because of their social views. but why would i vote for someone who says he will save medicare for me? i believe that for a minute. -- i don't believe that for a minute. host: it sounds like chris is not going to vote. is your poll looking at folks who do not plan to vote in the election? guest: the data we are looking

at are all registered voters, but when you saw that chart of how likely are you to vote, there were about 15% who said zero chance. there are some of them out there, maybe like the color bang. an entry, when he was sitting there criticizing all of the above -- i am intrigued, when he was sitting there criticizing all of the above, that shows in our data in general. 10%,ess' approval is at the lowest in american history. the fed for government is a couple of -- the federal government is a couple of points above the oil and gas industry, which is dead last. it could dampen overall voting from where it was in 2008. host: you said that the congressional approval number, the most recent month, was 10%?

guest: that's right. host: what is the highest approval rating, to your knowledge, that congress has gotten? guest: good question. it is generally lower than presidential approval. the average congressional approval since the gallup measured is 10 or 15 points lower. 10% is considerably below average, the lowest in history in answer to your question, the highest came after 9/11, when george w. bush got 90% job approval rating and congress was above 80% a few weeks after 9/11. that is what we call a rally in effect, when americans were rallying our around anything having to do with the government, because the bank received -- because they received an external threat. host: if you more minutes with

frank newport -- a few more minutes with frank newport. camden, new jersey. roger is a democrat. caller: good morning, how are you doing? host: fine. go ahead with your comment, roger. caller: the reason why i called is because of the -- the -- i'm sorry. i was calling concerning mitt romney. when he first started running, there was a situation where he said -- they asked him a question, and he was talking about -- oh, my god -- they asked him a question, and he said he did that -- his main focus was on the rich, and he did not care about the middle- class, and he was not worried about the poor.

i mean, that should be enough to make a decision on who you should vote for, because to me, that guy does not care about this country. he is all about himself. host: any response to that, frank newport? guest: well, this is symptomatic of what happens in the campaigns. that is why in a lot of people don't want to run, because you have video cameras chasing you all day long, and they make lots and lots of speeches and it is all recorded on tape, and people say things and it is gotcha, people grow apiece and make something of it and the campaigns argue over it and the voters decide whether it is meaningful or not. that whatampaign says he was saying is that there were government programs already in place to help those who weare really poor, and what we have

to do is look out for people who don't have government programs in place. opponents say that this exemplifies the positioning they want to point romney in, that he has a plutocrat and only cares about the rich. that is how campaigns work. there is so much people have to say -- i follow this thing for a living, and every couple of days, there is an eruption where one candidate or the other says something and it can be picked up and you can get this argument back and forth. as you heard from the caller in new jersey, that particular argument stock in his mind. these things can a difference. host: bobby from ohio, welcome to the conversation. caller: mitt romney allegedly has an account in the cayman allen'islands and a swiss bank

account. has gallup done any studies of the voters voting for or against him on this? guest: good question, and the answer is no. i don't believe we or any other pollsters have asked about whether he has accounts in the cayman islands makes people more or less likely to vote. well over half of americans wish they were rich themselves. lots of our candidates have been a will to do, going back to john kennedy, who was from a rich family, so on and so forth. i am not sure whether being rich per se makes a difference. it is whether or not you are sensitive to and would ignore the interests of americans who are not rich like you are. host: a poll from ohio, a state

poll on the presidential race and senate race there. they said that 10% are up for grabs in the presidential race. the senate struggle has 12% of wiggle room. does that number seem high to you? guest: no. i am not sure how they define undecideds, but that is fairly in line with what we're talking about here. that is easy to say and probably true of most elections. undecided voters are the ones to make the decision in most elections. if i.t. is not a close election, when one candidate like richard nixon in 1972 is way out ahead -- if it is a}, it is those undecided -- if it is a}, it is those undecided voters

and make a difference. host: carol, go ahead. caller: i watched the convention last night and i was full of pride. harry reid has blocked a lot of things and people in nevada do not like him. he is mormon also. what mrs. bush said, the former first lady, that we have to get involved and no issues, and then you decide who you vote for, and it is your privilege as far as being a citizen of the united states to vote and be part of the process. that is all i have to say. host: frank newport, it sounded like from the comments last night by mitt romney that they were really focusing on from here on out approaching voters who had voted for obama in 2008 and looking to lure them to the

romney campaign. is there any way that gallup will be checking that attempt? guest: absolutely straight -- absolutely. we track daily. for a republican to win, they have to pull back in some of those voters. if the same scenario happens this year that unfolded in 2008, obama is going to win again. republicans have two goals -- one is to activate the core republican voters and get them to turn out, which is easier for republicans and democrats, because republicans are more likely to vote. they have characteristics like age and education that make them more likely to vote. the second task is to pull down at 7% margin that obama had over mccain, so they have to come in

to become a convert some of those people who went for obama to go to romney, or they were going to lose. host: this is joyce. caller: mr. newport, would you put on your poll "would you buy a used car from mr. obama?" i would tell you, absolutely no. i have no use for people who are liars. none of the people ask this question -- you know what obama said about transparency, he was going to get rid of lobbyists. did he get rid of them? is he giving us transparency? absolutely not. and another thing you should put on your poll -- why did he seal his record and his wife's records?

you answer that to me. guest: well, she is certainly not an undecided voter. there are lots of the voters who are strongly committed. she is obviously committed to romney, but there are others who are committed to obama and will not see any other way. i am intrigued that another person asking a question about used cars. i will rush back to the office and come up with more "would you buy a used car from this guy, romney or obama," and see if that works and our questions. apparently that is a good metaphor for political sentiments. host: we are keeping an eye on at twitter, and our twitter handle is @cspanwj.

remind us again with the approval ratings were for the president and congress. guest: that is a very good point. 10,ress' approval rating is and obama's approval rating over the past two weeks is anywhere from 40 to 49% . in our consumer confidence measure, it shows that americans are negative on the economy. with all those fundamentals negative, i.t. is fairly remarkable that the president is maintaining as high a job approval rating as he is fit historically, president of the warnings are higher than congress -- president approval ratings are higher than congress'. but this is quite a bit higher. data shows that people are

comfortable with president obama, and that is helping him from driving down into the 20s or 30s, as with happened in george h.w. bush in 1992 or jimmy carter when he was seeking reelection. unlike those guys, he has kept his job approval rating up there at roughly 45% or higher. host: oklahoma city is next. roger is undecided in the presidential race. good morning, roger. caller: good morning. i registered at 18 years old as the democrat. over the years -- i am 50, or 60 years old -- i would like to say 50 -- i tended to go for a conservative democrat, almost into the republican category. i am very undecided.

i voted for obama, but so much uncertainty -- gas prices, medicare, medicaid, all these things are hitting me now. i don't like the uncertainty of things. i saw -- i watched the republican convention -- host: i'm going to let you go there 3 we have a couple more minutes from fra -- frank newport. what did you hear from roger? guest: what i heard was fascinating, his uncertainty about the current situation. back in 1980, americans were very uncertain. very uncertain about jimmy carter. the task of the reagan candidacy was to convince voters that reagan would be a more stable, realistic alternative. ultimately, he did convince americans of that and he won over jimmy carter that is

romney's challenge now, and the obama people know it, and that is why they are going against romney as a person, because they don't want him to be seen as a reasonable alternative. is romney seen as a stable, realistic alternative, and the obama people are saying no, and romney, of course, is saying yes. host: 19% in the 18-to-2910 or, 34% in the 30-44 category. here is dan in denver, colorado, on our republicans' line for frank newport. caller: good morning, gentlemen. my question is, for your guest -- i clearly am a conservative, and i have friends that are

.learly liberal guest of the people that are outside of that 59% range, how does the gallup poll use people that are clearly ideologues in deciding who is undecided? guest: well, that's a good question, and we actually had a chart on that. when we asked people, are you conservative, moderate, or liberal, undecideds are much more likely to be moderates than the general population. in answer to the color bang's question, -- caller's question , they are not strong conservatives or liberals did you see how high that middle moderate bar is for undecideds.

it is underscoring the fact that if you are undecided today, you are not strongly bound by ideology or host: frank newport is joining us this morning. he's the editor of gallopeup. thanks for being with us. guest: my pleasure. we will look to ask questions about used cars on our next goal. your viewers are highly astute. host: thanks for being on the program. "washington journal is back tomorrow morning at 7:00 as usual. lots of road to the white house coverage this weekend in. mr. the speeches last night, there on our convention hub at c-span.org. have a great weekend. we will see you tomorrow.

[captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2012] >> next week we will bring gavel-to-gavel coverage of the democratic convention from charlotte, north carolina. we will have every minute, every speech live on c-span. as the countdown to the democratic convention, later today at 12:00 15th we will bring you several third-party nominees speaking to supporters at their party conventions. here's the lineup -- under waygets a at 12:15 eastern. we're planning live coverage of

remarks from president obama in texas. he will visit voters and supporters at fort bliss in el paso set to start at 3:00 p.m. eastern on c-span. live pictures now from florida. mitt romney and paul ryan wrapping up their business after this week's convention. both expected to attend a rally at the regional airport in lakeland, florida. we are planning to bring that to you live as it gets under way. right now your phone calls on the final night of the republican convention from today's washington journal. host: here's the wall street journal headline -- in the washington post this morning -- and in the "washington times --

the new york times -- and from the newseum -- and the baltimore sun -- part of that is reflected in the headline this morning from usa today --

here is look. [video clip] >> every family wanted this to be a time when they could get ahead a little, put aside a little more for college, do more for the elderly mother now living alone, or give more to their church or other charity. every small business wanted these to be their best years ever, when they could hire more, do more for those who stuck with them through the hard times, open a new store, or sponsor a little league team. every new college graduates thought they would have a good job by now, a place of honor 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 the massive deficits. this was the hope and change america voted for. it's not just what we wanted. it is not just what we expected. it is what americans deserve. [applause] [cheers and applause] host: mitt romney from last night. he will be in richmond today. we will cover that. here's the headline -- let's get to your phone call reaction, your thoughts on his speech last night. good morning to tanya in detroit. caller: how are you? i had a couple problems with his speech. one of them was he never mentioned afghanistan. he never bank our troops for the

sacrifice they are making -- never thanked our troops. he wants to be the leader of the free world. that's inexcusable. that's one of my main problems. host: did you watch all the speech? caller: yes. host: thanks for the call. joe is on the republican line from florida. caller: c-span did a great job covering the convention. it was the greatest speech i've ever heard in my life. mitt will be elected and it will be a landslide. he will be the greatest president in history. i got so fired up by cannot go to sleep. i've had a sleeping problem for the last four months. i know him personally and am convinced that he will govern like ronald reagan. he will be the greatest president in history. i cannot wait until november 6 to cast my vote for the man i think will be by far the

greatest president in history. and ronald reagan is my hero. i think romney will be even better. host: how did you get to know him personally? caller: i was at sea island georgia six years ago and i met him. i was really fired up the last time. i've been with him there for "new york times. i've been excited. we have tried to get him to come to our barbecue place to celebrate small-business. c-span is great. i've been calling into your network's 30 years but have never been this excited in my life. i want to say to the american people, vote for mitt romney. he will be the greatest president in our history. host: if you missed the speech, you can go to our convention hub and all the speeches from the convention. herman is on our independent line in washington, d.c. good morning. caller: good morning. host: go ahead with your comments.

caller: i am an independent stuck between two evils, between romney and obama. romney's fiscal policies makes sense, but he says obama promises to heal the planet, but i promised jobs. i wonder why it cannot be both. host: how did you vote last time? caller: obama. host: do you think the appeal of romney pose a campaign going after dissatisfied obama voters will work? caller: it is the question that independence after answer. the socially fiscal policies of not what we wanted

to, but at the same time the cost that's being portrayed is not what we want either. host: donna is on our republican line from philadelphia. caller: hi. i grew up as a democrat. where obama has taken this country is deplorable. i just think he has the wrong vision. i am so excited. i cannot wait to vote in november for mitt romney and paul ryan. they are going to turn this country around and get us back on track. the debt, the lack of jobs, them developing energy in this country, foreign policy, all the points that he talked about. he is just hitting all the cylinders. this is the first day in the last four years that i've really felt good about this country. host: the speech wrapped up early enough that there could be enough time for the headlines in

the papers giving lots of analysis. here's the wall street journal this morning -- fort myers, florida, good morning to louis on our democrat line. caller: romney spoke well last night, but you have to be very vain to buy into what he's talking about. i hope people understand what is

taking place. there's been a ploy from day one against president barack obama since he took office, that to make sure that the only serves one term. it's not going to happen. the republicans will not be able to buy their way to the presidency at least in 2012. banks and have a good day. host: those comments were reflected this morning in the opinion piece of the new york times on the speech last night --

now we go to franklin, north carolina, on our independent line. george is a libertarian. caller: good morning, sir. i love c-span and have been watching for years. you are becoming the new reality television. i do believe that you attract a lot of people on both extremes. as far as who i am going to vote for, the last time i voted for ron paul i. this time i'm going to vote for ron paul via write-in vote.

he's the only prominent politician whose message is the same every time he gives it. god bless. eyvonne is a democratic caller in laurel, maryland. caller: i listened to the whole speech. he did a fair job, but it has not changed my mind. when he started talking about boris, the different -- and talking about the wars, the different countries that he's interested in, that's what is on my mind. anybody who wants to go to war after the two wars we have had, go right ahead and vote him im. -- in. then they will be crying the blues. host: thanks for the call.

getting your reaction to the speech last night by mitt romney. we will have it later in our schedule and you can catch it any time at our convention hub at c-span.org. there was an appeal last night to those who voted for obama in 2008. [video clip] >> how many days have you woken up feeling something really special is happening in america? many of you felt that way four years ago on election day. hope and change had a powerful appeal. if if you felt that excitement when you voted for barack obama, should you not feel that way now that he's president obama? >> you can see "washington journal every morning at 7:00 like eastern on c-span. now, remarks from mitt romney and paul ryan attending a wrap up rally this morning as the gop convention finished up last night? .

after this, mitt romney goes to louisiana to look at damage from hurricane isaac this week. it is a last-minute change of plans for governor romney. he was scheduled to make a campaign appearance with his running mate paul ryan this afternoon in richmond, virginia. paul ryan will still appear at that rally. >> the next president -- the next vice-president of the united states, paul ryan. and the next president of united states, governor mitt romney. >> ♪ [cheers and applause] [rock music playing] >> hello, everybody.

thank you so much. feel-good. thanks so much for coming out to our sendoff. what a great convention, huh? [cheers and applause] florida, thanks so much for your wonderful hospitality. we could not have done it without you. i just want to take a brief moment. an earthquake hit off the coast of the philippines earlier today. so let's put the people of the philippines in our prayers at this moment, because we are were about a tsunami. we have seen people in our own country in the past in that storm in louisiana. let's put our paris where they need to be, for the people of the philippines and the people in the path of isaac. and let me now say this. coming out of tampa, we have

given oufellow countrymen a very clear choice. [cheers and applause] we can either stay on the path that america has been placed upon by president obama, of debt, doubt, and of decline. or we can get people back to work. we can restore growth in this society and opportunity. the way we do that is elected mitt romney as next president of united states. [cheers and applause] president obama made a whole bunch of promises when he ran for president. and now we see a laundry list of broken promises. 23 million people are struggling to find work today. the unemployment rate in florida is 8.8%. foreclosures, house is under water, the highest poverty rate

in a generation. half of all college graduates are either an unemployed or not working in the field they studied for. college graduates should not 20's in the and ir childhood bedroom is looking up there obama poster wondering when they can get on with their lives. the president was recently asked would you have done anything differently? he said, "i need to talk more and tell the american people story." he needs to do more talking and we need to do better listening? is that the idea? friends, we have suffered from a shortage of words from the white house. what is missing is real leadership in the white house. [cheers and applause]

the question is this -- if we stick with the same leadership that we had over the last four years, how do we expect anything to be different over the next four years? it won't be. that's why we are giving the country a clear choice. real leadership. for's the romney-ryan plan stronger middle-class, about getting people back to work, higher take-home pay, the kind of leadership this country deserves. i have so rarely seen in our history a moment where the man and a moment to read so well. this country needs leadership. what we saw last night was a man introduced himself to us. he brought us into his family. we saw a man of faith, integrity, achievement. look at everything mitt romney has done with his life.

success, hard work, achievement, it is leadership. [cheers] when his country asked him to help turn around a filling olympics, he dropped what he did, turn it around, and made us all proud and saved the olympics from disaster. w this is a who has proven -- this is a man who has proven he is a job creator. he created tens of thousands of jobs. he started businesses. he turned around struggling businesses. by the way, being successful in business is a good thing in america. that's not a bad thing. that's what we do in america. that's the american dream. [cheers and applause] the record of contrast cannot be more stark. as governor of massachusetts, mitt romney worked across the aisle. he did not demonize people on the other side of the aisle and the balance the budget without

raising taxes. he lowered the unemployment rate, increased household income, if improved the credit rating of massachusetts. what have we seen under president obama's pale leadership? higher unemployment, a downgrade of our credit for first-time iris street, take-home is down by $4,000 over the last four years. ladies and gentlemen, this is very clear. this is our moment. this is the chance where we have a choice. do we want a failed leadership, the stagnant economy, the debt crisis, the welfare state, or do we want the opportunity society, the american ideal where everybody can make the most of their lives and define happiness for themselves? that is the offer? that's the future. ladies and gentlemen, i want to thank the people of florida for their warm hospitality. warm in many ways. [laughter]

we have this rule in wisconsin that if you turn 65, you have to move to florida for the winter. that's what my mom ds. it's really an honor right here to introduce you to the man who is meeting the moment, the man who is going to be the leader of our country, who is sharing himself with us, who has proven with his life that he knows how to lead. you're going to turn this around, get this done, get people back to work, turn the american idea back on. we're going to save this country and its promise for our next generation. it's because we will elect the next president of united states. his name is mitt romney. if that's the man standing right here. he's going to be the next president of the united states. >> thank you so much. what a welcome. what a sendoff. you guys are great. thank you. [cheers and applause]

it's an honor to be here. you really have touched our hearts. the welcome of the people in florida is something we will not forget. this was a big week for us. you made it a very special week for us. people over the state getting behind our effort and coming out and supporting us. many are commenting on, one of the speeches i will never forget, that was by the lady in red back here. [applause] i mentioned in my remarks last night that one of the things i wished i could do was to wake up with a pile of kids on my floor in the morning or go to bed at night with our kids coming in and talking to us about their problems, five little boys doing that. i got back to my hotel room and my daughter-in-law jen said we can arrange that. [laughter] with no further ado, the best

wife, mom, and grandmother that i know, my sweetheart, ann romney. >> hi. there are so many of you. thanks for coming out. i want to say something that i said in my speech. i hear your voices. we have an awesome responsibility now. i am so pleased to know that i have a guy standing next mean that has done an amazing things in his life. he has turned around difficult situations. he has brought economic prosperity where people thought it was impossible. i've seen it do it time and time again. i said in my speech and i will say it again, give this man a chance and he will not fail. [cheers and applause] we need to give america a chance. it's going to be an exciting. exciting florida is going to

after help us bring it home. so thank you all very much. [cheers and applause] >> she is something else. you guys are great people. i so much appreciate -- and some of the people i want to recognize today are your next senator. there's a great guy over there, soon-to-be senator connie mack. [crowd chanting usa, usa, usa] i also want to thank your congressman dennis ross. dennis, thanks for being here. i want to thank the chairman of my campaign in florida, adam putnam, your agriculture commissioner. and my other chairperson, your great attorney general, pam.

i know they were speaking a moment ago. their support is meant the world to me. florida gave me the votes are needed to become the nominee. i thank florida. now one more task. i need to have you do the work on november 6 that gets reelected the next president of united states. that has to happen here in florida. and for that to happen, you are going to have to go out and find a person or two who voted for barack obama. i know they are here. there are not as visible as they used to be. you can see some of the glue were the bumper sticker used to be on their cars. so you should find them and convince them to get on our team and help us. we want to be held accountable for the promises we made last night and the night before. paul ryan and i spoke to the american people about what we will do if we become president and vice president. i contrast that with what the

president said four years ago when he was candidates obama a. he got up and made a number of promises in denver with greek columns behind him. he had said that he would cut the deficit in half. how did that work out? he doubled the deficit. he said that he would be measured in a different way than other people are typically measured. he would be measured by whether or not he has created jobs. he has not. and on whether people would have rising incomes of. they don't. incomes are down in this country. the city would be measured by whether people would take the risk to go out and start a business. almost every measure he described, he has failed to perform upon. the reason for that is not that he was not trying, it was he was pulling in the wrong direction. he did not know what it takes to make the economy work. paul ryan and i understand how the economy works. we understand how washington works.

we will reach across the aisle and find good people like us and want to make sure this country deals with its challenges to get america on track again. [cheers and applause] we have laid out a five-point plan to get this country going in. we are going to go after these things. measure us, hold us accountable, do the same with the president. you are making a choice. a choice as to who the servant of the nation will be. who are the people who will lead this country and do what you want to be done? you listen to the last guy running for president. he laid out what he was planning to do and was not able to do it. it's time to give someone new a chance of. all of us accountable. listen to what we have to say and whether you want that or not. listen. i want to make sure that every person in this country that wants a job can find one. if i want to make sure that every retiree knows that their

retirement is secure, that medicare is there, and so security will be there. i want every parent to know that their child will get an education that will prepare them for the jobs of tomorrow. these are things we are born to do by carrying out five critical steps. one, we are going to get america energy-independents by using our oil, coal, gas, nuclear, and grenorenewable energy. we are going to open up trade agreements around the world and particularly in latin america. we will crackdown on any country like china that sheets on trade -- cheats. number three, make sure people that need work get the skills they need to succeed and that the kids get the education they need. for that to happen, we have to put our kids first and say to the teachers we are with you and we'll help you teachers.

but the teachers union, they are going behind. number four, we will get america on track to have a balanced budget by cutting the deficit. number five, we are going to champion the small-business. small business is where the great majority of jobs are created in this country. we are not going to raise taxes on small business like the president wants to. we're not going to expand regulations on businesses of all kinds, like the president has. we're going to take off the cloud of dust and hangs over all the small businesses i know. we're going to repeal obamacare with something that works for health care. last night you got to know me a little better with some friends that talk about my life, the things that have been part of my life in the past. i talked to you a bit about my family. i was embarrassed from time to time with the nice things that were said. some people were overly

generous, but i appreciate it it. we got to know paul and his wife a little better. this is a man of character, a man who has done something unusual in washington. he has focused on helping america instead of focusing on getting himself reelected. he has been winning by a larger and larger margins. he has won in a democratic district. he's a great leader and he will be a terrific vice-president. [cheers and applause] now i recognize in this crowd that there are some people who have served our country in a way that most of us can only imagine. there are individuals who have served in our armed forces. i resee a man from the american legion and in the u.s. navy and, another man. will all of you in the armed services please raise your hands. thank you.

wow. it's one of the things i love about this great state of florida, which is our veterans who come here, our men and women in uniform who have served from here and have come from this great state. we have another special request to ask of you. you gave me the nomination with your votes. you've come out today to support us. the convention was a magnificent and wonderful opportunity for us to share our message with the american people, thanks in large measure to the folks in florida. now we really do need you to get out there and get your. friends your. we are not going to say vote early and vote often as they do in some states. [laughter] we will simply tell you to get your friends to vote. bring people to the polls that might not have been planning to go to the polls. we need every single vote in florida. you have approved it before. florida can be a very close election in. i don't know how it's going to work out, but i plan on winning

in florida and. we will get this country back and keep it in the hope of the earth. we love this country and we are taking it back. thank you so much. thank you. i was born free ♪ born free free like a river raging ♪rong as the wind i'm making steep like the grandest canyon you can knock me down and watch me bullied chains onan't keep no

me i was born free i was born free born free ♪ ♪

♪ ♪

6

>> mitt romney and paul ryan is finishing up their business here in florida after this week's convention. the two nominees are heading to separate parts of the country this afternoon. we learned that mitt romney will skip virginia for louisiana this afternoon to survey damage from

this week's hurricane. paul ryan will still travel to the campaign event in richmond, virginia if. will have the starting at 2:00 p.m. eastern. as the countdown to the democratic convention, at 12:00 of the news today we will bring you several third-party nominees, as a speech to supporters of their. party their here's the lineup -- that starts at 12:15 eastern today on c-span. c-span's gavel-to-gavel coverage of the democratic convention starts next week, every minute, every speech live on c-span, c- span radio, and online at c- span.org. ." speakers tuesday night's include julie and castro and first ly michelle obama. wednesday, massachusetts senate

candidate elizabeth warren and former president bill clinton. thursday, vice-president joe biden and president barack obama. use our conventional hub to make and tear video clips. [video clip] >> we offer opportunity. we demand responsibility. we will build an american community again. the choice we offer is not a conservative or liberal. in many ways it's not even republican or democratic. is different, it's new, and it will work. >> give your own opinion and connect with other c-span viewers with twitter and google hangouts. c-span.org. mitt romney spoke last night on the final night of the republican convention in tampa, florida. was introduced by a florida senator marco rubio.

♪ ♪ >> thank you. thank you. thank you. [cheers and applause] i think i just drank clint er.twood's wat [laughter] thanks so much for having me and for doing this convention in florida. before i begin, this is such an important night for our country. i want to come with your permission, take a few seconds to talk about another country. a country located just a few hundred miles away from this city, the country of my parents birth. there's no freedom or liberty in cuba. tonight i ask for your prayers that soon freedom and liberty will be theirs as well. [cheers and applause] it is a big honor for me.

not so long ago i was an underdog candidate. only people that thought i could win all lived in my house. [laughter] four of them were under the age of 10. but this is incredible when i was asked to introduce governor romney, who we will hear from in a moment. i promise, he's backstage and ready to go. so i called a few people and ask them what should i say. they had a lot of opinions but the one thing they all said was don't mess up. i thought the best way to introduced our next president of the united states tonight, i am so honored to do it here in florida at the republican national convention in front of all you patriots.

colesville left my grandfather permalloy disabled. because he could not work the farm, his family sent him to school. he was the only one in his family that you how to read. if he was a huge influence on. the growing on as a boy, i sat on the porch of our house and listen to him tell stories about sports as he puffed on a big cigar. it is been three decades since he last sat on that porch and i don't remember all the things he talked to me about it. if the one thing i remember is the one thing he wanted me never to forget. if that the dreams he had when he became young became impossible to achieve but there was no limit on how far i could go, because i was an american. [cheers and applause]

for those of us -- here is why i say that, for those of us who were born and raised in this country, sometimes it becomes easy to forget how special america is. but my grandfather understood how different america was from the rest of the world, because he knew life outside america. tonight you'll hear from another man who understands what makes america exceptional. [cheers and applause] mitt romney knows america opposing prosperity did not happen because our government simply spent more money. it happened because our people used their own money to open a business. and when they succeed, they hire more people who invest or spend their money in the economy, helping others create jobs. tonight you have heard for a long time now about mitt romney's success in business. it's well known. but we have also learned that he

is so much more than that. mitt romney is a devoted husband, a father, a grandfather, a generous member of his community and his church, carol 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. and we are blessed that a man like this will soon be the president of these united states. -- a role model for younger americans like myself. let me be clear so no one misunderstand, our problem with president obama is not that he's a bad person. by all accounts, he is a good president and good father.

our problem is not that he's a bad person. our problem is that he's a bad president. [cheers and applause] of government intervention in health care paid for with higher taxes and cuts to medicare and scores of new regulations. these ideas move us backwards and not force. -- not forward. these are tired government ideas that have failed every time they have been tried. these are ideas 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. under barack obama the only change is that hope is hard to find. [laughter] now, 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 rich people got rich by making other people pour. -- poor.

hope and change has become divide and conquer. [applause] in the end, this election does not matter about how you feel about president obama. this election is about your future and 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 we want america to be. as you prepare to make this choice, we should remember what made us special. for most of human history, almost everybody was poor. power and wealth only belonged to a few. your future was determined by your past. if your parents were poor, you would be poor. if you were born without opportunities, so were your children. but america was founded on the

principle that every person as god-given rights. it was founded on the belief that government belongs to the people and that a government exists to protect our rights and preserve our interests and that no one should be wrapped in the circumstances -- and no one should be trapped by the circumstances of their birth. if we should be free to go as far as our talents and our work takes us. [cheers and applause] we are special because we are united by common values that family is the most important institution in society. and that almighty god is the source of all we have.

we are special because we have never made the mistake of believing that we are so smart that we can rely solely on our leaders or our government. our national motto of a good in god we trust" reminds us that faith in our creator is the most important american value of all. and we are special because we have always understood scriptural admonition that for everyone to whom much is given, from whom much will be required.

[cheers and applause] well, my fellow americans, we are a uniquely blessed people. we have honored those blessings with the enduring example of an exceptional america. [cheers and applause] i know for many of you watching at home tonight, the last few years has tested your faith in the promise of america. maybe you were at an age where you thought you'd be entering retirement. but now 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, but have been laid off at your house is worth less than your mortgage. maybe you did everything you needed to do to get ahead. study hard and finished school. but now you of thousands of dollars into loans, you cannot find a job in your field, and you had to move back in with your parents. you want to believe that we are still that special place where

anything is possible. but you just -- but things don't seem to be getting any better. you wonder if things will ever be the same again. yes, we live in a troubled time. but the story of those who came before us reminds us that america has always been about new beginnings. and mitt romney is running for president because he knows that if we are willing to do formittr president because he knows, if we are willing to do for our children what our parents did for us, like in america can be better than it has ever been. [cheers and applause] my mother was one of seven girls. parents often went to bed hungry so their children would not.

my father lost his mother when he was 9. he had to leave school to go to he would work for the next 70 years of his life. they immigrated to america with little more than the hope of a better life. my dad was a bartender. my mom was a hotel maid, a cashier, a clerk at kmart. they never made it big. they were never rich. yet they were successful. just a few decades removed from hopelessness, they made possible for us all the things that have been impossible for them. many nights, growing up i would hear my father's keys at the door as he came home after another 16-hour day. many mornings, i woke up just as overnight shift at kmart. like this escapes' you. now, as my children get older, i understand it better. my dad used to tell us -- [speaking in spanish]

ableis country, you'll be to accomplish all the things i never could. a few years ago, i noticed a bartender behind the portable bar in the back of the ballroom. i remembered my father, who worked many years as a banquet bartender. he was grateful for the work he had, but that was not the life he wanted for us. he stood behind the bar all those years so that one day i could stand in front, behind the podium. [cheers and applause] that journey, that journey, from behind the bar to behind this podium, goes to the essence of the american miracle.

we are exceptional, not because we have more rich people. we are special because dreams that are impossible anywhere else come true here. [cheers and applause] but that is not just my story. that is your story. that is our story. that is the story of your mother's, the struggle to give you what they never had. the story of your father who worked two jobs so the doors that were closed to them will be open to you. that is the story of that teacher or that coach who taught the lessons that made you who you are today. the story of a man born into an uncertain time in a foreign country, whose family came to escape the revolution. who struggled poverty and the great depression, but rose to be an admired businessman and

public servant. in november his son, mitt romney, will be elected president of these united states. [cheers and applause] in america, we are all just a generation or two removed from somebody who made our future the purpose of our lives. america is the story of everyday people who did extraordinary things, a story woven deep into the fabric of our society. their stories may never be famous, but in the lives they

lived, you will find the essence of america's greatness. to make sure that america is still a place where tomorrow is always better than yesterday, that is what our politics should be about. that is what we are deciding in this election. [cheers and applause] we decide, do we want our children to inherit our hopes and dreams? or do we want to inherit our problems? mitt romney believes, if we succeed in changing the direction of our country, our children and grandchildren will be the most prosperous generation ever, and their achievements will astonish the world. [cheers and applause] the story about time will be written by americans who have not yet even been born.

let us make sure the right that we did our part. that, in the early years of this new century, we live in an uncertain time but we did not allow fear to make us abandon what made us special. we chose the principles of our founding to solve the problems of our time. we chose a special man to lead us in a special time. we chose mitt romney to lead our nation and, because we did, the american miracle lived on for another generation to inherit. [cheers and applause] my fellow republicans, my fellow americans, i am proud to introduce to you, the next

president of the united states of america, mitt romney. [cheers and applause] [crowd chanting "mitt"]

>> go get 'em! go get 'em! [unintelligible]

[cheers and applause] >> thank you. thanks, guys. thank you. [unintelligible] >> thank you. [cheering]

>> thank you. [applause] >> mr. chairman, and delegates. [applause]

>> mr. chairman and delegates. i accept your nomination for president of the united states of america. [crowd chanting "mitt"] i do so with humility, deeply moved by the trust you have placed in me. it is a great honor. it is an even greater responsibility. tonight i am asking you to join me to walk together to a better future. by my side, i have chosen a man with a big heart from a small town. he represents the best of america, a man who will always make us proud my friend and america's next vice president, paul ryan.

[applause] in the days ahead, you will get to know paul and janna better. but last night america got to see what i saw in paul ryan a strong and caring leader who is down to earth and confident in the challenge this moment demands. 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. [applause] but paul, i still like the playlist on my ipod better than yours. [laughter] four years ago, i know that many americans felt a fresh excitement about the possibilities of a new president. that choice was not the choice of our party but americans always come together after elections.

we are a good and generous people who are united by so much more than what divides us. when that hard fought election was over, when the yard signs came down and the television commercials finally came off the air, americans were eager to go back to work, to live our lives the way americans always have optimistic and positive and confident in the future. that very optimism is uniquely american. it is what brought us to america. we are a nation of immigrants. we are the children and grandchildren and great- grandchildren of the ones who wanted a better life, the driven ones, the ones who woke up at night hearing that voice telling them that life in that 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 just ninety miles from castro's tyranny, these new americans surely had many questions. but none doubted that here in america they could build a better life, that in america their children would be more blessed than they. but today, four years from the excitement of the last election, for the first time, the majority of americans now doubt that our children will have a better future. it is not what we were promised. every family in america wanted

this to be a time when they could get ahead a little more, put aside a little more for college, do more for their elderly mom who's living alone now or give a little more to their church or 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, and that they could start paying 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 deserved. [applause]

[crowd chanting "usa"] >> you deserved it because during these years, you worked harder than ever before. you deserved it because when it cost more to fill up your car, you cut out movie nights and put in longer hours. or when you lost that job that paid $22.50 an hour with benefits, you took two jobs at 9 bucks an hour and fewer benefits. [applause]

[crowd chanting "usa"] >> you did it because your family depended on you. you did it because you're an american and you don't quit. you did it because it was what you had to do. but driving home late from that second job, or standing there watching the gas pump hit 50 dollars and still going, when the realtor told you that to sell 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 a little more time praying that tomorrow would be a better day. i wish president obama had succeeded because i want america to succeed. [applause] but his promises gave way to

disappointment and division. this isn't something we have to accept. now is the moment when we can do something. with your help we will do something. [applause] now is the moment when we can stand up and say, "i'm an american. i make my destiny. and we deserve better! my children deserve better! my family deserves better. my country deserves better!" so -- [applause] >> so americans have a choice. a decision. to make that choice, you need to know more about me and about where i will lead our country. i was born in the middle of the

century in the middle of the country, a classic baby boomer. it was a time when americans were returning from war and eager to work. to be an american was to assume that all things were possible. when president kennedy challenged americans to go to the moon, the question wasn't whether we'd get there, it was only when we'd get there. [applause] the soles of neil armstrong's boots on the moon made permanent impressions on our souls. ann and i watched those steps together on her parent's sofa. like all americans we went to bed that night knowing we lived in the greatest country in the history of the world. [applause] [crowd chanting "usa"] god bless neil armstrong.

tonight that american flag is still there on the moon. and i don't doubt for a second that neil armstrong's spirit is still with us: that unique blend of optimism, humility and the utter confidence that when the world needs someone to do the really big stuff, you need an american. [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 us government as war refugees. my dad never made it through college and apprenticed as a lath and plaster carpenter. and he had big dreams. he convinced my mom, a beautiful young actress, to give up hollywood to marry him.

he moved to detroit, led a great automobile company and became governor of the great state of michigan. [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.

[applause] 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. mom and dad were married 64 years. and if you wondered what their secret was, you could have asked the local florist because every day dad gave mom a rose, which he put on her bedside table. that's how she found out what happened on the day my father died she went looking for him because that morning, there was no rose. my mom and dad were true partners, a life lesson that shaped me by everyday example.

when my mom ran for the senate, my dad was there for her every step of the way. i can still hear her saying in her beautiful voice, "why should women have any less say than men, about the great decisions facing our nation?" [applause] don't you wish she could have been here at the convention and heard leaders like governor mary fallin, governor nikki haley, governor susana martinez, senator kelly ayotte and secretary of state condoleezza rice? [applause]

as governor of massachusetts, i chose a woman lt. 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 that i had to go out on my own, that if i stayed around michigan in the same business, i'd never really 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. [laughter] 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. well, every mom and dad knows the answer to that. those days were toughest on ann, of course. she was heroic. five boys, with our families a long way away. i had to travel a lot for my job then and i'd call and try to offer support. but every mom knows that doesn't help get the homework done or the kids out the door to school. i knew that her job as a mom was harder than mine. and i knew without question, that her job as a mom was a lot more important than mine. [applause]

and as america saw tuesday night, ann would have succeeded at anything she wanted to. [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 and as the years went by, it was a joy to help others who had just moved to town or just joined our church. we had remarkably vibrant and diverse congregants from all walks of life and many who were new to america. we prayed together, our kids played together and we always stood ready to help each other out in different ways. and that's how it is in america. we look to our communities, our faiths, our families for our

joy, our support, in good times and bad. it is both how we live our lives and why we live our lives. the strength and power and goodness of america has always been based on the strength and power and goodness of our communities, our families, our faiths. [applause] that is the bedrock of what makes america, america. in our best days, we can feel the vibrancy of america's communities, large and small. it's when we see that new business opening up downtown. it's when we go to work in the morning and see everybody else on our block doing the same. it's when our son or daughter calls from college to talk about which job offer they should take. and you try not to choke up when you hear that the one they like is not far from home. it's that good feeling when you have more time to volunteer to coach your kid's soccer team,

or help out on school trips. but for too many americans, these 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 felt that way on election day four years ago. hope and change had a powerful appeal. but tonight i'd ask a simple question: if you felt that excitement when you voted for barack obama, shouldn't you feel that way now that he's president obama? --u know there's something [applause] something wrong with the kind of job he's done as president when the best feeling you had was the day you voted for him. [laughter] the president hasn't disappointed you because he wanted to.

the president has disappointed america because he hasn't led america in the right direction. he took office without the basic qualification that most americans have and one that was essential to his task. he had almost no experience working in a business. jobs to him are about government. [applause] i learned the real lessons about how america works from experience. when i was 37, i helped start a small company. my partners and i had been working for a company that was in the business of helping other businesses. so some of us had this idea that if we really believed our advice was helping companies, we should invest in companies. we should bet on ourselves and on our advice. so we started a new business called bain capital. the only problem was, while we believed in ourselves, not many others.

-- other people did. we were young and had never done this before and we almost didn't get off the ground. in those days, sometimes i wondered if i had made a really big mistake. i had thought about asking my church's pension fund to invest, but i didn't. [laughter] i figured it was bad enough that i might lose my investors' money, but i didn't want to go to hell too. [laughter] [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. [applause] that business we started with 10 people has now grown into a great american success story. some of the companies we helped start are names you know.

an office supply company called staples where i'm pleased to see the obama campaign has been shopping -- the sports authority, which became a favorite of my sons. we started an early childhood learning center called bright horizons that first lady michelle obama rightly praised. at a time when nobody thought we'd ever see a new steel mill built in america, we took a chance and built one in a corn field in indiana. today steel dynamics is one of the largest steel producers in the united states. these are american success stories. and yet the centerpiece of the president's entire re-election campaign is attacking success. is it any wonder that someone who attacks success has led the worst economic recovery since the great depression?

[applause] in america, we celebrate success, we don't apologize for it. we weren't always successful at bain. but no one ever is in the real world of business. that's what this president doesn't seem to understand. business and growing jobs is about taking risk, sometimes failing, sometimes succeeding, but always striving. it is about dreams. usually, it doesn't work out exactly as you might have imagined. steve jobs was fired at apple. he came back and changed the

world. it's the genius of the american free enterprise system to harness the extraordinary creativity and talent and industry of the american people with a system that is dedicated to creating tomorrow's prosperity rather than trying to redistribute today's. [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 today than you were four years ago." except jimmy carter. and except this president.

[applause] this president can ask us to be patient. this president can tell us it was someone else's fault. this president can tell us that the next four years he'll get it right. but this president cannot tell us that you are better off today than when he took office. america has been patient. americans have supported this president in good faith. but today, the time has come to turn the page. today the time has come for us to put the disappointments of the last four years behind us. to put aside the divisiveness and the recriminations. to forget about what might have been and to look ahead to what can be. now is the time to restore the promise of america. [applause]

many americans have given up on this president but they haven't ever thought about giving up. not on themselves. not on each other. and not on america. what is needed in our country today is not complicated or profound. it doesn't take a special government commission to tell us what america needs. what america needs is jobs. lots of jobs. in the richest country in the history of the world, this obama economy has crushed the middle class. family income has fallen by $4,000, but health insurance premiums are higher, food prices are higher, utility bills are higher, and gasoline prices have doubled.

today more americans wake up in poverty than ever before. nearly one out of six americans is living in poverty. look around you. these are not strangers. these are our brothers and sisters, our fellow americans. his policies have not helped create jobs, they have depressed them. and this i can tell you about where president obama would take america: his plan to raise taxes on small business won't add jobs, it will eliminate them. his assault on coal and gas and oil will send energy and manufacturing jobs to china. his trillion dollar cuts to our military will eliminate hundreds of thousands of jobs, and also put our security at greater risk. [audience booing]

his $716 billion cut to medicare to finance obamacare will both hurt today's seniors, and depress innovation and jobs in medicine. and his trillion-dollar deficits will slow our economy, restrain employment, and cause wages to stall. to the majority of americans who now believe that the future will not be better than the past, i can guarantee you this: if barack obama is re-elected, you will be right. [applause] i am running for president to help create a better future. a future where everyone who wants a job can find one. where no senior fears for the security of their retirement. an america where every parent knows that their child will get an education that leads them to a good job and a bright horizon. and unlike the president, i have a plan to create 12 million new jobs.

it has 5 steps. first, by 2020, north america will be energy independent by taking full advantage of our oil and coal and gas and nuclear and renewables. second, we will give our fellow citizens the skills they need for the jobs of today and the careers of tomorrow. when it comes to the school your child will attend, every parent should have a choice, and every child should have a chance.

third, we will make trade work for america by forging new trade agreements. and when nations cheat in trade, there will be unmistakable consequences. fourth, to assure every entrepreneur and every job creator that their investments in america will not vanish as have those in greece, we will cut the deficit and put america on track to a balanced budget. and fifth, we will champion small businesses, america's engine of job growth. that means reducing taxes on business, not raising them. it means simplifying and

modernizing the regulations that hurt small business the most. and it means that we must rein in the skyrocketing cost of healthcare by repealing and replacing obamacare. today, women are more likely than men to start a business. they need a president who respects and understands what they do. and let me make this very clear unlike president obama, i will not raise taxes on the middle class. as president, i will protect the sanctity of life.

i will honor the institution of marriage. and i will guarantee america's first liberty: the freedom of religion. president obama promised to begin to slow the rise of the oceans and heal the planet. [laughter] -- and to heal the planet. [laughter] my promise is to help you and your family. [applause]

i will begin my presidency with a jobs tour. president obama began with an apology tour. america, he said, had dictated to other nations. no mr. president, america has freed other nations from dictators. [audience chanting "usa"]

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

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

you might have asked yourself if these last years are really the america we want, the america won for us by the greatest generation. does the america we want borrow a trillion dollars from china? does it fail to find the jobs that are needed for 23 million people and for half the kids graduating from college? audience: no! are its schools lagging behind the rest of the developed world? audience: no! >> and does the america we want succumb to resentment and division? the america we all know has been a story of the many becoming one, uniting to preserve liberty, uniting to build the greatest economy in the world, uniting to save the world from unspeakable darkness. everywhere i go in america, there are monuments that list those who have given their lives for america.

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

that america, that united america, will uphold the constellation of rights that were endowed by our creator, and codified in our constitution. that united america will care for the poor and the sick, will honor and respect the elderly, and will give a helping hand to those in need. that america is the best within each of us. that america we want for our children. if i am elected president of these united states, i will work with all my energy and soul to restore that america, to lift our eyes to a better future. that future is our destiny. that future is out there. it is waiting for us. our children deserve it, our nation depends upon it, the peace and freedom of the world require it. and with your help we will

deliver it. let us begin that future together tonight. thank you so very much. may god bless you, may god bless the american people, and may god bless the united states of america. [applause] ♪ >> living in america living in america living living in america living in america ♪ [applause]

♪ [applause] >> ♪ living in america

living in america living in americaamerica ♪

♪ >> living in america living in america ♪ ♪

>> c-span's gavel-to-gavel coverage of the democratic convention continues next week. every speech, every event.

featured speakers include the san antonio mayor and first lady michelle obama. wednesday, the massachusetts senate candidate and former president bill clinton. vice-president joy -- joe biden and president obama. >> we offer our people in new choice. we offer opportunity. we demand responsibility. we will build an american community again. the choice we offer is not conservative or liberal. in many ways it is not republican or democratic. it is new, it is different, and it will work. >> connect with other c-span viewers with twitter and googol hangouts. -- google hangout's.

>> and again with the gop convention wrapping up last night, the democratic convention will be beginning tuesday. we will have live gavel-to-gavel coverage here on c-span. coming up, we have third party conventions, beginning with the libertarian party nominee gary johnson and virgil goode of the constitution party and green party candidate joe stein. all that -- jill stein. all that gets underway at 12:15 eastern here on c-span. mitt romney and paul ryan were said to make a campaign stop in virginia this weekend. that has changed. mitt romney will be heading to louisiana to survey flood damage from hurricane isaac. and pictures of president obama

this morning. he is prepared to leave for texas. that is set to start at 3:00 p.m. eastern. during the republican and democratic conventions, we are asking middle and high school students to send a message to the president as part of this year's studentcam video documentary competition. the question -- what should the president considered in 2013 for a grand prize of $5,000.

the video competition is open to students in grades 6 through 12. for details, go online to studentcam.org. >> actor and director clint eastwood was the special guest last night at the republicans. he improvised remarks. his performance was can buy a movie critic roger ebert. this is just over 10 minutes. [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. [laughter] 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. i know even some people in your own party work disappointed when we did not close guantanamo. we spent so much money on it, but i thought it was an excuse, and what do you mean, shut up? trying terrorists in downtown new york city. i have got to hand it to you. he did over ruled that finally. and now we are moving onward.

i know you were against the war in iraq, and that is ok. you thought the war in afghanistan was ok. you thought that was something that was worth doing. we did not check with the russians to see how they did there in the 10 years. we did it. it is something to be thought about, and i think that when we get to meet -- you mentioned something about having a target date for bringing everybody home, and you have given that target date, and i think mr. romney has the -- past the only sensible question -- he said why are you giving the state out now. he said why don't you bring them

home tomorrow morning? i am not want to shut up. it is my turn. we are going to have a little chat about that. then i wondered, all these promises, and i've wondered about when -- what do you want me to tell romney? i cannot tell him that. you are absolutely crazy. you are getting as bad as biden. of course, we all know by dint

is the intellect of the democratic party. -- that by then -- biden is the intellect of the democratic party. i just think there is so much to be done, and i think mr. romney and mr. bryan art two guys that can come along. i never thought it was a good idea for attorneys to be president anyway. i think attorneys are so busy, they are always talked to argue everything, and they are always devils advocating this, and bifurcating this and that. all that stuff. i think it is may be time, for

may be a businessman -- how about that? a stellar businessman. and i think it is that time, and if you just stepped aside and mr. romney can take over, you could still use the plane. maybe a smaller one, not that big gas guzzler you are using going around the colleges and talking about student loans. you are an ecological man. why would you want to drive that truck brown? ok, anyway, i am sorry. i cannot do that myself either. anyway -- i would just like to say something, ladies and gentlemen, something that i think is very important.

it is that you, we -- we own this country. thank you. yes, we own it, and it is not you owning a and politicians running a. politicians are employees of hours. of ours. they are just going to come around and beg for votes ever see years and the same old deal, but i think it is important that you realize that you are the best in the world, and whether democrat or a republican, or libertarian or whatever, you are the best, and we should not ever forget that.

when somebody does not do the job, we got to let them go. ok, just remember that, and i am speaking out for everybody out there. we do not have to -- i do not say that word anymore. maybe one last time. we do not have to be -- what i am saying we do not have to be

masochists and vote for somebody we do not really want an office. just because they seem to be a nice guy or maybe not so nice guys, and you look at some other recent ads out there. but -- ok, you want to make my day. all right, i will start it, you finish it. bell had -- go ahead -- >> make my day. >> thank you. thank you very much. >> a reminder to use c-span2's convention hub to follow live

convention coverage, all at c- span.org/campaign2012. now more from the gop convention in tampa. newt gingrich and his wife spoke together at the snb, and they criticized obama's economic policy and discussed the legacy of ronald reagan. >> thank you. thank you for that warm welcome. what a wonderful tribute to president reagan, and the spirit of the american people. bamut is fantastic to see some friends here. friends from decades of service to the party, service in public life, and those who have helped us. and we are delighted that

tonight we come together to once again to renew the american spirit and put real leadership back in the lighthouse this november. >> the election of mitt romney and paul ryan will decisively to move america to a better future. remembering president reagan, reminds us that the choices we make matter, and this year is as important as the choice we made in 1980. passed since ronald reagan was 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 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. >> 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. 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. half[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. ♪ the-span2's coverage of democratic convention starts next week, live on c-span, c-

span radio, and online at c- span.org. speakers include julian castro, michelle obama, elizabeth warren, bill clinton, joe biden, and barack obama. >> we offer our people any choice based on old values. we offer opportunity. we demand responsibility. we will build an american community again. the choice we offer is not the chartered or liberal. in many ways is not republican or democratic. it is different, it is new, and it will work. >> count your opinion and connect with other viewers with twitter and google hangouts.

>> we will hear from several of the third-party presidential nominees at their party's onventions -- parties' conventions. the libertarian party, constitution, green party and reform party. last may libertarian party elected gary johnson as its presidential nominee in las vegas. he owned a construction company. he was governor until 2003, and in 2011 announce his plans to run for president as a republican. in may he went to his candidacy for the republican party and announced he would continue it as a libertarian candidate. he said his goal is to reach 5% of the electorate in november.

these are remarks given by the convention, and he was formally nominated. >> i want to beat the libertarian nominee for president. . look, presidential candidates have to recognize the problems that face this country give it the solutions that saw them, and only the candidate will offer up solutions to the problems we have. think you have to have a resume to go along with that. i think i have the resume. i have been an entrepreneur or my entire life. i have been an athlete my entire life. i got the governor of new mexico for two terms. i said no to bigger government. how did that work out in a state that was 2/1 democrats who've

they did a poll on the favorability of all candidates running, and there was a and in one riding that was cute family. the fact is how did it work out in new mexico. people in mexico wave at me with all five fingers, not just one. fingers, not just one. [applause] good government was easy. it was not hard. it was easy to look at issues first, second, third, last, politics last, nonexistent. people saw it. i really do think i have a resume when it comes to civil liberties. i have it in spades. i think i have it in spades when it comes to fiscal responsibility. i base that on the fact may have been vetoed more legislation than the other 49 governors in the country combined.

all government -- all government's needs to occur under the strict adherence to the united states constitution. as governor of new mexico, i made very few promises. i promised to veto any taxi vetoed every single tax increase, not one single penny of tax was increased over in a year. in new mexico. the had never happened before. office than when i got there. there were 1200 your stay employees when i left office -- office.

never happened in the history of the state. i promised to increase the amount of money we spent on education every year. years. that gave me the liberty to talk about real school -- real reform to education. if i had promised everything i delivered as governor of new mexico, i would have never been elected because i would have been another blowhard politicians. as president promising to submit a balanced budget to congress. i am promising to veto legislation where expenses exceed revenue. promising to advocate on the part of the fair tax. look, i am listening. i promised to advocate on the

part of the less unfair tax. i promise to end the military wars. i promised to end the war -- [applause] afghanistan. home. i promise to end the costly and ineffective war on drugs. look, most americans are fiscally responsible and socially tolerant. i fall in that group. i think this is a broad brush stroke of a libertarian party. a broad brush stroke is

government needs to exist to protect us against force and fraud. government needs to protect us against individuals, groups, corporations, countries that would do us harm. imagine a libertarian president challenging congress to bring about marriage equality. imagine a libertarian president challenging congress to reduce impediments to free markets. free markets means no tariffs. imagine a libertarian candidates for president challenging congress to repeal the patriot act, abolish the department of homeland's security. imagine a libertarian president challenging congress for meaningful immigration reform.

the libertarian candidate for president is going to be the only candidate talking about gun rights and gay rights in the same sentence. the libertarian candidate for president is the only candidate that will be talking about slashing welfare spending and slash a warfare spending in the same sentence. the change to me to be a libertarian is not a change. libertarian. i pledge to be active in the libertarian party beyond the 2012 election. make no bones about it. the goal here is to win the

election. it has always been about the message. i think the message i am delivering is the same message of that of ron paul. ron paul has always said he is a messenger. one week ago, he said, look, i am not dropping out of this race because the crowds are growing. this is a growing movement today. when ron paul's candidacy comes to an end -- i hope it does not. i hope he is the republican nominee. when it comes to an end, where does this message go? is there a viable alternative to voting for ron paul, it will be the libertarian nominee.

this is not 2008. i debated bob barr at the republican national convention on drug policy. somewhere between that debate and 2008 he fell out of bed, hit his head, and became a libertarian. i am glad it happened. this is not about 2008. i do not have any of that baggage hanging in back of me. i did and npr interview yesterday. the question was, if you are on the torture rack and they are going to kill you, who are you going to vote for, mitt romney and barack obama my response was, look, i have climbed mount everest. i know what it is to hunker down and do what it takes.

take this to the bank. i would die. [cheers and applause] there is only one choice, and it is going to be the libertarian nominee for president. i respectfully ask you for that nomination. thank you very much. >> the constitution party held its convention in nashville in april. delegates nominated burgle -- virgil good as their presidential candidate. during this time in the house,

he changed his affiliation to independent. in february, he filed with the election commission to run as a constitution party candidate. next, his acceptance speech. it is about 25 minutes. it starts with an introduction with the parti's national chair. -- with a party's national chair. >> that we call the meeting to order. thanks for coming back. it is my pleasure to introduce the presidential nominee, at the candidate for the constitution party. it is of course virgil good, who hails from rocky mount, virginia. he was born in richmond in 1946.

he received his bachelor of arts from the university of richmond. he served in the virginia national guard. he is an attorney by trade. he served as a legislator in the virginia general assembly and the state senate's. representative in the u.s. congress. he is married to lucy goode. and they have a daughter. i would point out that with this 12 years service in the u.s. congress, he served in federal or mitt romney combined.

with that, for his acceptance goode, jr. [applause] [applause] >> first, i want to say thanks so much to all of you who were targets and supported me and this nomination battle for the under the constitution party label. when you win by one vote, you know every vote counts. i want to say to those who also

ran, it was an honor to be associated. i want to thank joan and daryl for all they have done over the years for the constitution party. [applause] robbie wells -- thank you. [applause] the energy and enthusiasm

exhibited by robbie wells on this campaign has been tremendous. if he will continue to work with us, if we do not get to the top of the hill this time, we will get to the top of the hill in 2016. i also want to recognize susan and thank her for her campaign and for sharing with us her life story, which every person should listen to because it is a true pulling yourself up by the

bootstraps story under the free enterprise system. thank you so much. [applause] i am not sure if laurie is still here, but i want to express my appreciation for having the presence that a radio talk-show host has. some pointers for jazzing up and going with a few well-

placed reasonable zingers that will surely get you on radio and television. [applause] ron from california, i have to really thank ron. he allowed the california delegation is to vote for me. thank you very much. thank you for standing for your speech yesterday. [applause] our party offices have worked very hard in bringing about this convention, getting persons

here from all over the country. our staff persons are in the background, getting little recognition. i think we should give them a round of applause. [applause] our party chair is not running again for chair. i want to thank jim -- and i know i do this on behalf of all of you -- for his personal contributions to this party. he and several others have been mainstays in providing funding constitution party.

you got to have some funding just to keep the doors open. [applause] i will not list all the party officers, and i know they have all worked hard, but i do want to mention specifically our treasurer. [applause] joe has done work in the detail that is needed to have

treasurers' reports that are informative, but also comply with all the federal election commission regulations. joe, thank you for keeping us out of trouble. [applause] are you ready to take on mitt romney, barack obama, and the establishment in washington, d.c.? if you are, say yes. [applause] jim mentioned that i served in the u.s. house for 12 years. i did. peter from louisiana asked me, i know you cast a lot of votes and a lot of them i agree with,

but tell me one or two that you may have cast wrong. you remember that, peter? and i did. i made some mistakes. it is not too difficult to do. and one, in particular, i voted for the patriot act. i know that most in the room are very much opposed to that measure. i want to say that my association with the constitution party over the last three years has given me a better perspective in analyzing legislation from a

constitutional viewpoint. and i want to say that i made a mistake in voting for that measure as it applied to u.s. citizens in this country and to legal permanent residents. i do not favor, although this may not comport with all federal court decisions, extending constitutional rights to persons from foreign countries or those illegally in the united states. [applause] as president, i would work with the congress to repeal the applications of the patriot act [applause]

i also voted for support for the troops in afghanistan. i never favored rebuilding the money. like many, who voted yes on those actions early on, i suspect in the u.s. house and senate, you would have very close votes in extending the war in afghanistan. it is time to come home in an orderly and reasonable manner. [applause] we can talk about some other issues.

in most instances, i was right in line with the thought of this party and with a significant number of american citizens. i have a pro-life voting record. [applause] that distinguishes me from president obama, who has one of the most pro-abortion records and positions ever for a president and certainly during his service in the united states senate. i also would like to submit that over time, my pro-life voting record is better than that of mitt romney, who has converted more recently to our positn. [applause]

always supported the proposition that marriage should be between one man and one woman. i was in the virginia senate, representatives. if you look closely at president obama's position, you can see that he is moving ever slope directly in a direction of pro-civil unions and pro- homosexual rights. if i am president, i will veto legislation advancing the cause. second amendment issues, i have always consistently supported the right of the individual to

keep and bear arms. one of the first amendment's that i proposed in the u.s. house of representatives was to give that right to citizens of washington, d.c. when we were in the apartment of there, it was against the law for us to have a firearm in our apartment for self protection. thankfully, that has been changed in d.c., but we need someone in the executive office of this country who has a history of supporting the second amendment and who you know you can count on one and comes to the right of your cells to defend yourself and have a firearm for protection of your person and property. [applause]

in the u.s. house, i was one of the democrats who did not go along with the democratic leadership. resolution. the republican leadership would come by and say, you know, sometimes you just have to vote with us on these on balanced deficit. i would not go along with them. that was not liked by the senior leadership in either party. now we are in a situation where our debt is $15.70 trillion and a deficit, under the obama

budget, is $1.30 trillion, and under the ryan budget, it is $600 billion. with the constitution party is philosophy and viewpoints, with which i agree, we need to cut now and balance now. [applause] we must have the courage to cut. from the department of education no child left behind to the department of education and general, we could go on and on, and i would say, look at obama's record and mitt romney's record. just on those two issues.

education, no child left behind, and foreign aid. i am for slashing and cutting, and they made before taking a paring knife and slicing off the top. he wants to throw them out another ream of cheese. go to it, gang. i was honored to be in ron paul's liberty caucus. i support and audits of the federal reserve. i do not think you will get barack obama or mitt romney to even mention the issue. [applause] another area, a big distinction between us and the republicans and democrats is illegal immigration.

i cannot thank the national committee of the constitution party enough for having the courage in the face of political correctness to say, we stand legislation. if i am president, you would not general. our attorney general would go and be of friend-of-the-court to say let's uphold what arizona and alabama are doing to control their immigration. [applause]

want to thank robbie wells for having this position, calling for a moratorium, with a few exceptions, on the continuing issuing of green cards when we 9%. last year, 1.2 million green cards were issued. a significant number work to working age individuals. one we have american citizens that need work, you should not be bringing an so many from foreign nations to take jobs that our citizens have longed for and indeed so they can get off the unemployment line before we extend the benefits of

this country to those from other countries. it is time to put the american worker first. [applause] in the house, i was always a supporter of ending diversity visas. 50,000 persons per year that can come in on a lottery system. you can be from the middle east, africa, asia, where ever. even though you are nowhere near the front of the legal immigration line, you apply for the diversity visa pool, and you get into that lottery system, and they pull your number, in you come.

why bring in so many persons, many of you are working age, when unemployment is so high? it is the wrong course for the nation. if i am president, i will sign end those of diversity visas. [applause] and other big distinction between myself and president obama and likely candidate mitt romney, i do not support automatic birthright citizenship for the children of illegals in this country. [applause] eliminating automatic birthright citizenship would also significantly help the

budgetary situation of the united states and of several other states. you should not be able to comment, have a child in this country, get food stamps, get public assistance, medicaid, and some other type of public aid, all that is being paid for by long-term citizens who are paying taxes. we need to end that practice, whether it is by statute or by constitutional amendment. in the world that is that liberal with regard to illegal aliens having children in their

native country. we have one of the most liberal immigration, may be the most, in the world. we need to turn that upside- down. if we do, our budget situation will be enhanced. most importantly, as my campaign literature says, we need to save america by focusing on the fact that citizenship should matter and should count for something. the last thing i want to mention as a key distinction between myself and the candidate romney and obama is a campaign fund- raising. they are hawks and they are

adept at getting $10,000 out of couples for the primary and for the general election. and really sharp at getting big money from big pac's. i'm not taking, besides a few leftover campaign funds and donations from families, the donation over 200 families -- $200 and no pac to the asians. it is time the average citizen had the same influence as the oracle of omaha, the head of facebook. let's stand up for the average citizen and not the special few. let's let me and the constitution party's ticket in 2012, and we will give america

that change that is needed, and it will not be the barack obama change of 2008. >> jill stein is this your's green party nomination. she cursed each in baltimore last month. before running, she had tb zero unsuccessful runs for the governor of massachusetts. she announced her bid for her presidency for the green party in october, 2011. in her speech she outlined her green new deal, which includes a moratorium on foreclosures, for giving student loan debt, and creating a community-based jobs. also speaking was her running mate.

their remarks are about an hour. [applause] >> wow. let's have another round of applause for those next leaders for this country. nothing ever goes easy for us in

the neighborhood. few people know, but these guys travel -- they got ready to lead at 4:00 in the morning to be here today. nothing goes easy for poor folks. they have a flat tire on their way here. and they are not going anywherei bring you greetings from poor and working people in united states of america. i stand here today as a formally homeless mother, a single mother of two children. i proudly accept the green

party's nomination for vice president of the united states. [applause] this journey began at many years ago for me watching my poor mother struggle to survive and provide for five hungry children. i never knew why we had to go hungry, especially when i saw so much food in my home state of minnesota. i did not understand. i grew up watching my mama cried night after night about the bills.

i grew up watching farmers lose their farms. i grew up watching indigenous family's struggle for something as basic as their land. something just not seem right to me, especially that day when i had to tell my nine-year-old son that we were no longer going to be living in an apartment. instead we would have to move into our car. on a cold winter night in minnesota i lost my home, the car. when i parked my car and a drug driver hit and total debt. -- and totaled it. unable to find shelter in the dead of the winter in

minnesota, i faced an important decision. occupy a heated abandoned house or risk freezing to death on the streets of america. i chose to live, and i chose to keep my son alive. [applause] house. we moved thousands of families into abandoned houses for the last 25 years. something changed way deep inside me that night. my hunger for justice was born. i figured that if me and my son

mark were left to die on the streets of the united states of america at this have to be happening to other familieshere i stand today, some 25 years later. justice. [applause] we now suffer from the worst economic equality ever. the new movie be a hundred games makes the fights for the basic necessities of life look like a cake walk. one in every two people are in poverty. 6 million families have lost their homes. we spend more on building

prisons than educating our children. the disabled and immigrant youth and elders have been told about they just do not matter. but ec, they do matter. [applause] so do the 40,000 children that die every day around the entire world. they matter. [applause] we the green party of the united states of america are here to stand at and take on our historic role in history. we refused to proceed with the politics of fear and scarcity.

we know that we live in a land of abundance, a land controlled by the corporations and the greedy. both political parties are controlled by wall street. we also live in a land where people love their children, love their country, up where we will no longer set by while others lose their homes to the banks. we will no longer sit by as the united states of america continues to have politicians in the u.s. house of representatives that are proposing cutting 300,000 children from preschool lunch programs -- free school lunch programs. we will not watch as family members are deported. we are the unsettling force

that dr. martin luther king spoke of. [applause] the daugther and woman and doctor that will help lead this unsettling force to create another country and another world that values the human rights of all human beings. it is my distinct honor to introduce my running mate and green party nominee for president of the united states of america, dr. jill stein. [applause] ♪ stand up stand up stand up for the rights

♪ ♪ [chanting "jill, jill"] >> i love you back, all of you. it has been such an honor and an inspiration to get to know all of you or nearly all of you over this past year. together we are unstoppable. [applause] i am so very honored to be your nominee and to be running on

the ticket with cheri honkala. [applause] together we are the 99%. this is the time we pay our country back. [applause] something wonderful is happening across america. i have seen it traveling across the country this past year. in the face of severe hard times, oppression and intimidation, people are standing up and speaking out. we are occupying our city squares, our imperiled schools, and work places. with this election, we are preparing to occupy the voting booth.

[applause] the need could not be more urgent. so many people know who are in this room. we're at the breaking point for our economy, for our homes, up for our democracy, and for our planet. the heat is rising. the ranks of the poor are swelling. our young people are drowning in debt. there are not enough jobs. wages are shrinking. the rich keep getting richer and the rest of america gets poorer every year. an entire generation has grown to adulthood knowing nothing but a social decline. the establishment parties have taken turns leading the way.

bush, clinton, bush, it now obama. while the party labels change, at the labels have stayed the same. on most key issues obama has embraced the policies of george bush and gone further with more massive bailout for wall street, more free trade agreements that send our jobs overseas and depress wages at home. more threats to medicare and social security. more foreclosures in student debt. more attacks on our civil liberties. more plundering of the environment's end in less illegal wars. have we had enough?

[applause] we have had enough. that is why people like you and me are standing up in a way the world has not seen in generations. we are a movement that is alive and well across america. we are here to stay. [applause] let me tell you why i am standing up and how i come to be standing here today before you. 30 years ago i was a new doctor starting off the medical practice. even then it was easy to see that our broken health care system was failing the system basically need it. as a mother, i was deeply

disturbed by it be a new epidemic of disease descending on our children. the rising tide of obesity and diabetes and asthma and cancer and learning disabilities and autism and more. these were new. i became impatient with pills and sending people back to the very things that are making us sick to start with. i'm everything from pollution to poverty to industrial and nutrition and violence. i thought it only our elected officials knew of the amazing solutions that save lives and 10 money and create jobs while saving the environment. surely they would do something.

like supporting local farms and clean energy instead of pouring our tax dollars into a toxic poison as of fossil fuels. [applause] i slowly realized that if you want to persuade electric officials, forget all that cost saving job-creating stuff. that is not really count. what you need are giant bundles of big campaign checks. that was my wake-up call. if we want to protect children's health or anything, at the health care we need are the education or the job, we need to first that the broken political system.

[applause] that is why i now say that i am practicing political medicine. it is the mother of all illnesses. we have to get this one to fix everything else that ails us. [applause] i went to work to try to fix that problem. i joined a broad coalition in massachusetts to get big money out of politics. we won. so we thought we did. we passed a referendum to provide public financing for political campaigns.

we passed it by a huge margin. our legislature which was about 85% democratic repealed the law as soon as it was passed on an unrecorded voice vote. that was my real wake up call. if we want to change the broken political system what we need is not just a new law or lobbying efforts or a fresh face and a corrupt system. we need a new unbought political party that can put people of integrity into office. [applause]

we need real public servants to listen to the people, not to the corporate lobbyists that final campaign chests. this is what brought me to the only national party that is not bought and paid for by corporate money. [applause] here is why my resolve has only grown stronger. as a mother and a doctor, the concerns that captivated me 30 years ago have only intensified. i see that our young people are

still struggling in every aspect of life, settling for good health, decent schools, struggling to stay safe on the street, struggling to afford a college education. shovelling to get a job, to get out of debt. struggling to have a climate that they can live in for the future. they are losing the battle on every front. when people ask me why i keep fighting political battles and a bridge system the answer is simple. -- in a rigged system, the answer is simple. when it comes to our system, mothers to not give up. [applause]

do you know what back neither do fathers -- do you know what? neither do fathers or sisters or brothers or sons and daughters. young people haven't given up. they are the ones carrying the burden of this system. if they are not giving up, we are not giving up. [applause] we are not only not giving up, we are doubling down and rising up. [applause] we are a movement toward

democracy and justice that is alive and well across the country. we are eviction blockades or brink of america protests. we are in protests against shoot first, in mass arrests at nuclear power plants and civil disobedience to stop mountaintop removal and stop the keystone pipeline. [applause] they all market game over for the climate. we're not good to settle for that. [applause] to " alice walker, the biggest way people give up power is by not knowing they have it in the first place.

[applause] we know we've got it. we are going to use its. one of the ways we're going to use it is by having a voice in this election in a choice at the polls that is not bought and paid for by wall street. [applause] voting for either wall street candidate gives a mandate for four more years of corporate rule. every boat to they recede is be deadly to structure we are on for the american people -- every vote they receive is an endorsement of the shift delhi structure where on a for the american people.

[applause] every vote we receive is one for the 99% and survival for the planet. [applause] to achieve that future as president i will work to deliver a new deal for america. [applause] a package of emergency reforms to put it 25 million people back to work and jump-start the green and economy. that will put a halt to climate change and make wars for oil obsolete.

[applause] the new deal reforms not only our economy but our financial system and our democracy. it is not just an academic idea. it is based on a program that works, it a new deal that got us out of the great depression. it is time to bring it back and put to work. [applause] these reforms create living wage, community-based jobs. communities decide what jobs they need so that jobs in the grain area of the economy, a clean manufacturing,

manufacturing, and claim renewable energy. [applause] i want to tell you about a young man whose life was transformed by this kind of job. his name is ricardo. and net him in massachusetts touring some of the small businesses that are thriving. he had dropped out of school after being held back three times in the ninth grade. like most kids in poverty, his glasses were too big, underfunded, and too dominated by less than inspiring test prep. he found a program offered by a green energy cooperative called co op power.

[applause] he was then hired by a small green energy business where he became a true leader. while doing all that, ed the high school drop out entered a program and graduated before his own high school class received their diplomas. [applause] at age 20 he has now been leader of his crew for two years. this is a triple win. the community gets cleaner air and the climate gets a little more stable for us all.

these jobs will be the rule and not the exception. they're coming to your community. [applause] the green new deal not only creates the jobs like ricardo's that make us sustainable, it also creates jobs and meet our social needs. let's hire back those 300,000 teachers who've lost their jobs in this recession. let's hire the nurses we need and the child care and the home care in senior care and rehabilitation and affordable housing construction. these jobs will be nationally

funded and democratically controlled. they are community-based small businesses. [applause] they are worker owned cooperatives. instead of going down to the unemployment office, you can just go down to the employment office and get the job being me. -- job you need. [applause] to be clear. the green in new deal and unemployment in america -- the green in new deal and unemployment in america. [applause] this would never occur to washington politicians. you can imagine why.

this depends on the threat of unemployment. [applause] and the unemployment is front and center for americans who need jobs. it is front and center on the green agenda. [applause] we are committed not only to jobs but also to improving social conditions for everyone in america. [applause]

we cannot afford to have even one more rhonda thrown out of her home. we're going to put an end to that. [applause] that is why the green new deal guarantees health care for everyone as a human rights through medicare for all. [applause] this not only provides quality comprehensive care for everyone, it will restore your choice of provider of piggybacking control of your own health care decisions and said it you having them made for you by a profit sharing ceo. -- instead of by a profiteering

ceo. it will save trillions. it does not cost us trillions. it saves us trillions by streamlining the and wasteful health insurance bureaucracy and putting an end to run away medical inflation. [applause] as part of the green new deal we will forgive the crashing student debt burdens. -- crushing student debt burdens. we will liberate an entire generation of young people who have been turned into indentured servants. [applause]

we will provide tuition free public education from pre- kindergarten through college. [applause] this is an investment and our future. it pays off enormously. we know that from the g i bill that provided $7 in increased economic benefits for every dollar that we invested. [applause] in order to create an economy that works for people we need not only jobs and secure working conditions, we need a financial system that is free from domination by big banks and well connected financiers who

hijacked our economy and our democracy. [applause] instead we will create a system that is open, stable answers the real economy, not the phony and economy of high finance. [applause] we will and the bailout in the corporate giveaways and ensure the resources are available for investment and our community. through these reforms we will break up the big banks that are too big to fail. [applause] we are going to restore the

glass-steagall separation of banks. [applause] we will regulate of financial derivatives and require them to be traded on open exchanges. [applause] we will democratize monetary policy to establish public control of the credit creation. [applause] we well tax capital gains as income, a tax wall street transactions to stop speculation and put a 90% tax on bonuses for bankers. [applause]

in order to secure these reforms we must also an act political reform to give us a real functioning democracy. as you know, we do not have that yet. we must end the domination of our election by big money that makes government for the people and possible. for this reason we need to amend our constitution to make for this reason we need to amend our constitution to make clear that corporations are not persons and money is not speech. [applause]

those rights belong to breathing human beings like you and me, not to business entities controlled by the very wealthy. the green new deal will also undercut the power of lobbyists and billionaires' to control elections. we will do that by enacting a voter bill of rights. [applause] in so doing we will guarantee a voter marked paper ballot for all voting and requiring all boats and be counted. [applause] we will bring same day boat

registration to the nation saw no qualified voter is far from the poll. [applause] we will replace partisan oversight of the elections with non-partisan election commissions. we will restore the vote of 1.4 million african-american men who are far from voting because they are [inaudible] -- ex-felons. [applause] election reforms like proportional representation that can truly reflect voter

sentiment. we will take money out of politics and replace it with full public financing and free and equal access to the public airways. [applause] we will guarantee equal access to the ballot for all qualified candidates. [chanting]

>> they do not know what they're in for. they're going to find out. in summary, the green in new deal is a comprehensive program to pull us back from the brink and move beyond the current state of emergency for our economy and our democracy. there is much more to it. you can go to our website and

find out more about it. there is more to be done beyond the universe of the green new deal. that is why i am committed to the emergency actions in other areas as well. we need to bring them home. [applause] [chanting]

it is the illegal and immoral wars. and the soldiers and over zero hundred and 40 countries around the world. foreign policy based on militarism and the protection of oil resources will be replaced [applause] by diplomacy, diplomacy based on respect for international law and human rights. i will restorer our imperiled civil liberties by repealing the un-american provisions of the patriot act.

[applause] it is not only the patriot act. it is also the national defense authorization act. [applause] and the anti-terrorism act which they protest and direct our police to find a non- violent center. i will prohibit the department of common security from conspiring with local police to suppress our freedoms of assembly and speech.

i will also work to legalize marijuana. and put it into a state regulatory framework. marijuana is a substance which is dangerous because it is illegal. it is not illegal because it is dangerous. [applause] finally i will in the bipartisan war on immigrants. [applause]

i will stand up against discriminatory republican malls like the remanent -- laws like the remnants of arizona. i will stand up to the racist demagoguery that wrongly blames immigrants for the unemployment brought on by wall street's the use of the economy. [applause] i will end obama's communities program. it has deported over 1 million immigrants, heartlessly as butting families and taking thousands of children away from

their parents. [booing] this issue also gets my blood boiling. with that track record, at the obama white house has been the most nine anti immigrant administration in a century. it is true obama it did a pre- election for things last month and a temporary work permit to a limited number of immigrant use. this group will face deportation at age 30. it is not a solution. i well issue an executive order to end of the deportations now.

i will vigorously support passage of the dream act. [applause] i will work to provide a welcoming path to full equal citizenship for undocumented americans who are vital members of our economy and our community. [applause] i will work to replace the corporate so-called free trade agreements which generate economic refugees in the first place.

[applause] these will be replaced with fair trade agreements that respect workers in this country and latin america. we need these solutions. the public supports them by substantial majorities in poll after poll. why haven't we got and then? -- gotten them? there are big campaigns that have been waged over the past decade. they have been telling us to just be quiet and voter your fears. silence is not an effective political strategy.

[applause] in fact, the politics of fear has brought us everything we were afraid of. what democracy needs is not fear and silence but voices and values. it is time to answer the politics of fear with the politics of courage. [applause] as those radicals did when they took on the british east and dumped the tea in the harbor and declared themselves free,

like the abolitionist did. women suffragists did with the women's party. in each of these cases independent politics was critical to formulate the political demands with frederick jervis said so famously. it is essential because power concedes nothing without a demand. and never did. it never will. [applause] by bringing this demand into

the election, we can advance democracy and justice and drive the solutions into the political agenda. the history of politics is killed was social movements of live with political parties that made history together. abolishing slavery, the right to form unions, child labor laws, safe workplaces, social security, the new deal and more.

it is understanding our political voice encourage. the royal aspirations of the american people can no longer be denied. well have a base from which can build and dry for those critical solutions. wall street politicians have kept them off the table. we are the only vehicle in this election. we will get people a choice and a voice in the voting booth and allow them to go to the polls and greed for the green new deal and the reforms that will

improve our lives. i ask for something much more. help us raise money. help former new green party areas all over the country. help support our local candidates. insure the voice of principled opposition will be heard now and into the future. stand up and push forward with this campaign. we signal to the world that we the people have taken the stage once more indian knighted states. -- once more in the united states of america. we will create an unstoppable movement. we will not rest until we have

turned it the white house into a green house. [applause] we will take back the promise of our democracy and the peaceful future we desert. thank you. [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2012] ♪ [cheers and applause]

[chanting] [applause]

>> the associate campaign manager! one of the leaders of the occupation of the state capital. and her operations director and so much more, a leader of the student movement both nationally and in wisconsin. we are going to have an incredible evening later tonight in this room. there is going to be a party. i think we are in the mood for that. i want to see everybody back here. the campaign website for anyone who is watching is jillstein.org. you can join, donate, and spread the word. let's get this party started! [cheers and applause] ♪

>> earlier this month, the reform party elected its presidential and vice- presidential nominees in philadelphia. a former army veteran will serve as the presidential nominee and kenneth across as vice president. in 2001, he founded a company that provides information technology and data recovery services. up next, they give their acceptance speeches from the reform party convention.

their comments are about 10 minutes. [applause] >> wow. i humbly accept your party's nomination for presidential candidate. i realize that many of you are taking a chance on someone that you did not know for very long before, but i hope this was an educated decision you made. i realize there are some concerns on some of my stances, but that is one reason i believe the reform party is going to grow immensely and work very well. we have the ability to talk about these things. and this discussion is important in any growing process. i believe that through the process that we have going here, we are creating a model. and we are showing ourselves to be true to what america needs and what they want out of

leadership. i respected everything you said. you are a wonderful opponent. i respected everything you said in the debate. mr. cross, you are an incredible candidate and i am happy to have you at my side. i would say this also. there is a lot that drew me to this party, as i said before. but right now, as i look at the people who took part in this process, i am more proud. i see the vast stand of americans, young, old. there are some of them who are executives, rich or poor. i see the people who are here in everyday life, those who are actually affected. not the upper, upper echelon.

not the super-elites. but those who are affected by the decisions made by government. i promise you -- i will do what i can to represent the ideals and beliefs of this organization. the reform party encompasses and embodies what america is looking for. reform. we have to get this back to a simpler form of government. is simpler form of economics. this is not over-complicated. i greatly appreciate your faith in me at this point. and i reach out to each and every individual with any problems with my stances. i want to work with you. i want to work with you and i want you to work with me in return. this is the only way it works for everyone. with everyone. if this is a unilateral

decision, it will end in destruction. it will end in failure. and that is not what this party is about. this is about success and a better future. something where we can leave something better for our children and they have more than we had. something where we can strive to do better. in every aspect, in every scenario. where we can project a real image of democracy around the world. not the psuedo-democracy we have now and can make decisions in congress within the government and get things done. nothingt be a do- government or america. it is not going to be an america where people look at us and whisper behind our backs on what we think we are or what we used to be.

they will look at us as what we are now and how far we will go into the future. the reform party is the greatest party that there is now. we have nowhere to go but up. we are growing. we will be the voice of the middle class and all of america. i am not a proponent of the 1% or 99%, it is 100% of everyone in america. i will not focus on social issues. that's not what we need. that belongs outside of politics. i will focus on our economy. on the defense of this country. and on making our americans better educated to make the decisions we need made every single day. i will intensify my focus on

bringing jobs back to america. people who are working, grinding their hands to the bones, they don't have time to do the research needed. we need people that are going to be effectively integrating themselves into this process. this democratic process. this great, american process we have. it is what sets us apart from other countries and sets us apart from the communists, those who would be considered religious, fanatical countries. we are america. we are great, and wonderful, and proud. i think the reform party is the microcosm of america. thank you very much. [applause]

>> thank you so much, andre. that was just marvelous. i would like to give the opportunity to mr. cross, who is our vice-presidential nominee. [applause] >> i am grateful to be nominated for the reform party for vice president. i look forward to working with mr. barnett to help restore america to its position of strength and respect in the world that we ought to be in, and that we have dropped from in the two-party system. the two-party system.