of americans are paying taxes. keep up the good work. we will try. writing i watch your "chalk talk" for a while, i try not to miss it. my guess is you went to a catholic school. no. good night from new york. >> this is fox business coverage of election 2012, the republican national convention. here is neil cavuto. neil: welcome, everybody, from tampa, florida. the final night, the big night on the republican convention. and this is it for mitt romney. this will be his opportunity to close the deal, to tell the nation in a little bit more than two hours from now a convincing argument for why he is the guy to finish what he says democrats have destroyed.

we already know mitt romney will not attack president obama, he will not call the president names, he will simply say there is a collective disappointment in the president of the united states that he failed to live up to his promise and it is time for the president to go. his remarks come little more than 24 hours after paul ryan electrified the crowd and even challenged his future boss choice in music. we do not know if mr. romney will respond to that elevator music charge, but we do know that he is ready to address it head on. and he is ready to address the argument that he is a business guy, that he has all the iq, but he might lack the passion for the job. many say their passion and great supplies, this is the guy that will bring the goods to the table. it has been a ruckus few days and even though it was disrupted

by hurricane, republicans feel they will go out with her own storm tonight. and a guest they didn't expect coming in little less than 24 hours ago. clint eastwood will make an appearance in this room and stole the virtues of one mitt romney. and with that coming at a time not too long ago when clint eastwood put out that add defending the comeback of the auto industry a lot of people thought he was barack obama sky. it turns out clint eastwood is mitt romney's guide tw guide bain capital and the organization of the leverage firm that helped rescue will be a subject of today's proceedings. of course a large food conglomerate in and of its own right so that is a good strategy to embrace who you are, and if you told me many, many times even if that means what you are

embracing may seem a little nerdy. the appetite may be there for that right now. >> he really has to come out with who he is. there are people who worked with him, worked with him in government, served with him in the olympics, we will have olympians here. they can come out and say this is who i am, i'm not the plastic person to portray me as. i know what is going on. and i would love to see him do what he did in new hampshire when he won the primary. come out and say this is what i believe we can do. we can do better, we believe in america, this is my plan to take it to the next level, to build this economy and to get the economy back to greatness. i have been waiting five years for this speech and mitt has been preparing for it for longer than that. this will be an incredible night. neil: you always said this is an environment you should embrace someone who for lack of a better word may be an accomplished

business guy, harvard lawyer, but to sort of thing that is the kind that you need. you'ryou are also hearing sometg very profound, as far as likability goes, you like the guy that gets you out of a ditch and that is what this is all about, isn't it? >> we tried somebody who didn't have the ability to fix this, now maybe somebody who does. a man who can get us out of this mess. the $3 billion shortfall, leaving $2 billion rainy day fund, a credit upgrade and $4 trillion plus budget, $6 trillion in additional debt, and they credit downgrade. which guy d guide you want leade country? it is a clear choice, ryan and romney are the right path for this country and we need to make that decision. neil: am i looking at the treasury secretary if he gets

elected? >> do you have my backing? neil: embracing capitalism it will take great comfort, it will let you know this is what it wants to see and this is what wants to embrace and will also let you know that spending and government spending will be a big part of it. take your attention to the death clock here, there are two of them, the u.s. national debt clock and there is the convention. jeb bush has stepped on stage, the bush family very much revered here. a tribute to the father and the son, he himself has been saying an early backer of mitt romney that mitt experience would make a very big difference in this room and for this country. he said to have a feeling this is going to the main street

appreciate wall street and wall street respecting main street. the impact of all of that, very good to have you. >> good to be with you. neil: how united do you think republicans are right now? >> i think we came together very quickly after governor romney won the nomination. you are seeing a level of enthusiasm and dedication, use the energy is behind the republicans and you will see us getting out to work the polls, knock on doors, i feel good about the energy levels needed neil: do you think it is hard for mitt romney to come after chris christie, paul ryan, does it actually work against him that those speeches have been so out of the park? >> not at all, those speeches were absolutely out of the park and you will see an incredible amount of energy and love and support for governor romney when he takes the stage tonight.

his job is very different. his speech will be reaching out to undecided voters, thanking those folks for their support, but also reaching out and telling people why we have given him more than four years and we can't afford to give him four more. neil: thank you very much. you will hear it again and again tonight, you'll hear this notion the economy must be turned around and this is the only way to do it and that is how they will start it. >> now that i have gotten that off my chest, let's talk about the kids and education. this election is about the future of this nation. we can shape that with what we do here, with what we do on november 6. we can restore america's greatness, that starts with a strong economy, a smart energy policy, lower deficits and a

president who puts america's workers and job creators at first. but to have a great future, a secure future, a future that is equal to our potential as a nation, we need to do something else, we must make sure that our children and grandchildren are ready for the world we are shipping today. it starts in our homes. and our communities, and especially in our schools. as a candidate and governor i visited over 400 florida schools, i saw children read, solve their first long division problems come explore the miracles of chemistry and physics. that is the essence of education, students getting a chance at a future. there are many reasons to believe america's future is bright, but also reasons to worry. 34 destinations in the world, american students rank 17th in

science, 25th in math. only one quarter of high school graduates are ready for their next test. china and india produce eight times more engineering students each year than the united states. this is a moral cost to our country, our failing schools need to be fixed. [applauding] we say every child in america has an equal opportunity. but tell that to a kid in the classroom that learning isn't respected, tell that to parents suck at a school where there is no leadership. tell that to a young talented teacher who just got laid off because she did not have tenure. the sad truth is equality of opportunity doesn't exist in many of our schools. we give some kids a chance, but not all. that failure is the great moral and economic issue of our times and it is hurting all of

america. i believe we can meet this challenge. provide students and their parents the choices they deserve. the first step is a simple one. we need to stop prejudging children based on their race, ethnicity or household income. we must stop excusing failure in our schools that start rewarding improvement and success. [applauding] we must have high academic standards better benchmark to the best in the world. you see, all kids can learn. governor romney believes it and the data proves it. while he was governor, massachusetts rais raised stands of today their students lead the nation in academic performance. here in florida in 1999 we were

at the bottom of the nation in education. for the last decade the state has been on a path of reform under the leadership of governor rick scott and local leaders, our focus everyday is whether students are learning, that is it. today more students are reading on grade level, passing rigorous college prep courses and graduating from high school. and perhaps most exciting, those traditionally left behind are showing the greatest gains. among african-american students, florida is ranked fourth in the nation for academic and movement. among low-income students we are ranked third, among students with disabilities we are ranked first. and among latino students, the gains were so big they required a new metric. right now florida fourth-grade hispanic students read as well or better than the average of

all students in 21 states and the district of colombia. these kids were once written off, but today thanks to teachers like sean duffy, we're changing that. [applauding] >> i'm honored to be an educator, to help the next generation of leaders, thinkers, builders. neil: it is very crucial, former governor of this state, education under his stewardship, he will pound that as a theme for this ticket as well and a high priority for republicans going forward. as a competitive workforce is a superior workforce. rich edson has been with me throughout this week monitoring the passion of these republicans as they wrap things up.

so far so good. >> so far. very passionate on the floor. paul ryan last night, when you're down there you know you cannot hear, like you are underwater. you can hear the vibrating during the speech. it has been a very emotional week, so far the speeches have gone over very well on the floor and we will see the headliner tonight. neil: a lot of the pressure is on mitt romney tonight. the added drama of clint eastwood showing up. i don't know if it will go ahead and make my day, i don't know, i don't know. but he does put even more pressure on romney, doesn't it? >> we don't know who's going to show up tonight. but he does, you are right. you have this sense of a hollywood guy and the republican national convention, kind of a rare thing.

neil: they really don't count on hollywood and they don't think much of hollywood, clint eastwood is bigger than hollywood. all of a sudden you can keep your george clooney, mr. president, we have the grand train now. getting this message is going out this building? some have served up red meat to the crowd, chris christie was very good at it. we see that with paul ryan as well. it has to win over what is a very small slither of the voters who call themselves undecided. i've a feeling it is coming through? >> they're very excited about the unity of the republican party especially after a very fractured primary. certainly what they're targeting. it is really twofold, me and paul writes on mitt romney saying this, consult the

economy. secondly, get to know me little better. the republicans saying you have to get to know the guy. they like president obama better. like the president better change that here tonight, that is very much what he tries to weave through the speech. neil: i like the guy, he is a likable guy, i was inspired for years ago but the truth of the matter he has not lived up to the dream. over the paraphrasing but that'll bthatwill be the big den tonight. rich edson, thank you very much. obviously the republicans rank and file all in lockstep on this. we prepared many times before we came on board there was a tribute to ronald reagan. if you think about 1980 ronald reagan's challenge was to unify the party behind a conservative at the head of the ticket and a moderate as a vice president, george lucia senior.

in a weird kind of way in 2012 you have somebody arguably a moderate at the top of the ticket, conservative to balance it out and satisfy everyone. the senate republican leader on whether that is all working. how do you think that is going? the reverse a little bit of 1980 where a conservative tried to calm moderates, now a moderate trying to calm and bringing conservatives, is it working? >> i don't know how much we needed to be calm. they wanted to defeat barack obama. pretty clear after the three public polls released after our convention mitt romney and president are in a dead heat race. paul ryan has a lottery ticket not only in terms of his intelligence and generation, but some would argue they stop

agree. neil: do you think mitt romney response to the music jabs, that is what everybody wants to know. >> that was my second favorite, my favorite was the obama poster back in the bedroom that he grew up with was a faded obama poster. neil: it is one thing to get republican and democratic hands, but you've been trying to get the senate republican hands because it is the senate that will have a big role in overturning the president's health care. and because the supreme court has ruled much of what we're talking about is tax, it is a simple vote. correct? >> you are correct. neil: you need those 51. >> we do. we feel we have an obligation to repeal, that was obamacare. the single biggest step of your

european the country. it can be done with 51 votes. neil: if you had 50, of course the vice president as the tie-breaking vote, would that be enough? >> if everybody stayed in line, i would love it if they would because there are no differences among republican from maine to the south to the west, we all voted against it and thought it was a horrendous mistake for the country, we may have some divisions on some issues but this isn't one of them. neil: if that is the case, does it get more problematic? >> it is 50/50 with or without misery. a lot of opportunities, we have

great chances in north dakota, montana, nebraska. spew and even losing missouri. >> we still have eight or 10 opportunities for pickups, did not think we will lose any states we currently have, you need a net of four to get to 51. i think we still have at least a 50/50 shot, maybe better. neil: if the congressman doesn't step down is there any legal effort? >> it is entirely up to him if he wants to get forward. neil: to be less inclined to work with you, wouldn't he? >> he agrees we need to repeal obamacare. i cannot believe he wants to do anything to prevent us from repeal of legislation that was passed in the first two years in a president and his people owned it and did everything they wanted to. neil: you the rights to the democratic conventions, it could be very short-lived, right?

do you worry about that? this cohesion you have going here fritters away at the democratic convention? >> who knows. i don't know how much of a bounce either side will get. you have a lot of undecided voters, we think there is a small number. the water level going into these conventions is dead even, i would venture within a few weeks no worse than dead even. we could improve our position. the national polls are not totally important. what is the survey data in the eight or 10 states electing the next president. neil: all the battleground states are within one or two points. they understate the lack of conservative support. a good many of them say it might be romney-ryan states. hard to say, but do you think this could break like a romney

phenomenon? if something breaks or the domino falls enough one or two points at a time and a swing states to swing it. >> i doubt it, nobody knows. but if the current president is a much more formidable political adversary and jimmy carter was. but who knows what is going to happen a couple of months ago. many think this'll b this will a dogfight down to the end like 2000-2004. with a few votes in a very few places determining who sits in the white house. neil: thank you very much. the senator hit on something very profoundly i cannot stress enough because for my numbers and data is right on the numbers. the swing states is what is very crucial here. it comes down to states like florida and ohio and michigan and wisconsin.

the senator knows is far better than i do, but those were the democratic gimme, ronald reagan was the last to win these states to have to go back 1984. the fact thanks to ryan on the ticket, wisconsin, his home state could be in play. a pickup that could be maybe even an easy pickup for republicans. ththis can all be enough a state where we saw a big benefit for the auto bailout, this republican ticket is benefiting even though maybe because it was opposed to an auto bailout they say has not had nearly the benefit they thought it would. we will get to that a little bit later in the broadcast from tampa. suffice to say in these type of swing states if one were to monitor the other, you could have one after the other following a red wave that could go. a dream scenario for republicans that could go their way and what would be driving it is all this

spending and the issue that republicans will have this convention. what have we got for all this spending? an issue hammered again and again by my next guest over the many years i've known him. this idea you sort of have to watch how much government interference in the world of private enterprise and more to the point gets in the way of private enterprise, something that is sort of skyrocketed on steroids right now. you know the former head of sun microsystems, one of the wealthiest individuals on the planet. good to have you. >> he got all right except that last one. they have been auditing me this entire administration. neil: you know about closing deals, and this is a guy that can close a deal tonight.

not since the epicenter and the moment he will have the debate, but he has to cohesively put a ribbon on the various packages that have been put forth by all the surrogates. can he do it, and what does he do? >> the thing that will swing it are the swing voters and the swing voters are not necessarily issue voters. the issues have all been lain out. they have put a plan together, a real plan, people will take shots at it because it is there, but he has to take action and make progress. the real question is to people like him? is important to swing voters are going to decide this election. i have met him and known him for long time, he is a great guy. i thought she did a spectacular job letting people know that this is a real guy who has a heart that has the courage to make decisions, that is who we need.

the best thing ryan said is we will live in the federal government 20% or less. i hope he emphasizes less. we should not be more than 15% of the gdp to run our government. neil: at about 24% right now. >> you add in obamacare in all the rest of it, it goes through the roof. neil: i come to the point of view if you're my boss and your making the wealthy and helping my job security or even getting me a job, do we overstate that the president has a great personal appeal, a wonderful family, he is a father, but is that enough to pay the bills? >> i have four boys, my wife and i said early on we are not going to be the best friends of our children. we are going to be the leaders, the parents, and we're going to do this tough love.

you get both. you have to have old. fundamentally if you're not keeping your kids safe, organized, educated, out of trouble, you are not loving them. neil: they know the spreadsheets, they know numbers, they're very good at turnaround, the ceo in the boardroom is limited by competing constituencies, not alien, but unusual in the corporate world. and ironically not many of them are suited for that. when they take over a job like this, what do you make of that? speak i think that is mostly non-ceos making that argument. if you have been in the piñata so we know you have more. resellers, government agencies.

you have shareholders, unless you own 51% voting rights. even he is noticing he has shareholders to go deal with. neil: what do you think of that whole thing in facebook and would have been question marks >> everything selling more than 10 times revenues a good solid short. i'm a force within a company that can get 10 times revenue, i'm very impressed with facebook. in a company that has their stock price at that point is headed for a really tough challenge. wiping $15 trillion in debt, you're headed for a problem. neil: do think having these, does it fall on deaf ears, the people sort of see this? speak out as they may have an idea which way in dollars is? >> i don't know they do. one of eyes glaze over.

>> the so-called stimulus, it is deficit spending, printing money, borrowing money we don't have, devaluing everything that is everything you have an asset or an income, it is devalued it and it is a tax not voted on, not talked about, not a penalty, it is yet more government overreach. 20% is the most important statement ryan has made. neil: any advice for certain actor speaking tonight? >> we had a long flight out here together. neil: oh, you did? >> how do you think he got here? the package is all.

neil: you heard it here first. a lot more including rudy giuliani. we'll be hearing later on tonight, you of course are going to be hearing from clint eastwood and of course the nominee himself, mitt romney. we have excerpts of that speech out. if you are expecting him to rip barack obama part, that is not his style and not in his demeanor. all you will hear from mitt romney tonight is we remember the dream, we remember being on spired four years ago, that was great then, what the heck has happened since? more from tampa after this.

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conventions, i think bill clinton in 1992, that convention was hopelessly behind schedule. but it is the thing that trickles down, the dna of the nominee, in this case, mitt romney is pretty annal about being on time, i don't know if rudy giuliani, was that way, running the city of new york. but i do know that america's mayor did not and does not suffer fools gladly, i am very happy to have him with us, thank you for joining us. this is a remarkably on time. >> this is a man who ran the olympics in 2002. neil: true. >> a lot of the direction of the convention comes at from mitt's

thinking and experience. you tend to get involve in what you know bhe knows how to run events. i remember those olympics of it right after september 11, i talked to them about it, they wanted to cancel it. it was just a few months after. they wanted to cancel the olympics. we had september 11, and now we're talking about january or february of 2002. mitt said, we're going to carry this out. fantastic security. tremendously well organized. these are the things he has done in his past, that say, this man can be president of the united states, barack obama does not have things in his past like, that he never ran a business, obviously, he does not think much of people who run a business. he never ran a military unit.

neil: i remember you got us through 9/11, and i mean, there was a certain passion and inner reserve and strength that you knew. the rap against mitt romney, fairly or not, he has smarts and credentials, the harvard degree, and all of the skills, but he is missing that giuliani verb, that chris christie, in your face. >> i think that might be good. neil: you have written about leadership, to these thing -- do these things make a difference. >> mitt romney has his own way of doing thing, he would not back down in the face of terrorist threats possibilities. he would have looked like an

awful executive if we went ahead with those olympics and we did suffer an attack. he took it on. it took a tremendous amount of courage to build the business he built, bain capital. the man in his own wife's words, a man who gets things done. neil: he is fully a full embracn capital. >> i'm been waiting for that, i will jump up, cheer, yell and scream. i've been saying for 3 months, one of the best reasons to make this man, president of the united states is the great building he had, making a lot of people wealthy, getting jobs for a lot of people, this is how we select presidents in theory way, men who have been successful in the past. the reason i was able to handle september 11, i was a u.s.

attorney under a lot of pressure, a associate attorney general, i h run a coal business in bankruptcy and took it out of bankruptcy when i was 30 years old. i had to rely on my experience. opoly thing that got -- the only thing that got me through, i said to myself, i have been through things like this before. neil: i think you like banging heads though, and i don't think this guy does, is that weird? you don't have a problem with getting in someone's face. >> that does not mean he is not tough as nails. i debated somed man 11 times, io debate did he lose, many of them he won, he was always well prepared. when he was attacked he handled it just as well or better. neil: and the horrible things he

said about you. >> what about what i said about him. but not as bad as hillary and obama, and they work together pretty well. neil: people saying that rudy giuliani could be the next attorney general in the united states. >> i would not count on that. the reality is, we is so much better for america that -- that -- i am interested in getting him elected and getting barack obama out of the white house, the rest we'll see. neil: mayor giuliani thank you so much. >> a pleasure. neil: thank you mayor. all right, so someone who knows how to get i in your face. sarah palin is joining me as we continue our coverage from

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neil: welcome back. i don't know how they let this guy in, democratic congressman luis gutierrez from illinois, he is a gentlemen, a class act, just wrong on every key economic policy, very good to have you. >> a pleezure. neil: what are doing here. >> i told them i was coming to see you, and they let me in. neil: you are not going to charlotte. >> i am here on behalf of the president of the united states of america. neil: give him my guest. do you get a sense, that because -- we chatted briefly -- because of the proximity of the two conventions that neither gets

much bang for the buck. >> i will share, i would rather go last.

. neil: all right, i'm glad to have you here, you have this excuse you are write a book, but not that you are embarrassed by the president? president? >> i am here supporting the president of the united states here in tampa. i am going to do everything i can to reelection president obama, i am proud of him and proud to be part of his campaign. neil: tell these folks here, that should make their day, good seeing you. this is the convention, i should stress almost was not, we had tropical storm isaac that became a hurricane. it of a big test for the new governor of this state, where

the unemployment record has been proving, and economy has been improving, i like a real test for leaders, how they handle a crisis. and some are saying when it came to handling this tropical storm that became a hurricane, ask a nightmare, he was dead on letter perfect, with me is governor rick scott, very good to have you here. >> now, you are moving to florida soon, right? >> i love your state, i have a place, it is hot. >> we know how to deal with hurricanes and we are nice people. neil: you are nice, but i thought you would have outlawed humidity. the arizona governor said, ours is a dry heat, but she leaves out the fact this is 115 degrees, it is hot. governor, you got a major kudos how you dealt with the storm,

you batonned down the hatches and helped your state out, how does this look now? >> well, key west doing well, pensacola, the gulf did hardly got any damage. now we're trying to make sure tourists come back, west palm beach we got a little flooding. neil: you needed the rain? >> we have had so much rain. neil: i thought we were -- >> that was in march, we with more. neil: more than made up, that is the left coast. >> we're doing well, biggest drop in unemployment. i am focused on getting our state back to work and our tourists back and add jobs. neil: because of the -- your own numbers have improved.

but it always sort of like a weird political thing, not to get crass, but the better the state looks the better it could look for the incumbant president. >> i need a partner, cut taxes, streamline government, and if we do that think how many jobs real create. neil: in swing states like you, are you surprised that this ticket is as competitive as it is, when paul ryan is to all but throw grandma off the cliff. how have your residents either not succumbed to that or bought it or believed it? >> this is about jobs, my race in 2010 was all about the jobs, governor romney has a plan for jobs, reduces taxes, reducing regulation, and streamlines government. that is what we care about in our state, we' jobs. neil: you are an accomplished

executive going into a governor's mansion. mitt romney would carry up one more notch. i have thought that guys like you, it was tough to go from calling all shots of the ceo. to sharing rival constituents. >> you deal with shareholders and analysts, it is similar, have you employees, it is similar. neil: governor, i know you have a very tight schedule, thank you very much. >> move to florida. neil: after the humidity. governor rick scott, he has gotten high praise for how he handled this storm, it was touch and go. one thing to give you an idea getting to the second hour of

this festivities and big events here. in tampa, is preparing for what will be a series of big peaches now, feet -- speeches, featuring marco rubio, then we hear from clint eastwood, who was a surprise, now we find out a seat mate of scott mcnealy. we get the speech, and then romney himself, if you are expecting a lot of red meat, and in your face, you are not going to hear that. it is a gentlemenly put down right now, but one virtues of his business background. if we could show him. a very early beneficiary of bain

capital money, that will be a big theme, a bain capital ad, showing virtues of private capital. this is something that senator hatch has been -- throughout his career, there is a lot that guys like he and 99 other senators can do, but as senator, said so many times it comes down to government doing just enough to stay out of the way, good to have you, sir. >> good to see you. neil: confrat layin congratulatn surviving, easily, a nomination battle. do you get a sense it looks good for this ticket? >> i do, and mitt romney is really an exceptional person, i know him well, i know what a what a fine man he is. and his wife, you saw her the

other night, she is fantastic. neil: does he have compassion. you know it takes more than brains in politics, you have to move ball forward with passion and market yourself, can he? will he. >> i remember in 2002 olympics, we were in real trouble. with allegation of fraud, and 400 million in the hole, he did everything even moving traffic one day, and we wound up with the best winter games in the history of the olympic movement and 100 million-dollar suns, he won utah over, this is a guy that the grab the bull by the horns, this is what we need right now in this mess this country is this. neil: do you get's sense this -- everyone is preaching to this crowd, not to audience out their. there are a lot of people who don't trust a lot of rich guys patting themselves on the back. >> most are proud of mitt's

success. they know he earned it. he did not steal it. neil: he should embrace it. >> that is my advice. neil: how would you advise, talk about bain and the companies, i think one senator said, it is fortune 500 week in tampa, what to you make? >> hardly, there are a lot of humble people here, esspecially from my home state of utah as well. we know mitt, he will do anything to help this country. you then guy, not only saved the olympics but he became a great governor of the state of massachusets, they were 3 billion bucks in the hole, they were going down, having problems issue h issue -- he came in, he turned it around, and balanced budget all 4 years with a state legislator 85% democrat.

neil: you need a republican senate to do what he needs, you need a majority. that would what you need to take it apart. >> we need presidential leadership to turn this country around. but we also need to have a senate taken over by republicans. i would be chairman of the finance committee. neil: well, la dee da. >> you know how important that is. neil: very important. >> that is where 60% of the spending is. if we have presidential leadership we could reform this bloated tax code. we have to take on social security, medicaid and edict care -- medicare, they be out of control if we don't control them. but we cannot get things done in the congress without presidential leadership, right now, as much as i like president obama, he does not work with congress. he does not make calls to congress.

he does not in many cases bring us down to talk to us about our concerns and how do we work together. you can't do it. you have to have a president that works for everyone, not just the democratic or republican parties. neil: i will put you down as a maybe on president obama, then? >> let me put it this way, i like the man personally, but he does not have the background that mitt romney has to turn this country around, get us back on our economic feet, he has done it everywhere he has gone. neil: all right senator thank you very much. he leaves out the fact, he is also a very good singer. we have former bain executive joining us, a big feature in here, bain is this -- depending on what media you watch, a firm this either helps shore up sick companies or the embodiment of

evil. are lock looking at romney family, but what is left out of this argument is whatever money was risked was private capitol, it did create a lot of jobs romney campaign has always come back said, what would you rather, our risking private capital or president blowing millions more of your money to create no jobs? that is a central theme, here is ed, a fellow who knows a thing or two as a bain economyive, ed good to you have back. >> thank you. neil: he is embracing bain. >> he has to embrace bain, and embrace capitalism and so that is what rising people up and creates jobsen anens income. neil: do you think you can over come the media impressions

though. i don't think that all americans feel this way, that business is out for business, and out for making itself richer. and bain was a classic example of that. if republicans want to embrace it have at it. >> people have to recognize what makes businesses successful is serving customers, that is what pays off investors, you have to do it more successfully. you know be is service to customers. you have customers, everyone watching the show, and everyone here, the people that understand that will be supportive. neil: do you think that bain was a ruthless firm in its early days the way it went about fixing companies, shutting down weaker factories that too much so? that is what will be pounded in the fall debate? >> not close, if you want to win a horse race, you get the strongest horse, you teach it to

run fast, you don't get the lamest one and try to fix it every now and then we buy a lame horse, but your putting a lot of money in a company that is not successful, you create value for customer not investor, you get fastest horse, you teach it how to run faster that is how you create value for investors, i think that is what people don't realize, liberals, how difficult it is to put money in pocket of investors and how much you have to serve the customer to do it. very few people that appreciate it. neil: back to articulating simple economics, thank you, they are doing it, thank you for much, ed. >> thank you. neil: john stossel doing special coverage right after this, john, what you said about self reliance, view that government

is problem not the solution. what do you think? >> i can't hear a word you say. could you be quiet. we'll find out what they think about the convention. i hope you asked that. neil: i'm sorry, i lost you, is your group believing this idea it is a good thing for this ticket to embrace private capital, and embrace what they are talking about now that -? -- i'm not sure what about the rest. >> we'll see. neil: i'm looking forward to your show. you contribute a lot, i always appreciate that, john, very good, see you later. we have into the -- is sarah palin with us? she is with us, former alaska

governor, the last vice presidential candidate for the republican ticket. governor, are you in arizona? >> i am, and happy to see through a monitor, glad you are there. neil: same here, i apologize, if my hearing is compromised, my bad. they will embrace private capital, and rich people, it is okay to be rich. it is okay to do well. it is okay to be a tha capitali, good or risky, what say you? >> well, imagine that, someone will tell to what we learned in economics 101, that is free men, and premarkets are the principal to america's wonderful prosperity, and the better someone does in america, the

better we all do, and thank you lord, someone will talk about success. and expectation for rewarding hard work, that is what we teach our kids work ethic, you will be rewarded, we would like our government to embrace it and at least understand. neil: governor, you know, it looks like a fairly unified convention it looked fairly unified after your convention, and john mccains, then we had that big meltdown, i wonder, it could have been jesus and moses on the same ticket, after the meltdown it would not have even happened then. do you think this is a class warfare campaign, this will be a messy ball? >> well, first, make sure you clarify that meltdown in on 08 was an economic meltdown, out of our ticket's control.

just business to make dog gone sure you are clear on that. we're in a meltdown right now, people have to do is realize one out of every 5 working agent men age men in america cannot find a job. do have you a plan for that? so they can hire these people. or are you going to let government grow and suck out more of the private sector because that is what the other ticket, obama's ticket has tried to to for 4 years, and is what they promised to do for 4 jiri 4 year -- 4 more years, let's turn this around with a new group of leaders. >> how would you advise this ticket. we talk that financial meltdown. all this week, the dynamics, out of the blue you had a market thing. in order to stave off a crisis,

then president bush, working with treasury secretary paulson, rescued the banks, we had the beginning of tarp, and then a fear among conservatives that we were setting something some motion we would later regret. mitt romney said at the time he appreciated and understood the need to do that then, john mccain at the time appreciated need to to something then, he told me last night it was botched in its limitation, do you think that this comes back to bite this ticket since mitt romney was onboard with the rescue, and the administration will say, well you tax a good game, -- you talk a good game, but you didn't walk the walk? >> well, that is when a mia culpa comes in handy and everyone that voted for tarp and

stimulus, and $6 trillion in in addition debt we hand to our kids and grand kids, that now is $16 trillion in debt growing the last 4 years under obama, everyone has so say, hey, i'm sorry man, for supporting that. for the clash for clunkers and goofy programs, say, sorry, we learned our lesson, we will not repeat this and we will not continue to incur debt. we will engage in austerity measures, live within our means to let the private sector grow. neil: you know, i like what you said there, sometimes we have to do that, mia culpa, i was wrong, i botched it, it was a bad vote, let's move to, we are not going to relive that. a lot of republicans are not doing, that because the administration will say, you are

judging us on our spending, you did a lot spending, maybe that is a good strategy, say, yeah we know the errors of our ways, but we're not doing that, does it worry you? in it does, but you know we have a person on the ticket in paul ryan, who is in a perfect position to claim this mia culpa, and say, sorry, should not have gone down that direction, but he opposed but proposed. opposed additional failed policies of obama's, right, additional spending and ignoring common sense economic 101 principle plans, tried, tested and true, based on free markets, to get us out of the rut we're in and paul ryan did propose a budget, obama has not even had a budget passed in his 4 years, at

least paul ryan has a plan on paper. neil: you know, you do have a way of just putting it in a nutshell in english, not too bad. governor, you have a unique skill to prevent this argument in a -- present this argument in a clear way, people saying well maybe this was not your year, your future is so bright. presidential run still beckons, what does sarah palin say? >> i say, you know, that -- i appreciate that, that is why i am a tea party patriot, the tea party grassroots movement, full of people like me, average joe, we are joe six-pack, we're raising kids and running businesses, you know trying to get by, and todd and i have been blessed and privileged we've worked hard our lives materially

speaking and other respects, we have a lot. i appreciate it but we're also a good example as so many in tea party are, of what it means to be an american, working hard, expectation for reward for that hard work. being an example for others to prove you can accomplish anything in america. i don't know where my path will take me politically. too tell you, politics drives me crazy, i do not necessarily like politicians. but i want to keep helping the rest of america who understands that we're the most blessed, prosperous, safest, most generous nation on earth, and our best days can be in front of us, if only we get back to time tested truth that built this country, that is what i want to work on. neil: not too shabby, governor, you have taken a lot of hits, but have you changed that national debate, for that you are commented. >> a pleaure.

>> thank you, thank you, keep up the good work. neil: governor sarah palin, think about that, she has a way to crystallize this debate. as she was wrapping up, i don't' to get too much into republican pr, but they are running a piece on bain capital, i don't want to dip into this i do' you to just, see the end of this bain capital piece. my next guest, kevin mccarty. another representative. you have been saying embrace capitalism, and embrace those who have utilized it wisely rather than resourcing unwisely, it is it resonating? >> it has, we have been through

3 regular3 recessions, compare y we would have 11 million more people working now had those policies been in affect. number one issue out there. i know democrats can play all other ones is the economy that is the core, what what you heard paul ryan talk about the core ha house has been doing, laying out a budget, a tax policy that lets america compete that starts with small business could small business is the greatest jenner 8 or oner-- generate or of jobst lowest point in 17 years of new start ups. neil: you know, i have a crack pot theory. but, i think we live in an age now, you point it out, this recovery come us out of recession, is weakest on record by far, but we almost have gotten used to bad numbers, if

they are not so bad we're great if you, if it is only 375,000 new jobless claims a week we're grateful, we know at this point we should not be seeing any. but we've gotten used to getting our heads bangs against the wall. is cr iis -- why is that? how do republicans change that dynamic? >> you raise a good point. that is what happened to our education system. now we expect a c instead of an a, and raising the bar. >> i built a college career on that. >> well, i -- fundamental difference here, but thing i see, you have to set a plateau, here at a changing point like we were in 1980, we were afraid that japan would surpass us in

our economy, today we are afraid of china. we are 4e held hostage by, ran,- >> i do know, you have no power. but you get out of that have you more. when we oh, we're a joke. >> we're being controlled by someone else, that is the fundamental debate of this election. which direction to we want to go? this a battle for size and scope of what we' government to look like, you went three a wave elect, in 08, 06, and 2 2010. that like battling in schoolyard and teacher breaking up the fight, have you too fight after school. this is a battle for size and scope of what you'. do you want greater government or -- i believe in november.

>> you are good. thank you. >> i believe in america, and i believe in the ticket. neil: all right. there are a lot of great people that can articulate the vision of the republican party. you know, devil is in the details and the delivery, we have some comments that have been leaked out to press what mitt romney will say, if you are looking for going to for the jugular, and in your face, let's say this mormon candidates is not going to be pulling a chris christie. he is going to articulate. many things that number three ranking house republican just mentioned. we'll get into that, also going it hear from a certain clint eastwood, as this busy night continues from tampa. the republican's coup de grace. talk about ending with fireworks, more right after this.

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neil: all right, welcome back. in between a lot of speeches here, a lot of the speakers, they go through a familiar drill. something you will see next week in charlotte when the democrats week, they all talk about childhoods, and the success and guidance from parents. i have yet to say someone say, i

was born a billionaire, and life was a guilded charmed thing, it would be funny it someone said, you know, i really don't realize to any of you -- relate to any of you. i digress. it has been that kind of week. but someone ho has not digressed. there is nothing flowery about dave walker. he knows the budget numbers and this direction better than anyone i know who said unless we get a handle on this now, and fast, we're in deep trouble and soon, david. >> good to be back. >> let's talk about this right now. we got to put the ryan plan in perspective. as big as his cuts are, they are really cuts in the growth of spending. we would have under a 10 year plan more spending than now.

i talk with around paul about -- ron paul about that, we need to work on mervim lens. >> the economy, jobs and fiscal responsibility are the key topics of this campaign. what can get accomplished by getting support in congress, you have to pass house, senate and presidential signature, in my view we have to deal with fiscal thrift, and get debt to go gdp n do that. we need to make progress. neil: are we near that. you look at what we've been doing. if we're fighting over just slowing the increase in general

spending, how are we going to cut it? >> we have to renegotiate the social insurance promise. neil: a lot of people say -- >> here is what i'm disappointed with. there has been a lot of rhetoric, and spinning and mudslinging with regard to medicare, both romney, ryan, and obama top reduce medicare spending, in the coming decades by almost the same aim of money. but they have a different view of how to accomplish that. they hav have a different idea. we need it make sure we understand, we have to reduce spending and renegotiate social insurance promise and protects a sound second kure social safety net. and a tax reform to make it

fair, competitive and generate more revenues, we have to do it in 2013, it can be done. the people understand it. neil: i tell you, i've looked at this. we've talked about this in past, the one that embarked on that journey and deals with these issues head on, and even if you want to talk about -- some things you say more than just tinkering, are they guaranteed? >> no, i believe that people are far ahead of politicians they can handle the truth, they are looking for leadership, and they are willing to accept tough choices, if they are part of a comprehensive package they deem to be fair. that is key. i am embarking on a 5 week national fiscally responsible bus tour, starting next friday, we'll talk about truth, leadership and solutions and prove that the american people can deal with it. but they have to have

leadership. neil: i think you are right. what new jersey governor chris christie takes about, i have to rein in teacher unions, i love teachers, there is an acceptance for that, here is where i wonder whether the same applies on federal level, people say, we have to reign medicare -- you have nene this peopl confidencet beam would be open to that. >> i have confidence once they understand how bad the problem is. we have this debt clock, it understates the problem. it will start at 70 trillion. and it will go up by 10 million a minute. it includes not just a debt, but

unfended pensions, healthcare, and unfunded social security, medicare promises and they range of others that are not deficits today but they will be tomorrow. neil: that chokes off money for so much else, paying finance charges on that debt, that is money you cannot use on something else. >> it is called interest, what do you get? nothing. right now we have historically low interest rates. we're supposed to pay $900 billion in interest in 10 years, for which we would get nothing. >> amazing. well spoken. >> thank you. i hope to see you next week. neil: i'll be there. we've been talking about private capital, and why is fox business so into this convention or next convention, very early on, we thought it was a good idea as a

be network to follow these issues, they are big economic issues. they get bigger and bigger. but we fell part of that debate about capitalism is role that government should or should got play. this is a central theme o convention, it will be the central theme at the democratic convention as well. hmm, it says here that cheerios helps lower cholesterol

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ally bank. no nonsense. just people sense. neil: you know, one of the things noteworthy about this convention liberal representative of massachusetts who spoke of her experience working with mitt romney when he was governor of massachusetts, only 11% of the voters are republican so if i basically assess it, you have to work with the other side. rich edson on the floor right now. what is the mood down there? >> crowded. this is the most crowded i have seen it the entire three days of this convention. they've got almost everything blocked off, yo he can barely wk around down here.

working my way through the floor the last three days. they are all waiting for the main part of this program. they have been here since the beginning of this program a couple of hours ago. we will get the olympic side of mitt romney. he will speak with a number of other olympians, this is very much a number of different themes. many people said they should not want to talk about, bain capital, medicare, appearing and reappearing throughout this convention and will absolutely go there tonight along with many of the criticisms republicans have had towards president obama and democrats in the administration has to wait for mitt romney to take the stage. neil: thank you. taylor hicks, he won "american

idol." i am showing my cultural fullness. it is odd to me because he is ringing down the house, clint eastwood coming and what better time to take a musical break before we get to senator mike leigh. if this is mitt romney's musical choice, in-your-face, paul ryan. ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ neil: this is when i stop, when they want the audience to get involved, i think that is stupid, i will not raise my hands and i will not collapse. who can forget "american idol" when he won. i stopped everything i was doing. there you go. we go from bain capital to

taylor hicks and later on clint eastwood. they are waving their hats, that always scares me. why do you bring a hat? i will not wave. when you go to a stadium and they all do the wave, no, i will not do the wave. okay. he is good. and "american idol" is a pretty big deal. the guy who has to top that now is senator mike lee. from the fine state of utah. to come back and talk. >> indeed, it is. neil: do you do the wave? >> always, and i'm appalled you don't. what kind of american are you? sometimes you have to give into that a little bit to enjoy the game. neil: i guess so.

>> confront your fears, face them. neil: you're right. are republicans facing their fears, we talk about entitlements, bad idea. they will tackle it. if you talk about the debt, they will talk about it. if you talk about the virtues of wealth it will come back and they will talk about the virtues of wealth. either they're crazy or wise, which is it? >> it is wise. we were talking about a song on the radio, i said what is up with this song? says it is not bad if you don't think about it. a lot of the things we have to talk about are not bad if you don't have to think about it. but they are bad if you think about it. we have to talk about it and we have to address it. neil: and i like it, i always fear every time we do, look at

how paul ryan was vilified for just trying to rein in the growth of entitlement. even fellow republicans, you stood by him. going off alone on that one. so is there the stomach for what could be a very bumpy ride? >> there is the stomach. you can punch a few weak kneed republicans who did not stand by him, but by and large we stood by him. neil: not a lot. >> the tide is turning. they're recognizing the status quo will cause the programs to collapse under their own weight if we do not reform them and make them sustainable. neil: we all come back at what is at stake in this race and how important republicans feel it is to the white house, but it is actually just as crucial to take

the senate. but that is the only way you can go back to untangle this health care thing. ruling out another option, so by a simple majority to start dismantling it piece by piece, how do you think that'll be? >> i think we can do it, we can be funded. simply say this will not be construed as a tax or exercise in power. we have to win the election first. we got here, the original community organizers, we have to make him our president. neil: i want to dip into this, this is another thing mitt romney is embracing, the stewardship of the 2002 olympic. these are largely key members of that olympic team and others

since. i want to dip into this a little bit. [changing "u.s.a." >> from a time when i walked into the olympics games in atlanta as a wide-eyed 16-year-old at the moment a few weeks ago when i heard our national anthem played in lond london, i have seen our country prosper and more recently faltered. not unlike my athletic career, there were many times when things were going very well and times when they were not. it was in those times when things are difficult that i learned to rely on strong leadership. to get me as they would say in

my world "back on target." the strong leadership of a more experienced teammate of my coaches and of course most importantly the strong leadership of my mom and dad. neil: purely coincidental that at this stage of the convention we are honoring the olympic athletes of 2002 and beyond. the olympics in utah that almost wasn't almost months after 9/11. we thought we were near out of game republicans along came mitt romney to save the day. bring the olympics back in these olympians are coming back essentially say thank you, mitt romney. these are all of that class and beyond. conveying a message of support, new york yankees president. we will leave aside the fact is also new york delegate, the yankees are looking increasingly vulnerable going into this

weekend with the evil baltimore orioles. but that said, very good to have you. >> how are you? neil: i'm good. how do you think this is going and i thought this was actually a very smart idea to bring these athletes back because that is one part of mitt romney's past that people don't know much about. right? >> i think it was unbelievable because george steinbrenner was the vice president of the olympic committee for many years, so i have some understanding. mitt romney came in to salt lake city, and was a disaster, they were going and he fixed it. neil: entering the vip box, you're going to see people shifting in and out including governor scott walker, eric cantor, the other is shifting in and out. that is a power position to be in. i'm sorry for interrupting, but

this message is good, athletes and what they're saying. >> is great because everybody knows how hard these athletes work, how important the olympics are to the pride of the country. the salt lake city games were going bankrupt, mismanaged and governor romney came in, wasn't governor at the time, for no money and he fixed it. i think it shows like the country today, he knows how to fix things. neil: i had forgotten the timing of those olympics, i remember the world series so soon after 9/11 and then mayor giuliani thought it was important for those games to go on, obviously so did george steinbrenner. did you feel the games fulfill more than a sports roll, they are uniting much mark how important do you think athleticism, sports would be?

if mitt romney became president? >> i think h is a great sports fan. he is a red sox fan, but i have been at baseball games with him, talk football with him did he loves the olympics. i think sports is important. it gives people an ability to take their mind off of things especially in hard times and to rally around a cause to get pried into something. it is a great thing for people. neil: why are you here? in new york, a democratic town. >> i have been a republican my whole life, deputy mayor under rudy giuliani, everybody knows i am a republican. it hasn't hurt attendance figures, everybody knows we have republicans, democrats, i'm not on behalf of the yankees, i'm here on behalf of myself.

i think he is a guy in these troubled times knows how to solve problems, understands the economy, understands how to fix the economy, understands how to solve troubles. we all wanted president obama, he was all about all of our presidents to succeed, but i think it has been disappointing and now is the time for somebody to step in. i see it in my business because we rely on people's disposable income. there ithere's not as much of ig around today. neil: thank you very much, good luck with the baltimore orioles this weekend. i know you're a fan of tampa bay, and here we are. a lot more, we just told you paul ryan and his wife have entered the vip box, always

interesting to see who goes in and out of that box. clint eastwood expected to address the delegates tonight throwing support behind the ticket. marco rubio will be addressed in the head of the ticket and mitt romney himself addressing the convention to talk about a number of big events, minutes away from all of this rolling out, minutes from now. more from tampa on a big night for republicans. this is the most passionate they have felt about a ticket since ronald reagan in 1980. can that be? and is this guy a big reason? more after this. want to try to crack it? yeah, that's the way to do it!

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solutionism. the new optimis neil: we are not that far away from florida senator marco rubio addressing the group and expecting to hear from clint eastwood telling folks he would be pulling his support behind mitt romney, but coming to the convention to make it clear that he is, the high-tech investor and entrepreneur, said they flew together on this very show, he

revealed that much. he may have played a very influential role in making all of that happen. we will see exactly how this all goes sorting out and when later tonight, clint eastwood will address the troops. they've allocated some time for him. maybe he doesn't need a lot of time, hard to say. the impact of that because that is one of those wildcards, what does it do to this convention? >> it will excite the floor. this is ms. rya mitt romney's n. it'll make democrats unhappy. having the iconic figure. neil: who is bigger, george clooney? >> george clooney is big with some people, but clint eastwood

is iconic. neil: and he transcends, he is recognized. in a way could it hurt mitt romney? >> no, i don't think so. it will get mitt romney excited, but look, it is one of those when you're in a campaign like this, those little sprawl of somebody not political or seems friendly to the president now coming out for romney, that is what you want to see, that is what momentum is made of. neil: we are looking in at the beautiful family, paul ryan and his children, how important are the aesthetics of the ticket? >> i think it helps. when i worked in hollywood for

20 years, they look at this. we said that last night about ryan's family. they are young, it gives a picture of energy at a presidential level you don't normally see. neil: when you have a generational ticket, this would be a generational ticket. mitt romney is what, 23, 24 years old? when we have that sort of thing, how does that work out? neil: i can't remember when it has been this way, usually it is sometimes the other way. it works out. usually young presidents are in that group. trying to think, clinton and gore were contemporary. neil: but it doesn't hurt. >> not particularly for a party viewed as caring about young

people. we have talked all week about the republicans and that being a branding problem which they have been trying to solve, they have done a pretty good job so the younger family, the energy and the most important thing, romney seems to like being around him. he looks at him as another son. that is a relationship i think romney is much more comfortable watching them campaign. neil: y'al you always hear these blogs that he is uncomfortable and jealous of it. it seems to me like nonsense. >> i have to say, this thing with clint eastwood, he is not afraid of being upstaged. good ceos do not worry about

having stars around them because they know they are the boss and if they can do that, that makes me feel comfortable because i know politicians are terrified. neil: i was thinking of john kerry when he picked edwards, edwards wasn't a very loyal running mate. they did not get to the point they were elected, but it gets to be dicey if they are not in sync. >> it was not in sync, it was a political position at the last moment. romney pick somebody who is comfortable with and they seem to mesh so far. we will see how it works, but they seem to mesh very well. neil: do you think that it is one thing to move the room and

another thing the mood outside the room, the country. in the michael the caucus convention, and went on to defeat. what do you look for tracking a conventional convention leading to a full clam campaign? >> republicans stop being the party of no. gets to the bigger issues. look at '88, there was a lot of enthusiasm. he got a boost in the polls. but that did not solve the problem. getting up and said ideology is not an issue, confidence is. that is an invitation that he paid the price for. romney needs a different thing.

nice to show he needs to make a difference in people's lives. he has some ideas and a sense of urgency about the country's problems. if this convention has been strategized such that the cornerstones are holding the tent up and he steps up. neil: i will go to rich edson on the floor, we are awaiting very soon, we're going to get rich appear very soon. we're going to go to that because he sort of has the candidate ultimately packaged, and i did it four years ago in denver with senator barack obama, with john mccain and how he was packaged in minnesota. i'm going to want to watch this

video and i urge you to as well. this is how mitt romney is being presented to the american people. >> i believe this is the land of opportunity. i believe if we restore the principle of opportunity and give everyone a fair chance, you're going to see this country come roaring back. >> you can never predict what kind of tough positions will come in front of the president's desk. and if you really want to know how a person will operate, look at how they live their life.

>> they were asking me about what's going on with what happened with the scandal and what my opinion is, if we can pull this thing off. i said yeah, it's going to be just fine. so how do you know? i said i'd just met mitt romney. >> people were afraid, people were thinking something terrible would happen. after 9/11 the way we look at these events changed drastically more than any olympic games the world has really watched. how is the artist is going to respond, can they put on an olympic games? >> it was worse than i expected, i thought the turnaround was a public relations turnaround, instead it turned out to be a financial turnaround and a governmental turnaround. >> he was not only running the show, but he was out there speaking to the people and showing them through his words, through his actions with the

olympics could mean to the united states. >> when i was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, it brought me to tears. >> were the toughest times of my life was standing there with ann when the diagnosis came. >> i was very, very ill. i was frightened, he was frightened, but i needed him desperately. >> i'm happy in his life as long as i have my soulmate with me. >> he was going to honor heroes that we have met, and he chose me as his hero. my life was in jeopardy and i was like as vulnerable as a person can be and i trust mitt, i trust him with my life. >> she's gorgeous. absolutely beautiful. i can't explain love, i don't

know why it happens, i don't know why it endures the way it does. from the very beginning i sat with her, chatted with her, put my arm around her and something changed. >> my 16th birthday party was when mitt and i really became an item. at the beginning of our romance. 1968 he flew into detroit airport right before christmas. of course his mother had her arms open and he runs right by her and grabs me. >> on a car ride home from the airport i turned to ann and so i feel like i've never been away. she said i feel the same way. >> we tell everybody we're getting married, like next week. we compromise and waited until march 21.

>> sweet baby. >> my brother and i fought a lot. >> three, not bad. as for it's got to be a little much. >> very rambunctious. >> telling everybody what to do. >> and he was my most active child. he was a handful. >> don't squirt me. >> my mom was always begging for us to be quiet. >> we can never, ever say anything bad. >> i traveled a great deal in my career. i could call ann and i could hear the boys in the background and i said ann, don't forget what you are doing is more important than what i'm doing. >> said i have six song sons.

>> mitt was walking the door after work, that was it, never thought about work again until morning. >> i went to mom if i ever needed money because you never went to dad, he was way too cheap. >> it sticks out way too far. he would always fix it with tinfoil. >> i work from the time i was 12, i know what poverty is, i have been through it. >> i think he idolized his father, he really was his hero. >> in the summer my dad would pack up our family and take us to the great national parks. it was during those trips i fell in love with america.

dad was born in mexico, his parents and grandparents had moved to mexico, they were refugees during the revolution. remember steve asked my dad what was the most meaningful compass point of your life. without hesitation he said the greatest accomplishment of my life was having raised you for kids. family for my mom and dad was everything. my dad worked for his dad, he was doing drywall, he could put nails in his mouth and spits them out. i grew up watching my dad lead. >> i'm in public life today because i'm concerned about america. i'm concerned about what's happening to america. >> if he felt someone about a particular issue, no question about how he felt. friends called him the brick because he was immovable.

i didn't realize he was giving me an experience more helpful than anything i learned in school. >> staples a good example of where bain capital can support a good company. >> he understood what was behind the numbers. what is behind the numbers is great people. >> mitt romney valued every employee. every employee was critical to staples. >> mitt is a cheap son of a gun. if he can save $0.50 on paperclips, he will drive a mile to do with. >> if you ask me why, he will do it first hand. >> he was doing with them in a way allowing them to grow, add jobs, build factories. >> when i became governor of

massachusetts i took the skills i learned in business and went to look at my state budget. we were about $3 billion out of balance. >> the governor asked one of his assistants to bring out campaign promises. there is something like 44 campaign promises. he said by this administration wthat we will go down this checklist and keep each and every promise made. i thought these different. >> we balance balance our budged went from $3 billion budget gap in my first year to over $2 billion rainy day fund. >> when he came into office we were in crisis, when he came out we were on a much more solid footing. >> his whole life has brought him to this point of being able to have the skills and experience to be able to tackle the difficult investments to turn this country around.

>> romney is in this raised to improve the lives of americans. >> i know he understands the economy. >> qualifies to get our economy moving again. >> take control. >> he is not a stuffed shirt guy. >> his values are so strong. >> he cares about the lives of those around. >> i think he has great government pride and love this country. >> funny way of turning adversity into priority. >> i will use every waking hour of my energy to get america

strong again, that is what an american president has to do. [chanting "u.s.a."] neil: all right, i am with rich edson. these videos, i think they are important, to define how the party wants to present their candidate, effective? >> i think it was. we learned mitt romney is cheap on two occasions, but what this campaign is all about and what the other campaign is about is trying to define -- neil: all right, this is the moment.

look who came to crash this party. clint eastwood. >> thank you very much. thank you. thank you very much. thank you. save a little for mitt. [laughter] i know what you're thinking. you're thinking what a movie tradesman doing out here? you know they're all left wings out there. at least that is what people

think but that's not really the case. a lot of conservative people, moderate people, republicans, democrats in hollywood, it is just the conservative people by the nature of the word itself play a little bit more close to the vest and don't go run and hot dog it. but they are there, believe me, they are there. in fact some of them around town, jon voight, other people around. academy award winner. a terrific guy. these are people who are all like-minded, like all of us. i have got mr. obama sitting here and i was going to ask him a couple of questions.

i remember three and a half years ago when mr. obama won the election and i wasn't a big supporter, i was watching that night when he was having that thing and they were talking about hope and change and talking about yes we can. it was dark outdoors, people were lighting candles and saying i just thought this is great, everybody is crying, i was even crying. i haven't cried that hard since. i found out there are 23 million unemployed people in this country. now that is something to cry for because that is a disgrace, a national disgrace and we haven't done enough, obviously, the administration hasn't done

enough to care that. whatever interest they have is not strong enough and i think possibly now it may be time for somebody else to come along and solve the problem. [applauding] so, mr. president, how do you handle promises that you've made when you were running for election, and how do you handle it? what do you say to people? i know people were wondering, okay. even people in your own party were very disappointed we did

not close gitmo. why close that? we spend so much money on it. i thought maybe it was an excuse. what do you mean shut up? i thought it was just because somebody had a stupid idea of trying terrorists in downtown new york city. i've got to hand it to you, give credit where credit is due, you did overrule that finally. now we are moving onward. i know you were against the war in iraq, that is okay. you thought the war in afghanistan was okay, something worth doing. we didn't check with the russians to see how they did there for 10 years, but we did

it. it is something to be thought about, and i think that when we get, you mentioned something about having a target date for bringing everybody home, i think mr. romney asked the only sensible question tonight, so why don't you just ring him home tomorrow morning? i thought yeah. i will not shut up, it is my turn. so anyway, we are going to have do have a little chat about that. and i just wondered what all these promises, and i wondered

about -- what? what do you want me to tell romney? i can't tell him to do that, can't he do that to himself? [laughter] you are getting as bad as biden. [laughter] of course we all know biden is the intellect of the democratic party. kind of a grain with a body behind it. but i just think there is so much to be done, mr. romney,

mr. ryan are two guys that can come along. i never thought it was a good deal fraternity president anyway. they're always taught to argue everything, there always devils advocate this, that, all that stuff. i think it is maybe time for a businessman to come up. [applauding] a stellar businessman. and i think it is that time, and i think if you stepped aside and

mr. romney can take over. maybe a smaller one, not the date gas guzzler when you're going around colleges talking about student loans and things like that. you are an ecological man, why would you want to drive that truck around? all right, i'm sorry. i can't do that for myself either. but i would just like to say something, ladies and gentlemen. something that i think is very important is that you, we own this country. [applauding] thank you.

[chanting "u.s.a."] >> it is not you owning it, or politicians owning it, politicians are employees of hours. [cheering and applauding] they're just going to come around and ask for votes every few years. it is important you realize and that you are the best in the world and whether you are democrat or republican or libertarian or whatever, we should not ever forget that, and when somebody does not do the job, we have got to let them go. [applauding] let them go.

okay. okay. just remember that. i am speaking out for everybody out there, we don't have to be -- i don't say that word anymore. well maybe one last time. what i am saying is we don't have to be voting for somebody we don't even really want in office. just because they seem to be nice guys or maybe not so nice guys. okay.

you want to make my day? [applauding] all right, i will start it, you finish it. go ahead -- crowd: make my day! >> thank you. thank you very much. neil: clinton eastwood, it would appear, rich edson, if he was to have a speech on teleprompter, he didn't have it. >> no, he didn't. and we just looked over and it was only the introduction. we don't know if he had a speech or not, but totally off the cuff. neil: i wonder that was by his

design or accidental, but he hit that out of the park without a script. >> i did not know he was into one-liners like that. neil: now we will go to marco rubio. that is a tough act to follow. >> thank you so much for having me here today and to the convention in florida. before i begin, this is such an important night for our country, i want with your permission to take a few seconds to talk about another country, a country located a few hundred miles away from the city, the country of my parents birth. tonight i ask for your prayers and soon freedom and liberties will be there as well. this is a big honor for me not so long ago i was an underdog candidate, and only people who thought i could win for those

who lived in my house, four of them under the age of 10. but this is incredible when i was asked to introduce governor romney, who we will hear from in just a moment. i promise he is ready to go. so i called a few people and ask what should i say? i have a lot of different opinions but one thing they all said was "don't mess it up." so fa thought the best way to introduce mitt romney next, the next president of the united states, is to talk about what this election is about. and i'm so honored to be able to do it here in florida at the republican national convention in front of all of the patriots. i watched my first convention in 1980 with my grandfather, my grandfather was born to a farming family in rural cuba. polio left him permanently

disabled. because he couldn't work the farm the family sent him to school. the only one of his family who knew how to read. he was a huge influence on me growing up. as a boy i used to sit on the porch of my house and listen to stories about history and politics and baseball as he would puff on one of his three daily petrone cigars. and i don't remember, it has been three decades since we last sat on that porch. not a member all the things he talked to me about. but the one thing i remember is the one thing he wanted me never to forget. that's the dream she had when he was young became impossible to achieve, but there was no limit how far i could go because i was an american. [applauding] now, for those of us, here is hy i say that. here's why say that. those was 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 of america. tonight you will hear from another man who understands what makes america exceptional. mitt romney knows america's prosperity didn't happen because our government simply spend 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 start a business or create jobs. now tonight we have heard for a long time now about mitt romney's success in business, it is well known. but we also learned he is so much more than that. he is a devoted husband, a father, a grandfather, a generous member of his community

in church, a role model for younger americans like myself, everywhere he has been he has volunteered his time and talents to make things better for those around him. and we are blessed a man like this will soon be the president of these united states. [applauding] now, let me be clear, so nobody misunderstands or problem with president obama isn't that he is the best person. by all accounts h he's a good husband and a good father and thanks to lots of practice, a good golfer. [laughter] our problem is not that he's a bad person. our problem is that he is a bad president.

you think he is watching tonight? because his new slogan for his campaign is the word "forward." forward? a government that spends $1 trillion more than it takes in? $800 billion stimulus that create more debt than jobs? a government intervention to healthealth care paid for with r taxes and cuts to medicare, scores of new rules and regulations, they don't move us forward, these ideas moves backwards. [applauding] these are tired and old government ideas that have failed every time and everywhere they have been tried. these are ideas people come to america to get away from. [applauding]

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. as for his old slogan, under barack obama the only changes that hope is hard to find. now sadly millions of americans are insecure about their future. but instead of inspiring us by reminding us of what makes us special, he defies us against each other. he tells americans that they're worse off because others are better off, rich people got rich by making other people poor. hope and change has become divided and conquered. [applauding] in the end this election doesn't

matter how you feel about president obama because this election is about your future, not his. [applauding] in this election is not simply a choice between democrats and a republican. it is a choice about what kind of country we want america to be. and as you prepare to make this choice, we should remember what made us special. most everybody was poor. power and wealth only belong to a few. your rights or whatever your rulers allow you to have, future determined by the past. if you are born without opportunities, so are your children. but america was founded on the principle every person has god given right.

[applauding] founded under the police power belongs to the people. that government exists to protect our rights and serve our interests and no one should be trapped in the circumstances of birth. we should be able to free as far as our works and our talents can take us. [applauding] and were special, were special because we are united not as a common race or common ethnicity, we are bound together by common values. as family, and most important institution in society. almighty god is the source of all we have.

we are special because we've never been the mistake of leaving we are so smart to rely solely on the leaders or government, our national motto in god we trust reminding us our faith and creator is the most important american value of the mall. and we are special. we are special because we have always understood that everyone for whom much is given, from him much will be required. well, my fellow americans, we are uniquely left people and we have honored those blessings

with the enduring example of an exceptional america. [applauding] i know for many of you watching at home tonight the last few years have tested your faith in america. maybe her at an age you thought you'd be entering retirement but not because your savings and investments are wiped out, your future is uncertain. maybe after years of hard work this is the time expected to be your prime earning years. instead you've been laid off in your house is what is left with your mortgage. maybe you did everything you needed to get ahead come he studied hard and finish school but now you all thousand dollars in student loans come he cannot find a job in your field, you had to move back in with her parents. he wants to believe we're still that special place where anything is possible. but you just don't seem, things don't seem to be getting better. we 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 america has always been about the beginnings and mitt romney is running for president because he knows that if we're willing to do for our children what our parents did for us, life in america can be better than it has ever been. [applauding] my mother was one of seven girls whose parents often went to bed hungry so their children wouldn't. my father lost his mother when he was nine. he got to leave school and go to work and he would work for the next 70 years of his life. he immigrated to america with a little more than the hope of a better life. my dad was a bartender. my mom was a cashier, hotel

maid, stock alerts at kmart, they never made it big. they were never rich. and yet they were successful. because just a few decades removed from hopelessness, they made possible for us all the things that have bee had been ie for them. many nights growing up i would hear my father's keys jingling at the door as he came home from another 16 hours day. many more as a woke up just as my mother got home from the overnight shift at kmart. when you're young and in a hur hurry, the meaning of moments like this escape you. but now it's my children grow older, i understand it better. my dad used to tell us -- in this country are going to be able to compass all the things that we never could. a few years ago during a speech

i noticed the bartender behind the portable bar in the back of the bar, my father who worked for many years as a bartender, he was grateful for the work he had, but that's not the life he wanted for us. he stood behind the bar in the back of the room all those years so one day i could stand behind the podium in the front of the room. [applauding] that journey, that journey from behind that bar to behind this podium goes to the essence of the american miracle. but we are exceptional not because we have more rich people here, we are special because

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

president of these united states. [cheering and applauding] in america we are all just a generation or two removed from someone who made our future the purpose of their life. america is the story of everyday people who did extraordinary things. a story woven deep in the fabric of our society. their stories may never be famous, but in the lives they live, you will find the essence of america's greatness. and to make sure america is still a place where tomorrow is

always better than yesterday, that is what our politics should be about, and that is what we are deciding this election. [applauding] we decide we want our children to inherit our hopes and dreams or do we want them to inherit our problems because mitt romney believes that we believe the mac succeed in changing the direction of our country, our children and grandchildren will be the most prosperous generation ever and their achievements most honest the world. [applauding] the story of our times will be written by americans who haven't yet even been born. let us make sure they wrote that we did our part, that in the early years of this new century

we lived in an uncertain time, but we did not allow fear to abandon what made us special. we chose more government instead of more freedom. we chose the principles of our founding to solve the challenges of our time, we chose a special man to lead us in a special ti time, we chose mitt romney to lead our nation and because we did, the american miracle donnen for another generation to inherit. [applauding] my fellow republicans, my fellow americans, i am proud to introduce to you the next president of the united states of america, mitt romney!

[cheering and applauding] neil: this has been an unusual evening. i'm with my buddy, this just continues to get let's say more unusual and more unusual. usually a nominated candidate comes out from behind the stage. you had clint eastwood, and then you had a rising rock star of the party, marco rubio to introduce him, now making his way through the crowd making his way up to the stage. what do you think? >> jimmy carter did this in '76 and electrified the place like it is now. he did that at madison square garden, this is so unlike romney, that is a good move.

neil: '76 with a good ear for carter. do you get a sense that maybe we don't give mitt romney enough credit. he has a star like clint eastwood essentially ad lib. a few zingers, and then this man who was a slave to protocol and pick by pick bedsheet delivery in every detail of it does this kind of stuff. it is like the inner rebels. >> i think that is what he has done. they budget an hour, but they cannot not let him speak, so he says i will do what i want.

that is a very interesting thing you are saying. but this is good. it also has the look of being very presidential. >> i was just thinking that. if you are casting someone, the look really works. neil: obviously now they are running behind schedule, clint eastwood's planned remarks went a little longer than expected. obviously this goes out to the designated 11:00 p.m. hour. good or bad in retrospect? >> it all matters how it looks and how it sounds. it doesn't matter that is behind schedule unless you are 3:00 in the morning. 15 minutes, that is fine. if they give you the atmosphere that builds the enthusiasm, that is all right. neil: not bad.

taking a rockstar running mate, having a lots of charisma, a keynote speaker that was charisma new jersey plus and he had taylor hicks, he gets clint eastwood and he comes on the stage like it is "american idol." and right now it is mitt romney and we're about to have the most significant moment. this is make or break. this is his night, mitt romney. republican candidate for president of the united states. tampa is going nuts. >> mr. chairman and the delegates, i accept your nomination for president of the united states!

[cheering and applauding] i do so with humility, deeply moved by the trust you've placed in me. it's a great honor, and even greater responsibility. and tonight i'm asking you to join me to walk together to a better future, by my side i've chosen a man with a big heart from a small town. [applauding] he represents the best of america. the man who will always make us very proud, my friend and america's next vice president, paul ryan.

in the days ahead you will get to know paul and janet better. 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 is not embarrassed to show the world how much he loves his mom. [laughter] but paul, still like t the playlist on my ipod better than yours. four years ago i know many americans felt a fresh excitement about the possibilities of a new president. that choice was not our choice, but we are good and generous people and united by so much more than what divides us.

when that election was over, when the art 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 of the future. that's very optimism is uniquely american, it' is what brought uo america. we are a nation of immigrants for the children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren of the ones who want a better life. the driven ones. the ones who will come at night hearing the voice that life in a placthe place called america cod be better. they came not just in pursuit of the riches of these world, but of the riches of his 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. [cheering and applauding]

this is the essence of the american experience. we americans have always felt a special kinship with the future. when every new wave of immigrants looked up and saw the statue of liberty or knelt down and kissed the shores of freedom 90 miles from castro's tyranny, they have many questions. but none doubted that here in america they could build a better life. in america, their children would be blessed more than me. but today, four years from the excitement of that last election, for the first time the majority of americans now doubt our children will have a better future. not what we were promised. every family in america wanted this to be a time when they could get a little ahead. put aside a little more for college, do more for the elderly mom who is now living alone or

give a little bit more to their church or their charity. every small business wanted these to be their best years ever, one they can hire more. do more for those who stuck with them through the hard times. open a new store, sponsor a little league team. every new college graduate thought they have a good job by now or a place of their own. they could start paying back some of their loans for the future. this is what 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, if not just what we expected, it's what america doe deserves. [applauding]

[chanting "u.s.a."] you deserve it because during these years he worked harder than ever before, you deserved it because they cost more to fill up your car, you put in longer hours. when you lost that job paying $22.50 per hour, you took two jobs worth $9 per hour. [applauding] you deserve it because your

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

and with your help, we will do something. [applauding] 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!" [applauding] so here we stand. 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 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 are possible. when president kennedy challenged americans to go to the moon the question wasn't whether we would get there, only when we would get there. [applauding] the souls of neil armstrong's boots on the moon made permanent impressions on our souls, and i washed those steps together on my parents sofa and we went to bed that night knowing we lived on the greatest country in the nation of the world. [applauding] god bless neil armstrong. [applauding]

to make the american flag is still there on the moon. and i don't doubt for a second neil armstrong's spirit is still with us for 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. [applauding] my dad had been born in mexico and family had to leave during the mexican revolution. i grew up with stories of his family being fed by the u.s. government as for refugees. my dad never made it through college and he had big dreams, he can miss my mom a beautiful young actress to give up hollywood to marry him. moved to detroit.

he led a great automobile company, became governor of the great state of michigan. we were more minutes and growing up in michigan that may 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. [applauding]

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. [applauding] my mom and dad were true partners. they were married for 54 years. you wonder what their secret was convicted of asked their local florist. [laughter] because every day dad gave mom a rose which he put on her bedside table. that is how she found out what happened on the day my father died. she went looking for him because that morning there was no rows. 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?" [cheering and applauding] don't you wish you could have been here at this convention? and heard leaders like governor mary fallin, governor nikki haley, governor susana martinez, senator kelly ayotte and secretary of state condoleezza rice. [applauding] 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. by the time i was out of school i realized i had to go out on my own. if i stayed around michigan and to stay in business i would 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 seem to have this need to reenact a different world war every night. [laughter] but if you ask ann and i what we would give to break up just one more fight between the boys, or wake up in the morning and discover a pile of kids sleeping in our room, every mom and dad

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

[applauding] 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 congregations of 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. 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. [applauding] that's the bedrock of what makes america america. in our best days we can fill the vibrancy of america's communities large and small. when we see the new business opening up downtown, when we go to work the morning and see everybody else doing the same thing. 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 the one they like best is not too far from home. it is that good feeling you have more time to volunteer to coach her kid's soccer team or help out on school trips. but for too many americans,

those kind of good days are hard to come by. only days to be woken up feeling something really special is happening in america? and if you felt that way on election day four years ago hope and change had a powerful feel. but if you felt that excitement when you voted for barack obama, shouldn't you feel that way now that he is president obama? [applauding] you know there's 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 with the basic qualification most americans have, and one that was essential to the task at hand. he had almost no experience working in a business. jobs to him are about government. [applauding] 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 is while we believed in ourselves, not many other people did. we were young and had never done this before and we almost didn't get off the ground. in those days sometimes i

wondered if i made a big mistake. by the way, thought about asking my church's pension fund to invest, but i didn't. i figured it was bad enough i might lose my investors money but didn't want to go to hell too. [laughter] shows what i know. there are lot of happy retired priest thanking them. 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. [applauding] today steel dynamics is one of the largest steel producers in the united states. these are american success stories. but the centerpiece of the election campaign is attacking success. is it any wonder somebody who attacks a success has led the worst economic recovery since the great depression? [applauding]

in america we celebrate success, we don't apologize for success. [cheering and applauding] now we weren't always successful at bain, but nobody ever is in business. that is what the president doesn't seem to understand. business and growing jobs is about taking risks, sometimes failing, sometimes succeeding but always striving. it is about dreams, usually doesn't work out exactly as you might imagine. steve jobs was fired at apple, and then 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 dedicated to creating tomorrow's prosperity, not trying to redistribute! [cheering and applauding] that's why every president since the great depression who came before the american people asking for a second term could look back at the last four years and say with satisfaction you're better off than you were four years ago. except jimmy carter. and except as president. [applauding]