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 Saturday, February 10, 2007
Click here for video of Mitt Romney's Announcement for his Presidential Candidacy
Here is the video of Romney’s speech at the Michigan Republican Party Convention courtesy of WZZM ABC 13 Grand Rapids. Labels: Michigan Before introducing myself, I would to say I am very thankful for having the opportunity to contribute to the My Man Mitt blog. I also post at the MichigandersforRomney blog.
I am Ryan Thompson, a junior double majoring in political science and history at Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Michigan. At Hillsdale, I am the Chair of the College Republicans and have been helping the campaign as a volunteer along with working at the school library and maintaining on the Dean’s List. I have lived in several states including North Carolina, California, Pennsylvania, and now Michigan. I have been a fan of Mitt Romney since before he even ran for Governor. His work with the Utah Olympics was impressive to say the least, but based on his record in the private sector it should be no surprise how successful he was at turning the games around and making a profit for the people of Utah. He brought this track record of success to the office of Governor by balancing the state budget by cutting the size of government and not raising taxes. I come from a family who champions success and fiscal responsibility, and Mitt more than fits this mentality with his record. Along with his record of success in turning faltering organizations around, Mitt has the right vision to put this nation on the right track for the 21st Century. We must meet the challenges facing our nation from abroad and at home with innovation and the power of individuals not government. Mitt has proven time and again his support for using the power of individuals not the government to fix problems that most others would view as hopeless. Most importantly, Mitt has lived a life based on strong moral character that should be expected of our leaders. Mitt will lead our nation to a strong and prosperous future where my family will live for generations to come. These are the reasons I am proud to support Mitt Romney for President. Labels: Michigan The Michigan Republican Party had its convention over the last two days (Friday and Saturday) in Grand Rapids, the home of late President Gerald Ford. On this cold February weekend, around 3000 of the Michigan Republican Party faithful gathered to elect statewide party offices and listen to two perspective Presidential candidates give speeches including Mitt Romney.
In regards to the Michigan Republican Party officer elections, every race except the Youth Chair race, the lowest statewide office, featured only one candidate. The Youth Chair race came down to a nailbitting recount of the 9th Congressional District caucus, where the margin of victory of Matt Hall fell from 20 to 8. Both candidates tried to appeal to the camps of the respective Presidential candidates for support as seen with both having endorsements from multiple camps. I was sort of shocked by the closeness of the race as many expected Hall to win by a wide margin. Beyond the party office races, the Presidential campaigns of Mitt Romney, John McCain, Rudy Giuliani, and Sam Brownback had representatives and volunteers at the convention. I was helping the Romney campaign by doing the general campaign work like handing out stickers, manning tables, etc... While the McCain camp was expected to have a large delegation seeing their strength in the western part of Michigan, the Romney team had a large presence. The reaction of the delegates and others at the convention to Romney's candidacy shocked me. I knew Mitt was popular among the party faithful, but the exceptionally strong levels of support for Mitt convinced many of us that he is the favorite among the majority of the party activists at the convention. While this is driven to a certain extent by fond memories of his father's three terms as Governor among the older delegates, some of whom shared their memories of George Romney to the volunteers, a great deal of Mitt's support comes from those who are impressed by Mitt himself. Along with these exciting details, it is obviously important to note that Mitt's speech to the Convention was very impressive as he talked about his record, his family, and his vision for America. The strong support for Mitt was evident from the crowd's reaction to his speech and the impressive welcome he received as he entered the convention hall. Along with his speech, his receptions on Friday night and Saturday afternoon were well attended by the party faithful. The convention definitely showed the strength of Mitt's campaign in Michigan at levels I did not even expect to see. From seeing the reaction to Romney at the convention, I am more confident than ever he has a strong chance in the Michigan primary next year. The changes are endless. Last night I took the time to ask my music students what do they do on the computer? Without fail, they all responded IM. Myspaces is for kids, Facebook is for college kids. They all love to text message but are limited due tot he cost. When I was kid we called up girls we liked and hung up the phone when they answered, usually 20 times in a row. It worked wonders. It was defintly the only technology for 6th graders at Newhart Elementary School in Mission Viejo. When I was a kid my Dad was on the forefront of computer technolgy. He had funny little box the he put the phone reciever on and he could connect to other computers. Then he bought an Amiga, I remember how shocked I was when he got an animated ball to bounce around on the screen. I remember telling my friend in 1994 at college how silly email was, and that you should just send a letter in the mail. Now email is so 2005. I told my wife in 2000 when I was dating her that cell phones were lame. Now I don't even have a home phone and I check my emails most of the time on my cell phone. Where will this tae us? Who knows. I really believe that as far as political campagins go, 2008 will be a pioneering year. We already see Romney breaking online records, some awesome sites by Romney and Edwards, and huge movements of people on Facebook. The next 2 years are going to be interesting. Friday, February 9, 2007
This from Instapunk:
Mormonism is the most absurd form of Christianity by, say, a million parsecs, and I, personally, am getting tired of American conservatives who believe the American people can be sold a bill of goods on the say-so of well connected (Look at me being influential!) bloggers.and... Sorry. Truth time. Mitt Romney will never be president. He's a Mormon. Therefore he's a loon, regardless of how blazingly intelligent you have to be to make a half billion dollars in this country. The American people aren't going to buy this particular pig in this particular poke.Now for an excercise, Lets take out all the times it says Mormon and insert Jew, Muslim or Black. Would this guy still have a blog? You probably would assume he wore a white sheet and hood and rode around on a horse.
 David Brody at CBN Asks: Who's the most maligned candidate? (in the GOP field) . . . see his answer below. I must admit, I thought Rudy Giuliani, because of his liberal social values, would be the run away winner as the guy who comes under the most criticism from conservative Republicans in the buildup towards 2008. That still may happen but he's not the most maligned right now.What does Brody think is the reasoning behind this? Here's what I think is really going on. Romney's critics are concerned. They know he could immediately morph into the front runner here. Let's face it. He looks like a President, talks like a President, has been raising tons of money, collecting key endorsements and is running his campaign in a very professional way with competent people who know what they're doing. He's looked Presidential from the start and his opponents know it. They figure they must take him down early. They want to have him lose control of his image. Let's remember here: Americans, for the most part, don't really pay attention to the particulars of issues. So Romney's critics are going to try and paint him as this flip flopper and hope it sticks. If it does, he's in trouble. Romney’s challenge will be to calmly, easily explain this away without losing his cool or seeming so defensive. He'll need to take a page from Ronald Reagan's playbook and poke a little fun at himself and not take this all so seriously. It's challenging but what's a race without a challenge.David Brody's pretty much spot on with this one. He realizes that there is a fury of oppostion to Mitt's surge. He's got half of the reason for why Romney is being maligned (competitors are scared), but, I would think that, as a reporter for the Christian Broadcasting Network, he would realize as well that the "anti-Romney rhetoric" might be elevated within his circles because of Romney's religious affiliation. It may not be PC to say this, but people who don't want a Mormon POTUS won't say "Don't vote for him because he's Mormon" . . . they'll just overblow the few weaknesses that Romney has to a painfully disproportionate level. Other opposing candidate campaigns will fan these flames as well. It's gotten ugly already, but Brody's right that it will shift into a new gear over the next few months. Am I wrong here? Jeff Fuller Labels: brody, competitors, jeff fuller, mitt, mitt romney, Mormon ABC news has a story up called Candidates Blaze the Campaign Trail ... Online: Information Superhighway is the New-Age Road to the White House.
With an increasing number of Americans saying they get their political news and information from the Internet, and broadband spreading across remote communities, a number of contenders are vying for voters and the White House on the Web. BTW, if you haven't seen or signed up for Romney's facebook profile go here. Later in the ABC article: The Republican campaign of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney agrees, but said they are simultaneously trying to reach out to the online community and mainstream media on one Web site. Let's keep the momentum going for Mitt's online efforts! Jeff Fuller Iowa Politics website has a nice write-up of Romney's stops yesterday.
The Times-Republican also has a good piece as well. Jeff Fuller Well, not officially, but it's amazing how the snowball rolls picking up everyone in it's wake. Enough mixed metaphors... here's Robert Bluey:
The news [of Mitt's facebook] generated a wave of positive publicity for the Romney campaign. And in the days that followed, several of my conservative blogger friends have signed up for Facebook as well.Hey... we signed up as well. Here's our facebook. group Join the club Here's Mitt's
MP3 File SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST CLICK BELOW:   OR use our feed: XML Podcast Feed Labels: audio, blogs, Edwards, Justin Hart, mittcast, MyManMitt.com
Hannity and Colmes poll:
Guiliani 55% Romney 30% McCain 15% This wasn't a scientific poll. It was done by text messaging. To me it was a surprise. I really think the 30% for Romney is great news. For a guy who gets 75% unknown name recognition, and still get 30% on this type of poll is fantastic,IMO. Next tuesday is the kickoff for the official campaign. I think as Romney gets his name out there we will see these numbers climb. When the debates kick off we will see Romney really take flight.  Boston, MA – Governor Mitt Romney announced today that noted economist John Cogan will serve as Co-Chair of the Romney for President Exploratory Committee Economic Advisory Council. He will join Glenn Hubbard and Greg Mankiw in advising Governor Romney on economic policy development."I am pleased to welcome John Cogan to the Exploratory Committee. As one of our country's leading economists, John has an accomplished record of successfully developing pro-growth policies based on conservative principles," said Governor Romney. "As America faces extraordinary competition from abroad, we will work together to develop the policies needed to maintain our economic leadership. Through sound conservative values like low taxes and smaller government, we can help ensure a more prosperous America." Background On John Cogan: John Cogan Has Had A Distinguished Academic And Public Service Career. Cogan is the Leonard and Shirley Ely Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, and since 1980, a Stanford University Public Policy professor. Focused on domestic policy, he is an expert on U.S. budget and fiscal policy, Social Security, and health care. In addition to his academic achievements, Cogan has had a long career of public service. From 1981 to 1983, he served as Assistant Secretary for Policy in the U.S. Department of Labor, and from 1983 to 1986, as an Associate Director in the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB). In 1988-1989, he was OMB Deputy Director. In 2000, he served as a senior economic adviser to then-Governor George W. Bush on tax, budget and Social Security issues. Following the election, he directed the President's budget transition team, and most recently, was a member of the Commission to Strengthen Social Security. Labels: advisors, economy, endoresements, Endorsement Check out the coverage from The Des Moines Register and Radio Iowa (and here and here) of Romney's visit to Iowa earlier today.
The Cedar Rapids Gazette also has some nice coverage. The most detailed coverage comes from a great blog called "Cyclone Conservatives" which is run out of Ames. Great stuff there including the following: [Romney] has demonstrated that he has tremendous crowd generating appeal. Many of the College Republicans left saying they were impressed.More solid showings for "My Man Mitt!" Let's help Romney get a MASSIVE show of support in Des Moines on "Announcement Tuesday" Feb 13th. IOWA ANNOUNCMENT DETAILS:Please feel free to pass this onto your family and friends . . . I'm sure out-of-staters who can make it would be welcome too. Jeff Fuller Thursday, February 8, 2007
Romney visited Iowa State University's Plant Science Department. He was impressed by the future of renewable energy:
"My message is we're in the midst of an agricultural revolution," he said to Romney at the beginning of the tour, where he emphasized that Iowa was the leader of this type of research.An agriculture revolution? Well if we get Hillary as president we will be led by a bunch of fruits. Pretty corny, I know. Labels: agricultrue, energy Romney rakes in 1.5 million from online donations alone in one month.
This and the 6.5 million dollar day? Romney is proving to be a massive fundraising machine. Here is the interview that the New York Times conducted with Romney yesterday.
 A Conversation With Mitt Romney (mp3)Labels: audio, interview, mitt romney, mp3
 Rasmussen Reports notes that Mitt's favorable ratings are up 6 points (from 29% to 35%). Unfavorables dropping from 34% to 31%.34% of voters still don't know Mitt Romney which give the Governor a distinct advantage to lay out his case without a political biases. Granted there are other biases afoot as this NY Times article notes. Elsewhere, the influential Club for Growth lauded Romney's speech Wednesday in Detroit: The other presidential candidates should follow Governor Romney’s lead and propose similar, if not more extensive, measures to protect American taxpayers and promote continued economic expansion.In case you missed it here's a quick excerpt from Romney's speech: It is time to make saving easy in America. I believe people should be allowed to earn interest, dividends and capital gains up to a certain amount a year, tax free and without restrictions on how or when their savings and investments are spent. As an example, let's say we chose $5,000 for joint filers as the annual tax free figure for dividends, interest and capital gains. This would help middle class families to be able to save and to invest - and spend their savings the American way: any way they want. Labels: event, fiscal policy, mitt romney, poll, Polls, Taxes Boston, MA – Today, Governor Mitt Romney announced that U.S. Senators Robert Bennett (R-UT) and Larry Craig (R-ID) will serve as Co-Senate Liaisons for the Romney for President Exploratory Committee. As Liaisons, they will lead Governor Romney's outreach efforts to their fellow Senators.
"It is an honor to have the support and leadership in the United States Senate of Senator Bennett and Senator Craig. Throughout their years of service, they have compiled strong conservative records and have accomplished much for the people of their states and their nation," said Governor Romney. "Both men have a unique perspective of the new generation of challenges confronting our nation. I look forward to working with them to find the solutions needed to ensure that our country remains a strong world leader." Background On Governor Romney's Co-Senate Liaisons:  Senator Bob Bennett Is Serving His Third Term In The United States Senate. Re-elected to a third term in 2004, Senator Bennett has served the people of Utah with distinction for over 14 years. As counsel to Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, Senator Bennett is an integral part of the Republican leadership team advising the leader on legislative strategy and policy priorities. A senior member of the Senate Banking Committee and Joint Economic Committee, he is at the center of national economic policy discussions. Senator Bennett also serves on the powerful Senate Appropriations and Rules Committees. Prior to his election in 1992, Bennett was chief executive officer of the Franklin International Institute. Senator Craig was the youngest person ever to serve as Chairman of the Steering Committee, a legislative action group for Senate conservatives. He also was Chairman of the Republican Policy Committee and is currently the Ranking Member of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Senator Craig has been recognized by several national groups for his record of promoting fiscal discipline. Outside the Senate, he sits on the National Rifle Association's Board of Directors. Prior to his time in the Senate, Senator Craig served in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Idaho State Senate.Labels: endoresements, Endorsement, senate Wednesday, February 7, 2007
You might have heard, next Tuesday is the day my man Mitt Romney announces his presidential bid. We are excited. Of all places to announce- the Henry Ford Museum. It's a cool place. Home to every retired presidential limousine and machine cogs 10 to 20 feet tall!
I am excited to see it again. Following in the MMM tradition, I will be there live blogging. As noted in other places there will be a large rally for supporters. This will no doubt be a great event for Romney and I imagine for the nation. If you can be there, then be there.  According to the Politico, Rep. Tom Feeney (R-FL), one of Governor Romney's chief supporters in the House, is "circulating a letter to House members on both sides of the aisle to pledge their support to uphold any veto President Bush issues on legislation that would raise taxes. The letter also encourages Bush to use his veto on any such measures."Feeney has already garnered the support of 126 of his colleagues. His goal: 145, which is the number needed to uphold a veto. This is the kind of fiscal leadership the Governor has supporting him. Rep. Feeney spoke in glowing terms when he introduced the Governor to his fellow RSC members last week.  Governor Romney today delivered a thorough economic address to the Detroit Economic Club. An excerpt:"One hundred years ago, Golden Jubilee for Queen Victoria, unthinkable England would ever be surpassed as a superpower. But 50 years later, America roared passed.Afterwards, the Club for Growth issued a press release containing the glowing approval of Club President Pat Toomey: “Governor Romney outlined today an economic platform that is, generally speaking, very pro-growth despite the surprising limit he suggests for tax-free savings,” Toomey said. “As the governor develops the specifics of his economic policies, we hope he will boldly build upon the limited government, free-market policies he discussed today.”Finally, the Governor appeared on CNBC's Kudlow & Company for a detailed interview on economic policy. Here's a segment on YouTube. It's clear that no Presidential candidate on either side of the ballot is as prepared to discuss issues of economic importance as Mitt Romney is. Kudos to Kudlow! Background On The Florida Steering Committee:
Former Lieutenant Governor Toni Jennings – Honorary Chairwoman: Jennings served as Governor Jeb Bush's Lieutenant Governor from 2003-2006 and is the first woman to hold the office. A native of Orlando, Jennings began her professional career as a public school teacher and later successfully ran her family owned construction business, Jack Jennings and Sons. She served two terms in the Florida State House, and was then elected to the Florida State Senate – a seat she held for 20 consecutive years. During that time, Jennings served as Florida's only two-term State Senate President. She also served as a Florida Co-Chair for the Bush-Cheney 2004 campaign. Jennings was also named to the Florida Women's Hall of Fame. Former Speaker Allan Bense – Chair: Bense served as Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives from 2004 to 2006. As Speaker, Bense worked closely with Governor Jeb Bush. He is a strong fiscal conservative, advocating spending restraint and tax cuts. He was also a proponent of continued education reform, including school choice. A native of Panama City, Bense is active in community and civic affairs. He worked his way up from humble beginnings and became one of the most successful businessmen in the Florida Panhandle. Currently, he remains involved in general contracting and road building work and serves as a member of the Council of 100, Florida Chamber of Commerce Board and the Enterprise Florida Board. Former State GOP Chairman Al Cardenas – Chair: Cardenas is the former two-term Chairman of the Republican Party of Florida. While in this role, he was appointed by the Republican National Committee Chairman to serve on the Executive Committee. He was the first Hispanic to head a major state party and remains the only Hispanic Republican Party Chairman in Florida history. In 2004, he served as Co-Chair of the Bush-Cheney Florida campaign. He is a regular opinion editorial columnist for El Diario, the largest circulating Spanish-speaking newspaper in America, and has appeared frequently on many English and Spanish TV news programs. Cardenas has represented Florida at every Republican National Convention since 1976 and held positions for both Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. In Florida, Governor Jeb Bush appointed him to the Board of Trustees of FAMU. He is also a national board member of the American Conservative Union. He was recently named as one of Poder Magazine's Top 50 Most Powerful Hispanics. Cardenas is currently a partner in the Tew Cardenas law firm which has offices in Miami, Tallahassee and Washington, D.C. U.S. Congressman Tom Feeney – Chair: Elected in 2002 to the U.S. House of Representatives, Feeney represents the people of Central Florida's 24th Congressional District. He previously served as Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives and was Governor Jeb Bush's running mate in his first race for governor in 1994. In Congress, Feeney serves on the Steering Committee of the Republican Study Committee, the largest caucus in the U.S. House representing 100 conservative members, and is the Chairman of the House Conservatives Fund which helps elect true Reagan conservatives to the House. Feeney has been a leader for reform and a watchdog for fiscal responsibility in Washington. Former Speaker John Thrasher – Chair: Thrasher is a former Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives. While leading the Florida House during Governor Jeb Bush's first two years, he helped pass some of the Governor's landmark reforms, including an overhaul of the State's entire education system. Thrasher serves as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Florida State University, his alma mater, where he was recently honored by having the new medical school building named after him. He also served as the Florida Co-Chair of the Bush 2000 and 2004 campaigns. He currently serves on the Clay County Board of County Commissioners. Thrasher is an Army veteran who served in Vietnam where he was awarded two Bronze Stars. Mayor Rick Baker – Co-Chair: Baker serves as Mayor of St. Petersburg, a post he has held since 2001. He is chairman of the Governor's Municipal Mentoring Initiative, Chairman of the Century Commission for a Sustainable Florida and is Group Leader to Governor Crist's Growth and Environmental Agency review board. Baker practiced corporate law for 20 years, serving as President of Fisher and Sauls, PA. He also was President of the St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce and Chairman of the National League of Cities School Improvement Task Force. He is a Founder of the YMCA Neighbor to Neighbor Christmas Program and published author on the history of St. Petersburg. Representative Dennis Baxley – Co-Chair: Baxley is a four-term Member of the State House of Representatives and currently serves as Speaker Pro-Tempore to House Speaker Marco Rubio. He is an Advisory Board Member for the Marion County Children's Advocacy Center and Marion County Children's Alliance. In 2005 and 2006, he received the Christian Coalition of Florida Faith and Family Award. He also is a 2004 recipient of the National Rifle Association Defender of Freedom Award. Baxley is the Vice President/Partner in Hiers-Baxley Funeral Services in Marion County. Representative Jennifer Carroll – Co-Chair: Carroll was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2003. She was the first African-American female Republican ever elected to the Legislature. Carroll is a highly decorated Navy veteran. She was a Governor Jeb Bush appointee to the Northeast Regional Planning Council and is the former Secretary of the Florida Department of Veterans' Affairs. She previously served on the White House Presidential Scholar's Commission and in 2004 was appointed to the Veterans' Disability Benefits Commission by President Bush. Most recently, Jennifer served as African-American Outreach leader in the Charlie Crist 2006 campaign and is a Team Leader for his Florida Department of Veterans' Affairs Agency Review Board. Dudley Goodlette – Co-Chair: Goodlette is a former State Representative from Naples who served in the House from 1998-2006 representing Naples, Marco Island, and Everglades City. As a House Member, he chaired the Rules Committee and Rules and Calendar Council, and was instrumental in leading election reform initiatives following the 2000 Presidential election, statewide domestic security initiatives following the 9/11 attack on America, medical malpractice reform in 2003, and important education initiatives. Dudley has served as President of the Naples Area Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of the Collier County Economic Development Council, Chairman of the City of Naples Community Redevelopment Advisory Board and President of the Collier County Bar Association. Dudley has received numerous awards for his community service, including Naples Daily News Citizen of the Year. David Griffin – Co-Chair: Griffin served as Executive Director of the Bush/Brogan second term Transition Office. He also served as Florida's Lottery Secretary from 1999-2003. During his tenure with the Bush Administration, he served as Chair of the Governor's State Agency Mentoring Initiative. Griffin served on the Florida statewide steering committees for the Bush-Cheney 2004 and Charlie Crist 2006 campaigns. Currently president of David Griffin Consulting, he is an attorney and graduate of Cleveland Marshall College of Law and Penn State University. He is immediate past Chairman of the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Big Bend. Representative Anitere Flores – Co-Chair: Flores is the State Representative for District 114 in Miami. She serves as Chair of the K-12 Education Committee. Flores is a lifelong resident of Miami and a graduate of Florida International University and University of Florida College of Law. She served as Policy Director to the Education Council in the Florida House of Representatives and Education Policy Chief under Governor Jeb Bush. Flores is currently Director of Community and Civic Partnerships for Florida International University. She serves on the Florida Bar, is a member of the Cuban American Bar Association, was honored as one of the "Outstanding Women of America" and is a member of St. Timothy Catholic Church. Van Poole – Co-Chair: Poole is a former two-term chairman of the Republican Party of Florida. A former Florida House Member, State Senator, Senate Majority Leader, Pro Tempore and House Minority Whip from Ft. Lauderdale, Poole also served as Executive Chairman of the International Political Leaders Program. He was appointed by President Reagan to the National Advisory Council on Educational Research. He was also a nominee for the United States Senate in 1982 and served in former Governor Martinez's Cabinet. He is on the Board of Directors of Florida TaxWatch and a Board Member of Challenger Learning Center which is part of the FSU/FAMU school of engineering. Poole is Managing Principal with Dutko Poole McKinley.
From Larry Kudlow at The Corner:
Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney is coming on CNBC’s David All, the savvy political-technology-consulting guru, just posted a profile of yours truly and this site. Personally, I think he's overestimating our influence. We're just having fun!
One thing I have to say though. He is really detail-oriented and knows how to make a man blush. Thanks David. Labels: Justin Hart, mitt, mitt romney, MyManMitt.com
Mitt Romney: No matter how much credibility McCain gains with conservatives, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney appears to be winning their support much more. Romney unveiled the names of his 22-member congressional whip team, and among them was Rep. Tom Feeney (R-Fla.), head of the House Conservatives Fund and a key player in the Republican Study Committee.
Detroit, MI - Today, Governor Mitt Romney will deliver a major policy speech on the economy at the Detroit Economic Club. Governor Romney will address his policy ideas for keeping America strong and meeting a new generation of challenges so all Americans can realize the New American Dream.
Governor Romney's Five Factors That Accelerate Growth And Assure Economic Leadership: - Skilled, Educated, Motivated People Governor Romney's Five Braking Factors That Decelerate Economic Growth: - Excessive Taxation And Spending - Excessive Regulation Governor Romney's Initiatives To Ensure America's Continued Economic Growth: TAX FREE SAVINGS: Governor Romney Proposes Allowing People To Save Tax Free. "It is time to make saving easy in America. I believe people should be allowed to earn interest, dividends and capital gains up to a certain amount a year, tax free and without restrictions on how or when their savings and investments are spent. As an example, let's say we chose $5,000 for joint filers as the annual tax free figure for dividends, interest and capital gains. This would help middle class families to be able to save and to invest - and spend their savings the American way: any way they want." FISCAL DISCIPLINE: Unless Given The Line-Item Veto, Governor Romney Would Veto Any Appropriations Bills If They Exceed Spending Targets. "I have a fairly simple idea for keeping spending in check. Give Congress a spending target and then insist that it is met. If Congress does not meet the spending targets, then its appropriations bills should be vetoed. I regularly exercised my veto power while governor. The alternative is for the Congress to vest the President with a power held in some form by 43 governors, including this Governor - the line-item veto." Labels: press release, speech MP3 File SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST CLICK BELOW: OR use our feed: XML Podcast Feed  Yesterday it appears that the McCain camp attempted to lure unsuspecting bloggers under the beguiling glare of John McCain. (Or was that just the glare off his head?).OK, OK... so putting aside the ad hominem attacks... McCain has some mending to do. So Patrick Hynes, blogger extraordinaire, puts together a conference call for prominent bloggers to repair these fences. Oh.... wait. Bad analogy. John doesn't like those damned fences. Hey, wait a minute, why wasn't I invited? Do they think I'm bias or something? Can't I be won over? Here are some summaries. First, the intrepid Mary Katherine Ham: Some of the answers were good, but I didn't feel like conservative bloggers' real, politely presented, substantive issues with McCain were taken as seriously as they could have been. I mean, we've got some deep-seated issues, here, that have developed over many years for some of us. There were only a few of us on the call, and I wish we could have gone longer.David All, live-blogged the even, liked the call a bit more: This was a very smart move by Team McCain. They had a cadre of key bloggers on the call and the folks who weren’t on the blog call will be able to figure out what was said from spaces like this and others. The entire tone of the discussion was dead-on. This was not a “Team McCain giving us the Jack Bauer interrogation to support his candidacy…” It was rather a, “hey we know we don’t agree on all the issues, but we respect your contribution to the process, want to know how you’re feeling, and want to include you in our kitchen-cabinet to help us make better decisions next time.”Capn's Quarters makes a larger point: Bloggers have their best opportunity yet to shape and influence the debates that make up a presidential campaign. We have to remain vigilant about remaining credible if we want to make the most of it. If we want a campaign about issues and philosophical direction, then we have to have the discipline to focus on those topics, and to eschew anything that detracts from it. If successful, we can make this the most transparent and responsible election in memory.Listen, the short of it is McCain has some chasms, gaps, gapping black holes to fill. This is a good first step... but methinks the breach is too big. Labels: McCain This is pretty simple and pretty powerful. It takes 2 minutes to give $25 to support Mitt Romney for President. How long will it take for this email to make it across the nation and back and raise $100,000? That's only 4000 people each giving $25? Can we do it before Friday, Feb 9th? If you like Mitt Pass this on to all your friends Click here to donate and for a special video from Mitt  LOOK AT THIS! Labels: fundraising Tuesday, February 6, 2007
... like Ronald Reagan."
Senator DeMint on Romney, Healthcare and his decision to support "The Man" Labels: demit, endoresements, Endorsement, healthcare  According to Fox News, next week will be Romneys: The former one-term Massachusetts governor then will visit Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina before returning to Boston, where he will hold what the campaign is calling "a unity event" with supporters, said the adviser, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the plans were not public. Sort of a Tour De Romney if you will... The Detroit Free Press notes that Romney will actually kick it off in Dearborn Michigan at the Ford Museum (a great Museum BTW.) Governor Romney's Congressional Whip Team:
· Representative Jim McCrery (R-LA), House Congressional Liaison · Representative Dave Camp (R-MI), House Co-Congressional Liaison · Representative Howard "Buck" McKeon (R-CA), House Co-Congressional Liaison · Former Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL) · Representative Bill Shuster (R-PA) · Representative Ed Whitfield (R-KY) · Representative Ginny Brown-Waite (R-FL) · Representative Hal Rogers (R-KY) · Representative Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) · Representative John Campbell (R-CA) · Representative John Duncan (R-TN) · Representative John Linder (R-GA) · Representative Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) · Representative Mike Rogers (R-AL) · Representative Mike Simpson (R-ID) · Representative Pete Hoekstra (R-MI) · Representative Phil Gingrey (R-GA) · Representative Ralph Regula (R-OH) · Representative Rodney Alexander (R-LA) · Representative Ron Lewis (R-KY) · Representative Tom Feeney (R-FL) · Representative Tom Price (R-GA) MP3 File SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST CLICK BELOW: OR use our feed: XML Podcast Feed MMM reader Sean emails us the following:
You wouldn't know it from the title of this article, but this is a major news item on Romney's progress with voters.  Romney meeting with business leaders in Iowa last week. If Romney can maintain his existing support and keep adding to it, he ADDENDUM by Jeff Fuller: Justin beat me to it on this one. But here's some additional info: I still think it's WAY too early to read much into these polls (since they're still largely about name recognition at this point), but the Mitt-ster made significant strides among Iowans in the poll done this last week: It's actually funny to go to the link and read their headline. The only real big movement (i.e. "new News") on either side of the aisle is Romney's HUGE jump (FOURTEEN PERCENTAGE POINTS IN 2 MONTHS). I thought it deserved a headline and so gave it one here. These new Iowa Figures match up quite well from the recent figures out of New Hampshire: Sample Dates: January 31 - February 1, 2007. Sample Size: 600 completed telephone interviews among a random sample of likely Republican primary voters living in New Hampshire (427 Republicans and 173 undeclared (independent) voters): However, recent polling in Michigan and in South Carolina have Romney still far behind . . . and this other poll from Iowa has Romney improving . . . but not to 20% . . . It is nonetheless undeniable that Romney has consistantly been the candidate picking up the most steam in all these polls. I've been following these cold-call polls for nearly a year . . . and I'm glad to see the days of Romney being 1-2% are long gone. He's building a strong team and he's getting his message out in the earliest states well. Look for this momentum to continue to build and for his polling to keep improving as well (though there may be a dip or two in the next few weeks as a normal "correction factor" following this big of a statistical bump.) On February 9th, the Mitt Romney Exploratory Committee will be 30 days old. By that time the campaign will be filing it's first FEC reports.
You might recall the jaws that dropped on January 8th when many of you helped bring in over $6.5 million in donations and pledges. Imagine the jaws dropping over 30 days of fundraising! But we can't do it without you. Any amount you donate will go towards the larger goal! Help us make it happen today! Labels: fundraising Monday, February 5, 2007
The Hotline Blog reports:
"The Hotline confirms a Fox News report that ex-NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani will file a statement of candidacy with the FEC today. He'll run as a Republican" All I can say is... it's about time! Labels: Giuliani I'll let the reader decide where to place this article from Newsweek.
Here's the headline graphic with the caption: "'Her heart responded': Clinton bows her head during the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington last week"  Your reaction? Last week we told you that Jim Bopp was supporting Mitt Romney, an endorsement that CBN's David Brody called a "political facial". Well, we have another facial in the news... Mitt's own offical FaceBook.
You can view his Facebook by clicking below:   You can find our Facebook Group here:  Labels: facebook, mitt romney MP3 File SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST CLICK BELOW: OR use our feed: XML Podcast Feed Hat tip to Charles Mitchell over at Evangelicals for Mitt for linking to this report from "The Politico" blog where they astutely point out that Romney was far from "a liberal" in his 1994 race against Teddy Kennedy.
Check out his campaign flyers from '94 . . . Front and Back Below is a portion of the flyer with some of the specific issue stances:  Looks like he ran a pretty conservative campaign back then to me!Basically, I agree with Charles about how more and more news stories and blog entries flat out say that Romney ran in '94 as "a liberal". Well, if you run acrossed that, point folks to these flyers as it helps clear up that common misconception. I like to divide conservative credentials into three distinct areas: 1) Fiscal Conservatism 2) Social Conservatism 3) "Toughness" Conservatism (i.e. militarily or "tough on crime") Romney has had a consistant and flawless record as a "Fiscal Conservative" AND as a "Thoughness Conservative." Those points are solid and there has been no "movement" by Romney in those areas. Romney did not run in Mass as a "social conservative" but saying that he was a "social liberal" is not really correct either. His social stances put him as a solid "moderate" in this senatorial bid as Kennedy was to his left as the real and bonafide liberal in the race. So, to sum up . . . Romney was never close to being a "liberal." To even say that he was a "moderate" is missing two huge pieces of the conservative pie. Romney may have run as a "social moderate" but that's as far as the allegations should go. In reality, Romney's "move to the right" hasn't really been all that far. Sunday, February 4, 2007
A U.S. News and World Report article titled "A Massachusetts Conservative" has some interesting points:
After some intro material we find: Romney has so far sold himself as the more conservative alternative to front-runners John McCain, who riled many conservatives by supporting a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants and opposing a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, and likely contender Rudolph Giuliani, a supporter of gay rights and abortion rights. In doing so, however, Romney is battling his own past. He admits to being "effectively pro-choice" as recently as two years ago. "Voters can respect a politician who changes parties," says Republican strategist Scott Reed. "But it's more difficult for a politician that changes philosophies." What??? Isn't being a member of a party accepting a major portion of that party's platform/philosophies? Isn't changing parties/platforms a much larger shift than a political maturation on a couple of social issues? That quote from Reed struck me as VERY strange (and wrong).
That's right! He's going all the way Baby! Moving on . . . Even before leaving office, Romney raised his profile among conservatives by fighting the Massachusetts Supreme Court's 2003 decision to legalize gay marriage. He helped prod the state legislature into voting to put the issue before voters in a referendum. Romney also began trumpeting his new antiabortion stance, tracing his conversion to a 2004 meeting with Harvard scientists. Romney says one scientist told him cloning human embryos was not a moral issue because they were destroyed within two weeks. "It struck me that we had so cheapened the value of human life," Romney tells U.S. News, "that someone would feel that racks of human embryos being created ... was not a moral issue." Now, Romney is drawing parallels between his own antiabortion conversion and that of Ronald Reagan, who as governor of California signed a liberal abortion rights law. Mark DeMoss, an evangelical publicity executive who organized a meeting between Romney and evangelical leaders, says he was won over by Romney's story about the Harvard scientists: "To hear him tell it, it's almost like Paul's road-to-Damascus experience in the New Testament." Interesting stuff there . . . I wonder if Romney will continue as is on the religion issue or if he will seek a forum to address the issues. Hired in 1999 to turn around the scandal- and debt-plagued Salt Lake City Olympic committee, Romney put it in the black and oversaw a successful Olympics in 2002. He was elected governor of Massachusetts that same year. With a Democratic-controlled state legislature, he managed to balance the budget without raising taxes. And he made national headlines last year by signing a universal health insurance plan that provides vouchers for low-income families and makes insurance portable for employees. "Personal ownership of private health insurance had been an objective of conservatives for decades," says Robert Moffit, a Heritage Foundation scholar. "This was really big." "Practical" (along with "pragmatic") is one of the best words to summarize Romney. He's just that kind of man. Jeff Fuller From Drudge:
Democratic U.S. presidential candidate John Edwards on Sunday said that he would raise taxes, chiefly on the wealthy, to pay for expanded healthcare coverage under a plan costing $90 billion to $120 billion a year to be unveiled on Monday.Tax cuts have always been proven to increase government revenues, stimulate the economy, and brought us out of Clinton's recession so raising taxes does what?? John Edwards = Walter Mondale + Hillary Clinton. He's all done. Labels: democrats, economy, Edwards, election, Scott Allan He had this to say while in Louisville:
"Recently, the question of how we deal with Iran has been the subject of debate between myself and another potential White House candidate.
I would like to maintain the most comprehensive list of Romney speech transcripts on the internet. If I missed any, and you know the password, please add them to this page: http://myclob.pbwiki.com/Speeches Or if I missed any, and you have the info, please e-mail it to me.
2007
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State of the State Speeches
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