I'm here at the Heritage foundation for our weekly bloggers forum with Robert Bluey. Numerous bloggers are present including congressman Connie Mack from Florida who recently endorsed Mitt Romney.

Today we're talking about the impact of Hugo Chavez in the Americas. There's a great and informative website with a DVD: Crisis in the Americas.

Congressman Mack considers our current policy a failure. Chavez is "systematically trying to change" Venezuela to continue to intimidate his countrymen.

"Unless the administration gets serious about putting Chavez in a confined box we are heading for some rough times in Latin America."

"There is a clear difference in the Congress between those that think he is a threat and those that want to shield him from the bad things he is doing."

"The relationship that he has with Castro and the destruction of Democracy is a serious threat"

"If Hugo Chavez continues his relations with President Abedinejad and Chavez beings to allow Abedinejad to get a bigger footprint on our hemisphere we could see the same situation with Fidel, Cuba an Russia."

"I'm not looking for the administration or anyone else to call his worse names... we need a forceful discussion about this... whether its an embargo or something else. One of the things we haven't done very well is to tell the people of Venezuela that we support them."

On his endorsement of Mitt Romney:

Labels: connie mack, hugo chavez

This is a great pick up for Team Romney. It adds to the growing list of Florida endorsements including:

• Former Lieutenant Governor Toni Jennings
• Former Speakers of the House Allan Bense and John Thrasher
• Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles Bronson
• Former Chairman of the Florida Republican Party Al Cardenas
• Former U.S. Congressman Tom Feeney (R-FL)
• St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker
• State Representatives Anitere Flores and Trey Traviesa
• Former Representatives Dennis Baxley and Dudley Goodlette
• David Griffin
• Former Florida Secretary of State Glenda Hood
• Former Senator and Chairman of the Republican Party of Florida Van Poole.
• U.S. Congresswoman Ginny Brown-Waite (R-FL)
  

More on Mack:

"Congressman Mack has been a champion of conservative leadership in Florida and in the United States Congress. I am proud to have his support and counsel," said Governor Romney. "We agree that we have lost our way in Washington and that it is time for us to return to the core Republican principles of fiscal discipline, lower taxes, a strong military and less government. I look forward to working with Congressman Mack to take our message of strong new leadership to Floridians across the state during the coming months."

"Governor Romney is a proven problem solver with an unparalleled record of success in both the public and private sectors," said Congressman Mack. "Governor Romney is a mainstream conservative leader who will be a champion of hope and opportunity for every American, a catalyst for conservative change in Washington, and a staunch defender of our freedom, security and prosperity. I'm pleased to offer Governor Romney my endorsement and look forward to working hard to help elect him the next President of the United States."

Labels: connie mack, endoresements, Endorse, Florida