Keeping Americans Safe at Home and Abroad

Keeping Americans Safe at Home and Abroad

We must strengthen our Military by increasing the size of our Military by 100,000 troops and dedicating at least four percent of our gross domestic product to defense. We must transform our domestic civilian international efforts to meet a new generation of global challenges and ensure that our intelligence and law enforcement efforts are able to address threats before they reach out shores.

CHALLENGE: After President George H.W. Bush left office, in 1993, the Clinton Administration began to dismantle the Military, taking advantage of what has been called a "peace dividend" from the end of the Cold war. We took the dividend, but we did not get the peace.

Meanwhile, we lost about 500,000 Military personnel and about $50 billion a year in Military spending. The U.S. Army lost four active divisions and two reserve divisions. The U.S. Navy lost almost 80 ships. The U.S. Air Force saw its active personnel decrease by 30 percent. The Marines' personnel dropped by 22,000.

GOVERNOR ROMNEY: "They took the dividend, but didn't get the peace. It seems that we had come to believe that war and threats and evil men were gone forever. As Charles Krauthammer observed, we took a 'holiday from history.'" (Governor Mitt Romney, Remarks At The George Herbert Walker Bush Presidential Library, 4/10/ 2007)

CHALLENGE: In our civilian agencies, a more pervasive problem exists: bureaucratic inaction. Today, there is no unity among our international non Military resources. There is no clear leadership and no clear line of authority. Too often, we have to struggle to integrate our nonMilitary instruments into coherent, timely, and effective operations.

GOVERNOR ROMNEY: " We removed barriers to unify efforts across the services. This included establishing 'joint commands' with individual commanders fully responsible for their geographic region...
Our non Military resources enjoy no such jointness, no such clear leadership, no such clear lines of authority and responsibility. Too often we struggle to integrate our Military and civilian instruments of national power into coherent, timely and effective operations." (Governor Mitt Romney, Remarks At The George Herbert Walker Bush Presidential Library, 4/10/2007)

CHALLENGE: During the Clinton Administration, our intelligence community was critically weakened. The CIA workforce was slashed by almost 20% and recruitment was reduced dramatically, undermining effective human intelligence. Unfortunately, Washington's response has focused on creating a new, expanded and duplicative bureaucracy in the Directorate of National intelligence.

The Romney Plan:

A Stronger Military. We must increase the size of our Military by 100,000 troops. In addition, we should increase to at least four percent of our gross domestic product to defense. This kind of investment will make up for critical gaps in the modernization of our equipment, personnel and health care efforts. However, as we invest in our Military, we must ensure that funds are used to address critical needs of the men and women of our Armed Forces, not political or contractor interests.

Transform And Strengthen Our Domestic Civilian International Efforts To Meet A New Generation Of Challenges. Building on the Goldwater-Nichols Military reforms of the 1980s, we need to ensure that our civilian instruments of national power have the ability to build joint efforts among our civilian agencies and empower Regional Deputies with clear lines of authority, sufficient budgets and the responsibility to develop and execute regional plans and strategies. We must also constantly challenge bureaucratic "group think" and revitalize our national security structures so we have the capabilities needed to meet 21st century challenges.

Strengthen Strategic Planning. Many of our civilian national security and foreign policy structures were created decades ago. Today we need strengthened capabilities to strategically integrate all elements of national power. National Security Council staff must be empowered and accountable for reaching out to divergent viewpoints and challenging policies and proposals.

Protect The Homeland. While there has been much emphasis on protecting facilities and responding to attacks, a key priority must be prevention. Today, protecting the homeland must begin far from home. Intelligence and law enforcement efforts able to address threats before they reach our shores must be a priority for U.S. and international action. This will demand new U.S. capabilities, stronger international alliances and integration of our federal actions with international, state and local efforts.
GOVERNOR ROMNEY: "We need to increase our investment in National Guard. This means adding at least 100,000 troops and making a long-overdue investment in equipment, armament, weapons systems, and strategic defense. We are going to need at least an additional $30-$40 billion annually over the next several years to modernize our Military, fill gaps in troop levels, ease the strain on our National Guard and Reserves, and support our wounded soldiers. The next president should commit to spending a minimum of four percent of GDP on National Guard." (Governor Mitt Romney, "Rising To A New Generation Of Global Challenges," Foreign Affairs, July/August 2007)

GOVERNOR ROMNEY: "We need to fundamentally change the cultures of our civilian agencies and create dynamic, flexible, and task-based approaches that focus on results rather than bureaucracy. ... For every region, one civilian leader should have authority over and responsibility for all the relevant agencies and departments, similar to the single Military commander who heads U.S. Central Command." (Governor Mitt Romney, "Rising To A New Generation Of Global Challenges," Foreign Affairs, July/August 2007)

GOVERNOR ROMNEY: "The key to effective homeland security, in my view, is intelligence, finding the attackers before they attack, gathering and analyzing tips, monitoring suspects, wiretapping, surveillance, all of the tools associated with intelligence work. It's aided measurably by the Patriot Act, perhaps our most effective new tool. It is also dependent on effective delineations of responsibilities between and among federal agencies, across federal and state lines and state and local lines." (Governor Mitt Romney, Remarks At The National Press Club, 7/14/ 2004)

How often do candidates do stuff like this without the press around?

 

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

How often do candidates do stuff like this without the press around?

Today I got an email via my dad that he got from an old high school friend of his. This friend, from Murray, Utah, was forwarding an email from her friend in California, specifically San Diego where fires raged just a short while ago. Apparently, a certain Reed Fisher, whose home and property were damaged by the fire, got a call from someone in the local LDS Church offering to help clean up. After telling them about a burnt tree with 20 year old roots that he had been unable to remove, the brother showed up at 7 AM on a Wednesday morning, along with his father, who turned out to be none other than Mitt Romney...minus the press corp.

See below for the story (note: the email was an excerpt from a journal entry by the individual, and I have not edited it except for length and names, to retain privacy):

Remember that big pine tree right in the front as you walk out the front door. It pretty well got cooked in the fire. In fact Brian *, Steve *, Chris *and Jeremy * cut most of it down the first day we were allowed back in the neighborhood. But the trunk and the stump was too much to handle that day. Last week a brother in the
Del Sur ward sent me and email and said he and some others would like to do something to help. I told him that one of the things on my "to- do" list was to remove a tree stump from my front yard, but it was a pretty big job! He said they wanted to come and do it. I reluctantly said OK, but, "I do not expect you to really get it out because it is a big root. It has been there for over 20 years." So he called me to confirm and said that they were coming at 7am on Wednesday morning and his DAD might come too. I decided to go to Los Prim os and get some breakfast machaca burritos and orange juice for the crew coming to work on my stump..so I was late in arriving. I drove in from Cabela because it gives me a better feeling entering our street as none of the homes at the top of Luz Pl were burned. As I drove up I looked and saw several men down in the hole around the tree.
They were really going at it with power saws provided by the LDS Church. Then I got a Big Surprise. First I saw Matt, then beside him with chain saw buzzing away was a candidate for President of the United States!!! You guessed it!! Matt Romney was there with his DAD, "MITT ROMNEY", former governor of Massachusetts
and republican presidential candidate. He was actually in Levi's and a blue T shirt and tennis shoes, with leather gloves and goggles. He was really sawing away at my stump! Others who were there working were LDS Bishop Jim Davies, Greg Davis and 6 LDS Missionaries. Oh and I almost forgot the Secret Service bodyguards were nearby standing guard. The Mormon Missionaries were there because they have been reassigned to disaster relief projects all over San Diego where the fires burned. They got assigned by their leaders to come to our home at 11372 Luz Place that morning. There were no local news media. Mitt and Matt Romney were just being good neighbors helping neighbors. Mitt was in Southern Calif for some meetings later in the day up in
Riverside/San Bernardino. I can really tell that the Romney's know how to work and to work really hard. I looked over my shovel at one point and sweat was running down Mitt's face. When I suggested we
stop for a breakfast burrito, I got a polite 'maybe later, gotta get this root out." Mitt told me that this reminded him of taking out a stump on the ranch with his father.after it was too much his Dad(George Romney) said get some dynamite! Well, Mitt attacked that old stump, cutting as many of the big roots as he could until it was
well time past for he and Matt to leave for their meetings up north. I put a Machaca burrito in Mitts hand and a glass of O.J. I could tell he didn't like leaving the job partially completed and neither did Matt. But I knew
they had "bigger stumps" elsewhere that day."

Romney bad hair

 

Photos of Mitt

 

 

 

Fwd: Those Who Know Him Best ... Discuss Gov. Huckabee's Tax-And-Spend Record

Criticism of Governor Huckabee's liberal fiscal record from those in Arkansas who know him best, including this zinger:

 'He was pro-life and pro-gun, but otherwise a liberal,' she says. 'Just like Bill Clinton he will charm you, but don't be surprised if he takes a completely different turn in office .'

http://www.mittromney.com/News/Press-Releases/Huckabee_Best_11.30

…DISCUSS GOV. HUCKABEE'S TAX-AND-SPEND RECORD

FACT:  Arkansas Conservatives Have Widely Criticized Gov. Huckabee: Betsy Hagan, Arkansas Director Of The Eagle Forum: "He Was Pro-Life And Pro-Gun, But Otherwise A Liberal" "Nor am I alone. Betsy Hagan, Arkansas director of the conservative Eagle Forum and a key backer of his early runs for office, was once 'his No. 1 fan.' She was bitterly disappointed with his record. 'He was pro-life and pro-gun, but otherwise a liberal,' she says. 'Just like Bill Clinton he will charm you, but don't be surprised if he takes a completely different turn in office.'" (John Fund, "Another Man From Hope," The Wall Street Journal , 10/26/07) Former Republican State Rep. Randy Minton Said That Gov. Huckabee's Record Will Turn Away Economic Conservatives. "Also that year, the state grappled with an economic downturn and a resulting budget shortfall. 'Republicans that believe in limited government and lower taxes and fees, they'll look at his record, and they won't be satisfied with it,' said former Republican state Rep. Randy Minton of Ward." (Daniel Nasaw, "Home Turf Not Rock Solid For Huckabee," Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 10/4/07) Huckabee Has Been Called "A Treacherous Liberal On Taxes, Social Welfare Spending And Illegal Immigration." "Mr. Minton voices the concerns of many conservatives that while Mr. Huckabee governed as a social conservative in opposing abortion and same-sex 'marriage,' he was a treacherous liberal on taxes, social welfare spending and illegal immigration." (Ralph Z. Hallow, "Huckabee Stirs Up Third Party Fear," The Washington Times , 10/29/07) Phyllis Schlafly Said That Huckabee "Destroyed The Conservative Movement In Arkansas." "Mrs. Schlafly, one of the most respected leaders in the social-conservative movement, has accused Mr. Huckabee of 'destroying' the conservative movement in Arkansas and leaving the GOP 'in shambles.' She says many of the evangelical Christians who 'sold' social conservative voters on President Bush in 2000 are now 'trying to sell us on Mike Huckabee.'" (Ralph Z. Hallow, "Huckabee Stirs Up Third Party Fear," The Washington Times , 10/29/07) FACT:  Newspapers In Arkansas Have Lambasted Gov. Huckabee And His Liberal Fiscal Record: In An Editorial, The [Arkansas] Leader Called Huckabee "One Of The Most Liberal Governor's In Arkansas History." "His record has been both Huckabee's strength and his Achilles' heel, as we have had occasion to observe. He is one of the most liberal governors in Arkansas history, having accounted for more tax increases than any other and having enlarged state government more than any other. He has exorbitantly inflated his record as a tax-cutter on the stump and now that will catch up with him. But we continue to believe that if he will shoot straight with the Republican constituencies, his record and his moderate views on such things as immigration and government health assistance could make him the party's best opponent to Sen. Hillary Clinton, the expected Democratic nominee. That is not the conventional wisdom, but it will be his best pitch." (Editorial, "Huck Keeps Moving Up," The [Arkansas] Leader, 10/31/07) Huckabee's Tax Increases Were Mockingly Called The "Tax Me More Fund." "What a banana-splitting riot Gov. Mike Huckabee has conjured with his 'Tax Me More Fund' campaign. Those of us who don't feel we are being adequately peeled by government now are free to send our tax-deductible contributions to the state." (Mike Masterson, Op-Ed, "Bananas And Taxes," Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 12/6/01) "I don't know about you, but I could hardly wait to get my additional tax dollar in the mail this week. It's becoming increasingly obvious to me, in light of Huckabee's enlightened leadership, that we should acknowledge how we are not being taxed enough in Arkansas today. Why, just this week I found myself complaining to an underpaid Quickie Mart attendant that I didn't feel the 33 cents or so a gallon I am paying for highway construction and maintenance is nearly enough. It certainly wasn't enough to keep us from enjoying the two worst interstates in America, so I left an extra quarter on the counter." (Mike Masterson, Op-Ed, "Bananas And Taxes," Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 12/6/01) Arkansas Democrat-Gazette: Huckabee Is "Economically Illiterate" And Needs A "Refresher Course In Basic Economics." "The time to investigate the wisdom of this tax was before the Guv signed it into law. A refresher course in basic economics might have helped, too. Only the economically illiterate believe that businesses can be taxed without their passing the costs on to those who buy their goods and services--in this case, nursing home patients. To pretend otherwise is to ignore not just economics but human nature." (Editorial, "In Shock," Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 6/20/01) Huckabee Was Widely Criticized For His Record Budgets. "Beware of rosy budgets submitted by governors addicted to easy money. We're not just talking tacos and pantyhose anymore. We're talking about the biggest state budget ever proposed. We're talking billions, three of them and change. And that's just general revenue; it doesn't count those other hundreds of millions Gov. Mike Huckabee apparently wants to raise by going in debt for highways based on federal money to come." (John Brummett, Op-Ed, "Huckabee's Easy-Money Budget," Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 11/17/98) "For perspective: Huckabee's budget is more like one submitted by Bill Clinton than Jim Guy Tucker. Clinton sometimes overbudgeted, which meant that when tax collections lagged he was required by the Revenue Stabilization Act to order across-the-board reductions in spending levels to keep the budget balanced. Tucker, who governed during periods of growth, was notorious for stingy budgeting that produced end-of-year windfalls. " (John Brummett, Op-Ed, "Huckabee's Easy-Money Budget," Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 11/17/98) The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Said Huckabee's Grocery Tax Allowed The State "To Grind The Faces Of The Poor." "Yes, There have been failures, too. Mike Huckabee has shown a growing weakness for the easy, politically savvy solution rather than real reform. Instead of eliminating the tax on groceries, he fiddled and compromised and finally caved in to the Legislature. And so the state continues to grind the faces of the poor, and the working poor, and just those on a tight budget, every time they buy their bread and milk." (Editorial, "For Mike Huckabee," Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 10/29/98)

From peter

Mitt was right to mistrust CNN and the Snowman. The Youtube clips
selected were from LOONS (the Bible one was especially bad), and
please don't tell me there aren't liberal loons out there as well -
CNN just keeps them off TV. What makes CNN's choice of question
especially egregious is that Anderson Cooper was bragging on how CNN
had gotten 2,000 MORE requests than they had to choose from for the
Democrats! Yet NONE of them were about education, environment, health
care, child care, etc? Just Guns 'n Taxes (the GOP punk rock band)?

Here is a link from Michelle Malkin, demonstrating the bona fides of
four of the GOP YouTube questioners -

http://michellemalkin.com/2007/11/29/digging-out-the-cnnyoutube-plants-abortion-questioner-is-edwards-supporter/

This is also all over Druge, Politico.com (Politico actually had the
General's involvement with the Kerry campaign up before the end of the
debate - and since Anderson Cooper used the site as the source of a
non-You Tube question to Rudy, he can't claim he doesn't READ it...)

Nightline reported Gen. Kerr's involvement with Clinton's campaign
last night, but no other MSM seems inclined to report it. Me, I want
Condi Rice and Karen Hughes at the next Democrat debate asking foreign
policy questions.

All told - I love the Internet. Nothing stays buried anymore.

Dan - as a media person, what is your take on this
bias/corruption/small minded-ness?

David A. Keene for Romney

David A. Keene, Chairman of the American Conservative Union and long
time Republican strategist, today endorsed the presidential candidacy
of former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney.

http://www.mittromney.com/News/Press-Releases/Endorsement_Keene

In a statement issued today, Keene said that "while I certainly can't
pretend to speak for all or even most conservatives, the road that led
me here today is one that many conservatives find themselves on and it
is my hope that they will end up where I am today – convinced that
Mitt Romney represents our best hope for 2008.

"As this race began, I intended to remain neutral both because there
was no conservative consensus candidate and because I know and admire
several of those running for the Republican nomination who I believe
could win next fall.

"In recent months, however, Governor Romney has emerged as the single
candidate most worthy of conservative support. That's why I'm
endorsing him and intend to spend as much time as possible in the
weeks ahead convincing my fellow conservatives that if we are serious
about electing a conservative president in 2008, it's time to unite
behind his candidacy."

Welcoming today's announcement, Governor Romney said, "I am proud that
David Keene has decided to join our campaign for conservative change
that strengthens our military, economy and families. As Chairman of
the American Conservative Union, he has greatly advanced the
conservative movement. I look forward to working with him as our
campaign moves forward."

Background On David A. Keene:

David A. Keene Has Been The Chairman Of The American Conservative
Union Since December 1984. Keene, a major national conservative
spokesman since the seventies, has worked in the White House and the
Senate, writes a weekly opinion column for The Hill and his articles
have appeared in National Review, Human Events and the American
Spectator. He has held senior positions in the past presidential
campaigns of Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and former Kansas Senator
Bob Dole.

ROMNEY AT THE ST. PETERSBURG, FL GOP DEBATE – VOL II

National Review's Kate O'Beirne: "Romney's performance is his
strongest in the series." (National Review's "The Corner,"
corner.nationalreview.com, Accessed 11/28/07)

Michelle Malkin: "So, who won? Quick and dirty reaction: Romney looked
strong and energetic …" (Michelle Malkin, "Liveblogging The
CNN/Youtube," http://michellemalkin.com/, Posted 11/28/07)

Townhall's Mary Katherine Ham: "[Romney] came across serious and
conservative." (Mary Katharine Ham, "Who Won?,"
http://www.townhall.com/blog, 11/28/07)

The American Spectator's Philip Klein: "… I thought Romney got the
better of that [immigration] exchange. It's one thing to use Romney's
illegal immigrant lawn care workers in a joke, but it's another thing
to try and base a serious criticism on that." (Philip Klein,
"Sanctuary Mansion," The American Spectator Online, 11/28/07)

CBS' Vaughn Ververs: "In the opening minutes, Romney and Rudy Giuliani
sparred over illegal immigration… Romney appeared to get the upper
hand in the exchange, challenging Giuliani on his charge and the
sometimes vocal audience sounded a note of apparent disapproval at the
mayor's line of attack." (Vaughn Ververs, "Romney Battles, Huckabee
Shines In GOP Debate," CBS'S Horserace '08 Blog,
http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs, Posted 11/28/07)

Captain's Quarters' Ed Morrissey: "Romney gets the edge here,
especially for beating Rudy Giuliani like a bongo drum on
immigration." (Ed Morrissey, "CNN/YouTube Debate – CNN Wins,"
Captain's Quarters Blog, www.captainsquartersblog.com, Posted
11/28/07)

· Morrissey: "Romney has this issue [of interrogations] exactly
correct. We should not start defining these techniques on national
debates for the reasons Romney said." ("Heading Right,"
www.headingright.com, Accessed 11/28/07)

Power Line's Scott Johnson: "Best performance: Mitt Romney." (Scott
Johnson, "Best And Worst Of The Debate," Power Line,
http://www.powerlineblog.com/, Posted 11/28/07)

· Johnson: "Best line of the night: Mitt Romney, on abortion
('I was wrong')." (Scott Johnson, "Best And Worst Of The Debate,"
Power Line Blog, http://www.powerlineblog.com/, Posted 11/28/07)

National Review's Kathryn Jean Lopez: "Romney played it straight and
didn't over explain the abortion change. Seemed a wise and effective
approach, especially in this format." (National Review's "The Corner,"
http://corner.nationalreview.com, Accessed 11/28/07)

Heading Right's Macranger: "Good answer [on life]. People do change."
("Heading Right," www.headingright.com, Accessed11/28/07)

The American Spectator's Philip Klein: "[Gov. Romney] showed more
humility by saying several times he was wrong, that he isn't perfect,
that he hasn't always made the right decisions. It worked a lot better
for him." (Philip Klein, "Romney's Abortion Flip-Flop Answer," The
American Spectator Online, 11/28/07)

Townhall's Hugh Hewitt: "I agree with most of the posters at The
Corner that Mitt is doing very, very well." (Townhall,
www.townhall.com Accessed 11/28/07)

Former Secretary Of Education Bill Bennett: "Mitt Romney talked about
education as the next civil right…Liberals have failed inner city
blacks overwhelmingly in the last 30 years. That's why the question
from the father and son was so pertinent and I thought Romney did a
good job on it." (CNN's, "Post Debate Coverage," 11/28/07)

Townhall's Mary Katharine Ham: "… I grew up in the inner city, in
public schools. The plight of those who live there is real, sad, and
cannot often be solved by the Nanny State. Romney focuses on
families, empowerment, police protection in solving black-on-black
crime, and invokes Bill Cosby. Well done. It addressed the question
directly and treated the questioners' concerns with respect. It was a
serious answer with real application, not a flippant appeal to the
family values crowd that would have made him look disconnected, which
it easily could have been." (Mary Katharine Ham, "Romney's Winner
Answer on Black-on-Black Crime," Townhall.com, www.townhall.com,
11/28/07)

The American Spectator's John Tabin: "Romney's answer is pretty good;
family's important, of course it is" (James G. Poulos, "Black On Black
Crime," The American Spectator Online, 11/28/07)

MITT ROMNEY AT THE ST. PETERSBURG, FL GOP DEBATE

The Atlantic's Marc Ambinder: "Romney had a strong night, seemed
raring to go, seemed to be willing to take on everybody, anybody, all
comers, seemed to want to pick every fight possible." (Marc Ambinder,
"The Debate In Review," The Atlantic Online Blog,
http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/, 11/28/07)

National Review's Seth Leibsohn: "This Is Mitt's Night." (Seth
Leibsohn, "This Is Mitt's Night," National Review's The Corner,
http://corner.nationalreview.com, Posted 11/28/07)

Bill Bennett: "I think that Romney stood out tonight. I think he was
loud and clear. Conservative. He was 'all-in' as you'd say in Texas
Hold 'Em." (CNN's Post-Debate Coverage, 11/28/07)

Bill Bennett: "I thought he came across very strong. I think you guys
are absolutely right. That opening debate between Romney and Giuliani
was, I think, the pivotal point of the evening. And I think points to
Romney. Giuliani came across badly." (CNN's Post-Debate Coverage,
11/28/07)

ABC News Live Blog: "Romney is engaging very, very directly -- and
dare I say he's getting the better of Giuliani in this exchange, funny
accents and all." ("Live-Blogging During GOP Debate," ABC News'
Political Radar, http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar, Posted
11/28/07)

· ABC News Live Blog: "And Romney gets the first applause by
noting that illegal immigrants already broke the law." ("Live-Blogging
During GOP Debate," ABC News' Political Radar,
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar, Posted 11/28/07)

National Review's Kathryn Jean Lopez: "[T]his is Romney's best debate
performance yet. He reminds us he has experience and outside of
Washington, he's tackled difficult issues, and does not let his temper
get the best of him with a New York bully (something that will come in
handy)." (Kathryn Jean Lopez, "So Far," National Review's The Corner,
http://corner.nationalreview.com, Posted 11/28/07)

CNN's Bill Schneider: "A clever answer from former Massachusetts Gov.
Mitt Romney on farming. He says we need food independence like we need
energy independence — keep the farmers on the farm. His reasoning: We
need to be able to compete with other countries that support their
farmers." (Bill Schneider, "Schneider: Romney Scores Points On Farming
Answer," CNN's Political Ticker, http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com,
Posted 11/28/07)

MSNBC's Domenico Montanaro: "While the sanctuary mansion line got good
laughs, Romney's explanation and questions left Giuliani without an
answer." (Domenico Montanaro, "Giuliani Flustered?" MSNBC's First
Read, http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com, Posted 11/28/07)

National Review's Rich Lowry: "Rudy let his temper get the best of
him—clear winner of the exchange: Romney." (Rich Lowry, "Mitt V.
Rudy," National Review's The Corner, http://corner.nationalreview.com,
Posted 11/28/07)

National Review's Seth Leibsohn: "I'd be surprised after this debate
if Mitt doesn't see national numbers looking more like his Iowa or NH
numbers after tonight's performance. Brilliant response to the black
on black crime questions." (Seth Leibsohn, "Changing Times," National
Review's The Corner, http://corner.nationalreview.com, Posted
11/28/07)

The New York Times' Katharine Q. Seelye: "But finally, a father-son
team, from Atlanta, want the candidates to talk about black-on-black
crime, and while Mr. Romney gets in a nice line about mothers and
fathers and family values, none of the candidates really address the
issue that the young son raised." (Katharine Q. Seelye, "Live-Blogging
the YouTube Debate," The New York Times' The Caucus Blog,
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/, Posted 11/28/07)

National Review's Ramesh Ponnuru: "So Romney did pretty well in the
debate, and won the immigration exchange." (Ramesh Ponnuru, "A Good
Day for Giuliani," The Corner Blog, corner.nationalreview.com, Posted
11/28/07)

Townhall's Mary Katharine Ham: "Mitt makes a good point that
homeowners should not be required to check papers of workers hired for
their and connects it to regular Americans by suggesting that that's
what Rudy wants them to do." (Townhall, www.townhall.com, Accessed,
11/28/07)

The Plank's Isaac Chotiner: "Romney definitely got the best of
Giuliani on their early immigration skirmish (which actually got
rather heated). Rudy's line about Romney's mansion was cheap and
silly. And Romney is more appealing when going negative than any of
the other candidates." (The New Republic's "The Plank,"
http://blogs.tnr.com/tnr/blogs/the_plank/default.aspx, Accessed,
11/28/07)

National Review's Kate O'Beirne: "Romney's reference point about how
MA liberals reason is effective. Reminds us that he gets them and
fought them." (National Review's "The Corner,"
http://corner.nationalreview.com, Accessed 11/28/07)

Captain's Quarters' Ed Morrissey: Romney and Huckabee had a good spar
over giving better benefits to illegals for school than to citizens.
Romney is absolutely 100% right on this issue. I hope Iowans realize
that Huckabee may very well be worse than Bush on illegal
immigration." (Heading Right," www.headingright.com, Accessed
11/28/07)

YouTube Debate Statement: Sen. Jim DeMint

Transcript Of Senator Jim DeMint's Statement:

"Earlier this month, I started a campaign to get 100,000 signatures on an earmark reform petition that would demand that Congress stop all this wasteful spending. I'm also proud to be a leader of another campaign to stop the wasteful spending in Washington and that's the campaign to elect Governor Mitt Romney as the next President of the United States. Tonight, we saw again in the debate, that Governor Romney has the commitment and the experience to manage our government in a way that would make it smaller, allow us to reduce taxes and keep our economy strong. I encourage you to join me in the next campaign to make sure Governor Romney becomes the next President of the United States."

- Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC)
November 28, 2007

YouTube Debate Statement: Sen. Judd Gregg

"I thought this was a really good debate tonight, and I think it showed once again why Mitt Romney is such a strong candidate. He is a person who brings problem-solving to very complicated issues. He understands we need a strong America, we need strong families, we need a commitment to those values which have made our nation great, which is the understanding of entrepreneurship and a belief in the value that America is a special place and holds a special role in this world of defending liberty. Most importantly, he's a problem-solver. This is a guy who gets things done and that's what we need in Washington. We're not getting things done in Washington. He's somebody special. He solved the Olympics problem. He solved the Massachusetts problem, and he's created jobs as an entrepreneur. What else can you ask for and he is a leader and he showed it tonight."

- Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH)
November 28, 2007

It's an election like no other

Tonight, at the CNN/YouTube Republican Debate, Romney for President launched its newest television ad, "Historic Choice." 
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZ4Asjxujss
 
The ad highlights the challenges confronting our country and the importance of electing a leader who has the experience, vision and values to move America forward.  Throughout his career, Governor Romney has had an exceptional record of turning around numerous companies, the 2002 Winter Olympic Games and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.  As President, he will tackle the big problems by defending America from foreign threats, making our country more globally competitive, securing our borders and defending our most traditional values.   
 
The ad will be airing as part of the campaign's rotation in Iowa and New Hampshire. 
 
 
Script For "Historic Choice" (TV:30):
 
ANNOUNCER:  "It's an election like no other.
 
"An enemy lurks waiting to strike.
 
"Our main street economy is competing with mainland China.
 
"Legal vs. illegal doesn't seem to matter.
 
"Basic values like marriage are suddenly open to debate.
 
"For these challenges, ordinary isn't good enough.  We need the leader who gets the big stuff done. Take charge, demand results, no excuses.  Mitt Romney – the right experience, the right values, the right time."
 
GOVERNOR MITT ROMNEY:  "I'm Mitt Romney and I approve this message."

"The Most Successful" Sanctuary City

"The Most Successful" Sanctuary City

Wednesday, Nov 28, 2007 08:09 PM EDT

Mayor Giuliani Praises His Policies Of Protecting Illegal Immigrants

Mayor Giuliani Ran New York City With A Sanctuary State Of Mind:

As Mayor, Giuliani Actually Invited More Illegal Immigrants To Come To New York In 1994. "Mr. Giuliani said, 'If you come here and you work hard and you happen to be in an undocumented status, you're one of the people who we want in this city. You're somebody that we want to protect, and we want you to get out from under what is often a life of being like a fugitive, which is really unfair.'" (Deborah Sontag, "New York Officials Welcome Immigrants, Legal Or Illegal," The New York Times, 6/10/94)

- ABC News: "Giuliani Inherited The [Sanctuary] Policy, He Reissued It And Seemed To Embrace It." "New York became a sanctuary city, where illegal immigrants enjoy some measure of protection, through an executive order signed by Mayor Ed Koch in 1989, five years before Giuliani became mayor in January 1994. But if Giuliani inherited the policy, he reissued it and seemed to embrace it." (Jake Tapper and Ron Claiborne, "Romney: Giuliani's NYC 'Sanctuary' For Illegal Immigrants," ABC News, 8/8/07)

A 1997 New York Daily News Editorial Blasted Mayor Giuliani For Not Supporting Federal Immigration Laws. "Mayor Giuliani is actually suing the federal government to be relieved of the requirement that city workers turn over information about illegal immigrants to the Immigration and Naturalization Service. At City University, undocumented aliens qualify for the low resident tuition if they've lived here for a year. And just last week, the mayor announced that immigrants applying for marriage licenses couldn't be turned away even if their visas had expired." (Editorial, "Not All Immigrants Are Equal," [New York] Daily News, 3/23/97)

- Daily News: Under Mayor Giuliani, "Illegal" Didn't Have Any Meaning. "But at the same time, federal immigration laws must be enforced strictly. For no nation can allow its borders to be violated with impunity. And state and local governments must help. In New York, that means making the adjective 'illegal' mean something when it appears before the word 'immigrant.' ? In other words, legal or illegal, the law makes no distinction. Then what's the law for? " (Editorial, "Not All Immigrants Are Equal," [New York] Daily News, 3/23/97)

Mayor Giuliani Refused To Do His Part To Stem The Tide Of Illegal Immigration:

Mayor Giuliani Has Defended His City's Sanctuary Policy, Saying, "The Choice Becomes For A City What Do You Do?" "'The reality is that they are here, and they're going to remain here,' Mr. Giuliani said of the children. 'The choice becomes for a city what do you do? Allow them to stay on the streets or allow them to be educated? The preferred choice from the point of view of New York City is to be educated.'" (Eric Schmitt, "Giuliani Criticizes G.O.P. And Dole On Immigration," The New York Times, 6/7/96)

- Mayor Giuliani's Attitude Was That Nothing Could Be Done About Illegals, So You Might As Well Give Sanctuary. "'The reality is that they are here, and they're going to remain here,' Mr. Giuliani said of the children. 'The choice becomes for a city what do you do? Allow them to stay on the streets or allow them to be educated? The preferred choice from the point of view of New York City is to be educated.'" (Eric Schmitt, "Giuliani Criticizes G.O.P. And Dole On Immigration," The New York Times, 6/7/96)

- Mayor Giuliani: Nobody But The Federal Government Should Take Responsibility For Illegal Immigration. "Responsibility for stopping illegal immigration belongs to the federal government and not to cities, states or businesses, Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani said Tuesday. Giuliani told small-business owners he would not punish them for unwittingly hiring illegal immigrants. Federal officials are 'trying to put the responsibility for this on employers, on city government, on state government,' the former New York mayor said during a conference call arranged by the National Federation of Independent Businesses. 'The simple fact is, nobody but the federal government can stop people from coming into this country illegally, and the federal government does a very bad job of that,' Giuliani said." (Libby Quaid, "Giuliani: Illegals Are A Federal Problem, The Associated Press, 10/31/07)

Mayor Giuliani Still Supports Amnesty For Illegal Immigrants Today:

Mayor Giuliani, To Illegal Immigrants In 2007: "If You Want To Work, Pay Your Fair Share And We'll Sign You Up." "In response to a question by Richard Pope, 75, about the 12 million illegal immigrants already here, Giuliani said, 'I would say come forward, get your ... tamper-proof ID card, get photographed and fingerprinted, and we will check you out.' He added, 'If you want to work, pay your fair share and we'll sign you up.'" (Tom Brune, "Giuliani Vows To End Illegal Immigration," [New York] Newsday, 8/15/07)

- Mayor Giuliani: Give A Path To Citizenship To Illegal Aliens Who Have Not Committed Other Crimes. " Mr. Giuliani said the rest of the 12 million to 20 million illegal aliens already here can gain a path to citizenship after a waiting period if they register and learn English . Those key elements generally track President Bush's immigration bill, which was defeated in the Senate earlier this year." (Stephen Dinan, "Giuliani Eyes Citizenship Path For Illegals," The Washington Times , 8/15/07)

- "Rudy Giuliani Would Allow Most Of The Estimated 12 Million Illegal Immigrants In This Country To Stay, Work And Even Become Citizens – Provisions That GOP Hardliners Blast As 'Amnesty.'" (Tom Brune, "Giuliani Vows To End Illegal Immigration," [New York] Newsday, 8/15/07)

You Tube debate information

Go here, for updates from Romney... It is crazy, they have videos almost live...

 

http://www.mittromney.com/News/Debates/YouTube/index

Interview with Romney Press Secretary Kevin Madden

Pre-Debate Warmup: Turkey Bowl

Gov. Romney Prepares For Youtube Debate

Mitt Romney on education

Romney answers the question: What would you do to help prepare students in Iowa and around the country compete in the global economy? (more)
Added: November 27, 2007
Romney answers the question: What would you do to help prepare students in Iowa and around the country compete in the global economy?

Mitt Romney on ethanol

Mitt Romney on the worker shortage

Huckabee Tries to Gloss Over Ark. Record

Huckabee Tries to Gloss Over Ark. Record

Nov 28 12:00 PM US/Eastern By ANDREW DeMILLO Associated Press Writer

 

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - Mike Huckabee's presidential rivals are pointing to chinks in his record as Arkansas' governor—from ethics complaints to tax increases to illegal immigration and his support for releasing a rapist who was later convicted of killing a Missouri woman.

...his record has rough edges, and Huckabee has a habit of playing fast and loose with it.

"People are starting to contact us and they're saying we want everything on Mike Huckabee," says Graham Sloan, director of the state's Ethics Commission.

What they'll find is 436 pages of documents chronicling Huckabee's various tangles with a commission he's derided as a political tool of Democrats. It's a panel that has held proceedings 20 times on the former governor and lieutenant governor.

But the Ethics Commission files don't cover everything, and this year—anticipating criticism—Huckabee's campaign set up a "truth squad" to push his side of various stories. It often offers, at best, an incomplete account of his record.

On major issues:

_The truth squad says the only finding by the Arkansas Ethics Commission that Huckabee accepted a gift improperly was tossed out by a state court. In fact, the panel investigated 16 complaints against Huckabee and found five violations. Only one, for accepting a $500 canoe from Coca-Cola, was tossed out.

Two of the complaints against Huckabee pertain to unreported gifts—the canoe and a $200 stadium blanket received by his wife, Janet. Two stem from cash the governor or his wife received but did not initially report. The panel also ruled in 2003 that Huckabee's campaign violated state law when it used its funds to pay for an event during the summer of 2002 called Gospel Fest

During his tenure, Huckabee accepted 314 gifts valued overall at more than $150,000, according to documents filed with the Arkansas secretary of state's office. (He accepted 187 gifts in his first three years as governor but was not required to report their value.)

_Huckabee has consistently understated his role in the parole of rapist Wayne DuMond, who had been convicted in the 1984 rape of a distant cousin of former President Clinton.

Two months after taking office, Huckabee stunned the state by saying he questioned DuMond's guilt and that it was his intention to free the rapist, who had been castrated by masked men while awaiting trial. Huckabee said then he had "serious questions as to the legitimacy of his guilt" and acknowledged later that he had met with DuMond's wife about the case while he was lieutenant governor. Two months after ascending to the governor's office, Huckabee met with the woman again.

The ex-governor now blames his predecessor for making DuMond parole eligible—Jim Guy Tucker commuted a life-plus-20 years sentence to 39 1/2 years—but distances himself from his role in DuMond's release. Huckabee met privately with the state parole board, and two members have said he pressured them for a vote.

"He made it obvious that he thought DuMond had gotten a raw deal and wanted us to take another look at it," former board member Charles Chastain said in 2001. "Some board members who were usually very tough about letting people out ... (later) voted in favor of him, and seemed eager to."

On his campaign Web site, Huckabee says the parole board was made up entirely of Democrats appointed by Clinton and Tucker. It doesn't mention that Huckabee reappointed board member Railey Steele days before he voted with three other members to set DuMond free. DuMond was later convicted of killing a woman in Missouri and died in 2005.

_Huckabee likes to say he was tough on taxes in Arkansas, noting a $100 million tax cut in 1997 that until this year was Arkansas' largest. When asked about a fuel tax increase he backed in 1999, Huckabee says incorrectly that he joined 80 percent of Arkansas voters in approving it.

Huckabee in 1999 supported a $1 billion highway bond program, including costs for interest and lawyers' fees, but the question on the ballot was only whether the state could take on the debt, not how Arkansas would pay for it. Huckabee had signed the fuel tax increase two months earlier.

Shortly after taking office, Huckabee took a four-day trip by bass boat along the Arkansas River to tout a 1/8th-cent sales tax increase for outdoor programs. (Two nature centers now carry the names of Huckabee and his wife.) Taxes went up $40 million in the months before the $100 million tax cut Huckabee touts.

Other taxes went up as Arkansas changed its property tax system and made improvements to its school system.

_Huckabee's recent strong stand on immigration, including an intolerance toward companies that employ illegal immigrants, runs counter to the image he crafted in his final years in office. He was battling conservatives within his own party who were pushing for stricter state-level immigration measures.

Huckabee opposed a Republican lawmaker's efforts in 2005 to require proof of legal status when applying for state services that aren't federally mandated and proof of citizenship when registering to vote. Huckabee derided the bill as un-American and un-Christian and said the bill's sponsor drank a different "Jesus juice."

That same year, Huckabee failed in his effort to make children of illegal immigrants eligible for state-funded scholarships and in-state tuition to Arkansas colleges. At the time, Huckabee said he didn't understand the opposition to it.

...

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Harsh Words about Huckabee, from Conservatives

In an Illinois Review article Tyler Jones shows some of the harsh comments directed at flavor of the month Mike Huckabee, from conservatives.

“He destroyed the conservative movement in Arkansas”

“He was pro-life and pro-gun, but otherwise a liberal”

“He has zero intellectual underpinnings in the conservative movement”

"Mr. Huckabee was the only GOP candidate to refuse to endorse President Bush's veto of the Democrats' bill to vastly expand the Schip health-care program. Only he and John McCain have endorsed the discredited cap-and-trade system to limit global-warming emissions that has proved a fiasco in Europe."

Mr. Ijaz

REPORTER: Governor, there is a report today that a businessman says that a closed fundraiser in Vegas a couple weeks ago, he asked you a question about having an Islamic person in your cabinet and you said that based on the population of Muslims in the United States that you don't think it would be justified?
 
GOVERNOR MITT ROMNEY: No. His question was did I need to have a Muslim in my Cabinet to be able to confront radical Jihad and would it be important to have a Muslim in my Cabinet and I said, 'No, I don't think that you have to have a Muslim in the Cabinet to be able to take on radical Jihad anymore than during the Second World War we needed to have a Japanese-American to understand the threat that was coming from Japan or something of that nature.' I just rejected that argument number one, and then number two, I point out that people who would be part of my Cabinet is something that I really haven't given a lot of thought to at this point, but I don't have boxes that I check off as to their ethnicity. It's not that I have to have a certain number of each different ethnic group; instead I would choose people based upon their merits and their capabilities.
 
REPORTER: So you would be open to having a Muslim person….
 
GOV. ROMNEY: I'm open to having people of any faith and ethnic group, but they would be selected based upon their capacity and their capabilities and the values and skills that they could bring to the administration. But I don't choose people based upon checking off a box.
 
MSNBC's First Read has a write up if you'd like a link: http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/11/27/482645.aspx
 
Additionally, Andy McCarthy at The Corner has interesting and relevant comments on Mr. Ijaz.

Romney Vs. Rudy and Huckabee on Wolf Blitzer

Criminals, Beware - The Romney Massachusetts Record

By: Tim Cruz

National Review Online

Monday, Nov 26, 2007

"From his first days in office as Governor of Massachusetts, Mitt Romney understood that '[p]ublic safety is the single most important job of government.' As governor, Romney demonstrated his commitment time and time again to keeping families and their children safe from violent criminals, sexual predators, repeat drunk drivers and gang violence.

"According to Department of Justice crime statistics, violent crime went down during Governor Romney's tenure. In 2006, the FBI violent crime rate ? which includes murder, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault ? was 447 per 100,000 inhabitants. This was a decrease of almost 8 percent from 2002 when the rate was 484.4. The violent crime rate was consistently below the national average. Assault and rape in particular fell roughly 15 percent and 2 percent, respectively. Other crimes likewise fell during Governor Romney's term in office, including motor vehicle theft, which fell 32 percent, and larceny, which fell 6 percent."

...

"Under Governor Romney's leadership, the total number of State Police grew by nearly 200 Troopers from 2,333 members to 2,524 ? the highest in the agency's history. He also doubled the size of the State Crime Lab, championed 'Melanie's Law,' the toughest drunk driving law in the commonwealth's history, and signed legislation to publish the most dangerous sex offenders' photos and addresses on the Internet. Governor Romney worked to expand the definition of sexually dangerous persons to make it easier for prosecutors to file civil petitions to keep the worst sexual predators off of the street after their criminal sentences were concluded.

"This year, as one of his proposals to protect our children, Governor Romney has called for a new 'One Strike, You're Ours' law. This crime initiative will impose new, tougher federal penalties for first-time offenders who use the Internet to sexually assault children, including stiff mandatory jail time to be followed by lifetime tracking by Global Positioning Satellite (GPS). As a prosecutor who pursues online sexual predators, I would certainly welcome these penalties."

...

"Governor Romney has been a consistent supporter and advocate of the death penalty for convicted killers."

...

"While serving as district attorney for Plymouth County in Massachusetts, I was thoroughly impressed by the Governor's consistent high level of commitment to law enforcement, victims, and public safety. Governor Romney should be rightly proud of his record in fighting crime and protecting the citizens of Massachusetts. It seems equally clear that he would bring this demonstrated commitment to being tough on crime to Washington to help protect all Americans."

Tim Cruz is the district attorney for Plymouth County in Massachusetts and served as president of the Massachusetts District Attorneys Association during Governor Romney's term. He is also a recipient of the Outstanding Local Prosecutor's Office Award.

View Entire Article

Mitt on the Hugh Hewitt Show

Mitt Romney responds to judicial nomination questions, and checks in from the campaign trail.

Monday, November 26, 2007 at 8:41 PM

HH: Joined now by Mitt Romney, former Governor of Massachusetts. Governor, welcome back, hope you had a great Thanksgiving.  

MR: It was a great Thanksgiving. A little touch football and a lot of turkey.  

HH: Excellent. Now Governor, a lot of ground to cover. There's a controversy about Judge Tuttman, one of your appointees. Can you tell us how you came to appoint her, and your reaction to her decision to release the man who went out and murdered two young, wonderful people in Washington State? 

MR: Yeah, as a matter of fact, I've appointed some sixty judges. And in each case, I wanted to find people who would be law and order judges and follow the law. This judge had served 17 years as a prosecutor, putting bad people away, and so I had every reason to believe that the judge would be a law and order judge. And ultimately, I believe she made a very bad decision. This is a person who had been in jail, he'd served his term, but was up for assault, and she let him go on personal recognizance, and he ended up killing someone. And in my view, she made a very bad judgment, and as a result, she should step down from the bench.  

HH: Was it your choice entirely to put her on the bench? Or are you limited in the candidates brought to you? 

MR: No, actually, there is a process, a judicial nominating council, which selects people and forwards them to me, and then I interview them. And if I want them, I nominate them, and then there is further a Governor's Council made up of eight Democrats, elected, who decide yes or no on these people. But there's no reason to think that this person would not be a law and order judge. And so I'm not embarrassed about this selection of her. I think she made a very bad choice.  

HH: Okay, this judge issue, Mitt Romney, is it going to plague you in New Hampshire, is it going to hurt you in Iowa? 

MR: You know, there'll be an attempt by some to suggest that all of the judges that someone appoints or votes for are somehow, that their decisions are somehow your responsibility. I just don't think that's the case. If you select somebody who is a known liberal, and they do liberal things, why, that's maybe a different matter. But you have people in the United States Senate that voted for Ruth Bader Ginsberg that would certainly not want to be responsible for all of her decisions. And I don't think it rises to that kind of level. And frankly, it was Mayor Giuliani who tried to do that. And of all the people who might have raised a question of judgment on selecting someone, Mayor Giuliani was not the one to do it, given the fact that he nominated someone to be the secretary of Homeland Security, who he knew was under investigation, and who has since pled guilty to crimes, and is under federal indictment on sixteen other potential crimes.  

HH: Should the Bernie Kerik…or when Rudy urged Bernie Kerik on President Bush, should that a be a concern about his judgment for other people? And will that raise a question about whether or not you'll get Soutered if can't pick judges in Massachusetts? 

MR: You know, I didn't make any comment about Bernie Kerik's connection to Rudy Giuliani. I made no comment about Rudy Giuliani's judgment in that regard. But when he came out and attacked me for a decision of a judge, that was a very different setting, and I responded that he was the last person I would have expected to make that kind of a statement. And I agree with Senator McCain on this, that it showed very bad judgment on Mayor Giuliani's part to have somebody who had been implicated for political corruption being recommended to the President of the United States as the Secretary of Homeland Security.  

HH: Here's what Rudy had to say just earlier today on Fox News.  

RG: I think Mitt has a record, he's got to defend his own record, and I don't think his record is going to be a record that he's going to talk about very much. We talk about our record a lot, and we talk about the things I did in New York, and I want to do them for the rest of the country. And he kind of runs away from it. So there is a difference.   

HH: Your response, Governor Romney? 

MR: (laughing) Well, I talk about my record in my stump speech everywhere I go, and I'm very proud of it. I came into the state when we had a $3 billion dollar budget gap, and I worked together with people across the aisle, and we were able to close that gap in the first year. I balanced the budget every single year. And at the end of four years, I left a $2 billion dollar rainy day fund. Now compare that with Mayor Giuliani's. He came in and faced a $1.5 billion dollar budget gap, but at the end of his tenure, he left a $3 billion dollar budget hole which the new mayor, Mayor Bloomberg, said was an economic mess, which he would not pass along to his successor. And by the way, the tax rate in Boston when I left office, was 5.3%. The tax rate in New York when the Mayor left office was over 10%. So I'm happy to talk about my record. I also put in place a health plan that gets every citizen insured. Those that didn't have insurance now get free market insurance, and that's the right course for America.  

HH: You know, Mara Liasson said on Fox today that your health plan is the same as Hillary's. 

MR: Who said that? 

HH: Mara Liasson said that on Fox News, Brit Hume's Special Report today.  

MR: Oh, you know, I don't know her, but I can tell you this, which is I want to get everybody to get insurance. I don't want people to worry about losing their insurance. But Hillary has a very different plan than mine. Hers cost $110 billion dollars more. Mine costs no more at all. Hers gives people government insurance. I instead help them get private free market insurance. And hers is a one size fits all plan, dictated from Washington. Mine, instead, says let's let each state create their own plan that is consistent with getting people insured. So we have similar objectives, which is helping people to get inside the health care system, but we approach it in a very different way. Mine is a free market way, hers, government.  

HH: Former Massachusetts GOP Chairman, Jim Rappaport, blasted you today when he endorsed Rudy, and called you untrustworthy, blah, blah, blah. What's Jim Rappaport got against Mitt Romney? 

MR: Well, Jim Rappaport wanted to be my lieutenant governor, and worked very hard in a campaign to become lieutenant governor, and I endorsed his opponent, and worked hard for his opponent, and that opponent became my lieutenant governor. Her name is Kerry Healey. She served very well, and Jim is obviously very bitter about that choice. 

HH: The Annapolis Conference gets underway tomorrow, Governor Romney. And a lot of conservatives are skeptical that this is a good idea. What's your assessment of it? 

MR: Well, you know, I have very limited expectations from this conference. The President originally outlined a roadmap for peace in the Middle East, and in Israel. And the first phase of that was that the Palestinians would have security arrangements and governmental institutions which would allow them to make certain commitments that they could follow through on. And that has not happened. As a matter of fact, it's gotten worse, not better. And so calling this conference at this stage, is of potentially very limited value. Of course, it's fine for people to talk with one another, but because on the Palestinian side you really don't have anybody who can make any commitments for which there could be follow through, you have to be very skeptical about the outcome.  

HH: And Governor Romney, yesterday, the Times of London published a story about the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, blasting the United States, heaping scorn on "the chosen nation myth of America," meaning that what happens in America is very much at the heart of God's purpose for humanity, and saying that we had lost the moral high ground since September 11 ^th. One of the jobs of being president is to respond to attacks like this, especially when they come from quarters which are surprising, like the Archbishop of Canterbury. How do you respond to such a broadside from a Church leader like this? 

MR: You know, it does point out that we're very fortunate in our country not to have a state-sponsored religion… 

HH: Yes. 

MR: …because it would be a very difficult thing to have political leaders standing up and saying things of that nature if they were also religious leaders. And you know, I think you have to go through piece by piece, and say with him, he's entitled to his opinion, but he's certainly not speaking for God, and that this is a nation which has sacrificed more than any nation in the history of the Earth to preserve peace, and certainly has saved the bacon of people in Great Britain, and people in Europe generally, and the entire world doesn't speak German today because of the sacrifice of hundreds of thousands of Americans. So it's not a great place for him to be making that kind of comment, and today, we are one of the nations that's taking the lead to keep the spread of violent, radical jihad from developing nuclear weaponry, and potentially threatening the existence of great civilizations.  

HH: Governor Romney, fifteen seconds, the absentees start getting cast in New Hampshire on the 10^th of December. Are you feeling good about the Granite State? 

MR: You know, we're making progress in the Granite State, and in Iowa. I'm pleased. It's going to be a real battle, it's going to be real close before this is finished.  

HH: Mitt Romney, always a pleasure, catch up with you soon again.  

Hugh Hewitt

and Mitt Romney

Hugh Hewitt and Governor Mitt Romney

Hugh Hewitt and Governor Mitt Romney Interviews:

• 09-14-2007; Romney reacts to Moveon and the immigration debate
• 09-06-2007; Mitt Romney on the campaign trail
• 05-05-2007; Mitt Romney a day after winning the GOP presidential debate
• 04-02-2007; Mitt Romney on his campaign's $20 million dollar quarter
• 03-21-2007; Governor Mitt Romney 3-21-07 Interview
• 02-09-2007; Mitt Romney from the presidential campaign trail
• 01-15-2007; Mitt Romney on the presidential race, Iraq, Iran, education
• 12-27-2006; Mitt Romney year end thoughts
• 11-02-2006; Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney on John Kerry's slander of the military
• 09-06-2006; Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney comments on the Khatami visit to Harvard

Take Charge

Today, Romney for President launched its newest television ad, "Take Charge." 
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpBqg6sKYB0
 
The ad highlights Governor Romney's record of enforcing our immigration laws and opposing efforts to increase the benefits for illegal immigration.  As President, Governor Romney will work to secure our border, reform our immigration system and fight sanctuary policies. 
 
The ad will begin airing as part of the campaign's rotation today in Iowa and New Hampshire.  Script and viewing links are below. 
 
Script For "Take Charge" (TV:30):
 
ANNOUNCER:  "Illegal immigration – we need smart, tough solutions, not just talk.
 
"What will it take to fix it?  Technology, new ideas, guts, values – Mitt Romney.
 
"He said no to driver's licenses for illegals; no to in-state tuition; fought for English in the classroom.
 
"The only candidate with a proven record of fixing the big problems.
 
"From day one: Mitt Romney will do what he does best – take charge, demand results, no excuses."
 
GOVERNOR MITT ROMNEY:  "I'm Mitt Romney and I approve this message."

The False Conservative

The False Conservative

By Robert D. Novak
Monday, November 26, 2007; A15

Who would respond to criticism from the Club for Growth by calling the conservative, free-market campaign organization the "Club for Greed"? That sounds like Howard Dean, Dennis Kucinich or John Edwards, all Democrats preaching the class struggle. In fact, the rejoinder comes from Mike Huckabee, who has broken out of the pack of second-tier Republican presidential candidates to become a serious contender -- definitely in Iowa and perhaps nationally.

Huckabee is campaigning as a conservative, but serious Republicans know that he is a high-tax, protectionist advocate of big government and a strong hand in the Oval Office directing the lives of Americans. Until now, they did not bother to expose the former governor of Arkansas as a false conservative because he seemed an underfunded, unknown nuisance candidate. Now that he has pulled even with Mitt Romney for the Iowa caucuses and might make more progress, the beleaguered Republican Party has a frightening problem.

The rise of evangelical Christians as the force that blasted the GOP out of minority status during the past generation always contained an inherent danger: What if these new Republican acolytes supported not merely a conventional conservative but one of their own? That has happened with Huckabee, a former Baptist minister educated at Ouachita Baptist University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. The danger is a serious contender for the nomination who passes the litmus test of social conservatives on abortion, gay marriage and gun control but is far removed from the conservative-libertarian model of Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan .

There is no doubt about Huckabee's record during a decade in Little Rock. He was regarded by fellow Republican governors as a compulsive tax-and-spender. He increased the Arkansas tax burden 47 percent, boosting the levies on gasoline and cigarettes. When he lost 100 pounds and decided to press his new lifestyle on the American people, he was hardly being a Goldwater-Reagan libertarian.

As a presidential candidate, Huckabee has sought to counteract his reputation as a taxer by pressing for replacement of the income tax with a sales tax. More recently he signed the no-tax-increase pledge of Americans for Tax Reform. But Huckabee simply does not fit within normal boundaries of economic conservatism, such as when he criticized President Bush's veto of a Democratic expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program. Calling global warming a "moral issue" mandating "a biblical duty" to prevent climate change, he has endorsed a cap-and-trade system that is anathema to the free market.

Huckabee clearly departs from the mainstream of the conservative movement in his confusion of "growth" with "greed." Such ad hominem attacks are part of his intuitive response to criticism from the Club for Growth and the libertarian Cato Institute about his record as governor. On " Fox News Sunday" on Nov. 18, he called the "tactics" of the Club for Growth "some of the most despicable in politics today. It's why I love to call them the Club for Greed, because they won't tell you who gave their money." In fact, all contributors to the organization's political action committee (which produces campaign ads) are publicly revealed, as are most donors financing issue ads.

Quin Hillyer, a former Arkansas journalist writing in the conservative American Spectator, called Huckabee "a guy with a thin skin, a nasty vindictive streak." Huckabee's retort was to attack Hillyer's journalistic procedures, fitting a mean-spirited image when he responds to conservative criticism.

Nevertheless, he is getting remarkably warm reviews in the news media as the most humorous, entertaining and interesting GOP presidential hopeful. Contrary to descriptions by old associates, he is now called "jovial" or "good-natured." Any Republican who does not sound much like a Republican is bound to get friendly press, as Sen. John McCain did in 2000 (but not today, with his return to acting more like a conventional Republican).

An uncompromising foe of abortion can never enjoy full media backing. But Mike Huckabee is getting enough favorable buzz that, when combined with his evangelical base, it makes real conservatives shudder.

fuzzy math from Rudy

Last night, Howard Nemerov at the Media Research Council's NewsBusters blog reviewed Governor Romney's record on violent crime and found that "the overall [violent] rate dropped 7.8% from 484.9 in 2002 to 447.0 in 2006."  He concludes, "No matter the comparison––total incidents or rates per 100,000 population––Giuliani was wrong to state that Massachusetts saw a violent crime increase while Romney was governor."
 
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/howard-nemerov/2007/11/25/who-s-tougher-crime-romney-or-giuliani
 
And this morning, in an appearance on MSNBC's "Morning Joe," Mayor Giuliani distorted Governor Romney's record again.  While Mayor Giuliani has apparently recognized his earlier error and dropped any reference to overall violent crime, Mayor Giuliani did claim that "aggravated assault … went up while he was governor." 
 
RUDY GIULIANI: Boston Herald had a big piece on this about two months ago; crime, murder, aggravated assault, burglary all went up while he was governor. In the case of robbery, it went up 12%. And those are all areas in which while I was mayor of New York, those categories went down by 70%. So there's a big difference in his record as a governor, which in the area of these violent crimes was very poor as the Boston Herald pointed out, and my record as mayor was one of the best records from the point of view of safety and security in the country.
 
On the contrary, as the same NewsBusters post points out from FBI data, "aggravated assault decreased 14.8%" during Governor Romney's term.  Just another example of Mayor Giuliani's "fuzzy math."