Republican presidential hopeful former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney laughs with his wife Ann on a jet in Myrtle Beach, S.C., Friday, Jan. 11, 2008. (AP Photo/LM Otero) Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All right reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Pride of America

Today, Romney for President launched its newest television ad, "Pride of America." 

 

          http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkJ7LnyID7k

 

The ad features Governor Romney discussing the need to change Washington so we can invest in unleashing the power of Michigan.  Governor Romney grew up in Michigan and knows Michigan's potential.  For him, Michigan is personal, and he will work to end the state's one-state recession.  Governor Romney is asking the people of Michigan to vote for building a better future for their state and our nation.

 

The ad will begin airing as part of the campaign's rotation tomorrow in Michigan.  Script and ad facts follow.

 

Script For "Pride Of America" (TV:30):

 

GOVERNOR MITT ROMNEY:  "I grew up in Michigan when Michigan was the pride of America.

 

"It breaks my heart to see us in a one-state recession.

 

"We can change that.

 

"We need new leaders with the experience and energy to turn us around.

 

"Let's invest in the future with new technology and innovation and unleash the power of Michigan.

 

"I'll work everyday to change Washington and bring us back, because Michigan is personal to me.

 

"I'm Mitt Romney and I approve this message and ask for your vote."

 

AD FACTS: Script For "Pride Of America" (TV:30):

 

Grand Rapids Press:  "We Stand At A Critical Moment, Bearing On Our Backs A Worst-In-The-Nation Unemployment Rate, Staring At An Uncertain Future."  "Many issues will confront the nation in the next four years, from the ongoing threat of terrorism to the need to find a sensible immigration policy. For Michigan, however, one challenge dominates: the economy. We stand at a critical moment, bearing on our backs a worst-in-the-nation unemployment rate, staring at an uncertain future."  (Editorial, "Press Editorial Board Endorses Romney," Grand Rapids Press, 1/11/08)

 

Oakland Press:  "'Favorite Son' Romney Is Best GOP Choice In Primary."  "We urge Republican Party faithfuls to stand up and vote for Mitt Romney. … Equally critical, Romney knows how to get a state out of debt and, being from Michigan, he certainly has an empathy for the state that the other candidates, both GOP and Democratic, don't have. With Michigan's horrible economy and other problems, we need as much clout in Washington as possible and Romney promises to give us that."  (Editorial, "'Favorite Son' Romney Is Best GOP Choice In Primary," Oakland Press, 1/11/08)

 

Grand Rapids Press:  "…Mitt Romney Has Our Vote In The Republican Presidential Primary."  "Among Republicans on the ballot in Tuesday's presidential primary, two candidates would offer solid leadership, Arizona Sen. John McCain and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. However, when it comes to Michigan's challenges and needs, the passion and knowledge of Mr. Romney tip the scales in his favor. During a visit with Press editors this week, Mr. Romney vowed, 'I will not sleep until Michigan is strong and active and vibrant again.' Because of that focus, MITT ROMNEY has our vote in the Republican presidential primary." (Editorial, "Press Editorial Board Endorses Romney," Grand Rapids Press, 1/11/08)

From Miguel

I believe that John McCain is not being confronted enough on these debates with his immigration record.  What is not getting enough coverage is that when asked about his immigration bill, he never apoligizes for it.  He says we need to restore trust in goverment first by securing the borders.  Translation: you guys are very mad at me, once you come down a little bit, you are getting amnesty for ilegals.  This needs to be brought up in one of these debates, someone needs to get the senator to answer whether he still supports alowing illegals to stay here or not.
And Gov Romney shouldnt let him keep reminding us about his stand in Iraq.  Next time he brings it up he should ask him if we are supposed to forget about amnesty for illegals because of his support of the surge.  Or are we supposed to forget about Campaign finance reform, or forget about describing the Bush Tax cuts using the democrats talking points that they were tax cuts for the rich?
Romney should remind people that if it wasn't for the senators support of the war in Iraq and support of prolife issues, he has far more in common with liberal democrats than he does with Reagan conservatives.
That would be straight talk.

From My Man Mitt

John Nevin penned an op/ed for the Detroit Free Press yesterday. In that op/ed he argued that Mitt Romney is the best candidate for the Michigan and the Great Lakes:
 
Mitt Romney grew up in that tradition and has a firsthand appreciation of how important the Great Lakes are to Michigan's high quality of life. Romney knows that Michigan's ecology and economy depend on healthy Great Lakes and clean water that is safe for drinking, beaches that are safe for swimming, and fish that are safe for eating.

We go ahold of Mr. Nevin and asked him a few follow-up questions.

MMM: What part of Michigan are you from?

JN: I am from Holt, a suburb of Lansing, right near Michigan State University.

MMM: What is your occupation?

JN: I am a policy adviser to a binational group that provides advice to governments regarding water quality and water quantity issues. Previously, I wrote speeches and provided communications advice to Governor John Engler for 12 years.

MMM: How would you describe your political leanings?

JN: My political leanings are definitely conservative but with a pragmatic, common sense approach that emphasizes results more than ideology. I am strongly pro-life and wouldn't support a candidate who wasn't.

MMM: Why endorse Mitt Romney?

JN: I've endorsed Mitt Romney for many reasons. He's an experienced executive with a track record of success who understands how to manage change and to transform complex organizations. Second, just looking at his family, you know right away that he is an incredibly strong and compassionate leader. He doesn't need the presidency. The presidency needs him.

MMM: You say in your Op/Ed that Mitt Romney will be best for Michigan and the Great Lakes. Why?

JN: Mitt would be best for the Great Lakes because I know he wouldn't tolerate the lack of responsibility and accountability for current programs. He's the only candidate who would have the ability to slash the bureaucracy, reorganize and focus on the key threats to the lakes. The bottom line is that Mitt is all about results and that's the kind of leadership we need. And of course, it helps that he is from Michigan and has a true understanding and appreciation for how important the lakes are to our state, our economy and our culture.

Remember, We're Choosing a President

Return to the Article

January 08, 2008

Remember, We're Choosing a President

By Thomas Sowell

It was not that long ago that the big political question was how Rudolph Giuliani would do against Hillary Clinton in the November election.

The Iowa caucus votes have made that question sound like ancient history, if not science fiction. The results of the Iowa caucus are only a small part of the story of this election year but their implications are significant.

One implication that reaches well beyond politics is that a state that is 95 percent white gave its biggest vote total to a black man.

More Iowa women voted for Obama than for Hillary. So much for the "race, class and gender" mantra among the intelligentsia.

So much also for the "inevitable" or "invincible" candidacy of Hillary Clinton. Perhaps the biggest story out of Iowa is that 71 percent of Democrats voted against Hillary.

The next biggest story is that no one in either party won a majority. It is still a wide-open race in both parties.

As for the Republicans, Mike Huckabee won by 8 percentage points in a state where 60 percent of the Republican voters were evangelicals.

However surprising his victory, it was not massive by any means and the large evangelical factor will not be there in most other states, even among Republican voters-- much less in the general election in November.

With all the media attention to the various political rivalries in both parties, it is easy to lose sight of the fact that all of this is ultimately about choosing a President of the United States.

The question of what kind of President each candidate would make is infinitely more important than all the "horse race" handicapping that dominates the media.

By far the best presentation as a candidate, among all the candidates in both parties, is that of Barack Obama. But if he actually believes even half of the irresponsible nonsense he talks, he would be an utter disaster in the White House.

Among the Democrats, the choice between John Edwards and Barack Obama depends on whether you prefer glib demagoguery in its plain vanilla form or spiced with a little style and color.

The choice between both of them and Hillary Clinton depends on whether you prefer male or female demagoguery.

Among the Republicans, there are misgivings about the track record of each of the candidates, especially those who have shown what Thorstein Veblen once called "a versatility of convictions."

There are fewer reasons for misgivings about Fred Thompson's track record in the Senate but more reason to be concerned about what his unfocused and lackluster conduct of his campaign might portend for his performance in the White House.

When it comes to personal temperament, Governor Romney would rate the highest for his even keel, regardless of what events are swirling around him, with Rudolph Giuliani a close second.

Temperament is far more important for a President than for a candidate. A President has to be on an even keel 24/7, for four long years, despite crises that can break out anywhere in the world at any time.

John McCain trails the pack in the temperament department, with his volatile, arrogant, and abrasive know-it-all attitude. His track record in the Senate is full of the betrayals of Republican supporters that have been the party's biggest failing over the years and its Achilles heel politically.

The elder President Bush's betrayal of his "no new taxes" pledge was the classic example, but the current President Bush's attempt to get amnesty for illegal aliens, with Senator McCain's help, was more of the same.

President Ford's pardon of Richard Nixon probably cost him the 1976 election and cost the country the disastrous Carter years.

McCain's betrayals include not only the amnesty bill but also the McCain-Feingold bill that violated the First Amendment for the illusion of "taking money out of politics." His back-door deal with Democrats on judicial nominations also pulled the rug out from under his party leaders in the Senate.

The White House is not the place for a loose cannon.

Copyright 2008, Creators Syndicate Inc.

Page Printed from: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/01/what_does_it_mean.html at January 09, 2008 - 03:13:54 PM PST

From the Corner:

http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=NTIwZDQ2YjVmNWZlMGE5ZWVmODRjMzM3MGY2YjU4Nzk=

RUSH:

I want to remind all my Republican friends that there are many states after Iowa and New Hampshire where the Republican populations are far more indicative of the conservative base, and to get caught up in what happened in Iowa, to get caught up in what's going to happen in New Hampshire as though they're the only two states that matter and that they're going to determine the fallout on both parties is a little bit over the top.

Iowa is a caucus; it's a weird setup. New Hampshire allows independents to vote in the Republican primary, which is why McCain is doing as well as he is doing, and it's why the media want this to be a bellwether against Romney. I mean, Pat Buchanan came in second. He came in a very strong second in New Hampshire in 1992. Now, I'm not saying that these contests are not to be taken seriously here, and that they're not to be fought and to be won, but we don't want to get ahead of ourselves. New Hampshire is no longer the conservative barometer it used to be. The state has changed, it is now quite liberal. A lot of people who used to live in Massachusetts have moved into New Hampshire to escape New Hampshire's high taxation and other problems. New England generally the northern states, states like Iowa, is not where the conservative base resides in large numbers. The Drive-By Media would love to destroy the conservative coalition. They would love to destroy the conservative base to the Republican Party. That's why they are promoting Huckabee; it is why they are promoting McCain.

Strategy For A Stronger America: The Romney Agenda For Tomorrow

Saturday, Jan 05, 2008

"No one votes for yesterday. We vote for tomorrow. Elections are about the future – our future, our families' future, our nation's future." – Governor Romney


In The Past Year, Governor Romney Has Outlined His Vision For Building A Stronger America And A Brighter Future For Generations To Come. The future is now and the only by changing Washington will we be able to solve the great challenges confronting our country today. Washington is broken and unable to meet the challenges ahead. Governor Romney has proposed a Strategy for a Stronger America that will strengthen our economy, our military and our families.

TO DO: Make America Safer:

Governor Romney Will Strengthen Our Military. Across America, there are thousands of families with members in the Armed Forces, Reserves and National Guard who need more support from Washington. To make America safer, Governor Romney will:

- Add At Least 100,000 More Troops To Our Armed Forces.

- Commit At Least 4% Of Our Gross Domestic Product To Defense. This will help provide the resources needed for equipment, modernization, training and care of our wounded soldiers.

- Ensuring Funds Are Used To Support Our Forces By Eliminating Waste And Washington Pork. Governor Romney will bring together a team of private-sector and defense experts to carry out a stem-to-stern review of military purchasing.

- Establish A Special Partnership Force (SPF) To Harness All Elements Of Our National Power In Contested Areas To Defeat Jihadists. The SPF will integrate all elements of national power under a new force with leadership drawn from our Army Special Forces trained to work with civilian governments and intelligence personnel to form a new capability to help defeat the Jihadists.

- Create A Permanent Rapid Innovation Force To Ensure Our Troops In Harm's Way Have The Equipment And Technology They Need. The Rapid Innovation Force will rapidly deploy the equipment and innovative solutions our troops need for their success and protection.

Governor Romney Will Strengthen Our Alliances Around The World. America's strength is amplified when it is combined with the strength of other nations. We need to expand alliances such as NATO and efforts among the world's leading nations to face the new threat of radical Jihad and increase our homeland security. To make America safer, Governor Romney will:

- Launch A New Type Of Marshall Plan Unifying Non-Military Sources Of Power To Support Moderate Muslims. As President, Governor Romney will call together our Middle East allies and the major nations of the developed world to establish a Partnership for Prosperity and Progress. This Partnership will assemble the resources of all developed nations to assure that threatened Islamic states have public schools, micro-credit and banking, the rule of law, human rights, basic health care, and competitive economic policies.

- Build A Global Network Against Terror And Transnational Threats To Link Intelligence From Around The World. The Global Network will link intelligence and law enforcement capabilities around the world to share data about border crossings, biometric indicators, passport fraud, nuclear and biological threats, criminal patterns, human trafficking and drug trafficking.

Governor Romney Will Strengthen Our Intelligence Community. 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. To make America safer, Governor Romney will:

- Strengthen Our Intelligence Communities By Eliminating Bureaucracy And Moving Resources To The Field. We need to eliminate duplicative efforts, revitalize recruitment and prioritize efforts in the field, expanding human intelligence

- Maintain The Patriot Act. The Patriot Act has given our men and women in the law enforcement and intelligence communities the tools they need to defend America.

- Listen When Terrorists Call Into The United States. Our most basic civil liberty is the right to be kept alive and Governor Romney will use every tool at our disposal to keep America safe.

TO DO: End Illegal Immigration:

Governor Romney Will Enforce Our Laws And Reform Our Immigration System. America's immigration system is broken, but for too long all our leaders in Washington have done is talk about ending illegal immigration. Governor Romney believes we must enforce and reform our immigration laws so that we can end illegal immigration. To end illegal immigraiton, Governor Romney will:

- Secure The Border. Governor Romney will follow through on the Congressional commitment to build a physical and technological fence along the southern border, and secure other points of entry throughout the country.

- Implement A Mandatory And Enforceable Employment Verification System. Governor Romney will issue a biometrically-enabled and tamperproof card to non-citizens and create a national database so employers can easily verify the legal status of non-citizens in this country.

- Hold Employers Accountable. Governor Romney will make it easier for employers to verify legal status and work authorization of non-citizens through a federal database. Employers will be held accountable if they hire illegal immigrants with stiffer fines and penalties.

- Reject Amnesty. Governor Romney opposes amnesty or any special path to citizenship for those here illegally.

- End The Magnet Of "Sanctuary Cities." Governor Romney will cut back federal funding to cities that are "sanctuaries" for illegal immigrants.

- Oppose Any Special Benefits For Illegal Immigrants. Governor Romney opposes giving driver's licenses or in-state tuition to those here illegally. He believes states should not provide those types of incentives. As President, he will cut back federal funding to states that do so.

- Promote State And Local Partnerships With Federal Immigration Officials. More state and local authorities should work with the federal government to enforce immigration laws.

- Improve Interior Enforcement. Governor Romney will provide additional resources to enforce existing immigration laws throughout the nation.

- Teach English In Our Schools. Governor Romney believes we must teach English in our classrooms because to be successful you have to speak the language of America.

- End Chain Migration. Governor Romney believes we should end the policy of chain migration that says if a child is born here to illegal immigrants then, by right, the entire family is brought in based upon that child's citizenship.

- Encourage Legal Immigration. Governor Romney will streamline the visa system to recruit and retain skilled workers in high demand by U.S. companies. He will also welcome the best and the brightest from around the world to our universities.

TO DO: Reduce Taxes:

Governor Romney Will Lower Taxes On The American People. Lower taxes are the key to ensuring continued economic growth and job creation. However, our economy is threatened by looming tax hikes. To reduce taxes, Governor Romney will:

- Make The Bush Tax Cuts Permanent. Making the Bush Tax Cuts permanent is the first step to ensuring that Americans are able to keep more of their hard-earned money.

- Roll Back Tax Rates For All Americans. As President, Governor Romney will cut marginal tax rates across the board, allowing all Americans to save more money.

- Make Middle Class Savings Tax Free. Governor Romney's plan will allow middle class Americans to save tax free by changing the tax rate on interest, capital gains and dividends to absolutely 0%.

- Kill The Death Tax. It is unfair to tax Americans three times: once when they earn their money; second when they invest it and receive income from those investments; and third when they die.

- Lower The Corporate Tax Rate. The United States has the second highest corporate tax rate in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. We cannot afford to have a tax rate that is out of alignment with the other major economies of the world.

- Oppose Any Increase In Social Security Taxes. We can strengthen Social Security without resorting to higher Social Security taxes that will impact all Americans. Governor Romney will oppose any proposed increase in Social Security taxes.

- Prevent The Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) From Hurting More American Families. At the very least, Congress must pass a patch to the AMT that will prevent this tax from affecting more and more families in America.

TO DO: Cut Pork:

Governor Romney Will End Washington's Spending Binge. Americans are concerned about the overspending in Washington. Like the millions of families and businesses across the country, government should also live within a budget. To end Washington's spending binge, Governor Romney will:

- Veto Appropriations Bills That Exceed Spending Targets. He will veto any non-defense appropriations bill that grows spending at a rate greater than inflation minus one percent (CPI-1%). This will save $300 billion over 10 years.

- Give The President The Line-Item Veto Power Again. Restoring this power to the President would allow us to make tremendous strides in eliminating earmarks and cutting inefficient programs.

- Lead An Effort To Review And Reevaluate All Federal Spending Programs. Governor Romney's administration will undertake an exhaustive review of each individual federal program to eliminate and consolidate programs that are no longer useful or are bureaucratic and unwieldy.

- Give The Executive Branch The Authority To Spend Up To 25% Less Than Congress Appropriates. The amount of money Congress tells the President to spend should be a spending ceiling, not a final price tag.

- Call On Congress To Re-Impose A Three-Fifths (60%) Supermajority Requirement To Raise Taxes. Making it even harder to attempt to increase taxes will help impose the fiscal discipline we need to stop overspending.

TO DO: Better Care For Veterans:

Governor Romney Will Improve Care For Our Veterans And Enhance Aid For Our Military Families. Washington is failing our veterans. Governor Romney believes we must do more to support our men and women in uniform, their families and those who have returned home after serving their country. To enhance care for our veterans and military families, Governor Romney will:

- Ensure That The Value Of The Montgomery G.I. Bill Keeps Pace With Rising Educational Expenses. Governor Romney will call for a regular outside review of Montgomery G.I. Bill benefits to ensure that our veterans, active duty military, and their eligible spouses and dependents have the resources they need to pursue the opportunities they deserve.

- Ensure Military Dependents Get Access To In-State Tuition At Public Colleges And Universities. Governor Romney will call on every state to extend in-state tuition benefits to military dependents whose parents are stationed there and, furthermore, to permit the continuation of the in-state tuition rate even if their parents are reassigned and forced to leave the state.

TO DO: Health Insurance For Everyone:

Governor Romney Has Proposed A Conservative Blueprint To Make Health Care More Affordable And Accessible. Governor Romney has outlined a comprehensive solution to America's health care ills that expands access to affordable, portable, quality, private health insurance. For too long, too many have talked about reforming health care. To make health care more affordable, Governor Romney will:

- Establish Federal Incentives To Deregulate And Reform State Health Insurance Markets So Market Forces Can Work.

- Redirect Federal Spending On "Free Care" To Help The Low-Income Uninsured Purchase Private Insurance.

- Institute Health Savings Account (HSA) Enhancements And The Full Deductibility Of Qualified Medical Expenses.

- Promote Innovation In Medicaid.

- Implement Medical Liability Reform.

- Bring Market Dynamics And Modern Technology To Health Care.

TO DO: End Dependence On Foreign Oil:

Governor Romney Will Work To Make America Energy Independent. Energy costs that put pressure on household finances are a major concern for families. Yet, for too long, Washington insiders have talked about making America energy independent. To end our dependence on foreign oil, Governor Romney will:

- Make Energy Independence A Top Administration Priority. Because energy independence is crucial to our economy and national security, Governor Romney will make it a top administration priority to become energy independent.

- Expand Investment In Research, Development, And Demonstration Projects. This investment will encourage the commercialization of alternative energy.

- Increase Domestic Production, Including Renewable Sources, Biodiesel, Solar And Wind. Governor Romney will pursue our domestic sources of energy, drawing from our broad and diverse base of options, including opening ANWR.

- Increase Focus On Energy Security. Governor Romney will shift federal priorities to emphasize issues of energy security, particularly at the Department of Energy.

- Promote Nuclear Technology. Governor Romney will accelerate the construction of new nuclear power plants in order to ensure that nuclear power continues to be a part of a robust, cleaner and more reliable energy mix.

TO DO: Make Government Simpler, Smaller:

Governor Romney Will Cut The Size Of Government. Government in Washington has become duplicative, burdensome and inefficient. Our government is broken and can only be changed with someone from outside of Washington free of any special interest. To make government simpler and smaller, Governor Romney will:

- Lead An Effort To Review And Reevaluate All Federal Spending Programs. Governor Romney's administration will undertake an exhaustive review of each individual federal program to eliminate and consolidate programs that are no longer useful or are bureaucratic and unwieldy.

TO DO: Grow The Economy And Keep Our Jobs:

Governor Romney Will Maintain America's Competitiveness In The Global Economy. Governor Romney will work to ensure that America's economy, businesses and workers have the tools they need to compete in this global economy. To grow the economy and keep our jobs, Governor Romney will:

- Launch A "Reagan Zone Of Economic Freedom" Among Nations Committed To High Standards and Enforcement: Governor Romney will seek to bring together nations committed to open markets and playing by the rules in the largest ever Free Trade Area, and go beyond traditional trade to promote high standards in areas critical to U.S. competitiveness.

- Conclude Existing Negotiations, Like The Doha Round, To Benefit America. The Doha Round and free trade agreements can be huge opportunities for America.

- Expand Enforcement And New Frontiers Of U.S. Competitiveness. Governor Romney's vision for expanding trade includes stronger enforcement efforts, multilateral efforts to stop currency manipulation, action against intellectual property rights theft, negotiations to open markets for services, and building food, safety and other standards to protect Americans.

- Give The President Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) To Open Markets For America.

- Create Worker Empowerment And Training Accounts. These self-managed accounts will give workers the opportunity to take control of their own futures by getting the training and education they need to succeed in the new economy.

- Streamline And Enhance Access To Worker Training And Educational Programs. Governor Romney will initiate an audit of all existing worker training and educational programs to ensure that workers are being helped most efficiently.

- Provide Employers With Regulatory Relief. As President, Governor Romney will eliminate cumbersome and unnecessary regulations and bureaucracies that hinder economic growth.

- Strengthen Our Education System. As President, Governor Romney will emphasize math and science education, while promoting innovative approaches such as charter schools and public-private partnerships.

- Invest In Building And Repairing The Nation's Transportation Infrastructure.

TO DO: Fix Social Security:

Governor Romney Will Work To Fix Social Security. By 2050, total entitlement spending by the government will reach nearly 20% of America's GDP. This reality demands action now. Future generations can no longer afford inaction. To fix Social Security, Governor Romney will:

- Work With Congress To Reform Social Security. In a forthright and bipartisan manner, Governor Romney will work with Congress to find a bipartisan way to reform Social Security while opposing higher Social Security taxes.

TO DO: Put People Ahead Of Selfish Interest:

Governor Romney Believes Officials In Washington Should Live Up To Higher Ethical Standards. Far too often, the American people have been forced to put up with the ethical problems of our nation's representatives in Washington. Those we elect should live up to a higher standard. To bring a higher standard to Washington, Governor Romney will:

- Enact A New Ethics Law That Strips Those Who Violate The Public Trust Of Their Government Pensions. Any elected official or federal official who violates the public's trust should be stripped of the taxpayer funded pensions.

- Prohibit Family Members Of Cabinet And Senior Staff Members From Lobbying The Executive Branch. As President, one of Governor Romney's first acts will be to issue an Executive Order prohibiting the immediate family of an Cabinet or Senior Staff member from lobbying the Executive Branch.

Rich Lowry vs. Michael Medved: “isn’t anyone reading the exit polls?”

http://corner.nationalreview.com/

"Huckabee took 14% of the vote and came in fourth in the Iowa caucus among non-evangelicals according to the NBC Republican exit poll. Huckabee's principal voting block was female born-again Christian Republicans living in non-urban rural areas with a population below 10,000. I dearly love such people, but demographically in the country at large there aren't that many of them.When Huckabee moves out of caucus Iowa and into primary state America, he's going to get killed."

Michael Medved just said that is a lie, and that the majority of evangelicals voted against Huckabee. This is were Medved lies with statistics. You see, evangelicals split their votes among Huckabee, Romney, McCain, and Fred Thompson. So perhaps a "majority" of evangelicals did not support Huckabee, but what Rich Lowry said above. Huckabee came in 4rth among non-evangelicals.

But who cares? Why point this out? Am I offending Evangelicals? Well it all has to do with the story line. Medved is going on and on about how wonderful Huckabee is, and how positive Huckabee has been, and that Huckabee has not gone negative.

Huckabee is negative. Huckabee:

• Called Mitt Romney a liar on many occasions. Saying Mitt Romney is "dishonest and desperate"
• Said Mitt Romney is disparate (see above)
• Suggested that Romney should commit suicide (Google it)
• Huckabee's campaign manager said he would like to knock Romney's teeth out
• Huckabee has continued to leave posts on his website for over a month now that say that "Mitt Romney worships Satan" and is a "piece of Mormon Garbage". Their are hundreds of these comments on Huckabee's website, which is a clearning house of anti-Mormon information
• Said that Mitt Romney is lying running for president, and that he would lie once he became president
  

And Medved has the audacity to go on and on about how positive Huckabee's message has been.

Michael Medved, how are citizens supposed to pick a president? Who ever is the nicest? IS that how we should pick who is president? There is a song that says, you got to be cruel to be kind. It is much NICER that mitt Romney kindly point out that Mike Huckabee pardoned 1,033 people, 12 of whom were convicted murderers, than to have the Democrats release cruel and humiliating heartfealt interviews with the families of these victims, destroying Mike Huckabee and any future that he had.

Mitt Romney is not making this personal. Mike Huckabee is calling Mitt Romney names, saying he isn't a liar, and Huckabee's website says that "Romney worships Satan". Mitt Romney is doing what campaigns should be about: issues. Michael Medved is destroying our ability to reason by saying that being nice is more important than fighting it out and seeing who and what is correct, and who is the last man standing.

This is the time for us to "fight it out" in the war of ideas. If you go to Brittan, and you go to the house of commons, their is none of the "I would like to turn the time over to my esteemed colleague" stuff that you have in the US Senate. They have a nock down drag out fight, and that is what we need to figure out who is best qualified to take on the democrats.

Not a mean spirited fight. But a respectful, but honest discussion of the issues.

And the Ironic thing is that that is exactly how Medved treats his guest. I would like to listen to the Michael Medved show if he could never point out problems with what his guest were saying, like he wants Mitt Romney to never point out problems with the other candidates.

Rush

Rush on Mitt Romney:
• Mitt Romney Raised the Bar
• Romney Looked Great on MTP
• Drive-By Media Out to Get Mitt
• Romney Speech Freaks Out Libs
• Mitt Romney's Inspiring Speech
• Mitt, Buckley, the GOP's Future

 

El Rushbo on Mike Huckabee:

• What if Huckabee Wins Iowa? • Analyzing This: The Mike Huckabee Appeal • Huckabee Campaign Chairman Ed Rollins Trashes Rush Instead of Debating Conservatism • Governor Huckabee Forces Attack El Rushbo • Callers React to Huckabee Attacks on Rush • Democrats Want Mike Huckabee

Identity Politics and the Hucksters

We've seen this phenomenon before with Ross Perot.

Fact Check?

Mickey Kaus and Ramesh Ponuru (who is a McCain supporter) both say that Romney got the immigration position of McCain right in the contrast ad he's aired. Kaus says:
Santora [of the NY Times] has to be wrong. ... [pause for Googling] ... He is. Under McCain's bill, legal immigrants wouldn't collect Social Security "only after they are citizens." They would collect Social Security after they had become legal. In fact, legal immigrants apparently don't even have to become citizens now, under current law--if they're legalized, they can collect Social Security, even for work they performed here when they were illegal.

The distinction between "citizen" and "legal" is important, because it's easier to become a legal worker than it is to "wait" and become a full-fledged citizen. And McCain's "comprehensive immigration reform" would have legalized millions of current illegals fairly quickly. Hence, it would ... how to put it? ... "allow illegals to collect Social Security." Romney's charge seems basically accurate.
Ponuru adds:
I agree with Mickey Kaus that the media fact-checkers in this debate are distorting it more than the actual participants.

Illegals granted Social Security

Hot topic now (again) . . . and that's GOOD NEWS!!
McCain supporters and his media apologists are claiming that McCain didn't support SS for illegals.

The truth is on our side

Illegals granted Social Security
The Washington Times
By: Charles Hurt
May 19, 2006
The Senate voted yesterday to allow illegal aliens to collect Social Security
benefits based on past illegal employment — even if the job was obtained
through forged or stolen documents.
"There was a felony they were committing, and now they can't be prosecuted. That
sounds like amnesty to me," said Sen. John Ensign, the Nevada Republican who
offered the amendment yesterday to strip out those provisions of the immigration
reform bill. "It just boggles the mind how people could be against this
amendment."
The Ensign amendment was defeated on a 50-49 vote.
"We all know that millions of undocumented immigrants pay Social Security and
Medicare taxes for years and sometimes decades while they work to contribute to
our economy," said Sen. John McCain, Arizona Republican.
"The Ensign amendment would undermine the work of these people by preventing
lawfully present immigrant workers from claiming Social Security benefits that
they earned before they were authorized to work in our community," he said. "If
this amendment were enacted, the nest egg that these immigrants have worked hard
for would be taken from them and their families."
**************

On The Issues has the info:
http://www.issues2000.org/2008/John_McCain_Immigration.htm
Voted YES on allowing illegal aliens to participate in Social Security.
Voting YEA would table (kill) the proposed amendment to prohibit illegal immigrants from receiving Social Security benefits. Voting NAY supports that prohibition, while voting YEA supports immigrants participating in Social Security. Text of amendment:
To reduce document fraud, prevent identity theft, and preserve the integrity of the Social Security system, by ensuring that persons who receive an adjustment of status under this bill are not able to receive Social Security benefits as a result of unlawful activity.
* Proponents of the amendment say to vote NAY because:The Immigration Reform bill would allow people to qualify for social security based on work they did while they were illegally present in the US and illegally working in the US. People who broke the law to come here and broke the law to work here can benefit from their conduct to collect social security.
* In some cases, illegal immigrants may have stolen an American citizen's identity. They may have stolen an American's social security number to fraudulently work. This amendment corrects this problem.
* Opponents of the amendment say to vote YEA because: Americans understand that for years there are undocumented workers who have tried to follow our laws and be good neighbors and good citizens, and have paid into the Social Security Trust Fund.
* Once that person regularizes his or her status, and as they proceed down the path to earned citizenship, they should have the benefit after having followed the law and made those contributions. That is fairness.
* We should not steal their funds or empty their Social Security accounts. That is not fair. It does not reward their hard work or their financial contributions.
* The amendment proposes to change existing law to prohibit an individual from gaining the benefit of any contributions made while the individual was in an undocumented status. I oppose this amendment and believe it is wrong.
Reference: Preclusion of Social Security Credits; Bill S.Amdt.3985 to S.2611 ; vote number 2006-130 on May 18, 2006
Actually, under McCain's bill once Illegals gained citizenship they would be credited/payed back all of their social-security withholdings that they had accrued WHILE WORKING AND LIVING HERE ILLEGALLY.
That was a very disturbing part of the bill that McCain authored.
McCain DID support social security benefits for current illegals and that is what the ad claimed. I know that facts hurt, but McCain can only blame himself. Apparently McCain doesn't now support such benefits. That's the right side of the issue and I'm glad he's come over to it. But this has hardly been an area where we're getting any straight talk from Mr. McCain.

"Romney Spoke In Glowing Terms That Evoked The Sunny Optimism Of Former President Reagan"

Friday, December 28, 2007

"Romney Spoke In Glowing Terms That Evoked The Sunny Optimism Of Former President Reagan"

Posted by: Hugh Hewitt  at 10:08 AM

From the AP's Glen Johnson, on Mitt Romney's campaigning in New Hampshire yesterday, before leaving for Iowa through the end of the caucuses:

 

Romney spoke in glowing terms that evoked the sunny optimism of former President Reagan, to whom Romney referred several times. At the end of the day, Romney departed for Iowa, where he will remain through its Jan. 3 caucuses. After that, he will campaign around-the-clock in New Hampshire before its Jan. 8 primary.

"No one votes for yesterday; they vote for tomorrow," Romney said at one point. "Elections are about the future, the future of our families, the future of our country."

It is a rare thing to get an AP reporter to bless any campaign moment with a comparison to Ronald Reagan's sunny optimism.  Romney's not the only candidate on the trail that brings enthusiasm and energy to the race day in and day out, but Senator Obama is on the other team, and Rudy is struggling because the mayor relied on a strategy that keeps him on the bench until Florida.  GOP voters in Iowa and New Hampshire who care about winning in November should keep in mind that Reagan won massive victories in November 1980 and 1984 because he encouraged the country to believe it could beat the Soviet Union, could spread prosperity, and could defend freedoms at home while exporting them abroad and he did so with a smile and a joke backed by incredibly delivered rhetoric.  It is about the right vision married to the right skills set.

Republican presidential hopeful, former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney, left, shares a light moment with his wife Ann, right, as she addresses a crowd during a campaign stop in Manchester, N.H., Thursday, Dec. 27, 2007. Romney answered questions concerning Pakistan during the stop. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Romney's new ad, "Future," keeps the focus on the election and the years ahead while reminding voters of Senator McCain's opposition to the Bush tax cuts and the McCain-Kennedy immigration "reform" attempted jam down.  ( More on Senator McCain's record of putting his finger in republican eyes here .)

Mike Huckabee is in deep trouble, and not just for gaffe upon gaffe. The new revelations about accepting money from stem-cell research groups may disturb even his most dedicated evangelical supporters.  From Politico.com:

Mike Huckabee last year accepted $52,000 in speaking fees from a bio-tech giant that wants to research human embryonic stem cells, a non-profit working to expand access to the morning after pill and a group pushing to study whether tightening gun control laws will reduce violence.

The deflation of the Huckabee campaign frees up voters to go to either Romney, Thompson or McCain though any evangelical leaving Huckabee is unlikely to look past Senator McCain's opposition to a federal Marriage Amendment or the Gang of 14.  Romney and Thompson are both pushing conservative agendas, but the momentum is with the former governor as the home stretch opens in Iowa. 

UPDATE: Another Huckabee gaffe!  The Atlantic's Marc Ambinder reports that the former Arkansas governor puts Afghanistan on Pakistan's eastern border in comments defending his foreign policy credentials.

This sort of a misstep isn't serious in the summer or even the fall, but coming six days before voting after yesterday's gaffe and in the course of remarks meant to rebut criticism of your grasp of foreign policy, a geography gaffe causes a collective shudder among undecideds even as Huckabee's base absorbs the news about his speaking fees from stem cell research advocates.

Even if Huck hangs on in Iowa, it will be tough to take his Huckmentum west to New Hampshire, south to Michigan and north to South Carolina.

Mark Steyn On Pakistan And The Presidential Race

HH: You know, I have been making the argument, and into some pretty heavy wind today, that this also undermines Fred Thompson and John McCain, because Senators don't run anything, Mark Steyn, except their mouths and committees badly, that it's not about visiting a country, it's about managing a war, and that Giuliani and Romney have executive experience, and Hillary can actually be understood to have some executive experience, or at least being close to it for a while. What do you make of the idea that foreign crisis elevates John McCain's rather sad record of legislative screw-ups because he's traveled the globe? 

MS: Well, I would generally agree with you that Senators make bad, not just bad presidents, actually, but bad everything. I mean, John Kerry couldn't even run that donut stand in Boston, which is his only experience in the private sector, as far as one knows. You know, they are the classic examples of kind of rolodex politics, that they think it's about flying across the world and meeting other A-list names. And I think that is exactly what is not needed at this time. As you say, I think an executive ability, combined, I think, with a grasp of the underlying demographic reality, you know, Pakistan is a young country, it has one of the highest birth rates in the world, and although we can talk about this and that, and I've been talking, you know, it's only 60 years old, this country. But in a sense, to all those young men, 18, 19, 20, that it exports all over the planet, what Pakistan was like in 1947 is utterly foreign and utterly irrelevant to them. And so the sort of, these kind of people who think it's just about getting on the phone and speaking to some other A-list name in the rolodex on the other side of the world, I think that's about the least helpful way to approach this thing.  

 

http://hughhewitt.townhall.com/talkradio/transcripts/Transcript.aspx?ContentGuid=8cb3ba5e-403c-4578-8dc5-03bc8a848733

Twas the night before Christmas...

... and all through the house, not a child was crying, you could have
heard a mouse! With holiday cheer and a future New Year, brings on
needed change that is well in high gear. With Rudolph losing ground
while eyeing his past to McCain resurrecting his straight talk
express. With the new things each day and surprise by Huckabee,
awakened a term, like clemency. Now with days that evolve and come
unto us, spawns new words like "HuClemency theocraticus". With new
names that come like Ron, Tom and Fred, from off the wall lexis to
those that act dead. Now with Romney on track and leading the way,
receiving more votes day by day. So with Romney and Rudy to Mike and
McCain, Dash away Dash away- one way train. So off to the races, and
out the gate, "Who will be America's Pick in 2008?

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and may the next year be as
exciting and challenging as this last year, but in regards to Mitt; it
will be a fun and enjoyable ride

Mcdav
Montanans For Mitt
www.montanansformitt.com
Jon McNiven-Founder

From Wolf

Although not the heavyweight that Judge Bork is, Joe Arpaio, America's toughest Sheriff, Maricopa County AZ, is reported in Iowa on Mitt's behalf. Arpaio is a real character and as conservative as any sheriff in the country. He's the sheriff of 'Tent City' and the same guy who makes prisoners wear pink jump suits! Bork and Arpaio, not a bad 1-2 punch for the last few days.

From Steve

I love how they call these negative adds, how are you going to differentiate the candidates without these adds, I guess the media wants us to pick the candidate with the best Christmas Commercial.

Ann Curry Dismisses Reagan's Foreign Policy Credentials

Ann Curry Dismisses Reagan's Foreign Policy Credentials

By Justin McCarthy | December 28, 2007 - 12:36 ET

NBC's Ann Curry interviewed Mitt Romney on Friday morning's Today on the impact of Benazir Bhutto's assassination, and in a tough interview, she dismissed Ronald Reagan's foreign policy credentials. When Curry questioned Romney's foreign policy experience, Romney noted that Reagan "was a governor, not a so-called foreign policy expert." Curry dismissively stated "Reagan was not elected at a time of war."

No, Reagan was just elected in an intense point in the Cold War. The Soviets had invaded Afghanistan and U.S. diplomats were still being held hostage in Iran. Romney did say that Reagan was "elected at a time of the Cold War. And the Cold War was the greatest challenge that was faced by this nation in the last half of the last century."

Curry, who pushed Chris Dodd to slam the Bush administration on alleged "torture" and Al Gore to run for president, offered Romney tough (if not unfair) questions, and continually interrupted Romney throughout the interview. The entire transcript is below.

ANN CURRY: Reaction to Bhutto's assassination was swift from the candidates running for president. So will her death prompt voters to reconsider who is qualified to lead this country especially when it comes to foreign policy? Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney is running for the Republican nomination. Governor Romney, good morning.

FORMER MASSACHUSETTS GOVERNOR MITT ROMNEY: Good morning Ann.

CURRY: Governor, if you were president today and you could get President Pervez Musharraf on the phone, what would be your message to him this morning?

ROMNEY: Well, the message is to rebuild the kind of strength that he's previously had with the people and to move towards democracy. I think it is important for a reconciliation, particularly with Mr. Sharif and potentially with the remaining leadership in Madam Bhutto's party to try and reach a consensus, to move towards elections and to legitimize in the eyes of the people of Pakistan the government and be able to move forward with the kind of stability --

CURRY: You've heard the criticism- excuse me for interrupting. You've heard the criticism that in fact he was an impediment according to Benazir Bhutto to democracy and also the criticism he may not have done enough to help prevent, to protect her and prevent what happened yesterday. Are you at all concerned in making this phone call to him about the quality of his character?

ROMNEY: Well, I'm not concerned about the quality of his character but I am concerned about the quality of his judgment in a setting like this. I think his action for instance to declare martial law in the past was one that was destabilizing and weakened his position there. I think his resistance to having Madam Bhutto become part of the government over time was a mistake in his part. I think he misread the mood of the Pakistani people and he should have moved more aggressively towards democratization. But this is not your average Muslim nation. This is a nation which has had democracy and he should have moved more quickly to restore democracy.

 

CURRY: Well, given that, has the United States made a major mistake in having President Musharraf be a major ally in the War on Terror? Is he a good ally in this War on Terror and does his country still deserve this $10 billion in U.S. aid in your view? Would you continue it as president?

ROMNEY: Well, we of course take action to protect our interests. And the reason we send money to Pakistan is to protect our interests and try to root out terrorists in the northwest portion, particularly of Pakistan, so that they can't continue to make incursions into Afghanistan and of course spread terror throughout the region--

 

CURRY: So that's a yes, you would continue that aid?

ROMNEY: Oh yes, we continue that aid and we're going to continue to work with General Musharraf, but try and move him to a posture that actually has more potential for being a long --

CURRY: So if you try to move -- sorry to keep interrupting but we don't have a lot of time. So if you were to try and move him, what grade would you give him today, "A" to"F," in terms of where he is where you would want him to be as an ally on the War in Terror?

ROMNEY: I'd want him to project strength to show that we also have the, that he has the support of the United States behind him, that we're standing alongside him and that we're moving towards democracy, that he's meeting with the leadership in both parties, multiple parties, that he's willing to open up this process to fair and open elections and that he'll respond to the voice of the people and bring stability back to the country and democracy.

CURRY: Most analysts would say, governor, that the events of yesterday will help your chief opponents Rudy Giuliani and John McCain. Are you concerned, are you worried that your impact, that your campaign will be impacted negatively?

ROMNEY: Oh, I think we have to put the events of the world at a higher level than thinking about local politics. But I do believe as well that people recognize that what we want in a leader is a person who can actually guide America in a very challenging time. You look back to the -- one of the great foreign policy leaders of our nation was Ronald Reagan. He was a governor, not a so-called foreign policy expert. He was a person who knew how to make difficult decisions and how to lead in times of crisis. And I think if you look at my life's experience you'll recognize that's what I bring to the table.

CURRY: Ronald Reagan was not elected at a time of war. Why should voters embrace you without having -- they're not seeing you have had a lot of foreign policy credentials. Why should they embrace you as leading this nation in this very challenging time in our world's history?

ROMNEY: Well, certainly Ronald Reagan was elected at a time of the Cold War. And the Cold War was the greatest challenge that was faced by this nation in the last half of the last century. So it was a very critical time. Ronald Reagan took on the spread of Soviet style communism throughout the world and he was successful not because he was a general himself and thought he could mastermind our military strategy but instead because he had the skills of leadership that allowed him to bring together brilliant people, to chart a course that would overcome Soviet expansionism and it worked. And my life's experience is likewise, being a strategist in the private sector, in the Olympics and also in running a state. That kind of leadership skill I think is exactly what America needs right now.

—Justin McCarthy is a news analyst at Media Research Center.

Attack Ad?

Senator McCain complains that our issue-focused contrast ad is an attack, but he should know better.  After all, his campaign in 2000 ran a real attack ad, in which he accused then-Gov. George Bush of "twist[ing] the truth like Clinton."  You can watch the ad on YouTube:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHoXkCprdL4

Make sure to check out the Republican reaction denouncing the ad from Bill Bennett, Sen. Strom Thurmond, Karl Rove, Oliver North, and Senator Fred Thompson.

http://www.mittromney.com/News/Press-Releases/Straight_Talk_Detour_12.28

Future

Today, Romney for President launched its newest television ad, "Future." 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-E0G4xwDGCI

 

The ad highlights the choice Republicans will have to make when it comes to strengthening our country.  Senator McCain opposed strengthening our economy through lower taxes.  He has pushed legislation allowing every illegal immigrant to stay in the United States.  Governor Romney took a different course.  He cut taxes and spending in Massachusetts.  He has consistently opposed amnesty for illegal immigrants.  On election day, Republicans will have a choice between two very different records and visions for our future.

 

The ad will begin airing today as part of the campaign's rotation in New Hampshire.  The script and ad facts follow.

 

Script For "Future" (TV:30):

 

GOVERNOR MITT ROMNEY: "I'm Mitt Romney and I approved this message."

 

ANNOUNCER: "John McCain, an honorable man.  But is he the right Republican for the future?

 

"McCain opposes repeal of the death tax, and voted against the Bush tax cuts twice.

 

"McCain pushed to let every illegal immigrant stay here permanently.

 

"Even voted to allow illegals to collect Social Security.

 

"And Mitt Romney?  Mitt Romney cut taxes and spending as Governor.

 

"He opposes amnesty for illegals.

 

"Mitt Romney.  John McCain.  There is a difference."

 

AD FACTS: Script For "Future" (TV:30):

 

GOVERNOR MITT ROMNEY: "I'm Mitt Romney and I approved this message."  ANNOUNCER: "John McCain, an honorable man.  But is he the right Republican for the future?  McCain opposes repeal of the death tax, and voted against the Bush tax cuts twice."

 

• In 2002, Senator McCain Was One Of Only Two Republicans To Twice Vote Against Permanent Repeal Of The Death Tax. (S. 1731, CQ Vote #28: Adopted 56-42: R 45-2; D 11-39; I 0-1, 2/13/02, McCain Voted Nay, H.R. 8, CQ Vote #151: Motion Rejected 54-44: R 45-2; D 9-41; I 0-1, 6/12/02, McCain Voted Nay)

 

• In 2001, Senator McCain Was One Of Only Two Republicans To Vote Against The $1.35 Trillion Tax Cut. The bill lowered marginal rates, eliminated the marriage penalty, and doubled the child tax credit. (H.R. 1836, CQ Vote #170: Adopted 58-33: R 46-2; D 12-31; I 0-0, 5/26/01, McCain Voted Nay)

 

• In 2003, Senator McCain Was One Of Only Three Republicans To Vote Against The $350 Billion Tax Cut. The comprehensive bill lowered taxes by $350 billion over 11 years – including increasing the child tax credit and eliminated the marriage penalty. (H.R. 2, CQ Vote #179: Passed 51-49: R 48-3; D 3-45; I 0-1, 5/15/03, McCain Voted Nay; H.R. 2, CQ Vote #196: Adopted 50-50: R 48-3; D 2-46; I 0-1, 5/23/03, McCain Voted Nay)

 

ANNOUNCER:  "McCain pushed to let every illegal immigrant stay here permanently.  Even voted to allow illegals to collect Social Security."

 

• Senator McCain's 2006 Immigration Plan Would Allow 11 Million Illegals To Remain In The U.S. "The McCain plan – which is being put forward in the U.S. House by Arizona GOP Congressmen Jeff Flake and Jim Kolbe – allows the 11 million illegal immigrants already in the U.S. to stay in the country if they apply for legal status and pay a $2,000 fine." (Mike Sunnucks, "Napolitano, Hayworth Criticize Bush On Illegal Immigration," The Phoenix Business Journal, 2/1/06)

 

• Senator McCain Voted To Allow Illegals To Collect Retroactive Social Security Benefits.  "Specter, R-Pa., motion to table (kill) the Ensign, R-Nev., amendment no. 3985 that would bar illegal immigrants currently in the country from claiming Social Security credits for work done in years before they are assigned a valid Social Security number." (S. 2611, CQ Vote #130: Motion Agreed To 50-49: R 11-44; D 38-5; I 1-0, 5/18/06, Clinton, Kennedy, And McCain Voted Yea)

 

• "The Senate Voted Yesterday To Allow Illegal Aliens To Collect Social Security Benefits Based On Past Illegal Employment - Even If The Job Was Obtained Through Forged Or Stolen Documents." (Charles Hurt, "Illegals Granted Social Security," The Washington Times, 5/19/06)

 

• The Washington Times Editorial: Senator McCain Moved Social Security Closer To Insolvency By Offering Benefits To Illegals. "On its way to bankruptcy, Social Security will get there a bit sooner if President Bush, Republican senators (and prospective presidential candidates) John McCain, Chuck Hagel and Sam Brownback and the overwhelming majority of Democratic senators get their way. … During the Senate debate on immigration reform in May, Mr. Ensign proposed that no illegal alien whose status would be adjusted by the Senate bill be permitted to receive Social Security benefits as a result of unlawful activity. … In addition to Messrs. McCain, Hagel and Brownback, other still-serving Republicans who opposed the Ensign amendment, which lost by a 50-49 vote, included Sens. Lindsey Graham, Richard Lugar, Mel Martinez, Arlen Specter, Ted Stevens and George Voinovich." (Editorial, "Social Security Siphon," The Washington Times, 1/5/07)

 

ANNOUNCER:  "And Mitt Romney?  Mitt Romney cut taxes and spending as Governor."

 

• Governor Romney Turned The Legislature's Proposed Capital Gains Tax Hike Into A Tax Refund Instead. "Romney was more successful when he took on the State Legislature for imposing a retroactive tax on capital gains earnings. After a bloody fight, Romney succeeded in passing a bill preventing the capital gains tax from being applied retroactively, resulting in a rebate of $275 million for capital gains taxes collected in 2002. Governor Romney also signed legislation that provided property tax relief to seniors and legislation establishing a two-day tax-free shopping holiday in 2005." (The Club For Growth, "Mitt Romney's Record On Economic Issues," Press Release, 8/21/07)

 

• Club For Growth: Governor Romney "Imposed Some Much-Needed Fiscal Discipline On A Very Liberal Massachusetts Legislature." "[O]n balance, he imposed some much-needed fiscal discipline on a very liberal Massachusetts Legislature." (The Club For Growth, "Mitt Romney's Record On Economic Issues," Press Release, 8/21/07) 

 

• Governor Romney "Attempted To Cut Down On Government Spending By Streamlining Many Duplicative And Wasteful Elements On Beacon Hill." "To his credit, Romney attempted to cut down on government spending by streamlining many duplicative and wasteful elements of Beacon Hill. ... Governor Romney successfully consolidated the social service and public health bureaucracy and restructured the Metropolitan District Commission. Romney even eliminated half of the executive branch's press positions, saving $1.2 million." (The Club For Growth, "Mitt Romney's Record On Economic Issues," Press Release, 8/21/07)

 

ANNOUNCER:  "He opposes amnesty for illegals.  Mitt Romney.  John McCain.  There is a difference."

 

·        Governor Romney's Strategy For A Stronger America Calls For Ending Illegal Immigration Without Amnesty. "Reject Amnesty. Do not give amnesty or any special pathway to those who have come to this country illegally." (Romney For President, "Strategy For A Stronger America," www.mittromney.com, Posted 9/18/07)

 

·        Read Governor Romney's Immigration Plan Here:  http://mittromney.com/News/Press-Releases/Romney_Agenda_12.14.07

Ready

This afternoon, Romney for President launched another new television ad, "Ready." 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpoPRA3pFjg

 

The ad highlights the very important choice voters will have to make when it comes to electing a candidate ready to make tough decisions.  In Arkansas, Governor Mike Huckabee increased state spending, backed in-state tuition benefits for illegal immigrants and granted over 1,000 pardons and commutations.  Governor Huckabee's attacks on the Bush administration's foreign policy has been called "ludicrous."  In Massachusetts, Governor Romney took a different course.  He held spending down and granted zero pardons.  There is a clear difference in leadership.    

 

The ad will begin airing today as part of the campaign's rotation in Iowa. 

 

Script For "Ready" (TV:30):

 

GOVERNOR MITT ROMNEY:  "I'm Mitt Romney and I approved this message."

 

ANNOUNCER:  "Two good men.

 

"But who is ready to make tough decisions?

 

"Mike Huckabee?  Soft on government spending.  He grew a $6 billion government into a $16 billion government.

 

"Backed in-state tuition benefits for illegals, and granted 1,033 pardons and commutations, including 12 murderers.

 

"His foreign policy?  'Ludicrous,' says Condoleezza Rice.

 

"Mitt Romney held spending down below inflation.  Cut taxes.  Zero pardons.

 

"The difference? Strong leadership."

 

 

AD FACTS: Script For "Ready" (TV:30):

 

GOVERNOR MITT ROMNEY:  "I'm Mitt Romney and I approved this message."  ANNOUNCER:  "Two good men.  But who is ready to make tough decisions?  Mike Huckabee?  Soft on government spending.  He grew a $6 billion government into a $16 billion government."

 

·        Under Governor Huckabee, State Spending More Than Doubled From $6.6 Billion To $16.1 Billion. "During Huckabee's 10 years as governor, state spending more than doubled, from $6.6 billion to $16.1 billion in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2006. Higher education and public schools got big increases, as did social services." (Daniel Nasaw, "Home Turf Not Rock Solid For Huckabee," Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 10/4/07)

 

ANNOUNCER:  "Backed in-state tuition benefits for illegals, and granted 1,033 pardons and commutations, including 12 murderers."

 

·        Governor Huckabee Fought For A Bill Which Granted In-State Tuition Breaks For Illegals. "Other than the highway plan, the only bill in the governor's 21-bill legislative package that failed to win legislative approval was a proposal to make the children of illegal immigrants eligible for state-funded scholarships and in-state tuition to Arkansas colleges. After passing the House relatively early in the session, the bill faltered in the Senate where it was amended to remove the scholarship provision but fell just short of passage Tuesday and Wednesday. Huckabee said his office worked throughout the day Wednesday for the two Senate votes needed to pass the bill. 'I don't understand the opposition to it, I just honestly don't,' Huckabee said. 'It hurts me on a personal as well as a policy level to think that we are still debating issues that I kind of hoped we had put aside in the 1960s, maybe at the latest the 70s, and yet I understand people have deep passions about things usually they don't fully understand.'" (Melissa Nelson, "Governor Touts Successful End To Legislative Session," The Associated Press, 4/13/05)

 

·        Governor Huckabee Granted 1,033 Pardons And Commutations, More Than Twice As Many As His Three Predecessors COMBINED. "As governor of Arkansas, Mike Huckabee had a hand in twice as many pardons and commutations as his three predecessors combined. … Huckabee granted 1,033 pardons and commutations in his 10 1/2 years as governor of Arkansas. The acts of clemency benefited the stepson of a staff member, murderers who worked at the governor's mansion, a rock star and inmates who received good words from their pastors. … During his years as governor, Huckabee granted clemency an average of about once every four days. Huckabee's successor, Mike Beebe, has issued 40 so far this year, fewer than one a week. Bill Clinton, Frank White and Tucker granted 507 clemencies in the 17 1/2 years they served as governor." (Andrew DeMillo, "Huckabee Pardons Under Scrutiny," The Associated Press, 12/10/07)

 

·        Governor Huckabee Commuted 12 Sentences For Murderers. "During his tenure, Huckabee has been criticized for his use of the clemency powers. Through April, the total sentence commutations issued by Huckabee were 146, including 12 for murderers, according to records at the secretary of state's office. A clemency can be either a sentence commutation or a pardon for someone who has already discharged his sentence, such as in Richards' situation." (Seth Blomeley, "It's A Gas, Gas, Gas: Rocker Seeks Pardon For '75 Fordyce Arrest," Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 7/19/06)

 

ANNOUNCER: "His foreign policy?  'Ludicrous,' says Condoleezza Rice."

 

·        Secretary Of State Condoleezza Rice Said Huckabee's Criticism Of Bush Foreign Policy Was "Ludicrous." "After first saying 'I don't have time to comment on other people's comments', Rice took on Huckabee, head-on during an end-of-year State Department press briefing. 'The idea that this is a go-it-alone policy is just simply ludicrous.  And one would only have to be not observing the facts, let me say that, to say that this is now a go-it-alone foreign policy,' Rice said." ("Rice: Huckabee Foreign Policy Criticism 'Ludicrous'," ABC News' Political Radar Blog, http://blogs.abcnews.com, Posted 12/21/07)

 

ANNOUNCER: "Mitt Romney held spending down below inflation.  Cut taxes.  Zero pardons.  The difference? Strong leadership."

 

·                    Club For Growth: Governor Romney "Imposed Some Much-Needed Fiscal Discipline On A Very Liberal Massachusetts Legislature." "[O]n balance, he imposed some much-needed fiscal discipline on a very liberal Massachusetts Legislature." (The Club For Growth, "Mitt Romney's Record On Economic Issues," Press Release, 8/21/07) 

 

·                    Governor Romney "Attempted To Cut Down On Government Spending By Streamlining Many Duplicative And Wasteful Elements On Beacon Hill." "To his credit, Romney attempted to cut down on government spending by streamlining many duplicative and wasteful elements of Beacon Hill. ... Governor Romney successfully consolidated the social service and public health bureaucracy and restructured the Metropolitan District Commission. Romney even eliminated half of the executive branch's press positions, saving $1.2 million." (The Club For Growth, "Mitt Romney's Record On Economic Issues," Press Release, 8/21/07)

 

·                    Governor Romney Turned The Legislature's Proposed Capital Gains Tax Hike Into A Tax Refund Instead. "Romney was more successful when he took on the State Legislature for imposing a retroactive tax on capital gains earnings. After a bloody fight, Romney succeeded in passing a bill preventing the capital gains tax from being applied retroactively, resulting in a rebate of $275 million for capital gains taxes collected in 2002. Governor Romney also signed legislation that provided property tax relief to seniors and legislation establishing a two-day tax-free shopping holiday in 2005." (The Club For Growth, "Mitt Romney's Record On Economic Issues," Press Release, 8/21/07)

 

·                    As Governor, Romney Denied All Requests For Pardon And Commutation. "During the four years Romney was in office, 100 requests for commutations and 172 requests for pardons were filed in the state. All were denied. 'Governor Romney's view is that it would take a compelling set of circumstances to set aside the punishment and guilt resulting from a criminal trial,' said Romney aide Eric Fehrnstrom, who added he was not familiar with Circosta's case. 'The power to pardon should only be used in extraordinary circumstances.'" ("Romney Touts Record Of Never Granting Pardons," The Associated Press, 6/12/07)