Thank you. It’s good to be in the Sunshine State. It breaks my heart to visit plants like this one.

In 2008, this plant closed because of the economic downturn. In a normal recovery under strong leadership, it could now be full of workers.

Here in Florida, people used to wake up and look forward to a hard day’s work and a good, honest wage. The money they earned helped support families and build communities. Today too many factory floors are silent, warehouses are deserted, corporate offices are empty, and real estate endeavors are abandoned. Floridians are struggling to find a job, keep a home, and raise a family.

As I’ve traveled across America, I’ve heard similar stories in virtually every corner of this country. High unemployment and record home foreclosures. Debt that’s too high and opportunities that are too few. This is the real state of our union. But you won’t hear stories like these in President Obama’s address tonight. The unemployed don’t get invitations to sit with the First Lady.

Instead, tonight, the President will do what he does best. He will give a nice speech with a lot of memorable phrases. But he won’t give you the hard numbers.

Like 9.9 – that’s the unemployment rate in this state.

Or 25 percent – that’s the percentage of foreclosed homes in America that are right here in Florida.

Or $15 trillion – that’s the size of our national debt.

Instead, tonight, President Obama will make the opening argument in his campaign against a “Do Nothing Congress.” But, we shouldn’t forget that for two years, this President had a Congress that could do everything he wanted.

With huge Democratic majorities in the House and Senate, President Obama was free to pursue any policy he pleased.

Did he fix the economy?

Did he tackle the housing crisis?

Did he get Americans back to work?

No.
Read more…

A quick note to put South Carolina in a little different perspective. Mitt received 20,000 more votes this time than Sen. McCain got in 2008 when he won the state. Also, Mitt is releasing his tax returns on Tuesday.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Mitt was on Huckabee last night as well. Watch the interview here.

UPDATE: Wow! Ahead of tonight’s debate, it looks like the Romney campaign is going to unleash a plethora of concerns about Newt if the following videos are any indication. Read more…

Mitt Romney made the following statement on the 39th anniversary of Roe v. Wade:

Today marks the 39th anniversary of one of the darkest moments in Supreme Court history, when the court in Roe v. Wade claimed authority over the fundamental question regarding the rights of the unborn. The result is millions of lives since that day have been tragically silenced. Since that day, the pro-life movement has been working tirelessly in an effort to change hearts and minds and protect the weakest and most vulnerable among us. Today, we recommit ourselves to reversing that decision, for in the quiet of conscience, people of both political parties know that more than a million abortions a year cannot be squared with the good heart of America.

The 39th March for Life begins tomorrow.

UPDATE: Mitt Romney today released the following statement on the March for Life:

In great number, men and women from across our country are gathered today on the Mall in Washington in the cause of defending the rights of the unborn. In their ranks are many who remember the day when Roe v. Wade was announced. Also among them are thousands of young Americans born after 1973 whose idealism and good hearts will continue to represent the passion and resolve of the pro-life movement. All of them are marching today in the spirit of compassion and mercy, and I share their commitment to laws that protect the innocent and uphold a culture of life. We take heart that we are winning this issue step by step, and I look forward to working arm and arm with the pro-life movement until the wrong of Roe v. Wade has been set right.”

Today has been called the campaign’s wildest day by Politico and this was before the debate had even started.

The chat box has been moved back to the sidebar.

The campaign must be feeling good about this debate because they’ve already released a video with footage from tonight’s debate.

Here’s an interesting take on the overall debate, and I like this take as well.

UPDATE: click here to watch the debate in its entirety.

Phil_UT has provided us with another fantastic guest post.

I often thought it was funny when I saw the poster that was entitled “All I Need To Know About Life I Learned From Star Trek”. Until one day when I actually read some of the statements, and found it was surprisingly true. However, in my life I can say that everything of value I learned in life was from football. Well, not totally true, so let’s just say one of the most important things I have learned in life came from an experience in football. So, to enlighten and amuse you, I will tell you the story that has quite literally changed my life.

As a young sophomore starting my first year playing football for our small town High School football team, I was a bit concerned when we arrived for the first two-a-day practices to find that we had a new coach. The superintendent of our school. After all, he was the man with the paddle (yes, back in the day it was perfectly acceptable to spank unruly students). For those of you that might not be familiar with football, two-a-day practices start a couple weeks before the actual start of the school semester and are designed to do one thing – kill you. The coaches would tell us that they are intended to get us in shape, but we knew the reality, it was legal murder. These practices were two hours in the morning and two hours in the afternoon of non-stop exercise, running, more exercise and more running. Well, on this particular day, after two hours of work, most of the players could hardly stand, much less walk. The coach called us up, so we all met in the middle of the field and he told how terrible we looked and if we did not get any better we would not win a game. Really quite the motivator. After his speech, we thought he was done, so wearily we head to the locker room. Looking over our shoulders we could still see the coach standing in the middle of the field watching us. We were confused. Right before we got to the locker room door, the coach hollered out to us: “ Gentleman, were are you going?” Now we were really confused. He then said, pointing to a bus parked in the drive: “ Gentleman, do you see that bus? Get on it, now”. Well, we were now so totally confused, we did as he said and slowly got on the bus. He then got on and drove us exactly one mile away from the school and told us to get out of the bus. As we gathered around the outside of the bus, the coach came out looking at his watch and said: “ gentleman, you have twelve minutes to make it back to the school, if even one of you does not make it in that time, we will do this again, the time starts now”. WE made it back, but barely.

After the evening practice that same day, we heard the same thing from our coach: “Gentleman, get on the bus”. Again he drove us exactly one mile away from the school and this time told us we had eight minutes to make it back or we would do it again. Day in and day out this same procedure repeated itself after each and every practice. Even after school started and games began, we would always end practice with the now tiresome cry of “Gentleman, get on the bus”. The time that we had to make it back to school varied each time, but the consequence if we failed was always the same, we would have to repeat the run. No matter how we did in practice or in games, it was always the same. For three years this went on and none of us ever quite understood why he made us run that mile each and every practice after we had already given all we had to give during practice.

Finally, at the end of my senior year of football, at an All State banquet, I got the nerve to ask coach. I said, “Coach, every single day for the last three years we always gave you everything we had and more. We always tried our hardest and yet every single day you made us run that extra mile. Why?” His answer changed my life that day and has helped guide me through all of life’s trials and triumphs. He said, “ Phil what was your team record the last three years?” I answered “ 33 and 3.” He responded. “ Pretty good, wouldn’t you say?” Of course, I replied with a “yes”. He then asked, “did we have any single superstar on this team?” We did not, we were just all an average bunch of players, and so I replied, “No”. He then said, “Phil, the reason you were so successful was that no matter what you all were always willing to go the extra mile, not for yourself but for your team.”

Read more…

Today, two writers who work for the Boston Globe released a biography of Gov. Romney titled “The Real Romney”. I’ve known about this book in the work for quite some time, and I’ve worried that it will paint Gov. Romney in an unfair light since the Boston Globe has notoriously treated Gov. Romney quite toughly. However, other than the authors’ tired attempts to portray Gov. Romney as someone who will change/hide his opinions to suit whatever political position he aims to hold, the authors couldn’t seem to find anyone with intimate knowledge of Gov. Romney who had much of anything negative to say about him. At worst, people who know Mitt best have a neutral view of him, while the overwhelming majority of people quoted in this book speak glowingly about the man who may become the next President of the United States.

Here are what I found most memorable in the book “The Real Romney”:

Read more…

The desperation of the candidates who are trying to beat Mitt Romney in South Carolina was palpable tonight. Gov. Romney knew it was coming and was well prepared. What did you think? Please leave a comment and let us know.

Hugh Hewitt gives the night to Mitt.

Mitt did a great job with Hannity after the debate:

UPDATE by Jayde:

“Mitt Romney came out ahead in tonight’s debate because he again showed that he is the best candidate to both take on President Obama and fix our economy. President Obama spent his life outside the private sector and it shows. Mitt Romney spent his life outside of politics, working in the real economy. In order to create private sector jobs in this tough economic environment, we need a president who worked in the private sector.” ~ former SC GOP Chairman Barry Wynn

“Tonight, Mitt Romney once again displayed his vision, leadership, and grace under fire. He showed why he is without question the right man to end the chaos in Washington, D.C. and put America back to work. Neither our state nor our nation can afford four more years of President Obama, and it is critical that we nominate someone with Mitt Romney’s history of results. We need a president who has a record of not just talk, but of actually getting things done, and Governor Romney is that man.” ~ SC Gov Nikki Haley

Finally, watch the debate in its entirety below the fold. Read more…

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Another interesting note from a different clip from Morning Joe. Gov. John Sununu says the democrats won’t even compete in New Hampshire of Mitt’s the nominee virtually guaranteeing NH’s electoral votes will go to the republican!

Watch Mitt on ABCnews by clicking here.

Watch two more videos from CBS below the fold. Read more…

Phil_UT follows up part 1 of his “A Cave on the Side of the Mountain” piece with part 2.

Hopefully, a few of you read the first installment of this dialogue. Several people have commented on the fact that in the first part, I left my family separated with hope dimming of their being reunited. You say, “surely that was an oversight”, or “what happened to the rest of your family”. Well, the plot thickens as it was not an oversight, but instead an intentional omission. This way, I have the opportunity to continue the story with you, maybe, creating a little anticipation about whether or not we were reunited in the end. So………

To give a brief overview, during a camping trip we stopped near Silverton Colorado and as we prepared camp, we noticed a cave on the side of the mountain. Of course with young children, the talk soon spread to speculation that surely there must be treasure or great mystery in the cave that seemed so close. As things sometimes work out, the infection of excitement spread to my wife and I, and as a family, we decided to hike up to the cave. Half way up, and well over an hour into the hike, (the cave was not as close as we surmised), I decided to head across a rock fall to see if I could get a better appreciation of how much further it was to the cave. After proceeding a ways onto the unstable rock flow, I turned around and noticed that several of my children had followed me out onto the rock flow. Noticing that the cave was now fairly close I decided to carefully ascend up the unsteady rocks with children in tow to find our treasure and uncover great mysteries. My wife, being much smarter, decided to head up the tree line with the rest of the children, as it was much safer. When I got to the ledge that the cave was on, my children and I carefully moved around the ledge only to discover that the cave was not a cave at all, but just shadows covering a fold in the rock face. Greatly disappointed, we headed straight down the rock flow and back to camp as it was getting late and the sun was close to setting.

Now, we pick up the story……

Arriving back in camp, it dawned on me that my wife and other children had continued up the tree line, and after scanning the mountainside, I could not see any trace of them. Frantically I started to yell out to her, but I did not receive any answers. The sun continued to set and the darkness was becoming more prominent. Not knowing what to do and with panic starting to rise in my heart, my children and I continued to scream as loud as we could to my wife and other children. As we paused to listen for a response, we were met with a deadly silence. Thoughts of my wife and very young children trapped in the night on the cold mountainside brought the greatest fear I have ever known into my heart and soul. My children and I began to cry and sob as we continued to scream for her. Still, no answer. Flashing in my mind was the thought of being permanently separated from my wife and other children. My sobs racked my body, as I was sure we would never be together again and all because we were deceived into thinking that great treasure awaited us in the cave. The last vespers of light were rapidly fading, and hope and despair had taken their hold on us. We were now a family separated.

Wait a minute, I know you are saying. What does any of this have to do with the election for President of 2012? Well, the answer is again simple. We are at a point in our history that clearly gives us a choice between two totally different countries going forward. Do we want a country that “we the people” only exist as a tool of an ever-expanding government? A country where the American spirit and yes, the American dream no longer exists. A country that is led by a man that thinks that the government should be the answer to all of our needs, wants, and desires. A country where freedom and liberty are only diminishing shimmers of light, like on the mountainside that fateful day. A country led by a man that to achieve his goals is pitting one American group against an other. Where class warfare is the order of the day. Where envy and greed have replaced hopes and promise. A man who, if re-elected as President, will truly make us a family separated. For truly even though we come from diverse backgrounds, interests, dreams, hopes, and aspirations, we are truly a family. An American Family. This is one of the two choices that we have this coming election.

Or, do we see an America that is ruled by the wisdom and foresight of our founding fathers based upon the rule of law, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. An America where the citizens do not serve the government, but instead, the government is the servant of the people. An America where freedom of choice, of dreams, of desires, of ambition, of innovation is fostered and encouraged. Where the bonds of over burdensome regulations that strangle the very core of American prosperity, are loosened and removed. An America that is truly “One nation Under God”, even though we are of many different faiths and beliefs. Where there is respect and honor given to the One that has made this great country possible. An America that stands strong in the face of adversity, that rallies behind our fallen, our hurt, and our oppressed. An America that is truly the shining light on the side of the hill that is a beacon to the whole world of what is right and good. An America that stands proudly beside our friends and allies, but firm against those that would oppress or enslave us. An America that has a strong military that will protect us against those that would seek to destroy us. An America that is based upon the merits and the boundless limits of our ingenuity; our own inventiveness; our desire to dream the impossible. An America that is defined by a family that is united and stands together as one.

Two choices, but two decidedly different futures for this great Country. Just like my family, this country is right this minute on the precipice of being a family that is separated. One that is torn apart from within where hope and promise are diminishing. To me the choice is clear. Clear because I know a man that can bring this country once again to stand together. I know a man that will be a uniter and not a divider. I know a man that has the skills and capability to lead us through these troubled waters. I know a man that although the light may be fading and many in the world think that shadows are covering this great land, will bring back prosperity and promise. Take a moment and read through the words of this great man:

“I want to restore America! I want to turn around America!”

“How would you break the partisan gridlock in D.C.?” “By finding people who care more about the country than anything else.”

“America’s strength rises from a strong economy, a strong defense, and from the enduring strength of our values.”

“The true strength of America is self-rule, and a government that answers to a free and independent people.”

“I understand the economy. Not as an academic, not as a politician, but as someone who has worked in the economy for 25 years.”

“I’m happy in life as long as I’ve got my soul mate with me.”

“Growing up in a Judeo-Christian religious foundation, one measures one’s life by the contributions one has made to God and his children.”

“I want to keep America the most attractive place in the world for every kind of innovation, investment, and job growth!”

“There’s nothing wrong with America that needs transforming. I want to restore America. I want to turn around America!”

“I love the Constitution, and by the way, not just a few of the Amendments, all of them!”

Read more…

Once you are done with post, I hope you’ll want to complete today’s “One a Day for Mitt” Action Item and get some friends to complete it as well.

Move On is running attack ads on Mitt Romney about his record with Bain Capital. That’s to be expected although it is telling that the Left only fears Mitt. However, it’s a little strange who else is picking up on talking points from the far Left.

This is a montage Fox News put together of Gingrich, Huntsman, and Perry all attacking Romney over his work at Bain Capital.

Now here’s Mitt Romney’s “I like to fire people” quote in context:

“I want people to be able to own their own insurance if they wish to. And to buy it for themselves and perhaps keep it the rest of their life and to choose among different policies offered from companies across the nation. I want individuals to have their own insurance. That means the insurance company will have an incentive to keep you healthy. It also means that if you don’t like what they do, you can fire them. I like being able to fire people who provide services to me. You know, if someone doesn’t give me the good service I need I want to say ‘You know, I’m going to go get someone else to provide that service to me.’ So, that’s one thing I would change.”

That soundbite sure sounds like something that most people can agree with and relate to when you see it in context. For as much as we love to criticize the main stream media for their unabashed slant, and rightly so, much of the Right still goes along with their deception as long as it supports their goals.

Apparently some of the Right wants someone with private sector experience, just not private sector experience that involves firings or making a profit. Since when do we hate capitalism? I thought that was the Left’s job. The primaries are dress rehearsal for the general election and it’s imperative that we vet all candidates extensively before the media really sinks their teeth in to our nominee, however, employing class warfarish, anti-capitalistic criticisms is nothing short of deplorable.

UPDATE: Hot Air comes to Mitt’s defense as does Jennifer Rubin in several separate posts.

An editorial at Investors.com poses an interesting question: What If the U.S. Government Got the Bain Treatment?

Tim Pawlenty also brings some perspective to this issue:

Watch Jack Welsh describe how lucky we are to have Mitt Romney running for President below the fold. Read more…