It’s OFFICIAL!

Governor Mitt Romney announced today that he is a candidate for President of the United States.

Doug and Stella Scamman, of Scamman Farms in Stratham, New Hampshire, provided the setting for the highly anticipated announcement. Both Scammans spoke glowingly of Romney. (Besides running a huge farming operation, the Scammans both served as state legislators in New Hampshire.) Then, Ann Romney introduced her husband.

With a large American flag on an outbuilding on one side and a big Romney banner rippling in the wind on a barn behind him, Gov Romney strode up stacked hay bales to the microphone and addressed a very large and enthusiastic crowd.

Transcript of Romney’s speech:

Thank you for coming. And I want to thank Doug and Stella Scamman for hosting us on their beautiful farm.

You know, everyone here today can tell a different story. We have different backgrounds and we wake up in the morning and go to different jobs … or, look for different jobs. We go to different churches or maybe don’t go to church so much. I bet some of you have families who go back 200 years or more in New Hampshire. And there must be some who just snuck in across the border, from Massachusetts. I hear the taxes are better over here.

But here we are on a beautiful June day coming together to begin a process that we often, quite naturally, take for granted. But it is really one of the great achievements in the history of the world. For all of our country’s wealth and influence, those are not the source of our greatness. The true strength of America is self-rule, and a government that answers to a free and independent people.

We live in the most powerful nation that ever existed. And it all goes back to a few men and women who had the courage to stand – and even die – for their belief in liberty and equality. Because of their vision, the United States of America is not ruled by a monarchy or controlled by an aristocracy. Though sometimes folks in Washington might act otherwise, we don’t have a House of Lords with inherited power. And as the Red Sox like to remind the New York Yankees, there are no dynasties in America.

Who rules this great nation?

You do. Every four years you decide who will give that State of the Union address, who will set the course of the country, who will be Commander in Chief.

What’s true right here in this New Hampshire farm has always been true in America. Though each of us is different, though each of us will choose to walk a different path in life, we are united by one great, overwhelming passion: We love America. We believe in America.

Today we are united not only by our faith in America. We are united also by our concern for America.

This country we love is in peril. And that, my friends, is why we are here today.

A few years ago, Americans did something that was, actually, very much the sort of thing Americans like to do: We gave someone new a chance to lead; someone we hadn’t known for very long, who didn’t have much of a record but promised to lead us to a better place.

At the time, we didn’t know what sort of a President he would make. It was a moment of crisis for our economy, and when Barack Obama came to office, we wished him well and hoped for the best.

Now, in the third year of his four-year term, we have more than promises and slogans to go by.

Barack Obama has failed America.

When he took office, the economy was in recession. He made it worse. And he made it last longer.

Three years later, over 16 million Americans are out of work or have just quit looking. Millions more are underemployed.

Three years later, unemployment is still above 8%, a figure he said his stimulus would keep from happening.

Three years later, foreclosures are still at record levels.

Three years later the prices of homes continue to fall.

Three years later, our national debt has grown nearly as large as our entire economy.

Families are buried under higher prices for food and higher prices for gasoline.

It breaks my heart to see what’s happening in this country.

These failing hopes make up President Obama’s own misery index. It’s never been higher. And what’s his answer? He says this: “I’m just getting started.”

No, Mr. President, you’ve had your chance. We, the people on this farm, and citizens across the country are the ones who are just getting started.

Continue reading here.

A hearty barbecue lunch, including Ann Romney’s chili, was enjoyed by attendees. Due to safety concerns at the venue, event planners issued a generous, but limited number of free admission tickets.

Mitt and Ann Romney serve lunch (incl Ann's chili) to supporters at Scamman Farms, Stratham, NH. 6/2/11

One of the many tweets regarding The Gov’s announcement (a trending topic on twitter):

Long after his speech was over, Mitt and Ann greeted the large crowd of well-wishers. I’ll finish this article with Gov Romney’s final remarks:

These last two years have not been the best of times. But while we’ve lost a couple of years, we have not lost our way. The principles that made us a great nation and leader of the world have not lost their meaning. They never will.

We know we can bring this country back.

I’m Mitt Romney. I believe in America.

And I’m running for President of the United States.

Reminder: Romney will be on the Sean Hannity show tonight on FOX News. Tomorrow morning, June 3rd, he will hold his first Town Hall meeting at 8:30 AM EDT at the University of New Hampshire Manchester. Later in the evening, he’ll speak at the Faith and Freedom Coalition in Washington D.C.

Rebel Ross has also posted good information here.

UPDATE - (2:26 PM PT) Tweet from Mitt

UPDATE 2:More pics…

TwitPic: “Waiting for Romney – music is pumping – crowd is excited!”

► Jayde Wyatt