UPDATE – After John Boehner endorsed Mitt Romney, he appeared on CBS This Morning. Charlie Rose tried to play hardball:

Unless you’ve been under a rock for a week, you’ve heard about Hilary Rosen’s comments Ann Romney didn’t “work a day in her life,” and the firestorm that started.

Ms. Rosen certainly stepped in it. But this post is not about the words she chose. Others have written plenty on that topic. My problem is with what she was really trying to say, which was just as bad, or worse.

Ms. Rosen was unartfully trying to say that because Ann has not held a paid job, or in other words because Ann is wealthy, Ann has no credibility to speak on economic issues. This is wrong. It’s anti-American and undemocratic.

Mitt has been attacked with comments he is “out of touch,” or that he (and now Ann) can’t understand people because of their wealth, or the insupportable statement that he somehow “isn’t connecting.” I could trot out numerous examples of how Mitt’s words have been taken out of context to try and make the point he’s one of “them,” not one of “us,” or, in OWS lingo, part of the one percent.

All of these attacks are meant to create and perpetuate a culture of blame, an us vs. them mentality and to divide us based on our economic circumstances. As pointed out by our own David Parker in another post tonight, they are certainly not in the spirit of Barack Obama’s promise to go above partisan politics as usual and the politics of division. The American dream to me, and I believe to the entire GOP, is that all people should have an opportunity to make of themselves what they will. To point at someone like Ann Romney and tear her down because she is fortunate enough to have had success is clearly what Ms. Rosen was trying to do, and it is just plain wrong. I’m offended because Ms. Rosen’s words try to solidify that economic divide solely to keep a Democrat in the White House. Her comments were mean spirited and misguided. There is no hope in them, only, I believe, a knowing mis-representation intended to solicit the support of the poor, who, ironically, are in the situation they’re in due to President Obama’s failed economic policies.

Mitt has said it very well: if you vilify success, you’ll have less of it. The left has been vilifying Mitt’s success since he started in order to shift the blame from their own failed policies and solidify their hold on power. This just cannot stand.

With those thoughts in mind, here are my top ten reasons why what Ms. Rosen meant was just as bad as what she said: Read more…

David Axelrod
Communications Director for re-elect Obama campaign

The once-Senior Adviser to Obama, now Communications Director for the President’s re-election campaign, David Axelrod, really did a blue ribbon job of communicating this morning…

He told the truth.

On FOX News Sunday with Chris Wallace, Axelrod made the case for electing Governor Mitt Romney:

“The choice in this election is between economy that produces a growing middle class and that gives people a chance to get ahead and their kids a chance to get ahead, and an economy that continues down the road we are on . . . ”

The Romney campaign, quick-as-lightning, released a video of Axelrod’s comments:

Couldn’t agree more.

Thanks, Dave!

The Obama road – where it has taken us… For a few reminders click on link below.

Read more…

It’s been over 10 months since the race began.

It turned out to be a marathon, not a 50 yard dash. Some GOP primary runners sprinted off the starting line, others jogged. As the contest proceeded, some forged ahead then faltered, surged then slogged, took the lead then limped away.

Along with blistered feet, there was blistering rhetoric. We’ve heard warm-up and wind-down speeches and everything in between. It’s been a real spectator sport and at times, a spectacle. But, mostly, it’s been spectacular. Every runner enriched the race. Each competitor pushed the others to run stronger, better.

While not officially over, the tape stretching across the primary finish line is, at last, in sight.

Who do we see coming down the home stretch?

We see the runner who was oft derided because he didn’t grandstand. The runner marginalized because he was steady. The runner who gauged his pace while others flashed past. We see the runner whose lifelong preparation, principles, and message gave him the strength to recover from bumps in the road. We see the runner who wasn’t rash, but knew when to rush. We see the runner who, in the end, proved he had the stamina and stuff to win…

Mitt Romney.

Carl M. Cameron (Real Clear Politics) writes:

Resilient Romney Bests His Last GOP Challenger

… Romney… proved to have one key prerequisite to running a competitive general election campaign: He can take a punch. When he got decked, which happened repeatedly, sometimes by his own corner, Mitt Romney picked himself off the canvas and began launching haymakers on whatever rival was standing in his way — and there were several of them.

… No Republican candidate ever captured the nomination after having trailed so many rivals at one time or another in straw votes, fundraising, public opinion polls, and buzz. They came at him in waves, as though they were running a relay race and Romney was running a marathon by himself. In the ended, he bested the entire tag team of Trump, Bachmann, Perry, Cain, Gingrich & Santorum.

Romney’s last two competitors are trotting a mile behind:

One Romney adviser said Tuesday that the campaign would mostly refrain from engaging Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul, although both men vowed in similar language to remain in the race as the conservative alternative to the front-runner. The focus, this Romneyite said, would be “on Obama and bringing the Republican Party together.”

Senator Pat Toomey offers advice to spectators determined to defeat Obama:

“Now is the time for conservatives to rally around Gov. Romney and help deliver a victory in Pennsylvania and America this November,” conservative Sen. Pat Toomey said in a statement issued hours after Santorum’s withdrawal. “I am confident Gov. Romney will be a great president and will return our country to the conservative principles that make our nation great.”

Toomey represents Pennsylvania, a state Obama carried four years ago by 10 points. But with the sour national economy, the most recent polling shows it much closer than the race between Obama and McCain — and it’s not a state that Romney’s forces are planning to concede to the Democrats. As for the 11 states Romney lost to Santorum, for the most part they were either low-turnout caucus states or places such as Alabama, Mississippi, Missouri and North Dakota, where Republicans should win in November.

Cameron continues:

So perhaps there has been no lasting harm to Romney’s general election chances, despite all the punches that have landed on that still-handsome mug. But many conservatives remain wary. They will watch how Romney campaigns from now on, whom he picks as a running mate …

While politicos will now chatter about V.P. possibilities and we Romney supporters are breathing somewhat of a sigh of relief, we understand it’s a time for others to catch their breath, reflect, and face reality. Governor Romney earned the right to grip the GOP baton. He will be the one to take the race to Obama. Each participant made the race ever so exciting. Sincere thanks to all.

We hope all who love America and our opportunity society will soon rally to Romney. Like Senator Toomey said, we need everyone to chime in, cheer the baton-bearer, and help chase Obama from the White House.

Believe in Romney.

He can win this thing.

Then, America wins.

(emphasis added to article)

► Jayde Wyatt

“Great to spend some time with the grandkids this week – looking forward to Easter weekend with the family.” ~ Ann Romney (Facebook photo – April 4, 2012)

As Mrs. Romney meets with and speaks to voters across the country, heads are nodding in approval. Women, particularly, are sharing their deepest concerns with her – namely the economy, jobs, deficit spending, and how much it costs to fill their gas tanks.

Knowing a great thing when they see it, the Romney campaign just released a new video ad featuring Ann. A few responses:

Politico – Maggie Haberman

The Romney campaign releases a video of Ann Romney, widely acknowledged as the most humanizing element of her husband’s camapign and the person who his team is relying on to help with women voters, talking about raising her family ahead of the holiday weekend.

Hot Air - Tina Korbe

Whoever had the idea to utilize Ann Romney more on the campaign trail deserves to be richly rewarded. It might be obvious that her sudden visibility is aimed partly to bridge Mitt’s gender gap, but she really does bring their family alive in a way Mitt just hasn’t yet.
[...]
. . . Ann Romney’s wistful remembrances of her sons’ childhood remind me of the inexorability of time. I can think of quite a few moms who would say just what Ann says at the start of the video.

“Even then you knew that these moments would be fleeting, but you didn’t really believe it because you were so in the moment of living with those boys,” she said. “It was pretty chaotic, and a lot of fun, but they were great times.”

Better use today well because tomorrow will be here before we know it!

Townhall - Erika Johnsen

. . . Mrs. Romney has been an asset in humanizing and softening Mitt’s image, helping to present him as a strong, loving father and family man — a quality that, thankfully, many Americans still respect and admire. It feels like Team Romney is finally starting to really realize just how crucial her input is, and they’ve got a new ad out this week emphasizing Mitt’s more nurturing side:

I’m just going to say it: the more I see of Ann Romney, the more I like her. She seems kind, steady, and highly capable, and I’d be A-okay seeing her as First Lady in the White House. Michelle Obama has been a fairly popular FLOTUS and a valuable player in her own husband’s campaign, but I think Ann Romney seems more than up to the challenge.

I love this video – Ann’s narration, retro feel of the Super 8 footage, and seeing the Romney boys when they were little guys:

Read more…

They meet once a year in Washington D.C and attract lots of attention…

This year was no exception. The American Society of News Editors (ASNE) was privy to speeches from the two political figures the nation is focused on – President Barack Obama and Governor Mitt Romney.

There was one exception, however. Yesterday, ahead of GOP primary election returns, Obama took an unusual turn in his speech… Previously rarely mentioning Mitt Romney by name, the President chose to deliver a stinging attack against Republicans and particularly, Mitt Romney.

Obama slammed The Gov for supporting Congressman Paul Ryan’s budget plan (which passed in the House last week) and the measures proposed therein to save Medicare and rein in spending. Obama claimed Romney and Ryan would see that mothers and young children wouldn’t get healthy food, college students would lose financial aid, the Dept. of Justice and FBI would be weakened, in certain parts of the country air traffic controllers would vanish, even weather forecasters would be harmed – that Governors would be tardy issuing hurricane warnings, and so on.

After his doomsday diatribe, Obama intoned, “This is not conjecture. I am not exaggerating. These are facts. And these are just the cuts that would happen the year after next.”

“One of my potential opponents, Governor Romney, has said that he hoped a similar version of this plan from last year would be introduced as a bill on day one of his presidency.”

“He said he’d be very supportive of this new budget and he even called it ‘marvelous’, which is a word you don’t often hear when it comes to describing a budget.” (Laughter.) “It’s a word you don’t often hear generally.” (Laughter.)

Obama further elaborated – calling the Romney/Ryan goal to stop wasteful spending a “Trojan horse – thinly-veiled social Darwinism.”

Obama’s speech reeked with the usual leftist M.O. – class warfare, scaring Americans, exaggerations, mischaracterizations, untruths, and dividing the electorate to score political points.

Obama has now clearly targeted Mitt Romney, the Ryan budget, Republicans, and our opportunity society.

The general election has begun.

Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan check out latest results in Wisconsin. April 3, 2012
(Photo/Zac Moffat - click on image to enlarge)

Today, it was Governor Mitt Romney’s turn at the ASNE lectern. Fresh after long days of campaigning in Wisconsin with Congressman Ryan (and victories last night in said state, Maryland, and D.C.) he delivered a riveting, powerhouse speech – highlighting Obama’s “Hide and Seek” campaign. It was characterized by a CNN politico as a very sobering, somber speech.

In the course of Governor Romney’s campaign-defining remarks, he underscored Obama’s lack of CANDOR with the American people, especially in light of Obama’s live mic incident with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev:

… “[I]nstead of answering those vital questions, President Obama came here yesterday and railed against arguments no one is making – and criticized policies no one is proposing. It’s one of his favorite strategies – setting up straw men to distract from his record.

And while I understand why the President doesn’t want to run on his record, he can’t run from his record either.
. . .
On what other issues will he state his true position only after the election is over?”

Here’s the transcript of Romney’s ASNE speech (you won’t want to skip over this):

Over the last ten months, I’ve come to know a good deal about some of the journalists who write for your newspapers.

We’ve aired our dirty laundry together – sometimes literally as well as figuratively. We’ve bathed hour upon hour in the fine diesel aroma of a campaign bus. And we’ve shared more birthdays and holidays with each other than with our families.

One of the reporters covering our campaign is Maeve Reston of the Los Angeles Times. For Maeve’s birthday, I got her a cake and sang her a birthday song. For my birthday, she was kind enough to remind me that I’m now old enough to qualify for Medicare.

In just the few years since my last campaign, the changes in your industry are striking. Then, I looked to Drudge or FOX or CNN online to see what stories were developing. Hours after a speech, it was being dissected on the Internet. Now, it’s Twitter, and instantaneous reaction. In 2008, the coverage was about what I said in my speech. These days, it’s about what brand of jeans I am wearing and what I ate for lunch.

Most people in my position are convinced that you are biased against us. We identify with LBJ’s famous quip that if he were to walk on water, your headline would read: “President Can’t Swim.”

Some people thus welcome the tumult in your industry, heralding the new voices and the unfiltered or supposedly unbiased sources. Frankly, in some of the new media, I find myself missing the presence of editors to exercise quality control. I miss the days of two or more sources for a story – when at least one source was actually named.

How your industry will change, I cannot predict. I subscribe to Yogi Berra’s dictum: “Forecasting is very difficult, especially when it involves the future.”

But I do know this: You will continue to find ways to provide the American people with reliable information that is vital to our lives and to our nation. And I am confident that the press will remain free. But further, I salute this organization and your various institutions in your effort to make it not only free, but also responsible, accurate, relevant, and integral to the functioning of our democracy.

Given the number and scale of our nation’s current challenges, the November election will have particular consequence. It will be a defining event. President Obama and I have very different visions for America, both of what it means to be an American today and what it will mean in the future.

Read more…

Governor Mitt Romney and Congressman Paul Ryan (R-WI) take a break from campaigning to grab a bite to eat at Culver's restaurant in Johnson Creek, Wisconsin. 4/1/12
(Photo/Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

The Romney/Ryan team continued yesterday taking their timely message to Wisconsinites. They were invited to hold a town hall meeting at Moore Oil Company in Milwaukee. Here’s video of The Gov and Congressman Ryan:

Later in the day, at the same venue, Romney and Ryan were interviewed by FOX News’ Greta Van Susteren:

We’re at a halfway point…

Today’s elections in Wisconsin, Maryland, and D.C. mark the halfway point in the race for delegates. Yesterday, Governor Romney picked up three more delegates… Coincidentally, he’s now halfway to clinching the GOP nomination:

The former Massachusetts governor inched up to 572 delegates on Monday _ exactly half the 1,144 needed _ after the Tennessee Republican Party finalized delegate totals from its March 6 primary. Results in several congressional districts were too close to call on election night, leaving three delegates unallocated.

Romney got all three delegates. He also picked up an endorsement from a New Hampshire delegate who had been awarded to former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman. Huntsman dropped out of the race in January and endorsed Romney.
[...]
According to the Associated Press tally, Romney has more than twice as many delegates as Santorum. Santorum has 272 delegates, followed by former House Speaker Newt Gingrich with 135 and Texas Rep. Ron Paul with 51.

Romney has won 54 percent of the primary and caucus delegates so far, putting him on pace to clinch the nomination in June. Romney could substantially add to his lead Tuesday, when 95 delegates will be at stake in three primaries, in Wisconsin, Maryland and the District of Columbia.

Current reality:

Santorum, who has won 27 percent of the primary and caucus delegates so far, would need 74 percent of the remaining delegates to clinch the nomination before the national convention. Gingrich would need 86 percent and Paul would have to win nearly all of them, which won’t happen because most states award delegates proportionally.

Anyone but Romney? Martin Sieff (FOX News Opinion) wrote yesterday that he is “sick of Santorum”:

Read more…

They packed the hall yesterday at the Faith & Freedom Coalition at the Country Springs Hotel in Pewaukee, Wisconsin…

Governor Mitt Romney and Wisconsin’s beloved homeboy and rising GOP star, Congressman Paul Ryan, both speakers at the event, inspired the crowd with their remarks. While speaking, Romney did not mention his GOP primary opponents and focused on President Obama (he also worked in a good comment about Joe Biden). At the conclusion of Ryan’s speech, he introduced The Gov with another strong endorsement (SEE VIDEO BELOW).

◆ Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum also participated – but the latter did something that raised eyebrows…

WAUKESHA, Wis. — The current state of the Republican nominating contest was on display in Wisconsin on Saturday, with underdog Rick Santorum vigorously slamming front-runner Mitt Romney, while the former Massachusetts governor ignored his GOP rivals and focused solely on President Barack Obama.
[...]
Santorum’s rhetoric against a fellow Republican is a departure from the typical remarks candidates have given at previous Faith and Freedom events held this campaign season. The group draws a variety of GOP voters, and one candidate bad-mouthing another is usually avoided. But the former Pennsylvania senator did not tone down the attacks he frequently uses on the stump.

◆ MSNBC Nightly News Report March 31, 2012:

Santorum, speaking on NBC’s Meet the Press today, vowed that even if he loses in Wisconsin, he’s staying in the race:

The former Pennsylvania senator dismisses the notion that a prolonged primary would harm the party’s chances against President Barack Obama in November. Santorum says GOP establishment figures are making that argument to convince voters that “they need Mitt Romney shoved down their throats.”


… 
Santorum said he needs to win Pennsylvania’s primary on April 24.


While speaking at the F&F forum, Santorum and Gingrich both referred to Congressman Ryan, but notice the interesting difference:

While Gingrich called the congressman “a great guy,” Santorum referred to Ryan as “some other Wisconsinite.”

Maggie Haberman (Politico) writes:

Since Ryan’s endorsement, Santorum has been largely silent about the rising Republican Party star on the campaign trail. When asked about the endorsement by reporters, Santorum brushed it off, saying: “What I find out is that most endorsements are worth one vote.”

Besides the lies he tells about Governor Romney, Santorum’s rancorous, uncouth, and gauche behavior serves as a continual poke-in-the-eye reminder of why he should not get anywhere near the Oval Office. For someone who claims he got in the GOP presidential race because of “God’s calling” one would think he’d try to do a better job emulating the supposed caller.

By the way, the Romney and Ron Paul campaigns have filed a joint complaint citing “serious and prejudicial misconduct” from Santorum supporters at a previously-held Missouri county caucus.

◆ Here’s video of Wisconsin’s Faith & Freedom forum:
Newt Gingrich: @5:00
Paul Ryan: @25:20
Mitt Romney: @40:45
Rick Santorum: @1hr:29

◆ After speaking at the F&F conference, Gov Romney and Ryan headed to Muskego, WI, to host a town hall meeting. D.G. Jackson, Romney’s campaign shadow, videoed The Gov and Paul Ryan before going on stage:

The Gov and Ryan also spent time at a phone bank in Madison for Governor Scott Walker.

◆ GOOD NEWS…

Earlier this morning on NBC’s Meet the Press, Tea Party favorite Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson endorsed Romney:

Read more…

After Congressman Paul Ryan’s strong endorsement of Mitt Romney today, we saw the powerful duo later join up to take to the stage at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin. Before Romney delivered an inspiring “Restoring America” speech, Congressman Ryan introduced him.

Speaking on America’s absolute need for a true leader in the White House, Ryan said we must have a leader who has courage, conservative principles, and conviction… who has the integrity and tenacity to get America back on track. “In my humble opinion as a guy from Janesville, we need Mitt Romney to be the next president of the United States of America,” he enthusiastically offered. “I’m excited, I’m encouraged, I’m enthused.”

Ryan ended by asking his fellow Wisconsinites to join him in supporting Romney.

Romney’s presidential-sounding speech had an unmistakable general election tone. He spoke on the troubled Obama legacy and introduced a new theme: Obama’s Government-Centered Society versus rebuilding the foundation of our Opportunity Society.

VIDEO of his entire speech may be viewed here.





Excerpts from Romney’s speech (For full text, click here.):

In 222 days, something pretty extraordinary is going to happen in the country. We’ll have an election. Across this country, millions and millions of Americans will be able to do something that is really quite amazing: They will choose not only a President, but an entire House of Representatives and a third of the US Senate.

The entire world will be watching us. And by around midnight on November 6th, maybe a little earlier or a little later, we’ll know the results of millions of Americans exercising their right to vote and in doing so, making a choice so profound that it is very difficult for any of us to grasp.

But I believe Americans face a fundamental choice in this election, a decision that is much more important than the candidates or the political parties. We should understand that we are selecting not just who should guide us but a choice between two distinct paths and destinies for our nation.

In the days and months ahead, we should ask ourselves some very fundamental questions about who we are as a nation and who we are becoming. What does it mean to be an American in 2012? What will it mean in 2016 and beyond? Are we keeping faith with the great legacy – and trust – that has been handed to us by previous generations? And what America will we leave the next generation?

Our yearly budget deficits are soaring and our national debt now stands at an all-time high. Barack Obama presided over the first trillion-dollar deficit in American history. And he has repeated this dreadful distinction for each year he has been in office.

For the first time since World War II, our national debt is greater than the size of our entire economy. Each American’s share of the national debt stands at $50,000.

. . . As much as we would like to, we can’t undo what has happened these past years. The families who have lost their homes, the factories that have closed, the students who had to drop out of college and those who never could make it in the door, all those missed chances and lost opportunities can’t be regained.

And that’s why it is important to understand one astonishing fact about this election: President Obama thinks he’s doing a good job. No, I’m not kidding. He actually thinks he’s doing a great job. An historically great job. According to the President, only Lincoln, FDR and Lyndon Johnson have accomplished more. And no, he didn’t say that on Saturday Night Live.

This is a President who was elected not on the strength of a compelling record but a compelling personality and story. There was much about the campaign of Barack Obama that appealed to many Americans. And though the reality has failed the hope and change he promised, he remains surrounded by true believers who attack anyone who challenges their power. And, as we see each day, they will fight even more fiercely to hold on to that power.

All of this is to be expected. That power loves power and never lets go easily is hardly new.

The choice before us could not be more profound. Barack Obama and I have fundamentally different visions for America.

He has spent the last four years laying the foundation for a new Government-Centered Society. I will spend the next four years rebuilding the foundation of our Opportunity Society, led by free people and free enterprises.

Continue reading here.

Romney’s scope of understanding of what truly is at stake for the land of the free and the home of the brave was plainly evident today. It was an inspiring, magnificent speech. My heart swelled with pride and hope knowing he has the courage, conviction, and resolve to take the battle directly to Obama and win.

Mitt Romney will restore America’s greatness.

► Jayde Wyatt

The mainstream media, along with Gingrich, Santorum, Limbaugh, Palin, and many others, have effectively created the public image of Gov. Romney as a moderate Republican for any number of reasons. Serious voters that study his record as Governor, and his rhetoric as a candidate, discover early that Romney is very much a conservative.

Yet, the “moderate” label brings to mind two important ironies: 1) In the 2007-08 cycle, Gov. Romney was considered conservative by comparison to the eventual nominee, John McCain, and 2) the TV-informed voters of this cycle have accepted the moderate label (among other attributes) and as a result consider Romney the superior choice to defeat the incumbent Obama.

In the sun with sons

Romney’s record as governor proved he is a conservative leader — his 800+ vetoes alone informs the electorate that he had the conservative will and courage to stand up to an 85 percent Democrat legislature in one of the most liberal states of the union.

Larry Kudlow wrote an insightful piece titled, “The Reagan in Romney” at National Review Online on topic:

The late William F. Buckley Jr. naturally put it best when he said, “The wisest choice would be the one who could win. No sense running Mona Lisa in a beauty contest. I’d be for the most right, viable candidate who could win.”

Bill Buckley’s Law applies to Mitt Romney today. And it’s worth noting Rush Limbaugh’s recent update to the dictum. Following Romney’s terrific Illinois victory speech on Tuesday, Rush said flatly, “A conservative alternative to Romney is Romney.”

[Candidly, I don't trust Limbaugh much at all in his opinions. We'll see. I stopped listening to him years ago as it became obvious that he is about 85 percent entertainer and 15 percent sincere conservative thinker (his show makes way more money when a liberal is POTUS)]

As the tough primary season ventures on, Romney has clarified and evolved his views into tough conservative positions.

On economic policy, for example, he would limit the government budget to 20 percent of GDP, slash $500 billion in his first term [...] He’s for a true, all-of-the-above energy policy that would take the regulatory handcuffs off drilling on federal lands. He would repeal Obamacare. And he has come up with a supply-side tax cut that lowers marginal rates by 20 percent across-the-board and drops the corporate tax to 25 percent.

These are very conservative positions. One can seriously ask whether Romney isn’t the most conservative presidential candidate since Ronald Reagan. Read more…