Mitt Romney snagged a biggie this morning. He’s been endorsed by Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell (current chairman of the Republican Governors Association):
“I’ve decided to support Mitt Romney. I think he’s a results-oriented conservative, I think he’s the best leader to get America back on track to create jobs, to get this national debt under control, and I’m delighted to be supporting Mitt Romney,” McDonnell said in an appearance on CNBC.
[...]
“I think he’s got steady momentum. A lot of candidates have been up and down in this race. Mitt Romney has been the one who has been steady and garnering support,” he said. “Look, we’ve got great candidates in the race, any one of them would be better than President Obama in being a strong leader, creating jobs and getting our debt under control, but Mitt Romney’s got a proven record, he’s a results-oriented conservative, and he’s got the record of creating jobs.”
McDonnell said that Saturday’s primary in South Carolina convinced him that it was time for him to jump in with an official endorsement. “It’s a Southern primary — I’m a Southern governor and I thought I could help the governor by coming out today,” he said.
The governor also touted Romney as a Republican with the ability to “win Democrats and independents to our cause” while continuing to stick to his principles. “If you want to win the race in November, vote for Mitt Romney. He’s the best candidate that we’ve got to beat President Obama,” he said.
Romney Press Shop
“Governor McDonnell’s leadership in Virginia is an example for the rest of the nation,” said Mitt Romney. “Governor McDonnell has used the conservative principles of keeping taxes and spending low and creating a fair regulatory climate to make Virginia a top destination for job creators. These same principles can be used in Washington to fix our economy and make government accountable to the taxpayers. I am proud to have his support and look forward to working with Governor McDonnell.”
“As I have said throughout this primary process, we need a governor to serve as our next president,” said Governor McDonnell. “America needs leadership and that’s what governors do: they lead. Governors actually have to find solutions and bring all parties together in order to get results for their citizens – they can’t just sit back and cast votes. Mitt Romney has been an effective leader his entire life, in business, the Olympics and as governor. President Obama’s lack of leadership experience is now clear – he has failed to turn around the economy and end the gridlock in Washington. Mitt Romney used his leadership ability in a politically difficult environment to balance the budget every year, cut spending and taxes, and create jobs. He is a results-oriented conservative. This is the type of record that conservatives like me are honored to support – we need a leader like Mitt Romney in the White House to enact effective change that will put our country back on the right path and Americans back to work.”
Background On Governor McDonnell:
Governor Bob McDonnell was elected In 2009. Prior to his election, McDonnell served as Virginia’s Attorney General and as a Delegate representing Virginia’s 84th District in Virginia Beach. Governor McDonnell is an Army Veteran who served his country for 21 years. Governor McDonnell is the current Chairman of the Republican Governors Association. (emphasis added)
Besides appearing on CNBC this morning, Gov McDonnell was also on CNN and FOX & Friends. Here’s a brief look at his appearance on FOX:
(If we find better video, it will be posted here.)
McDonnell will campaign in South Carolina with Gov Romney this afternoon and evening at events in Charleston and Greenville. He will also help at an event tomorrow morning before flying home.
Thanks, Governor McDonnell!
Today’s schedule details for Romney:
11:00 AM ET Hosting rally at Harmon Tree Farm
Harmon Tree Farm, 3152 Augusta Highway, Gilbert, S.C.
3:45 PM ET Hosting rally at Charleston Area Convention Center
Charleston Area Convention Center, 5001 Coliseum Drive, North Charleston, S.C.
8:30 PM Hosting Get Out The Vote Event
Saw Mill at Larkin’s, 22 Graves Drive, Greenville, S.C.
Thanks to John Schroeder of Article VI Blog for connecting Mitt Romney Central with Timothy Dalrymple. The following open letter is another outstanding endorsement of Governor Romney as the candidate best suited to represent conservative values as our President of the United States. Tim’s three main arguments below are compelling, especially regarding Governor Romney’s moral leadership.
Timothy Dalrymple is the Director of Content for Patheos.com, the largest religion website in the country, and the managing editor of its Evangelical Portal. He earned his Ph.D. in modern western religious thought at Harvard’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and contributes to Evangelicals for Mitt. Raised in non-denominational evangelical churches in California, Dalrymple has ministry experience in youth ministry, college ministry, prison chaplaincy, teaching apologetics, and leading overseas missions. Formerly of Boston, he is now a member of Perimeter Church in Johns Creek, Georgia. You can follow him at Philosophical Fragments or Facebook.
Dear Mitt Romney skeptics, and especially my fellow evangelicals,
Do you remember how it felt when the economy began to implode in those anxious, waning months of 2008? We were coming down to the wire in the election contest, and the candidates we had to choose between were Barack Obama and John McCain. Given the choices, of course, I supported McCain. I still think he would have made a far better President than Obama has proven to be.
But as the very foundations of the American economy were shaking and falling away beneath our feet, and we faced the very real possibility of a Second Great Depression, how desperately I wished that Mitt Romney had emerged from the primary as the champion of the GOP. The presiding President and his party took the heat for the financial crisis, and McCain worsened the situation when his actions and statements inspired no confidence in his stability and expertise on economic matters. The election turned in Obama’s favor when he gave the impression of solidity and strength in the economic crisis.
Romney, however, had something Obama couldn’t even begin to claim: a brilliantly successful career in the private sector, and a world of experience specifically in the financial sector, where our most intractable problems lay. Between McCain and Romney, Romney was touted by the conservative commentariat as the conservative option, and I remember feeling as though the liberal media, independents and even some Democrats who were able to vote in primaries had shoehorned John McCain onto the GOP ticket. If Romney had been at the top of the ticket instead, I still believe we would have avoided the lamentable Obama Presidency; compared to a business titan, Obama would have looked like the inexperienced pretender that he was, and he could not have stood up to Romney’s economic expertise in the debates.
Well, we’re still in the midst of an incredible mess as a country. Our financial house is in shambles. Tax reform, regulatory reform, streamlining government, changes to our energy and immigration policies, will all help. But the character of the American people, the moral substructure that provides the necessary, nurturing environment for our democratic free market, has also disintegrated. Our problem is not merely political; it is also cultural. I am convinced of this with every bone in my body: We need to rediscover the virtues of the free market, and we also need to rediscover the economic virtues. On the one hand, we need a President who understands how companies grow and flourish, who understands how the economy works and what provides the predictability and clarity and the space for innovation that the market demands; Romney’s experience in venture capital, properly understood, is one of his truest strengths, because the venture capitalist learns a great deal about what kinds of ventures succeed and what kinds of capital they need. On the other hand, we need someone whose personal integrity and whose socio-political principles will strengthen the family, enrich the workforce, and restore our collective commitment to responsibility and initiative, stewardship and thrift, diligence and creativity.
I’ve written responses to some common misconceptions about Romney and his candidacy – and a long, specifically evangelical case for Mitt can be found in this ebook. The purpose of this letter is simply to set forth, in broad outlines, why I think Romney’s the right guy at the right time for this country. The Presidency is a position of enormously important economic, global and moral leadership. In all three of those areas, I firmly believe that Mitt Romney is the leader we need. He also, not coincidentally, stands the best chance of defeating Barack Obama — and if there’s one thing conservatives agree upon right now, it’s the profound importance of installing new leadership. As the country staggers toward decline, we need someone who can pick us up, rally the American people behind a positive and hopeful vision, and deploy all of his intelligence and experience and skill to move us toward a better future. That’s Mitt.
Economic and Global Leadership
Those who know him personally attest, without exception, that Romney is an extraordinarily intelligent, boundlessly competent, and thoroughly hard-working man. He built a towering reputation in the business world, accomplished a near-miraculous turnaround of the Salt Lake City Olympics (which was mired in scandal and red ink and on the verge of collapsing), and took an extremely liberal state (Massachusetts) that was deeply in debt and restored it to fiscal health and a budget surplus in the course of four years.
In the business world, Romney specialized in turning around failing companies, and he did so with great success. Sometimes, yes, that means eliminating jobs — but in most cases you’re eliminating jobs in order to avoid eliminating a company in its entirety. You make companies more profitable, more competitive, and thus more sustainable. You eliminate jobs now so that you can keep paying the salaries of those who remain, and ideally add more jobs again later. In other words, sometimes the most pro-jobs thing you can do is cut one job and save the company that employs ninety-nine more.
There is a lot of talk these days about how Mitt Romney is a so-called “Massachusetts moderate” and how other candidates are trying to be the “conservative alternative” to Gov. Romney. Some even compare Mitt Romney to John McCain’s candidacy of 2008.
One very conservative and influential magazine called ‘The Weekly Standard,’ whose editor (Bill Krystol) is a regular panelist on Fox News Sunday, looked into the issue. The conclusion that they found is that Romney is “no moderate,” in fact:
“Romney is at least as conservative as his GOP rivals on jettisoning Obamacare and more conservative than some on entitlements, national security, and immigration. He’s no match for Gingrich on taxes, but that’s about it. Overall, he’s to the right of Gingrich.”
The article goes on to say that in regard to the top four most pressing issues of the day (namely Immigration, Tax Reform, Health Care, and Military Defense spending), Romney is “anything but moderate.”
“On four of the biggest issues in 2012, Romney is anything but moderate—or timid. He gets no special credit for advocating repeal of Obamacare. That’s Republican dogma. But he’s been the most specific among the GOP presidential candidates in backing the Ryan budget in all its parts, including its remake of Medicare. It was House Budget Committee chairman Paul Ryan’s plan that Gingrich zinged as “right wing social engineering” before reversing himself under duress.
When Romney announced in November his own proposal for cutting spending and reforming Medicare and Social Security, Paul Ryan was thrilled. “Look at what he put out!” he told Jennifer Rubin of the Washington Post. “This is a great development.” Ryan said Romney’s package of spending cuts “tracks perfectly with the House budget,” which Ryan had drafted.”
Further Evidence
Further evidence of Romney’s conservative credentials is the fact that Romney made history in New Hampshire’s vote last week. Not only was he the first non-incumbent Republican to win both Iowa and New Hampshire, but in New Hamphire Romney got more votes from self-identified Republican voters than any other Republican candidate in history. Here is a brief summary on how New Hampshire Republicans voted:
“Mitt picked up 49% of GOP voters. Romney’s 49 percent is the highest mark among self-identified Republicans for any presidential candidate since New Hampshire moved its primary forward in the calendar.
Contrast that with John McCain, with whom he’s often compared as a squishy moderate with problems with Republicans.
McCain is the only candidate since 1980 to win New Hampshire even as he lost among self-identified Republicans.
That means McCain was essentially the worst winner with Republicans in New Hampshire over the past 30 years, while Romney was the best.”
As the Weekly Standard and polls from New Hampshire show, Romney is no moderate. He is a solid conservative. Strikingly, Romney is getting equal support from both conservatives and moderates among the voters and also from among congressmen and Governors who have endorsed Romney. Part of Romney’s strength is that he is a conservative that also appeals strongly to independents. That sounds like the kind of candidate we need running for the White House.
Mitt Romney greets enthusiastic supporters while walking to his campaign bus after holding a rally in Florence, SC. Jan 17, 2012 (Photo/Reuters/Jim Young)
SC Governor Nikki Haley and former SC GOP Chairman Barry Wynn weigh in on last night’s presidential debate in Myrtle, South Carolina:
“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
“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
Before South Carolinians vote on Saturday, Governor Romney has one more chance to show them his dynamic, determined, delightful self. CNN is hosting a debate on Thursday, Jan 19th in Charleston. According to most of the reports I’ve gathered, pundits say Newt Gingrich had a great night last night and Romney was winged. I agree that it wasn’t his best debate, but he held his own. I’m hoping we see more of the agile-smiling-sparring-superior Romney we know so well. And, the next time Newt or Rick Santorum interrupt The Gov, I hope he boldly says “chill” … then, charges in for checkmate.
More great news:
MITT ROMNEY ANNOUNCES SUPPORT OF SOUTH CAROLINA LEADERS
Boston, MA – Mitt Romney today announced the support of key South Carolina business leaders, elected officials, veterans, and conservative activists.
“The wide range of support from conservatives across South Carolina proves that my message of a ‘Simpler, Smaller, and Smarter’ federal government is resonating with voters concerned about the direction of our country,” said Mitt Romney. “I’m happy to earn their endorsement and look forward to working with them for the vote of every South Carolinian.”
“The voters of South Carolina have an important choice to make regarding the future of this country,” said former South Carolina Secretary of Commerce Bob Faith. “We need a conservative candidate who will defeat President Obama and reverse his failed policies. That man is Mitt Romney. He is committed to getting rid of failed government programs like Obamacare. He is against government entities like the NLRB interfering with free enterprises like Boeing who want to invest in South Carolina and create jobs for South Carolinians. He is for restoring conservative principles to government, so that Washington will stop spending and start letting this country’s entrepreneurs and business leaders get back to creating jobs.”
“Our nation is at a crossroads, and Mitt Romney is the best choice to lead our country through these challenging times,” said Greenville County Council Chairman and retired Brigadier General Butch Kirven. “He is a strong leader who we can trust to restore limited government to Washington, cut spending, grow our economy, and get our nation back on the right track. I was looking for someone who reflects my values, is strong on national defense, and knows how to get the economy going again. Mitt Romney is the leader who can positively do that, and he can win in November.”
“It’s really simple, the only person of either party running for President who has created significant private sector jobs is Mitt Romney,” said retired executive Bill Hewitt. “He will implement the policies necessary to turn the economy around, start of story, end of story.”
(emphasis added)
South Carolina Leaders Supporting Mitt Romney:
Upstate
State Representative Don Bowen, Anderson
Greenville County Councilman Joe Dill
Greenville City Councilwoman Amy Ryberg Doyle
George Dean Johnson, Jr., Chairman, Johnson Development Associates, Spartanburg
Greenville County Council Chairman Butch Kirven
State Representative Phil Owens, Easley
Rick Pennell, Metromont Corporation, Greenville
Specialist John Snyder, U.S. Army, Ret., Greenville
Greenville Mayor Pro Tempore David Sudduth
Midlands
John H. Burriss, Owner of Gold’s Gyms of Columbia
Former York County GOP Chairman Henry Eldridge, Rock Hill
Richard J. Gaton, Columbia
Richard Jackson, CEO, C.R. Jackson, Inc., Columbia
Leighton Lord, Former Chairman, Nexsen Pruet, Columbia
State Representative Ralph Norman, Rock Hill
Former York County GOP Executive Committeewoman Karen Walto, Rock Hill
Coastal
Sally and Richard Coen, Mount Pleasant
Former South Carolina Attorney General Charlie Condon, Charleston
Former South Carolina Secretary of Commerce Robert A. Faith, Chairman & CEO, Greystar Real Estate Partners, Charleston
Rear Admiral, James Flatley, U.S. Navy, Ret., Charleston
William B. Hewitt, Retired Executive, Charleston
Former Bluffton Mayor Hank Johnston
Former South Carolina Secretary of Transportation Buck Limehouse, Charleston
Brigadier General Cliff Poole, U.S. Army, Ret., Charleston
Bill Prezzano, Charleston
Charleston County Treasurer Andy Smith
Jonathan Zucker, President, The InterTech Group, Charleston
*Company/business names are provided for identification purposes only.
Endorsers are retired or not on active duty. Use of military rank and job titles does not imply endorsement by the Department of Defense or any department thereof.
Love to see the endorsements rolling in from across the state… Now, let’s win this thing!
Governor Mitt Romney kicked it off with this remembrance of our civil rights hero, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr:
@MittRomney Mitt RomneyOn MLK Day, we remember an outstanding American who brought our country closer to its historic promise of liberty and justice for all.5 hours ago via web · powered by @socialditto
Team MRC joins Gov Romney in saluting Martin Luther King Jr. for his extraordinary and historical work for racial equality. Dedicated on Oct 16, 2011, the very impressive 30-foot stone sculpture memorial of Dr. King is positioned so he gazes across the Tidal Basin at the Jefferson Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. To view an interactive page of the site honoring the civil rights leader, click here. Here’s video of visitors taking in the majesty of the memorial:
The Presidential race is now down to five…
Governor Romney issued this statement today following news of Jon Huntsman’s pulling out of the race:
“I salute Jon Huntsman and his wife Mary Kaye. Jon ran a spirited campaign based on unity not division, and love of country. I appreciate his friendship and support.”
The eagerly-awaited FOX News presidential debate will be held tonight at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center in Myrtle Beach, SC. The action gets underway at 9:00 PM ET on FOX News. The event is also being so-sponsored by the SC GOP and the Wall Street Journal. Moderators are Brett Baier, Juan Williams, and Wall Street Journal’s Gerald Seib. Participants include: Former MA Gov Mitt Romney, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, Texas Gov Rick Perry, Rep. Ron Paul, and former Sen Rick Santorum. The gloves will be off!
We’ll post livefeed info as soon as it’s available, so check back. The official twitter hashtag for the Fox News debate is #foxdebate. You may also use twitter to weigh in on who is dodging their questions and who is answering them and to say you like Mitt’s responses. Tweet “#dodge” or “#answer” with the candidate’s name. See more here.
Romney suporters are invited to join us here on the MRC chat box when the event gets underway. Gov Romney, go get ‘em!
Jay Sekulow, along with co-host and son Jordan Sekulow during airing of ACLJ radio show Jay Sekulow Live!
★ I was very pleased to learn that Jay and Jordan Sekulow, of the American Center for Law and Justice, have announced their support for Governor Romney. I have the utmost respect for Jay and his son, Jordan, who is following in his father’s footsteps. They are a powerful duo (read about their backgrounds below). Jay also gave very stirring closing remarks to Romney’s speech today at the Faith and Freedom coalition rally in Myrtle Beach, SC:
“Jay and Jordan have been on the front lines fighting for conservatives – it is an honor to have their support,” said Mitt Romney. “On issues of great importance to me, including religious freedom and protecting human life, Jay and Jordan have been tireless leaders. I look forward to working with them to ensure that we can bring conservative change to Washington.”
“In order for conservatives to make the changes in Washington that we have been fighting for, we must first defeat President Obama and have a leader with a proven record of getting things done,” said Jay Sekulow. “Mitt Romney is the one candidate who can take his pro-growth message to the American people and defeat President Obama. Throughout his life, he has proven that he will not back down from difficult situations – fixing the mess that President Obama has left will not be easy.”
“Mitt Romney’s record as governor and vision for our country is one that conservatives should be proud to support,” said Jordan Sekulow. “He cut taxes, balanced budgets, and defended both traditional marriage and life in a politically difficult environment. Mitt Romney’s ability to defeat President Obama and enact conservative change is why I support him and so many conservatives are backing his campaign.”
(emphasis added)
Background On Jay and Jordan Sekulow:
Jay Sekulow is Chief Counsel of the American Center for Law and Justice. He is an accomplished Supreme Court advocate, renowned expert on religious liberty, and a respected broadcaster. Jay Sekulow is an attorney with a passion for protecting religious liberty, freedom, and democracy. For nearly a quarter of a century, he’s been on the front lines – working to protect religious and constitutional freedoms in the courts, in Congress, and in the public arena. At the Supreme Court of the United States, Jay Sekulow has argued 12 cases – including several landmark cases which have become part of the legal landscape in the area of religious liberty litigation.
Jordan Sekulow is the Executive Director of the American Center for Law and Justice. He is the host of the Jordan Sekulow Show, a syndicated radio program that provides cutting analysis of today’s political and legal landscape and regularly features elected officials and conservative leaders from across the U.S. and around the globe. He also serves as co-host, along with ACLJ Chief Counsel Jay Sekulow, of the Jay Sekulow Live! radio broadcast and the ACLJ This Week television broadcast. Jordan, an attorney, has an LL.M. from Georgetown Law Center and oversees the organization’s international offices. * Organizational references are for identification purposes only.
The Sekulow’s endorsements are especially meaningful in light of the SC primary and the Texas religious leaders’ huddle deciding to back an ‘anti-Romney’ candidate (Romney wasn’t even considered). Jay’s grandfather fled Russia because of religious persecution and, through the portals of Ellis Island, became an American. He spent his life peddling fruit in Brooklyn, New York. Today, his grandson argues cases before the Supreme Court of the United States… He and his son have endorsed Mitt Romney.
South Carolina is the hotbed of political activity right now and, while his mattress is going up in flames, Newt Gingrich just keeps jumpin’ harder on the bed… Ridiculing Mitt Romney because he speaks a second language? One of the best comments I heard regarding this latest act of Gingrich desperation came from Greg Gutfeld/The Five/FOX News last Friday. He ridiculed Gingrich: “Oh, yeah. That’s real good… mock someone because they’re SMART.”
Through the smoke and mirrors, two SC newspapers, The Greenville News and The Charlotte Observer, AND SC State Representative Murrell Smith, clear the air with their robust endorsements for Mitt Romney:
ROMNEY BEST CHOICE FOR REPUBLICANS Editorial
January 15, 2012
South Carolina Republicans go to the polls Saturday to have their say on their party’s presidential nominee. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is the strongest candidate on the ballot, and he is best qualified to mount a serious campaign this fall.
…
Romney is best equipped of the Republican candidates to help this country get its financial house in order, to rein in a federal government inclined to add crushing regulations, to free business capital to create jobs and to improve the lives of Americans up and down the economic ladder. He is thoughtful when it comes to protecting the country, enhancing its national security and improving its relationship with trusted allies. At the same time, his executive experience in the business world and in state government gives him an undeniable advantage in this Republican primary.
… With 25 years of business experience on his resume, Romney has an appreciation for the extraordinary ability of American workers, a clear-eyed view of what it takes to create and retain jobs, and a realistic understanding of the pressures on American businesses in a fragile economy and global marketplace. With a term as governor of Massachusetts on his resume, he has a demonstrated ability to provide leadership during challenging times, make tough and unpopular decisions, and work with lawmakers with other political beliefs so he can advance much of his agenda and avoid suffocating gridlock.
…
Whether it was taking over the faltering 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics or the governorship of a state with budget problems, Romney has demonstrated a management style and leadership traits that would serve him well in the White House if his party is victorious in November. His intimate knowledge of the business world, that also includes familiarity with some of the sharp edges of the free-market system, would serve him well, too.
As he wrote in a column on these pages a few months ago when the National Labor Relations Board had endangered the new Boeing plant in South Carolina, “America’s workers have long been the most productive in the world. If we unshackle them from the self-interested restrictions of federal bureaucrats and union bosses alike, I have no doubt that they will produce wonders far beyond those, like Boeing’s Dreamliner, that have already made America the great country that it is.” That is not a dreamy-eyed philosophy, but one that comes from a man who has spent more time in the business world than in government work.
…
ROMNEY HAS WHAT S.C. REPUBLICANS ARE LOOKING FOR Editorial
January 15, 2012
South Carolina Republicans on Saturday will have the last real chance to slow Mitt Romney’s climb to the GOP presidential nomination. But why would they want to?
…
The former Massachusetts governor doesn’t spark fire in many S.C. bellies, but business-oriented Republicans need not feel queasy when voting for him. Romney is a lifelong leader with remarkable business credentials. From Bain & Co. to the 2002 Olympics, Romney has demonstrated an ability to turn things around in a crisis.
Leading Bain Capital in the 1980s, Romney shined in his role as investor. In January 1991 he returned to Bain & Co. and within two years had rescued it from collapse. Similarly, the Olympics in Salt Lake City were nearly $400 million behind where they needed to be when Romney came in. He took charge and led the Olympics to success, and to a profit.
Republicans are debating Romney’s record at Bain and how many jobs he created. But with a stubbornly high S.C. unemployment rate currently at 9.9 percent, is there really any candidate in this primary field who could be better trusted on that front than Romney?
He has as much or more executive experience as any of his rivals. As a Republican governor in a liberal state, he showed the ability to pass important public policy under challenging circumstances, and he helped erase a projected $3 billion deficit.
…
Some voters may wish he would throw out the red meat that Rick Santorum and Ron Paul do, but Romney’s sensible, authoritative, conservative approach will do more for the cause than theirs will.
…
Romney Press Office: Romney Announces Support of South Carolina State Rep Murrell Smith
SC State Rep Murrell Smith
“I’m proud to have Murrell’s support,” said Mitt Romney. “Like me, Murrell believes our country needs to empower, not hamper, small businesses and entrepreneurs to give our country lasting economic growth. I look forward to working with Murrell in the months to come to spread this message to all South Carolinians.”
“President Obama’s time in office has been a historic failure,” said State Representative Murrell Smith. “Our country cannot afford four more years of the same policies of higher taxes, reckless spending, and a disastrous healthcare law. Mitt Romney is a conservative businessman who spent his life in the real economy. He knows how to turn our country around and create jobs for the middle class. I urge all South Carolinians that want to change the direction of the country to join me in supporting Mitt Romney.”
Background on Murrell Smith:
Murrell Smith Has Served In The South Carolina House Of Representatives Since 2000. He is a member of the Ways and Means Committee and Chairman of the Health and Human Services Subcommittee. He recently received the business advocate award from the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce and was named a taxpayer hero by the South Carolina Club for Growth. (emphasis, italics added)
Much more below the fold, including video of Romney on the Huckabee Forum Part 2 and Charles Krauthammer’s advice for The Gov regarding tomorrow night’s debate (Myrtle Beach, SC)…
Over the last 10 days or so, much as been reported about a meeting or conference of evangelical leaders to be held at the ranch of a judge in Texas. That meeting happened yesterday. There have been literally dozens of newspaper and online articles published leading up to the meeting, and afterward, with all of the accompanying speculation and anticipation. Their goal? To decide upon the “conservative alternative” to Mitt Romney. Really? They must think all Americans are completely ignorant.
“The fat lady hasn’t sung yet, but she’s in the green room warming up. It looks like Gov. Romney is going to win the nomination,” said Jeffress, who was not at the meeting but made headlines last year when he warned that Mormonism is a cult.
Jeffress cautioned that while some say evangelicals will have no choice but to vote for Romney, millions could stay home as they did in 2008 unless the former Massachusetts governor gives Christian conservatives a reason to turn out for him. He suggested that Romney, should he become the nominee, strongly promise that he will appoint anti-abortion judges to the U.S. Supreme Court.
From the many reports I read about the meeting of over 150 leaders, they cast votes (more than one time) to choose one of the “not-Mitt” candidates still remaining. Their selection was Rick Santorum, to the chagrin of Mr. Gingrich (I wonder why they decided against Newt? — a real head scratcher!).
Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council says conservatives are looking for a candidate who will repeal the nation’s health care law, fight for pro family values and address the national debt.
Governor Romney was the first to declare he would seek to repeal ObamaCare — and forcefully. Which other candidate has better family values than Governor Romney?
“We have been successful as the conservative alternative to Mitt Romney,” Santorum told reporters in Mount Pleasant, S.C. Later, he said in a statement that every candidate had “coveted” the endorsement. “It is time to coalesce behind the full spectrum conservative in this race who will fight for their values and won’t waiver when times get tough,” Santorum said. That was a reference to himself. The next sentence was a reference to Romney: “Now is the time to stop a moderate from becoming our party’s nominee.”
Newt Gingrich and his camp disputed Santorum’s interpretation of the results. Former congressman J.C. Watts, Gingrich’s national campaign co-chairman, said Santorum and Gingrich were separated by only nine votes on the first ballot. “It is clear that 100% of those attending are not for Governor Romney, but in fact are splintered in whether to support Newt Gingrich or Rick Santorum,” Watts said in a statement. He called it “misleading” for the Santorum campaign to claim an endorsement from all 150 leaders at the meeting.
[emphasis added]
A SIMPLE TEST OF LOGIC:
Facts First: Any person that does a small amount of research, and dives below the soundbite images painted by Gingrich, Perry, and Santorum regarding Governor Romney, discovers that he governed as a conservative in every way. One of the best examples is regarding his pro-life record. In every decision he made or action he took as governor, was always on the side of life. Proof ——> HERE. There are many examples of Governor Romney’s proven conservatism, not least of which are the numerous Tea Party leaders and organizations that have enthusiastically endorsed him over all other presidential candidates.
Now the Logic: Ask yourself this question — If Mitt Romney were an Evangelical, would that meeting have been convened? Take your time as you contemplate your answer to this simple question. Remember, Mr. Newt Gingrich was included as a possible choice by these evangelical leaders — a serial adulterer whose last affair lasted in secret for six years during the time Gingrich publicly scolded President Clinton for his extramarital relations. In fact, Mr. Gingrich came in second in the voting at this ranch meeting!
Again, would that meeting have been convened at all by 150+ evangelical leaders had Mitt Romney’s religion been Evangelical? The obvious answer is clearly “no” it would not have even been considered.
What if Mitt Romney were Evangelical and had won both Iowa and New Hampshire? I can tell you this: Had Governor Romney been Evangelical, he would have won Iowa by tens of thousands more votes than the 8-vote margin he received. Santorum only came close because of the clarion call “to preach Santorum” from the pulpits the Sunday prior (ala Huckabee 2008 surprise). Interesting, is it not, that the IRS let those instances alone?
Conclusion: If GMR were Evangelical, he would have won Iowa by a HUGE margin. If GMR were Evangelical, the Texas ranch meeting of 150+ evangelical leaders would never have happened. If GMR were Evangelical, the primary race would be effectively sealed after his winning two unprecedented states.
If this logic is anywhere near the truth, then what was yesterday’s meeting all about? These “leaders” traveled from all over the nation to meet out at the ranch, spending an enormous amount of time and money. They all reported that the meeting made no mention of Mitt Romney or his religion. Right.
That meeting had nothing to do with conservatism.
“Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” — John Adams
Mitt Romney, loving grandfather to 16 grandchildren, relishes moments spent meeting babies along the campaign trail. (Photo/ Reuters/ Jason Szep)
Newt Gingrich is airing ads in South Carolina slamming Mitt Romney over his pro-life stance. As one who repeats ad nauseum that he is a “Reagan conservative” he would also have to slam the one he’s pompously self-identifying with. Ronald Reagan was once a pro-choicer and later flipped to a pro-life position. Besides his bludgeoning of the free-market, here’s another favorite Gingrich meme in the Palmetto State: “He [Romney] can’t defend his record; it’s too liberal for South Carolina.”
Not so, Newt.
Today, National Review’s Kathryn Jean Lopez penned an article titled Governor Romney Was a Great Friend to the Pro-Life Movement in Massachusetts. She features a new video which will be released this morning by the Romney campaign with a message from the former U.S. ambassador to the Holy See, Mary Ann Glendon. She is a founding member of Women Affirming Life. It is titled Shares Our Values – Mitt Romney Pro-Life Accomplishments. (Also a Harvard Law professor, Glendon co-chairs the 63 member Justice Advisory Team for Romney.)
Take a look:
I’m Mary Ann Glendon and I am a founding member of Women Affirming Life and I have been active in the pro-life movement in Massachusetts and nationally for three decades. [Internationally, too.] The pro-life movement is all about changing hearts and minds and it struck me as very unfortunate that Mitt Romney has been criticized by some people for coming to a pro-life position on the basis of information. That’s what the pro-life movement is all about. Governor Romney showed great political courage and expended much of his political capital in supporting pro-life measures when he was here in Massachusetts. It was a very difficult political environment. 85 percent of the state legislature is Democrat controlled.
Governor Romney in that environment vetoed legislation that would have permitted destructive embryonic research; he vetoed legislation that would have permitted the over the counter sale of the morning after pill; he supported abstinence education in the schools.
Governor Romney was a great friend to the pro-life movement in Massachusetts. In a very difficult political environment, when many doors of the State House were closed to us, we always were welcomed by Governor Romney and his staff. He was a great pro-life governor and he will be a great pro-life president.
(emphasis added)
This is the best video recommendation I’ve seen for Governor Romney’s support of ‘life’ in Massachusetts. Many thanks to Mary Ann Glendon.
Note: Professor Glendon is also a signatory on An Open Letter Regarding Mitt Romney(Dec 30, 2011) in which the statement is made that “[A] good case can be made that Romney has fought harder for social conservatives than any other governor in America, and it is difficult to imagine his doing so in a more daunting political environment.”
Given that religious leaders are holding a two-day meeting (yesterday and today) to decide which anti-Romney candidate they will lay their collective hands on, we Romney supporters really must do all within our power to share this article everywhere, along with this one and this one.
Southern Baptist Convention leader, Richard Land, was mentioned in the articles linked above as one who is attending the two-day meeting in Texas. If he stands by the favorable position he took on Gov Romney in 2007, I’m somewhat encouraged.
SC Gov Nikki Haley kicks things off at Gov Mitt Romney's event for veterans at Hilton Head, SC. Fmr U.N. Ambassador John Bolton and Sen John McCain also spoke (seated next to Romney). Jan 13, 2012 (Photo/ TwitPic John Gorka)
The Palmetto State is pulsing with political electricity and Governor Mitt Romney keeps generating sparks. He had a great day on the campaign trail today at the University of South Carolina in Aiken. Also, a group of SC veterans announced their support for The Gov. *He held a fantastic event for them on Hilton Head:
“I am proud to receive the endorsement of these South Carolina veterans who have selflessly and bravely fought to keep our nation safe and defend our American way of life,” said Mitt Romney. “We must continue to support all of those who have served our nation as we work to preserve those very freedoms that our veterans and troops have fought to defend.”
“Mitt Romney has been a strong advocate for veterans and will work to ensure that those who have heroically sacrificed for our country receive the care that they deserve,” said Lt. General Bud Watts, former President of the Citadel. “We need a Commander-in-Chief who will support our veterans and troops, strengthen our military, and strengthen our national defense. Mitt Romney believes in America and in the founding principles that make our country great, and he is the kind of steadfast leader we need during these challenging times.”
(emphasis added)
South Carolina veterans supporting Mitt Romney for President:
General Alfred Hansen, U.S. Air Force, Ret.
Lieutenant General Claudius “Bud” Watts, U.S. Air Force, Ret.
Major General Darwin Simpson, U.S. Army National Guard, Ret.
Major General Stan Spears, U.S. Army National Guard, Ret., Former Adjutant General of South Carolina
Colonel Fareed Betros, U.S. Army, Ret.
Lieutenant Colonel Larry McKay, U.S. Army, Ret.
Senior Chief Petty Officer Sidney Busch, U.S. Navy, Ret.
Petty Officer Mark Nadobny, U.S. Navy, Ret.
Endorsers are retired or not on active duty. Use of military rank and job titles does not imply endorsement by the Department of Defense or any department thereof.
*Three outstanding Romney supporters, SC Gov Nikki Haley, Sen. John McCain, and former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton, also spoke at Gov Romney’s veteran event at Hilton Head. See video here.
What are things looking like in SC? Here’s the latest from Rasmussen polling:
Yesterday, 750 likely Republican primary voters in South Carolina were asked:
If the 2012 Republican Primary for president were held today, would you vote for Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum, Ron Paul, Jon Huntsman or Rick Perry?
Results: Mitt Romney – 28%
Newt Gingrich – 21%
Rick Santorum -16%
Ron Paul -16%
Rick Perry – 6%
Jon Huntsman – 5%
There’s a bit of buzz that some Huntsman staff wish he had dropped out after New Hampshire.
Other polling shows Gingrich’s attack ads are having some effect on Gov Romney. I have no doubt he and his team are executing his counter message very effectively. I did like Charles Krauthammer’s advice today to Governor Romney on Bill O’Reilly’s TV program. He offered words of wisdom on how to frame the Bain brouhaha for the upcoming FOX debate on Jan 16th at Myrtle Beach, SC. (I couldn’t find a video of Krauthammer – hope Team Romney recorded it.)
Standing ovation from the thousand + who turned out to see Mitt Romney in South Carolina. Jan 13, 2012 ~ From TwitPic by Rick Gorka
Newt Gingrich’s 27 minute film beating up the free-enterprise system and Mitt Romney, which is airing in South Carolina, continues to land him in hot water. As conservative criticism against him begins to boil, Rick Perry is occupying splashing in the bath with him. Climbing out of the suds, Jon Huntsman and Rick Santorum keep trying to mop up their footprints.
While Romney releases his *counterattack, here’s more conservative reaction to attacks on Romney and capitalism:
Columbia, South Carolina (CNN) – One of Rick Perry’s leading financial supporters in South Carolina is defecting to Mitt Romney – and he told CNN Thursday that Perry’s sharp criticisms of Romney as a “vulture capitalist” were the main factor in his decision.
Both Perry and Newt Gingrich recently began hammering Romney as a predatory capitalist who looted companies and fired workers when he was running the private equity firm Bain Capital in the 1980s and 1990s.
Barry Wynn, the former chairman of the South Carolina Republican Party and a financial adviser in Spartanburg, said the escalating rhetoric about Romney’s business background is “destructive.”
“It’s just a dance I didn’t want to be a part of,” Wynn said in an interview, explaining his decision to leave Perry’s campaign.
Wynn, along with a handful of other previously neutral South Carolina moneymen, will publicly endorse Romney on Thursday.
“This latest attack, it’s so foreign to me, I couldn’t see myself being a part of that,” he explained. “I don’t think you can be on both sides of free market capitalism. A big part of me being a Republican for the last 40 years is that I think it’s the best hope to protect free market capitalism, the growth engine of our economy.”
Associated Press: “Presidential candidate Rick Perry’s criticism of Mitt Romney’s business past has cost him the support of a prominent South Carolina Republican. Investment fund executive and top GOP donor Barry Wynn told The Associated Press Thursday that he’s leaving the Perry fold to endorse Romney. Wynn says he was irritated by Perry’s attacks on Romney’s time at the helm of the private equity firm Bain Capital. As Wynn put it, ‘It’s like fingernails on the chalkboard.’” (The Associated Press, 1/12/12)
The Wall Street Journal: “About the best that can be said about the Republican attacks on Mitt Romney’s record at Bain Capital is that President Obama is going to do the same thing eventually … Yet that hardly absolves Newt Gingrich, Rick Perry and others for their crude and damaging caricatures of modern business and capitalism. Politics isn’t subtle, and these candidates are desperate, but do they have to sound like Michael Moore?” (Editorial, “The Bain Capital Bonfire,” The Wall Street Journal, 1/11/12)
National Review: “[T]o abominate Mitt Romney for having been a success at the business of investing in struggling American companies, connecting entrepreneurs with capital and producers with markets, is foolish and destructive. Republicans ought to know better, and the fact that Gingrich et al. apparently do not is the most disturbing commentary on the state of the primary field so far.” (Editorial, “Romney’s Profitable Past,” National Review, 1/10/12)
The Washington Post’s Jennifer Rubin: “Regardless of his intentions, Gingrich … has embarked in an anti-Bain, anti-Romney vendetta that is widely scorned in his own party.” (Jennifer Rubin, “Gingrich And His Backer Are Bruised By The Anti-Bain Attacks,” The Washington Post, 1/12/12)
Rush Limbaugh: “You have to say that Newt and Perry blew it the last two days. I don’t care what you think, folks, the attacks that they mounted on Romney are not defensible. … I’m sorry, folks, that is indefensible. There’s no way you can try to dress that up. I don’t understand it. Well, politically I understand it, but that’s just absurd. It’s sad. … This is the language of leftists like Michael Moore and Oliver Stone. … This is not conservatism. It’s the polar opposite of conservatism. It’s the language used to take away economic freedom.” (RushLimbaugh.com, 1/11/12)
Americans for Prosperity President Tim Phillips: [W]e are disappointed to see attacks from some Republican presidential candidates on Mitt Romney and Bain Capital, which sink to the level of some of the worst anti-free market, class envy politics constantly pushed by the Obama Administration and those in the Occupy camps.” (Americans For Prosperity, Press Release, 1/11/12)
Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani: “I’m outraged … I’m shocked what they’re doing. It’s ignorant, dumb. It’s building something we should be fighting in America, ignorance of the economic system, playing on the dumbest, most ridiculous ideas about how you grow jobs. … What they’re doing to Mitt right now is totally unfair and bad for the Republican Party. … What the hell are you doing, Newt? I expect this from Saul Alinsky. This is what Saul Alinsky taught Barack Obama, and what you’re saying is part of the reason we’re in so much trouble right now.” (Tim Mak, “Rudy Giuliani: Newt Gingrich Acting Like Saul Alinsky,” Politico, 1/12/12)
Senator John McCain: “To go after [Romney] on really what is the essence of what we Republicans believe in about [the] economy, I think is a serious mistake and frankly I think it’s the last resort of a very desperate campaign.” (Fox News’ “Fox & Friends,” 1/12/12)
Governor Nikki Haley: “I am baffled by the fact that we are putting the free market on trial here. I’m concerned for my party. The free market’s what we fight for.” (Jim Rutenberg and Jeff Zeleny, “Republican Rivals Batter Romney in South Carolina,” The New York Times, 1/11/12)
The day after the NH primary election, Romney Campaign Policy Director Lanhee Chen spoke with Eric Bolling (FOX Business) on Romney’s career at Bain Capital. (Bolling continues to defend Romney’s free-enterprise record on FOX News program The Five: “This is gonna kill Perry and it’s gonna hurt Newt, too.”):
What do business owners in South Carolina think of the Occupy-Wall-Street anti-capitalism rhetoric coming from Gingrich and Perry?
Here’s your answer:
MITT ROMNEY ANNOUNCES SUPPORT OF SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS LEADERS
Boston, MA – Mitt Romney today announced the support of business leaders in South Carolina.
“Mitt Romney will be able to fix our economy and create jobs – because he has had one,” said Barry Wynn. “When Mitt Romney becomes president, job creators across the country will be able to have the confidence that their president is supporting them, not trying to demonize them and regulate them out of business. Along with these other South Carolina business leaders, I am proud to endorse Mitt Romney because we know he will reinvigorate South Carolina’s economy and the American entrepreneurial spirit.”
“These business leaders in South Carolina are an important part of our country’s economic engine,” said Mitt Romney. “But they can’t afford four more years of an over-taxing, over-spending, over-regulating Obama Administration. As President, I will put in place policies that free the private sector to do what it does best: create jobs. With the help of leaders like these, we will get our economy back on the right track.”
South Carolina business leaders supporting Mitt Romney:
William Biggs, Anderson
Dr. William Bogache, Grand Strand Urology, Myrtle Beach
William Bradshaw, Bradshaw Automotive, Greer
Terry S. Brown, CEO of EDENS, Columbia
Peter M. Brown, President of Colite International, Columbia
Richard E. Coen, President of Coen & Densmore, Charleston
E. Bart Daniel, Charleston
Henry B. Fishburne, Jr., Charleston
Joseph P. Griffith, Jr., Charleston
Kevin Hall, Partner at Hall & Bowers, Columbia
Lynn Harton, Greenville
Henry Horowitz, Chairman of Oxford Capital Partners LLC, Greenville
Matthew R. Hubbell, Charleston
Phil Hughes, President of Hughes Investments, Greenville
Sharon and Rus Kingman, President of J.R. Kingman Inc., Greer
E. Smyth McKissick, III, President of Alice Manufacturing Company, Easley
Jodie W. McLean, President & CIO of EDENS, Columbia
Charlie Mickel, Capital Deployment LLC, Greenville
David Posek, Former Chairman & Current Board Member of the SC Ports Authority, Pawleys Island
Henry C. Scott, CEO of Collum’s Lumber Products LLC, Allendale
Greg A. Thompson, President & CEO of Thompson Construction Group, Sumter
John von Lehe, Charleston
Barry Wynn, President of Colonial Trust Company, Spartanburg
Anita G. Zucker, Chairman and CEO, The InterTech Group, Charleston
*Company/business names are provided for identification purposes only.
Stuart Varney, FOX News/FOX Business economic journalist, appeared today on Megyn Kelly’s TV program. He neatly, cleanly, specifically refuted the false claims in Newt’s Super PAC film. Excellent segment. So far, I can’t find video of that exchange. Shortly afterward on FOX, Mark Meckler, co-founder of Tea Party Patriots, spoke with Neil Cavuto and criticized ‘NewtPerry’ (my moniker). He said we should unite on the merits of the free-market system and didn’t hesitate to say that NewtPerry are muddying the conservative message.
January 10, 2012, Senator Jim DeMint spoke with Mark Levin (radio talking head who is not a Romney fan). He predicted a win for Mitt in SC:
“I was just sitting here listening to the Romney acceptance speech, and he’s hitting a lot of the hot buttons for me about balancing the budget, and frankly I’m a little concerned about the few Republicans who have criticized some of what I consider free market principles here.”~ Sen Jim DeMint
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Mitt Romney’s done defending his Bain Capital record. He’s going on offense.
The former Massachusetts governor arrived here Wednesday fresh off his New Hampshire primary win armed with a new plan for a multi-pronged response to the Republican rivals who’ve been bashing his private equity past. Campaign advisers are polishing new messaging, tailored to rebut Republican and Democratic attacks separately. They’re cueing up new commercials.
And they’re rolling out a more aggressive approach from the candidate himself, even as the candidates who’d been waging the Bain battle appeared to be retreating from the rhetoric on Wednesday.
[...]
They’ll start with advertisements featuring employees of companies started and rescued by Bain telling their stories — a direct response to the documentary released by the pro-Newt Gingrich super PAC that features employees of four companies closed by Bain that brutally slams Romney as a job killer. That documentary is set to be parceled out into shorter commercials that will air in South Carolina with a $3.4 million ad buy.
Romney adviser Kevin Madden said they’re confident they’ll quash those attacks with their new rebuttal.
“For every scare story that they try to present related to the governor’s experience in the private sector and free enterprise,” Madden said, “we can point to a whole host of successful enterprises that have resulted in job creation and wealth and prosperity.”
Disclaimer: MittRomneyCentral.com is a pure grassroots website. It is not paid for, endorsed by, or affiliated in any way with Governor Mitt Romney or his official campaign.
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There is a lot of talk these days about how Mitt Romney is a so-called “Massachusetts moderate” and how other candidates are trying to be the “conservative alternative” to Gov. Romney. Some even compare Mitt Romney to John McCain’s candidacy of 2008.
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