Governor Romney delivered a powerful commencement address to the graduating students of evangelical Christian Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia earlier today. This speech was historic for many reasons.

Before Governor Romney spoke, Liberty University Chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr. addressed the commencement day crowd of approximately 34,000. He reminded the audience that his father, the late Reverend Jerry Falwell, founded the university in 1971 to be for evangelical Christians “what Notre Dame is to young Catholics and Brigham Young is to young Mormons.”

The introduction for Governor Romney begins at 25:27 with remarks from Chancellor Falwell and Mark DeMoss, Chairman of Liberty University. (You don’t want to skip the intros!):

If that video gives you problems, click here to watch the address on Youtube.

By Mitt Romney

For the graduates, this moment marks a clear ending and a clear beginning. The task set before you four years ago is now completed in full. To the class of 2012: Well done, and congratulations.

Some of you may have taken a little longer than four years to complete your studies. One graduate has said that he completed his degree in only two terms: Clinton’s and Bush’s.

In some ways, it is fitting that I share this distinction with Truett Cathy. The Romney campaign comes to a sudden stop when we spot a Chick-fil-A. Your chicken sandwiches were our comfort food through the primary season, and there were days that we needed a lot of comforting. So, Truett, thank you and congratulations on your well-deserved honor today.

There are some people here who are even more pleased than the graduates. Those would be the parents. Their years of prayers, devotion, and investment have added up to this joyful achievement. And with credit to Congressman Dick Armey: The American Dream is not owning your own home, it is getting your kids out of the home you own.

Lately, I’ve found myself thinking about life in four-year stretches. And let’s just say that not everybody has achieved as much in these last four years as you have.

That’s a theme for another day. But two observations. First, even though job opportunities are scarce in this economy, it is not for nothing that you have spent this time preparing. Jerry Falwell, Senior, long ago observed that “You do not determine a man’s greatness by his talent or wealth, as the world does, but rather by what it takes to discourage him.” America needs your skill and talent. If we take the right course, we will see a resurgence in the American economy that will surprise the world, and that will open new doors of opportunity for those who are prepared as you are.

Of course, what the next four years might hold for me is yet to be determined. But I will say that things are looking up, and I take your kind hospitality today as a sign of good things to come.

I consider it a great life honor to address you today. Your generosity of spirit humbles me. The welcoming spirit of Liberty is a tribute to the gracious Christian example of your founder.

In his 73 years of life, Dr. Falwell left a big mark. For nearly five decades he shared that walk with his good wife Macel. It’s wonderful to see her today. The calling Jerry answered was not an easy one. Today we remember him as a courageous and big-hearted minister of the Gospel who never feared an argument, and never hated an adversary. Jerry deserves the tribute he would have treasured most, as a cheerful, confident champion for Christ.

I will always remember his cheerful good humor and selflessness. Several years ago, in my home, my wife and I were posing for a picture together with him. We wanted him to be in the center of the photo, but he insisted that Ann be in the middle, with he and I on the sides. He explained, by pointing to me and himself, “You see, Christ died between two thieves.”

Maybe the most confident step Jerry ever took was to open the doors of this school 41 years ago.

He believed that Liberty might become one of the most respected Christian universities anywhere on earth. And so it is today.

He believed, even when the first graduating class consisted of 13 students, that year after year young Christians would be drawn to such a university in ever-greater numbers. And here you are.

Today, thanks to what you have gained here, you leave Liberty with conviction and confidence as your armor. You know what you believe. You know who you are. And you know Whom you will serve. Not all colleges instill that kind of confidence, but it will be among the most prized qualities from your education here. Moral certainty, clear standards, and a commitment to spiritual ideals will set you apart in a world that searches for meaning.

That said, your values will not always be the object of public admiration. In fact, the more you live by your beliefs, the more you will endure the censure of the world. Christianity is not the faith of the complacent, the comfortable or of the timid. It demands and creates heroic souls like Wesley, Wilberforce, Bonhoeffer, John Paul the Second, and Billy Graham. Each showed, in their own way, the relentless and powerful influence of the message of Jesus Christ. May that be your guide.

You enter a world with civilizations and economies that are far from equal. Harvard historian David Landes devoted his lifelong study to understanding why some civilizations rise, and why others falter. His conclusion: Culture makes all the difference. Not natural resources, not geography, but what people believe and value. Central to America’s rise to global leadership is our Judeo-Christian tradition, with its vision of the goodness and possibilities of every life.

The American culture promotes personal responsibility, the dignity of work, the value of education, the merit of service, devotion to a purpose greater than self, and, at the foundation, the pre-eminence of the family.

The power of these values is evidenced by a Brookings Institution study that Senator Rick Santorum brought to my attention. For those who graduate from high school, get a full-time job, and marry before they have their first child, the probability that they will be poor is 2%. But, if those things are absent, 76% will be poor. Culture matters.

As fundamental as these principles are, they may become topics of democratic debate. So it is today with the enduring institution of marriage. Marriage is a relationship between one man and one woman.

The protection of religious freedom has also become a matter of debate. It strikes me as odd that the free exercise of religious faith is sometimes treated as a problem, something America is stuck with instead of blessed with. Perhaps religious conscience upsets the designs of those who feel that the highest wisdom and authority comes from government.

But from the beginning, this nation trusted in God, not man. Religious liberty is the first freedom in our Constitution. And whether the cause is justice for the persecuted, compassion for the needy and the sick, or mercy for the child waiting to be born, there is no greater force for good in the nation than Christian conscience in action.

Religious freedom opens a door for Americans that is closed to too many others around the world. But whether we walk through that door, and what we do with our lives after we do, is up to us.

Someone once observed that the great drama of Christianity is not a crowd shot, following the movements of collectives or even nations. The drama is always personal, individual, unfolding in one’s own life. We’re not alone in sensing this. Men and women of every faith, and good people with none at all, sincerely strive to do right and lead a purpose-driven life.

And, in the way of lessons learned, by hitting the mark or by falling short, I can tell you this much for sure.

All that you have heard here at Liberty University – about trusting in God and in His purpose for each of us–makes for more than a good sermon. It makes for a good life. So many things compete for our attention and devotion. That doesn’t stop as you get older. We are all prone, at various turns, to treat the trivial things as all-important, the all-important things as trivial, and little by little lose sight of the one thing that endures forever.

No person I have ever met, not even the most righteous or pure of heart, has gone without those times when faith recedes in the busy-ness of life. It’s normal, and sometimes even the smallest glimpses of the Lord’s work in our lives can reawaken our hearts. They bring us back to ourselves – and, better still, to something far greater than ourselves.

What we have, what we wish we had – ambitions fulfilled, ambitions disappointed … investments won, investments lost … elections won, elections lost – these things may occupy our attention, but they do not define us. And each of them is subject to the vagaries and serendipities of life. Our relationship with our Maker, however, depends on none of this. It is entirely in our control, for He is always at the door, and knocks for us. Our worldly successes cannot be guaranteed, but our ability to achieve spiritual success is entirely up to us, thanks to the grace of God. The best advice I know is to give those worldly things your best but never your all, reserving the ultimate hope for the only one who can grant it.

Many a preacher has advised the same, but few as memorably as Martin Luther King, Jr. “As a young man,” he said, “with most of my life ahead of me, I decided early to give my life to something eternal and absolute. Not to these little gods that are here today and gone tomorrow. But to God who is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”

In this life, the commitments that come closest to forever are those of family.

My Dad, George Romney, was a CEO, a governor, and a member of the President’s Cabinet. My wife Ann asked him once, “What was your greatest accomplishment?” Without a moment’s pause, he said, “Raising our four kids.”

Ann and I feel the same way about our family. I have never once regretted missing a business opportunity so that I could be with my children and grandchildren. Among the things in life that can be put off, being there when it matters most isn’t one of them.

As C.S. Lewis is said to have remarked, “The home is the ultimate career. All other careers exist for one purpose, and that is to support the ultimate career.”

Promotions often mark the high points in a career, and I hope I haven’t seen my last. But sometimes the high points come in unexpected ways. I was asked to help rescue the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City.

I’m embarrassed now to recall that when this opportunity was first presented to me, I dismissed it out of hand. I was busy, I was doing well, and, by the way, my lack of athletic prowess did not make the Olympics a logical step. In fact, after I had accepted the position, my oldest son called me and said, “Dad, I’ve spoken to the brothers. We saw the paper this morning. We want you to know there’s not a circumstance we could have conceived of that would put you on the front page of the sports section.”

The Olympics were not a logical choice, but it was one of the best and most fulfilling choices of my life. Opportunities for you to serve in meaningful ways may come at inconvenient times, but that will make them all the more precious.

People of different faiths, like yours and mine, sometimes wonder where we can meet in common purpose, when there are so many differences in creed and theology. Surely the answer is that we can meet in service, in shared moral convictions about our nation stemming from a common worldview. The best case for this is always the example of Christian men and women working and witnessing to carry God’s love into every life – people like the late Chuck Colson.

Not long ago, Chuck recounted a story from his days just after leaving prison. He was assured by people of influence that, even with a prison record, a man with his connections and experience could still live very comfortably. They would make some calls, get Chuck situated, and set him up once again as an important man. His choice at that crossroads would make him, instead, a great man.

The call to service is one of the fundamental elements of our national character. It has motivated every great movement of conscience that this hopeful, fair-minded country of ours has ever seen. Sometimes, as Dr. Viktor Frankl observed in a book for the ages, it is not a matter of what we are asking of life, but rather what life is asking of us. How often the answer to our own troubles is to help others with theirs.

In all of these things – faith, family, work, and service –the choices we make as Americans are, in other places, not choices at all. For so many on this earth, life is filled with orders, not options, right down to where they live, the work they do, and how many children the state will permit them to have. All the more reason to be grateful, this and every day, that we live in America, where the talents God gave us may be used in freedom.

At this great Christian institution, you have all learned a thing or two about these gifts and the good purposes they can serve. They are yours to have and yours to share. Sometimes, your Liberty education will set you apart, and always it will help direct your path. And as you now leave, and make for new places near and far, I hope for each one of you that your path will be long and life will be kind.

The ideals that brought you here … the wisdom you gained here … and the friends you found here – may these blessings be with you always, wherever you go.

Thank you all, and God bless you.

Governor Romney’s speech built an inter-faith bridge:

Some students, such as J.D. Wilkinson, a worship and music studies major from Springfield, Massachusetts, told CNN that they liked that Romney spoke out on the same-sex marriage issue.

“This school has always been about being not politically correct, just saying it, just telling the truth how it is and I thought he did that,” Wilkinson said. “I think that’s fresh in today’s world and I think that’s needed.”

Another, Michael Kildare, said he doesn’t identify strongly with a particular political party but is open to hearing more about Romney after today’s speech. Kildare, who is from Orlando, Florida, will return to his home city to take a job as a computer technician.

“I was kind of skeptical at first but he definitely said some things that I have to take into consideration,” he said. “He’s definitely a good candidate for the presidency and I definitely look forward to his other speeches and other campaign ideas.“

(emphasis added)

Congratulations and best wishes to the graduates!

Dennis Prager is my favorite nationally syndicated talk show host — his logical reasoning to arrive at moral truth is unmatched. Unfortunately, his AM radio program in the Los Angeles Metro area is a relatively weak signal so I’m not able to catch the show often. Prager has a unique way of simplifying the complex.

This short video by Dennis Prager illustrates the clear, fundamental differences between Mr. Obama’s policies and those of Governor Romney. Have there ever been two presidential candidates that are more polar opposites than Barack Obama and Mitt Romney? I cannot think of any.

As you watch this video, think about which candidate, if elected in November, will have the greatest impact to American society in creating far more selfish people:

“Great achievement is usually born of great sacrifice, and is never the result of selfishness.” ~ Napoleon Hill

America’s Newsroom co-anchor Martha MacCallum (FOX News) caught up with busy Ann Romney to talk about the presidential campaign. The two-part interview aired today:

While it’s presumed that Mitt Romney will be the GOP’s nominee for president, still up for debate is who he’ll pick for his running mate. Martha asked Ann whether they discuss the topic and who she would want to see get the spot on the ticket.

“It’s fun to talk about,” Ann disclosed. But, she wouldn’t say more than that. “I cannot come down and say [if there's someone I'm rooting for] … the wonderful thing right now is that there are wonderful people out there who are very qualified.”

MacCallum asked about Ann’s title given to her by campaign staffers – ‘Mitt-Stabilizer’:

“That is true. I think both of us enjoy each other’s company … and also I think when we get together we recognize what’s really important in life,” she said. “We’re able to laugh a lot and talk a lot about things that are not in the political realm.”

Ann was asked how she would feel if Governor Romney should lose the election:

Ann said she’s not too worried. “It will mean that we’ve given it our college try and done our very best,” she said. But in the end, she believes they’ll be taking up residence in the White House following the 2012 election.

(emphasis added)

Part 1:

MacCaullum mentioned the fact that Mrs. Romney could be celebrating Mother’s Day next year in the White House. Ann was asked about First Ladies she admired and issues she would promote as as America’s 47th First Lady:

. . . As for her mission as first lady if husband Mitt were to get elected, she said she would bring her own personality to the ‘job.’

“For me, of course, it’ll have something to do with the things I care about,” she said, mentioning her concern for breast cancer and MS research and awareneses. “I also worked for many years with at-risk youth, so I know I wouldn’t be able to give that up either.”

She has plenty of role models to pull from, as well. “I love Barbara Bush and her frankness … and yet her realness,” she said. “Laura Bush was so lady-like and just wonderful.

She also weighed in on the current first lady, Michelle Obama. “I think she’s lovely, and everyone can appreciate that it’s a very difficult position to be in, where your husband is under enormous scrutiny all the time and attacks from one side or the other, and to be able to keep your calm and composure – we appreciate that and see that in her.”

Ms. MacCallum brought up the topic of religion and also asked how Ann’s health challenges affected her and Mitt.

Part 2:

Needless to say, Ann Romney interviews are always a great pleasure to view. Not only does she possess the very qualities she admires in the First Ladies she commented on – the composure of Michelle Obama, the grace of Laura Bush, the realness of Barbara Bush – America will have the great pleasure of learning more of Ann’s humor, intelligence, compassion, wisdom, and tenacity.

Ann Romney is going to be an outstanding First Lady!

> Jayde Wyatt

For the President of the United States to reveal that he sometimes forgets about the suffering of the American people during this terrible recession is beyond the pale. How can he forget, albeit it sometimes? Is he so out of touch and so self absorbed that he fails to think about the children, families and innumerable Americans that suffer so?

As President of the United States, Barack Obama has been given a trust and stewardship; to preserve and lead our Nation, and to be attentive to America and American’s needs. If he understood the responsibilities of his office, he would NEVER forget! A true and effective leader is ever absorbed with their stewardship and trust. As a businessman, my thoughts are ever with our customers and our employees – 24/7.

America, wake up to the reality – our President is the one who is out of touch. He doesn’t get it, and is NOT capable of leading our Nation!

Rest assured, Mitt Romney will not forget!

I posted Kimberley Strassel’s article previously here. Vic Lundquist shared a follow on here. As a follow up, Kimberley Strassel penned a second opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal today.

Investigation into personal lives as intimidation tactics by the Obama “truth squad” is reprehensible.

Strassel: Trolling for Dirt on the President’s List

First a Romney supporter was named on an Obama campaign website. That was followed by the slimy trolling into a citizen’s private life.

Here’s what happens when the president of the United States publicly targets a private citizen for the crime of supporting his opponent.

Frank VanderSloot is the CEO of Melaleuca Inc. The 63-year-old has run that wellness-products company for 26 years out of tiny Idaho Falls, Idaho. Last August, Mr. VanderSloot gave $1 million to Restore Our Future, the Super PAC that supports Mitt Romney.

Three weeks ago, an Obama campaign website, “Keeping GOP Honest,” took the extraordinary step of publicly naming and assailing eight private citizens backing Mr. Romney. Titled “Behind the curtain: a brief history of Romney’s donors,” the post accused the eight of being “wealthy individuals with less-than-reputable records.” Mr. VanderSloot was one of the eight, smeared particularly as being “litigious, combative and a bitter foe of the gay rights movement.”

About a week after that post, a man named Michael Wolf contacted the Bonneville County Courthouse in Idaho Falls in search of court records regarding Mr. VanderSloot. Specifically, Mr. Wolf wanted all the documents dealing with Mr. VanderSloot’s divorces, as well as a case involving a dispute with a former Melaleuca employee.

Mr. Wolf sent a fax to the clerk’s office—which I have obtained—listing four cases he was after. He would later send a second fax, asking for three further court cases dealing with either Melaleuca or Mr. VanderSloot. Mr. Wolf listed only his name and a private cellphone number.

Some digging revealed that Mr. Wolf was, until a few months ago, a law clerk on the Democratic side of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. He’s found new work. The ID written out at the top of his faxes identified them as coming from “Glenn Simpson.” That’s the name of a former Wall Street Journal reporter who in 2009 founded a D.C. company that performs private investigative work.

The website for that company, Fusion GPS, describes itself as providing “strategic intelligence,” with expertise in areas like “politics.” That’s a polite way of saying “opposition research.”

When I called Fusion’s main number and asked to speak to Michael Wolf, a man said Mr. Wolf wasn’t in the office that day but he’d be in this coming Monday. When I reached Mr. Wolf on his private cell, he confirmed he had until recently worked at the Senate.

When I asked what his interest was in Mr. VanderSloot’s divorce records, he hesitated, then said he didn’t want to talk about that. When I asked what his relationship was with Fusion, he hesitated again and said he had “no comment.” “It’s a legal thing,” he added.

Fusion dodged my calls, so I couldn’t ask who was paying it to troll through Mr. VanderSloot’s divorce records. Mr. Simpson finally sent an email stating: “Frank VanderSloot is a figure of interest in the debate over civil rights for gay Americans. As his own record on gay issues amply demonstrates, he is a legitimate subject of public records research into his lengthy history of legal disputes.”

A look through Federal Election Commission records did not show any payments to Fusion or Mr. Wolf from political players, such as the Democratic National Committee, the Obama campaign, or liberal Super PACs. Then again, when political groups want to hire researchers, it is not uncommon to hire a less controversial third party, which then hires the researchers.

This is not the first attack on Mr. VanderSloot. While the executive has been a force in Idaho politics and has helped Mr. Romney raise money, he’s not what most would consider a national political power player. Through 2011, nearly every mention of Mr. VanderSloot appeared in Idaho or Washington state newspapers, often in reference to his business.

That changed in January, with the first Super PAC disclosures. Liberal bloggers and media have since dug into his past, dredging up long-ago Idaho controversies that touched on gay issues. His detractors have spiraled these into accusations that Mr. VanderSloot is a “gay bashing thug.” He’s become a national political focus of attention, aided by the likes of partisan Salon blogger Glenn Greenwald and MSNBC host Rachel Maddow. Bloggers have harassed his children, visiting their social media accounts and asking for interviews and information.

Mr. VanderSloot has said his attackers have misconstrued facts and made false allegations. In February he wrote a long reply, publicly stating that he has “many gay friends whom I love and respect” who should “have the same freedoms and rights as any other individual.” The Obama campaign’s response, in April, was to single out Mr. VanderSloot and repeat the slurs.

Political donations don’t come with a right to privacy, and Mr. VanderSloot might have expected a spotlight. Then again, President Obama, in the wake of the Gabby Giffords shooting, gave a national address calling for “civility” in politics. Yet rather than condemn those demeaning his opponent’s donors, Mr. Obama—the nation’s most powerful man—instead publicly named individuals, egging on the attacks. What has followed is the slimy trolling into a citizen’s private life.

Mr. VanderSloot acknowledges that “when I first learned that President Obama’s campaign had singled me out on his ‘enemies list,’ I knew it was like taping a target on my back.” But the more he’s thought it through, “the public beatings and false accusations that followed are no deterrent. These tactics will not work in America.” He’s even “contemplating a second donation.”

Still. If details about Mr. VanderSloot’s life become public, and if this hurts his business or those who work for him, Mr. Obama will bear responsibility. This is what happens when the president makes a list.

A version of this article appeared May 11, 2012, on page A11 in some U.S. editions of The Wall Street Journal, with the headline: Trolling for Dirt on the President’s List.

Three seasons of motherhood

It’s hard to imagine now, but before the birth of my first child, I had never held a baby. Not once, not in my entire life. No baby at home to tend, no niece or nephew to babysit. So you can imagine, the day my first boy was born I felt woefully unprepared.

My mother took pity on me and stayed for two weeks, but that wasn’t nearly enough time. As she was preparing to leave, I cried like I was the baby. I told her that I wasn’t ready, that I had no idea what to do. In her smile I saw the truth. Ready or not, my son couldn’t wait, and somehow, I would make it through.

Of course, she was right. Some might say it was the mothering gene kicking in, the same one that every mom throughout history has possessed. Maybe. But I don’t think so. I was a good mom because my own mom was the best.

I suppose my mother was somewhat unusual for her time. At 30 she was — and expected she always would be — a career woman. She worked as a cosmetics rep and was happy in that job. She never expected to get married, but then she found the one man in all the world who could change her mind — my dad.

The same passion she had for her work she poured into being a mother. I never lacked for confidence or a sense of self-worth. How could I when my mom seemed to think I had hung the moon? People would tell her, as people are wont to do with little girls, that she had a beautiful daughter. “If only you knew,” she would say, “how much more beautiful she is on the inside.”

Ringleader and troublemaker

Such words gave me my place in the world. She let me be who I was, which meant playing baseball and football with the boys, and catching frogs and hunting for snakes out behind the house. I think the thing she loved the most was that I was always the ringleader, always more likely to get others into trouble than to follow along.

Growing up as her daughter is what prepared me to be a mother myself. So began a different phase of my life. People often ask me what it was like to raise five boys. I won’t sugarcoat it. There were times I wanted to tear my hair out. I can remember visiting my friends’ houses, seeing their daughters’ manners, the way they helped with the chores. Then I would return home to my boys, hoping only that my house was still intact.

Still, those were wonderful times. My boys had a way of putting their emotions and their disputes on the table. And more important, they had a way of leaving them there, of walking away without worrying about the things that might distance them, or letting hard feelings fester and grow. That directness and forgiveness shaped me into who I am today.

I’m a grandmother now. In fact, the gift I received this Mother’s Day is two more wonderful grandchildren, twins, bringing the total to 18.

As every grandparent knows, it’s a different role than being a mother or a daughter. I am able to adore the grandchildren, and to smile as my children go through the same struggles I went through when they were young. I’ve lived through three seasons of motherhood, and I have seen the beauty in each.

A tradition of lilacs

On Mother’s Day, Mitt always brings me lilacs, a tradition he started the year I became a mother. When our home is filled with their fragrance, it reminds me of so many things, and stirs so many emotions. I think of my five sons and the women they married, whom I love as if I had raised them. They have become my daughters.

And I think about my mother. I remember she was a wonderful cook. I remember how much she loved my dad. Ours was a loving home, where I knew the light was always on. I wish I could tell her again how much I love her. The most trying time of my life was when I became the mother who had to take care of her as she was suffering in the last stages of ovarian cancer. The hardest thing for us all, I think, is the day we lose our moms.

Crown of glory

Cherish your mothers. The ones who wiped your tears, who were at every ball game or ballet recital. The ones who believed in you, even when nobody else did, even when maybe you didn’t believe in yourself.

Women wear many hats in their lives. Daughter, sister, student, breadwinner. But no matter where we are or what we’re doing, one hat that moms never take off is the crown of motherhood.

There is no crown more glorious.

Once again, President Obama leads from behind. Vice President Joe Biden (the first major decision Obama made before being elected) committed the ‘oopsie’ by spilling the beans on same-sex marriage. And boy, this guy does not stop making gaffes, speaking his mind out of the blue, and creating some serious trouble for the President. Biden forced the President to do what he basically knows best – react.

Not that Obama took a dramatic turn, or as reported, evolved on the issue of same sex marriage. As Buzzfeed reports, Obama had the same position in 1996, before he opposed it in 2008. My observation is that Obama will do anything possible to energize the base, to get liberals out to vote, by diverting the conversation and taking a lead on some issue that matters to them as an ideology but not as a mainstream, citizen-caring theme.

Mitt Romney successfully defeated his primary rivals largely by running a disciplined campaign centering around a dominating issue – the state of the economy. Romney’s strength against Obama is his ability to draw a sharp contrast with the President’s experience on job creation, the economy, and operating the federal government. Americans are mostly concerned with jobs and the economy.

Obama ain’t dumb; he’s at least as clever as me. Obama and his campaign observed over the past month the President’s eroding support among key elements and voting blocs (which contributed to his 2008 victory). The only way out was to avoid defending his record and go on offense – to portray his opponent as out of touch and energize the Obama base by giving them the needed red meat.

As brilliant as they might be, for every trap Messina and Axelrod set for Romney, he avoided them. And the only spin that seems to work or at least pick up traction is the same sex marriage issue. (Social issues handed Bush a second term.)

Romney and we Republicans must not fall into same-sex marriage trap. (Obama tried to rally his supporters by spiking the Osama Bin Laden football and it didn’t work.) Why help Obama unite his base, which in my eyes is more fractured than the GOP base? Look at what happened with Judd’s 42% in West Virginia’s primary and the 200K votes against the President in North Carolina.

We must continue to examine and hammer Obama’s record, not his evolving positions or fresh baked promises. Obama is the incumbent who must pay the price for not leading this country in the right direction. And only if we draw that sharp contrast on fiscal issues and appeal to the broader suffering base will we be able to carry that message through to November and replace the Obama administration for good.

We should not debate Obama’s every whim.

Here are the remarks as I was reading them via the teleprompter control screen during Mitt’s speech.

It was very interesting to see how many times Mitt added parts to the speech that were not on the prompter and also how many times he simply changed the wording on the fly. I’d love to get a chance sometime to see if President Obama does the same thing or if he stays 100% true to the prompter.

Watch Mitt on Hannity below the fold. Read more…

Ann Romney raised 5 boys. She successfully battled breast cancer and multiple sclerosis. But what does White House insider Hilary Rosen say about Ann Romney?

“Guess what, his wife has actually never worked a day in her life.”

And Bill Maher, who gave $1 million supporting Obama, attacks:

“Ann Romney has never gotten her ass out of the house.”

Happy Mother’s Day from Barack Obama’s Team!

~UPDATE from Ross
Ann Romney has written an op-ed for Mother’s Day titled: Three seasons of motherhood.

As we consider our choice in November, America needs to reflect upon our nation’s founding, remembering what has made America, America! This is not the time to be swayed by the progressive’s, whose diatribes of division and distortion lead us down paths of debt and destruction. This is not a time to fall prey to flattery and promises of entitlement. This is not a time to abide mediocrity, thinking that we should be coddled and cared for by a duplicitous, oppressive and burdensome sovereign. This is not a time for passivity. If we think about it, we are like a ship having sailed many, many miles only to find that we have been one degree off course. That one degree has caused us to miss the mark and we now find that we are many, many miles away from where we intended to be.

We are, after all, Americans. We stand where few have stood, which is why we kneel in grateful appreciation. We have a stewardship to stand for liberty and freedom – to defend the downtrodden and care for the needy. To do so, we need to be a free and self-reliant people, remembering who we are and the divine entreaty given to each of us, and to this land we call America. This is a time to stand together against those who would lead us into bondage and oppression, in the name of “fairness” and government dependency. This is a time for serious reflection, a time for remembering. This election is a time for men of faith to lead us as they have before. Ronald Reagan was such a man.

Mitt Romney is no less. His life has been a preparation for this pivotal moment in our America. His life is a reflection of all that is good in America. He has lived, with constancy, abiding by true and correct principles; principles that have made our nation the light of the world. We have a choice in November; the arrogance of flattery and accommodation, or the divine declaration of freedom and liberty! Barack Obama represents the arrogance of flattery, while Mitt Romney is the epitome, in meekness, of the divine declaration given to each American and to America.

When comparing the hearts and minds of men who seek to lead America, and observing their experience and choices in life, it is clear – Barack Obama cares deeply about Barack Obama and his ideology of dependency, while Mitt Romney cares deeply about America and Americans, and the needed interdependency of freedom.

America, remember!