Despite the Best Efforts of the Democrats, Mitt is Welcomed Home in Grand Rapids

By Rebel Ross | February 15, 2012 - 10:44 PM | 2012 Election, Fox News, Media Appearances, Michigan, Mitt Romney 1 views

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I just got back from tonight’s Grand Rapids rally for Mitt and it was great! If I had any complaint, it would be that the venue was a bit small. The media is reporting that 700 people were crammed into a space that I suspect was more appropriate for 400. Mitt held a rally in 2008 at this exact venue, and the campaign may have underestimated the amount of support that has grown for Mitt since then. (The thousand e-mails I sent to Michigan supporters I’ve identified since 2008 may have contributed to the larger than expected turnout, but I’ll never know for sure how much I helped).

I should’ve got this on video, but the handful of protestors outside the rally were depressingly ill-informed as they usually are. They were told to come and protest, but didn’t even know for sure what they were supposed to be mad at Mitt about. I don’t know if these protestors were being paid less than these, but I didn’t hear their usual “Hey hey, ho ho…” waste of time chants today. I wonder if they will ever come up with a new tune…

Also, check out our Mitt Romney Central exclusive of Mitt walking to the podium at his Grand Rapids rally:

I was fortunate enough to be interviewed by a reporter from the Grand Rapids Press immediately following the rally. I’ll post the article here if it gets published tomorrow.

Watch Mitt’s interview with the MLive/Grand Rapids Press Editorial Board below the fold. (more…)

Mitt Romney Writes an Op-Ed for the Detroit News

By Rebel Ross | February 14, 2012 - 8:57 AM | 2012 Election, Michigan, Mitt Romney 1 views

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Taxpayers Should Get GM Shares’ Proceeds

By Mitt Romney
February 7th, 2012

I am a son of Detroit. I was born in Harper Hospital and lived in the city until my family moved to Oakland County.

I grew up drinking Vernors and watching ballgames at Michigan & Trumbull. Cars got in my bones early. And not just any cars, American cars.

When the president of American Motors died suddenly in 1954, my dad, George Romney, was asked to take his place. I was 7 and got my love of cars and chrome and fins and roaring motors from him. I grew up around the industry and watched it flourish. Years later, I watched with sadness as it floundered.

Three years ago, in the midst of an economic crisis, a newly elected President Barack Obama stepped in with a bailout for the auto industry. The indisputable good news is that Chrysler and General Motors are still in business. The equally indisputable bad news is that all the defects in President Obama’s management of the American economy are evident in what he did.

Instead of doing the right thing and standing up to union bosses,Obama rewarded them…

Read the rest of the important op-ed here and leave a comment there for Michiganders to read. No doubt the democrats will try to characterize Mitt as someone who hates the auto industry, so it’s up to us to make sure Michiganders are provided the truth.

UPDATE: Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign is making TV reservations in Michigan, starting with the Detroit market. Romney’s super PAC, Restore Our Future, has already purchased a half-million dollars in airtime over the next week, but Romney’s campaign was quiet until this morning. The full size of the flight is yet to be determined.

Here’s Mitt’s ad:

If you are interested in learning more about Mitt’s life in Michigan, read the beginning of our summary of the new biography about Mitt Romney.

Mitt Romney in Michigan Speaks on the Auto Industry, the Governor’s Race, and to the New Eagle Scouts

By Rebel Ross | February 19, 2010 - 11:01 AM | Mitt Romney 1 views

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Mitt Romney Scouts 100 aniversary

Yesterday was a busy day for Gov. Romney. He delivered a great speech to CPAC, but that wasn’t all. As soon as the speech was over, he rushed to the airport and got on a plane to Michigan where he was the keynote speaker at the 100th Anniversary – Building Character Celebration for the new Eagle Scouts. “I’m convinced that if Boy Scouts were running things here in Michigan, you’d be a lot better off,” Romney said to hefty applause.

Mitt at the Boy Scouts of America 100th Anniversary Dinner

Mitt also gave an interview to the Detroit News where he answered questions on Obama’s first stimulus bill, the Tea-Party movement, his recent plane incident, the Christmas Day bombing attempt, Afghanistan, Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, Michigan’s 2010 Gubernatorial Race, and the Supreme Court.

If you think that was a busy day for Gov. Romney, just look at his upcoming schedule. Mitt is hosting a fundraiser for Sen. John Thune today, is speaking on numerous conferences in the upcoming months, has an upcoming book tour, and will undoubtedly be campaigning for numerous 2010 candidates all over the country.

UPDATE: Romney stumps for Thune

Romney to Keynote Boy Scouts of America 100th Anniversary Dinner

By Aaron Gundy | January 15, 2010 - 11:27 AM | Mitt Romney 1 views

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Next month in Grand Rapids, The Boy Scouts of America will host a dinner celebrating 100 years of scouting and their record 2009 ‘Eagle Scout’ and ‘Silver Award’ Class. The BSA has invited former Gov. Mitt Romney to be the keynote speaker at the ‘Building Character’ celebration.

The BSA writes the following introductory message on their invitation to the event:

Widely recognized for his leadership and accomplishments as a public servant and in private enterprise, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney currently serves as the Honorary Chairman of the Free and Strong America PAC.

In 2008, Governor Romney was a leading candidate for the Republican presidential nomination and distinguished himself as an important voice in favor of strengthening our economy, military and families.

Elected Governor of Massachusetts in 2002, Governor Romney presided over a dramatic reversal of state fortunes and a period of sustained economic expansion.

Governor Romney was elected to the Chairmanship of the Republican Governors Association by his fellow Governors for the 2006 election cycle, and raised a record $27 million for candidates running in State House contests around the country.

Romney first gained national recognition for his role in turning around the 2002 Winter Olympics. With the 2002 Games mired in controversy and facing a financial crisis, Romney left behind a successful career as an entrepreneur to take over as President and CEO of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee.

Prior to his Olympics service, Mitt Romney enjoyed a successful career helping businesses grow and improve their operations. From 1978 to 1984, Mr. Romney was a Vice President at Bain & Company Inc., a leading management consulting firm. In 1984, Romney founded Bain Capital, one of the nation’s most successful venture capital and investment companies. Bain Capital helped launch hundreds of companies on a successful course, including Staples, Bright Horizons Family Solutions, Domino’s Pizza, Sealy, Brookstone, and The Sports Authority. He was asked to return to Bain & Company as CEO several years later in order to lead a financial restructuring of the organization. Today, Bain & Company employs more than 2,000 people in 25 offices worldwide.

Governor Romney has been deeply involved in community and civic affairs, serving extensively in his church and numerous charities including City Year, the Points of Light Foundation and the Boy Scouts of America. He was also the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in 1994.

Governor Romney received his B.A., with Highest Honors, from Brigham Young University in 1971. In 1975, he was awarded an MBA from Harvard Business School, where he was named a Baker Scholar, and a J.D., cum laude, from Harvard Law School.

Governor Romney and his wife Ann have been married for 40 years and have five sons, five daughters-in-law, and fourteen grandchildren.