comMITTed to Romney!

John Cronin

Former California Political Director, Fred ‘08 Endorses Romney January 27th, 2008 | 5 Comments | Posted in 2008, California, Conservatism, Economics, Endorsement, F. Thompson, Fiscal Conservatives, Fred Thompson, Mitt Romney, Press Releases, Pro-life

More good news from our friends who supported Fred Thompson in his run for the Republican nomination. If you haven’t seen the YouTube clip of FT hammering Huckabee on the alleged demise of “the Reagan coalition” you are missing the quintessential defense of modern conservatism.

~~John Cronin~~

From the Desk of Richard Rios
California Political Director, Fred ‘08

Friends and supporters of Senator Thompson;

By now you have been inundated with the news of Senator Thompson’s decision to not pursue the office of the President of the United States. I have received many emails and phone calls asking what the next steps for Senator Thompson are and who is the best candidate to
support?

As far as Senator Thompson plans I cannot answer for him. Nor do I have any information that indicates what he will do next. But this is what I do know.
The conservative movement is based on several tenants. These include fiscal conservatism, social conservatism and support of a strong military. These principles that are the base of the Reagan coalition live beyond any single candidate or presidential term. The soundness of their doctrine will continue to provide a light for generations to come.

With the departure of Senator Thompson we as conservatives must focus on who is promoting those principles we hold dear and put aside any bias we have held in the past or hear in the main stream media. It is my belief and opinion that Governor Romney is the only candidate in the race that can carry that torch.

I have not accepted any position with any campaign. I offer you this assessment and ask that you join me in supporting Governor Romney as a fellow grass roots leader.

On Monday, January 22nd, we saw near 500 drop in the DOW and the week continued to show volatility in world markets. China has effectively manipulated the valuation of the dollar by mass liquidating US Treasuries. Our leaders have publically stated that we are either in or headed for a recession. Governor Romney is by far the best Presidential candidate on either side of the aisle who can address the economic perils ahead. He brings years of successful business Executive experience understanding a balance sheet. Some of the other candidates attribute their success political achievements. This is not difficult to do when the government can just raise taxes or print more money. We need someone who understands finances like you and me. That when the checking account is empty you stop writing checks.

Governor Romney believes in the sanctity of family. He supports a constitutional amendment that defines marriage between one man and one woman. He also believes that Roe v. Wade should be overturned to protect the unborn. Many of you may have the same concerns I had in the past regarding Governor Romney’s prior stand on these issues. As a Christian, I do believe in second chances for those who see the errors of their ways. I believe Governor Romney realizes that his past statements were wrong and is working hard to make right the injustice being done against the unborn.

Would I prefer to have a consistent stand on one of the most crucial social issues we face? Yes. I ask that you look into yourself. Is there anyone of us that can honestly say they have never changed a position for the better when the facts were presented to us? I don’t think so.

Governor Romney’s support has never wavered. He has outlined a plan to increase our military personnel and give them the weapons support they need to get the job done. A CEO knows how to let competent leaders do their job and Governor Romney will let the Generals and Field Commanders do their job without the political posturing we have seen in the past.

Finally, one last note for this endorsement. As grassroots activists we have seen the affects that McCain-Feingold has had on our ability to freely speak and support our candidates. Governor Romney has publically stated he wants to repeal that law and support the first amendment. The last thing we need is a candidate who thinks stifling the voice of the American people is a good thing and puts his name on it.

Please visit www.mittromney.com and look at the issues section. Make an informed and comprehensive decision.

Best wishes and thank you for all your support in the past promoting and advancing the conservative platform.

This represents the views and opinions of Richard Rios and should not be considered an endorsement of the Fred Thompson presidential campaign or other members of the California for Thompson team.

Richard Rios
former California Political Director, Fred08

Founding Director Arizona for Fred Thompson, Nevada for Fred Thompson, Oklahoma for Fred Thomson grassroots organizations

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Vic Lundquist

Senator Jim Talent: “Mitt Romney is the only Comprehensive Conservative” January 2nd, 2008 | 3 Comments | Posted in 2008, Abortion, Adoption, Character, Christians, Congress, Conservative, Early Primary States, Endorsement, Ethics, Evangelicals, F. Thompson, Faith, Family, Family Values, Fred Thompson, General Election, God, Hillary Clinton, Honesty, Interview, Iowa, Jay Sekulow, Jim DeMint, John McCain, Live Blogging, Massachusetts GOP, Media Appearances, Mike Huckabee, Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney, Mitt Romney, Morality, Mormon, My Man Mitt, National Security, Netroots, New Media, New To Romney, Op/Ed, Pardon, Pardons & Commutations, Press Releases, Primaries & Caucuses, Pro-life, Rudy Giuliani, Senator Jim Talen, Victor Lunquist

This morning, U.S. Senator Jim Talent sat down with me to express why he is such an ardent supporter of Governor Romney. A couple of things caught my attention as we began and I started asking questions related to Mike Huckabee. Senator Talent is a Evangelical Christian and is one of the strongest national leaders in promoting pro-life issues. His official title is Chairman, Domestic Policy Task Force – Mitt Romney for President, Inc. The interview was at the Romney Iowa Caucuses Headquarters in Des, Moines.

Press Release at the time Senator Talent joined Mitt Romney’s team

Senator Talent’s Wikipedia Description

The interview was conducted in a large, open space in what is effectively an office building among several tables and dozens of people making calls to get the vote out. After five minutes, about six volunteers joined us and actually helped me conduct the interview. How you ask? Well, I do not know short-hand, so first, their brief interruptions served to allow me time to better write my notes, and second, they had a couple of great questions that added to the interview!

Q: Why Romney and not other candidates such as Huckabee?

“Governor Romney is the only candidate with the whole package necessary to defeat the Democrats in the general election. The others do not have what it takes including Giuliani, Huckabee, McCain, or Thompson.

None of the other candidates are as effectively pro-life as Governor Romney. All you have to do is look at what he did as governor of Massachusetts. Nobody fought harder in the protection of traditional marriage than Governor Romney and nobody was more effective in fighting for life at the early stages than Governor Romney. Regardless of any of the candidates’ positions in the pro-life agenda, Governor Romney is the only one that will be the strong, effective pro-life leader. He is the only one who will serve the pro-life agenda in a truly effective way.

Governor Romney is the only Republican candidate who can accomplish all of three of the following:
• Unify and mobilize the entire the Republican Party.
• Articulate an incredibly powerful message around 1) strong national defense, 2) strong families, and 3) a strong economy.
• Reach out to and connect with the center of America.

Governor Romney is the only true, comprehensive conservative among all the Republican candidates.

Q: Why Governor Romney over Huckabee?

I like to ask the simple question, “What would happen if Mike Huckabee were to be the Republican nominee?”

Think about Hillary Clinton deciding to run to the right of Huckabee on crime and taxes. Clinton could easily challenge Huckabee on any number of issues and run to the right on his past. Crime for example: Huckabee pardoned or commuted the sentences of 1,033 felons. On taxes, Huckabee raised taxes on the middle class.

As a person who has run several campaigns myself and who has run a couple of very tough campaigns, I know how important it is to have adequate resources. Mitt Romney is the only Republican candidate who has the resources to wage a long, tough, national campaign against the Democrats; all the other Republican candidates are underfunded and do not have the necessary resources.

Governor Romney has the executive management skill of all candidates and his campaign is the best run campaign of all.

Anybody who has ever met Mitt Romney knows him as a very open and genuine person. It is very touching when he is with his family.

Governor Romney is the only Republican who will make many good things happen and prevent bad things from happening.

Neither McCain nor Huckabee can mobilize all conservatives of our nation. Neither has a strong record on tax cuts. Republicans will not be able to win the general election without a strong stand on illegal immigration and Mitt Romney is the only candidate who is strong in this critical issue.

I have been a strong pro-life advocate my whole life. Certainly, we should scrutinize the pro-life position of any leader that has converted from a pro-choice position. Those of us who are national leaders (James Bopp, Jr. and Jay Seculow) in the pro-life movement have performed that scrutiny of Governor Romney and know him to be absolutely committed to the pro-life agenda in every way. He is the strongest pro-life candidate running today.

This is important. The Massachusetts Citizens for Life do not give out their highest award to just anybody and they gave theirs to Governor Romney for his tireless work in Massachusetts for life issues!

Stayed tuned for more news from Iowa. I have been working all day, but based on the buzz around me and what I have seen here today, there is a lot going on FOR Governor Romney. There are lots of really cheerful, enthusiastic volunteers all around, coming and going. I have been around very organized projects my entire career. Nothing compares to this though.

Ann Romney stopped in and went around and met many volunteers along with Mary Romney (Craig’s wife I think) and her son. Scott Romney, Mitt’s brother also stopped in and gave a little update along with Senator Talent accompanied by cheers. Apparently tonight there is a rally for supporters. When you get a chance, look for updates from Jason Bonham over at My Man Mitt who is embedded with Governor Romney’s press corp as they fly around Iowa. I had dinner with Jason last night and he was pretty excited about today.

~ Vic

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Vic Lundquist

Iowans & Reporters Played for Fools by Huckabee December 31st, 2007 | 6 Comments | Posted in 2008, Analysis, Commentary, and Editorials, Arrogant, Attack Ads, Bigotry, Campaign Ads, Campaign Appearances, Carl Cameron, Character, Christians, Corruption, Disgust, Early Primary States, Ed Rollins, Evangelicals, F. Thompson, Faith, Fred Thompson, Humor, Integrity, Iowa, John McCain, Mike Huckabee, Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney, Morality, NY Times, Negative Ads, Netroots, Op/Ed, Paul, Press Releases, Primaries & Caucuses, Republicans, Rudy Giuliani, Satire, Trust, Values

“Mike Huckabee is the candidate that just keeps on giving!” [quote from Jeff Fuller just now after speaking with him]

Does Mr. Huckabee think we are all complete, utter idiots?

[Please forgive me for using the nickname "Duckabee" --- I depart from the normal decorum in this one instance as I believe the label best suits Huckabee as he continues to dodge truth --- I simply could not resist.]

KUDOS to Rusty, Ann Marie, and Mike for getting the Huckabee low-road story up so fast. Is this amazing, or what? Seriously, I think Huckabee woke up this morning and said to his wife,

“I think I want to become the first presidential candidate in the history of the Iowa caucuses to become a certifiable laughing stock of the media and the good folks of Iowa. What do you think darling? What is the best way for me to do that today?”

There are so many words that came to my mind after seeing all the reports today on this. I chose the title of this post from a line in Rusty’s post. Here are the words that came to my mind after watching all of these reports on Duckabee:

— CUNNING — INDECISIVE — MANIPULATIVE — CRAFTY — DISENGENUOUS — UNSOPHISTICATED — BACK-WATER — DISHONEST — CORRUPT — DECEITFUL — FRAUDULENT — DOUBLE-DEALING — UNPRINCIPLED — UNSCRUPULOUS — GUILE — TWO-FACED — DESPERATE (I could list the other 25 but want to keep this short)

Why the word “dishonest”? Simply because Duckabee absolutely knew that the State of Massachusetts, by law, does not allow capital punishment. Even if the guy feigns ignorance on this, he is inept at the very least. Governor Romney campaigned to add the death penalty in Mass.

The best moment of this day with Duck? When he said he made the (”high road”) decision to not run the ad but that he wanted to show it to the reporters so they supposedly would know he made the ad. He made that statement with a complete straight face as if he were serious. Then the entire audience burst out in complete spontaneous laughter and Duckabee stood there with a complete serious face. I totally expected him to burst into laughter himself. That was hilarious!

Carl Cameron, in one clip I saw, said this could end up as a genius move by Duck. If the people of Iowa don’t mind being played the fools by his camp, then maybe. There is a chance that Huckabee has attained “martyr” status in the minds of some in Iowa. If so, then there will be a sympathy following, but still I cannot imagine thinking people backing a person who touts his “Christian values” while his behavior is completely dishonest at best.

No, I think this will sink Huck’s life-raft. Iowans are not fools. Reporters of the MSM are not fools and I think they will turn on Huck. Until about two weeks ago, Huck has gotten a pass from the MSM. His presumptuous, manipulative, and cunning behavior to play all the reporters for fools will backfire. They will shred him in the next few days. Mark my words. It is over for Huckabee. He will get the martyr-sympathy vote, but that is it (credit to Jeff Fuller for this insight). Iowans are too smart to vote for this guy. I think we will see the media eat Huckabee alive over the next three plus days.

I wish I could be a fly on the wall in one of the Republican caucus meeting halls to hear the discussions among voters. Oh, how sweet it would be.

Here is how I would like the results to show three nights from now, in Iowa, on Thursday night:

— Romney: 44%
— Hunter: 18%
— Thompson: 9%
— Keyes: 8%
— Giuliani: 5%
— Paul: 5%
— McCain: 5%
— Tancredo: 4% (yes, he will still get votes)
— Duckabee: 2%

I gave Duckabee 4%, not because I think there are really dumb Iowans, but because I think 4% of the Republican voters of Iowa who liked Duckabee a month ago, will not have gotten the news from today.

IOWANS: Please remember that both Giuliani and McCain abandoned the Ames Straw Poll in August effectively telling you a) your straw poll does not matter, and b) we [McCain/Giuliani] don’t want you to have any of our campaign money for your economy.

~ Vic

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Ann Marie Curling

Dems still not “PRESS”ing Huck Vol. 3 December 22nd, 2007 | 1 Comment | Posted in Democrats, Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney, Press Releases

Once again, I wanted to see if the Dems were releasing Press Releases about Huckabee, I mean gosh be he’s been in the headlines now for what 3 weeks? There had to be at least one or two, right? Well, once again not a single Release mentioning the man from Hope who doesn’t offer any. Check again for yourself —–>Press Releases from The Democratic Party.

Funny thing is, is that a release about Romney is front and center and a —–>featured release on the front page right now.

Previous Posts:
—–>Dems Not “Press”ing Huck.
—–>Huckabee a Dream Nominee for Democrats in General Election Match-Up.

Also See:
—–>DEMS HOLD FIRE ON HUCKABEE; SEE ‘EASY KILL’ IN GENERAL ELECTION.

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Ann Marie Curling

Dems still not “PRESS”ing Huck. December 15th, 2007 | 2 Comments | Posted in Democrats, Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney, Press Releases

Bill Clinton and Mike Huckabee. Do we really want another man from Hope as our President?

Continuing on from this post—–>Huckabee a DREAM nominee for Democrats in General Election Matchup of December 10th.

I figured, the Dems would have put up one Press Release about Huckabee in the 5 days since the above mentioned post went up, and Drudge’s subsequent post —–>DEMS HOLD FIRE ON HUCKABEE; SEE ‘EASY KILL’ IN GENERAL ELECTION. But, I just checked their Press Releases once again, and you can too by clicking here —–>Democratic Party Press Releases. There still isn’t a single Press Release, and according to the earlier Drudge Report story it goes all the way back to March. The site only keeps 14 pages of Press Releases at one time though, so I couldn’t go back that far. The farthest I could go back was to April. It’s incredible (and telling) the discipline the party has when it comes to this. They know what they’re doing, and they’re not taking the bait. To those of you undecided about who you want to support for President, I strongly encourage you to look into Governor Romney’s record of accomplishment. He’s lead in the private sector, he’s lead with his job at the Salt Lake Olympic Committee, he’s lead as Governor of Massachusetts, and he’s lead in his community with a spirit of hope for tomorrow. Don’t play into the Democratic Strategy. Please support Governor Romney, and Help Him Win By —–>Donating Today!.

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David Kim

New York State Of Mind: Mayor Giuliani: “I’m Seen As Very Liberal” November 26th, 2007 | No Comments | Posted in 2008, Abortion, Family Values, Gay Rights, Hillary Clinton, Marriage, Marriage Amendment, Mitt Romney, Morality, New York, Press Releases, Pro-life, Rudy Giuliani, Values

Some people ask us why we spend time talking about the competitors on this blog. That what they come to this site for is information about Mitt, not negatives on the competitors.

I can understand that sentiment, but I’m going to do another Giuliani post anyway. I believe that an important role of this blog is not only to give information about Mitt, but also to arm Mitt supporters with the information they need to refute the charges coming from the other camps.

Hopefully all of us are talking with our family, friends, and co-workers about why we like Mitt. An important part of being credible in that conversation is being knowledgeable on the other candidates, and convincing about why we don’t support them.

So, click through here to go to the Romney campaign’s latest press release describing how Rudy and Hillary share Liberal values and a “New York State of Mind” in common. (full text after the jump).

More »

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Vic Lundquist

Clinton and Obama: Decisions and Choices that Define Character November 17th, 2007 | No Comments | Posted in Analysis, Commentary, and Editorials, Barack Obama, Character, Commander in Chief, Democrats, Ethics, General Election, Headlines, Hillary Clinton, Integrity, Leadership, Mitt Romney, New To Romney, Op/Ed, Press Releases, Republican Nomination, Rudy Giuliani, The Politico, Values

Welcome to those of you coming to us from Barack Obama’s Website.

Feel free to look around and stay a while. We welcome visitors with open arms

Thanks for stopping by…The Elect Romney in 2008 Crew!

Robert Novak is reporting (click here —-> Hillary vs. Obama) the following:

Agents of Sen. Hillary Clinton are spreading the word in Democratic circles that she has scandalous information about her principal opponent for the party’s presidential nomination, Sen. Barack Obama, but has decided not to use it. The nature of the alleged scandal was not disclosed.

Obama has replied as reported at Politico in part:

Obama accused Clinton of “Swift boat’ politics” and vowed he will not be intimidated.

“I am prepared to stand up to that kind of politics, whether it’s deployed by candidates in our party, in the other party or by any third party,” Obama said. “The cause of change in this country will not be deterred or sidetracked by the old ‘Swift boat’ politics. The cause of moving America forward demands that we defeat it.”

Howard Wolfson, Clinton’s campaign communications director, said she has “no idea” what the item is about.

In the statement, issued at 11:39 a.m. Eastern time, Obama called on Clinton to renounce the report or disclose the information, and twisted the knife by adding: “She of all people, having complained so often about ‘the politics of personal destruction,’ should move quickly to either stand by or renounce these tactics.”

The statement continues: “The item did not identify these ‘agents,’ nor did it reveal the nature of the charge. It was devoid of facts, but heavy on innuendo and insinuation of the sort to which we’ve become all too accustomed in our politics these past two decades. If the purpose of this shameless item was to daunt or discourage me or supporters of our campaign from challenging and changing the politics of Washington, it will fail. In fact, it will only serve to steel our resolve. But in the interest of our party, and her own reputation, Sen. Clinton should either make public any and all information referred to in the item, or concede the truth: that there is none.”

Obama’s statement is a bit unusual in that it gives Novak such credence.

Since I decided to get involved to support Governor Romney, I have given a great deal of thought to whether the reporting of fact-based information, that reflects on a candidate’s character, should be off limits. Two very important attributes drew me to Governor Romney as a leader in the first place. First he is the most intelligent, master strategist of all candidates. Second was his character. The character of a leader has always been a very important requirement for me, and I believe is paramount among most Americans.

Most people running for high office rely on their character and reputation, in part, to garner widespread support. Character is more important to some candidates and their supporters than it is for others obviously. Americans need to know, as much as is possible, the true character of the leaders they elect to positions of high trust. Each new commander-in-chief is empowered to send my son or grandsons to war.

My conclusion was that information that is factual to a candidate’s true character is important for the public to know. We know from the Bill Clinton administration that some Americans think a leader’s personal life, relative to extramarital relationships, should be off limits and private. I disagree. The fact that such remained private in earlier presidencies is beside the point (would JFK have been elected President if all Americans knew his wife could not trust him with other women?). Presidential candidates are constantly “selling” themselves to impress us with their strength of character and leadership. Highly respected leaders are generally self-disciplined and are above reproach as to the principles and values they tout. Of course, they err as humans, but the leader of character has mastered self to the point that he or she would never make a choice to sully their character or their reputation. In other words, behavior that leads to damaged character, is in fact a decision; it is a choice. Such behavior is not a “mistake” as we often hear from our leaders when they choose to leave the moral path in any way.

So what about this Novak report? All biases aside, I think the floating of this ‘innuendo and insinuation’ by Clinton is despicable and base. Unfortunately, the fact that she did this does not surprise me, which for me is a sad commentary in the modern, enlightened age. It is no surprise because it eminated from Ms. Clinton. I strongly agree with Obama’s camp that she should either come forth with the facts, or come clean and state there is nothing to report. It is utterly despicable to publish statements that you have potentially serious, character-damaging facts you intend to keep private. In my book, what Ms. Clinton did today through Novak and others, reflects perfectly on the lack of character in her stoop. This behavior is a perfect example of a decision or a choice a candidate makes that damages their character. This is not a mere mistake by Ms. Clinton. Few things are left to chance by this senator. Curiously, such behavior further damages Senator Clinton’s character, but not her reputation.

As to the facts. I do think if facts exist, that if revealed would alter Americans’ perception of Senator Obama’s character, those facts should definitely be revealed. But if revealed, they should be reported in all professionalism, without sensationalism. The fact that any man or woman in this nation would expose themselves to incredible scrutiny by running for the Office of President, is behavior worthy of our highest respect, in my opinion. That is until or unless they break the trust. Senator Obama has my highest respect in this regard.

Because I strongly believe that Senator Clinton has many times broken the public trust in many ways and seeks to be President mostly out of lust of power, it is she that I hope wins the nomination of the Democrat Party. If we can nominate Governor Romney on the Republican ticket, it would be an historic match-up of character polarization never before seen in this nation’s history; unlike a Clinton-Giuliani match-up.

~ Vic

“Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.”

— Abraham Lincoln, 16th U.S. president (1809-1865)

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Ann Marie Curling

The Buzz on Romney’s Endorsement from Jedd Gregg Senior Senator from New Hampshire October 29th, 2007 | No Comments | Posted in ABC News, Arizona Republic, CNN, Endorsements, Hugh Hewitt, MSNBC, Mitt Romney, Press Releases, Real Clear Politics, The Atlantic, The Boston Globe, The Caucus - New York Times, The Hill, The Politico, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post

The Politico’s Jonathan Martin: “Gregg – whose father was governor and whose last name retains considerable cache – is the prize get in New Hampshire for any GOP presidential hopeful.” (Jonathan Martin, “Gregg To Endorse Romney,” The Politico, 10/29/07)

The New York Times’ Michael Luo: “Mitt Romney has landed a big endorsement in the Granite State. … So this was a big ‘get’ for Mr. Romney, who is leading in the polls in this early primary state.” (Michael Luo, “Gregg To Endorse Romney In N.H.,” The New York Times’ “The Caucus,” 10/29/07)

The Hill’s Klaus Marre: “Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) scored a major win Monday with the endorsement of Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.). The backing of New Hampshire’s senior senator should provide a boost to Romney, who already leads in the key early primary state.” (Klaus Marre, “Romney Scores Big Win With Gregg Endorsement,” The Hill, 10/29/07)

The Boston Globe’s Foon Rhee: “Mitt Romney will have a big name by his side today at a rally before he officially files for the New Hampshire primary. US Senator Judd Gregg, who is in his third term representing the Granite State, is endorsing Romney, his campaign announced this morning.” (Foon Rhee, “Gregg Backs Romney,” The Boston Globe’s “Political Intelligence,” 10/29/07)

ABC News’ Matt Stuart: “The endorsement is a boost for Romney’s New Hampshire chances, as the state’s junior senator, Republican John Sununu, has said he will remain neutral through the primary season.” (Matt Stuart, “Romney Wins Key N.H. Endorsement,” ABC News, 10/29/07)

MSNBC’s Erin McPike: “On the morning of his filing in New Hampshire, Romney got a nice boost to his Granite State campaign. Senior Sen. Judd Gregg (R) endorsed Romney and will join him in Concord for his presidential filing.” (Erin McPike, “NH Senator Endorses Romney,” MSNBC’s First Read, 10/29/07)

Wall Street Journal’s Susan Davis: “This is good news for Romney and comes on the heels of the latest University of Iowa Hawkeye poll released this morning that shows Romney as the clear favorite in Iowa, with nearly three times as much support as any other Republican candidate in the field in the state among likely caucus goers.” (Susan Davis, “Judd To Endorse Romney,” Wall Street Journal’s “Washington Wire,” 10/29/07)

Townhall’s Hugh Hewitt: “This is a very big deal for the Romney campaign. … Senator Gregg’s endorsement is the most sought-after in the Granite State, and it adds to the sense of momentum that Romney has built there.” (Hugh Hewitt, “New Hampshire Senator Judd Gregg Endorses Romney,” Townhall, 10/29/07)

CNN’s Mark Preston: “Gregg’s decision to back Romney is a major boost for the Massachusetts governor…” (Mark Preston, “Senior New Hampshire Senator To Back Romney,” CNN, 10/29/07)

The Washington Post’s Michael Shear: “Do endorsements matter? Mitt Romney is about to pick up a key vote of support that could help answer that question. Later today, Romney will receive the endorsement of New Hampshire Sen. Judd Gregg in Concord, according to the campaign.” (Michael Shear, “N.H.’s Gregg For Romney,” The Washington Post’s “The Trail,” 10/29/07)

The Atlantic’s Marc Ambinder: “It’s tough to say that any endorsement carries votes these days, but Gregg’s ability to validate Romney’s competence and economic message, as well as his freedom to act as a surrogate for Romney at events should not be underrated.” (Marc Ambinder, “Breaking: Sen. Judd Gregg To Endorse Romney,” The Atlantic, 10/29/07)

Real Clear Politics’ Reid Wilson: “Sen. Judd Gregg, dean of the New Hampshire congressional delegation, will endorse Mitt Romney today at the state capitol, the Union Leader reports this morning.” (Reid Wilson, “Gregg Endorses,” Real Clear Politics, 10/29/07)

Arizona Republic’s Dan Nowicki: “Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney today announced the endorsement of one of New Hampshire’s Republican senators, Judd Gregg. As far as Granite State endorsements go, this one is pretty big.” (Dan Nowicki, “Romney Wins Key New Hampshire Endorsement,” Arizona Republic’s “McCain Central,” 10/29/07)

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Ann Marie Curling

Romney catches big fish in Judd Gregg, Senator from New Hampshire October 29th, 2007 | 1 Comment | Posted in Endorsements, Judd Gregg, Mitt Romney, New Hampshire, Press Releases, Primaries & Caucuses

More on this from The Union Leader of New Hampshire.

Boston, MA – Today, Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH) announced his endorsement of Governor Mitt Romney for President of the United States. Senator Gregg is New Hampshire’s Senior Senator, and in 2004, he received the highest number of votes in any election in the state’s history. He will be joining Governor Romney as he campaigns throughout New Hampshire today and in the coming weeks and months.
“I am proud to stand alongside Governor Romney as he campaigns to build a stronger America. For months, the people of New Hampshire have had the opportunity to meet Governor Romney all over the state and listen to his ideas for bringing change to Washington. Mitt Romney embodies New Hampshire’s values – values that stress government living within its means, lower taxes, a stronger military and stronger families,” said Senator Gregg. “Governor Romney is the strong leader we need to lead America forward. He has the experience, vision and values needed to be our next President.”
Making today’s announcement, Governor Romney said, “For nearly thirty years, Judd Gregg has served the citizens of New Hampshire with distinction, championing our shared conservative values. As New Hampshire’s Senior Senator, he has always fought to do what is right for the people of his state, and he is one of the most respected fiscal watchdogs in Congress. Judd Gregg’s leadership and support is a significant addition to our campaign to build a stronger America. As we head into New Hampshire’s First in the Nation Primary, I am proud to have Judd Gregg and grassroots supporters from all across the state at my side.”

Background On Senator Judd Gregg:
Senator Judd Gregg Is Serving His Third Term In The United States Senate. Senator Gregg holds a number of key leadership and committee positions, including serving as both the Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee and as Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Agencies. Senator Gregg also sits on the Senate HELP Committee and Senate Appropriations Committee. With these positions, Senator Gregg has been a prominent voice in the national debate on such vital issues as overseeing the federal budget, homeland security, national defense, education, international affairs, law enforcement, Social Security, and health care.

During his service in the Senate, Senator Gregg has worked to secure our homeland and to defend our nation against terrorism locally and nationally; to promote responsible federal spending; to increase America’s energy independence; to support pro-economic growth policies in New Hampshire and the nation; and to protect New Hampshire’s environment. Senator Gregg has especially focused on reducing the federal budget deficit and addressing the growth of entitlements.

Senator Gregg has the unique honor of being the first elected official in state history to serve in each of the following positions: three terms as United States Senator, 1993-present; two terms as Governor of New Hampshire, 1989-1993; four terms as United States Representative for New Hampshire’s Second Congressional District, 1981-1989; and one term as Executive Councilor for New Hampshire’s Council District 5, 1979-1981.

He is a New Hampshire native and is married to Kathleen MacLellan Gregg. They have two daughters, Molly and Sarah, and a son, Joshua. Senator and Mrs. Gregg are residents of Rye Beach, New Hampshire.

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Vic Lundquist

Mitt Buzz: Post Family Research Council Summit October 21st, 2007 | No Comments | Posted in Analysis, Commentary, and Editorials, Endorsements, Evangelicals, Faith, Family, Family Research Council, Family Values, Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney, New To Romney, Op/Ed, Press Releases, Pro-life, Religion, Speeches, Straw Poll, The Mormon Issue, Values

OUTSTANDING! That is all I can say about Governor Romney’s performance and reviews out of yesterday’s Family Research Council. By now, we have all read the various reports and the slicing and dicing of Gov. Romney’s win of the poll. To me however, more important is what the experts and other conservatives are saying. Please take a minute and read these; they are great! Click here to see them all ——> HEADLINES

My favorite of all the quotes:

CBN’s David Brody: “And I think this week, we will look back on this week, if Mitt Romney goes on and wins the nomination and if you see other evangelical leaders in the future, come November, December, or even into January, start to endorse Mitt Romney, you’ll look back to this week as a very key week for the Romney campaign.” (C-SPAN’s “Washington Journal,” 10/20/07)

With the strong statements made by key Evangelical leaders by way of endorsement of Gov. Romney these past 10 days or so, I have felt that Gov. Romney has in fact turned the corner. I cannot put my finger on it yet, and my hunch is completely visceral, but I strongly agree with David Brody’s statement just above. It is conspicuous that major Evangelical leaders are not publicly endorsing Huckabee.

~ Vic

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Ann Marie Curling

DR. DON WILTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA BAPTIST CONVENTION, ENDORSES GOV. ROMNEY October 19th, 2007 | No Comments | Posted in Dr. Don Wilton, Endorsements, Evangelicals, First Baptist Church of Spartanburg, Mitt Romney, Press Releases, South Carolina

To Continue Ryan’s post from The Brody File of yesterday, here’s the official press release!

Boston, MA – Today, Dr. Don Wilton, the immediate-past President of the South Carolina Baptist Convention, announced his support for Governor Mitt Romney and his campaign for the presidency. Dr. Wilton’s endorsement is another indication of Governor Romney’s growing support among faith and values leaders in South Carolina and across the nation.

“I am proud to stand alongside Governor Romney as he pursues our nation’s highest office. His values are my values – protecting the sanctity of human life, defending marriage and strengthening the family. We need someone in Washington who will stand up for traditional families and Governor Romney is that person,” said Dr. Wilton. “While we may not agree on theology, Governor Romney and I agree that this election is about our country heading in the right direction. Governor Romney is the best candidate to stand for conservative values in Washington.”

With today’s announcement, Governor Romney said, “As conservatives, Dr. Wilton and I believe that our nation is stronger when we build stronger families. I look forward to working with him in South Carolina to ensure that Washington stands for families, life and marriage.”

Background On Dr. Don Wilton:

Dr. Don Wilton Is Senior Pastor At The First Baptist Church Of Spartanburg, South Carolina, And The Immediate Past President Of The South Carolina Baptist Convention. Dr. Wilton was the 2006 South Carolina Baptist Convention President. He has served in churches in South Africa, Mississippi and Louisiana. He began his pastorate at the First Baptist Church in Spartanburg in 1993. His church currently has 6,900 members. A former faculty member at the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, he currently teaches at the Billy Graham School of Evangelism and the Billy Graham Training Center at the Cove. Additionally, Dr. Wilton serves as President of the Encouraging Word Broadcast Ministry, which televises nationwide.
In addition to having authored numerous articles, he has written and published five books, including his most recent The Absolute Certainty of Life After Death. Dr. Wilton and his wife Karyn have three children.

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Ann Marie Curling

Romney for President Announces Ohio State Director October 18th, 2007 | No Comments | Posted in David Gallagher, Mitt Romney, Ohio, Press Releases, State Leadership Teams

Boston, MA – Today, Governor Mitt Romney announced that David Gallagher will serve as State Director of the Ohio Romney for President team. Gallagher brings nearly a decade of political experience and will be critical in growing Governor Romney’s already strong grassroots organization in Ohio.
“I look forward to working with David as I campaign in Ohio and talk about my vision to build a stronger America,” said Governor Romney. “We need to bring change to Washington and I will continue to talk to voters in Ohio and across the nation about my plans to keep our nation strong for future generations.”

“Governor Romney is a proven leader and has the experience needed to bring conservative change to Washington,” said Gallagher. “He will fight for lower taxes, to control government spending, to strengthen our military, and to build stronger American families. Governor Romney is a candidate Ohio voters can be proud to support.”

David Gallagher joins previously announced Romney for President Ohio supporters State Senator Kevin Coughlin and State Representative Shannon Jones.

Background On David Gallagher:
David Gallagher Began His Political Career In 1998, Working On Nancy Hollister’s Bid For Congress. Upon graduation from the University of Dayton in 2000, Gallagher worked for Senator Mike DeWine, both as an assistant in his office and a staff member at his headquarters. In 2003, Gallagher moved to the Ohio Republican Party’s political staff where he focused on Central and Northwest Ohio elections. In the 2004 election, Gallagher aided and oversaw political operations in 18 county regions for Bush/Cheney while simultaneously working dozens of countywide elections for Ohio Republicans. Gallagher moved to Nevada in 2005 to work for a political consulting firm where he managed the Nevada State Treasurer’s election, and work on the Lt. Governor and State Controller’s elections. While in Nevada, he played a major role directing the Election Day 2006 voter turnout effort.

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Ann Marie Curling

Milestone for Romney, Holds 100th “Ask Mitt Anything” October 18th, 2007 | 4 Comments | Posted in Ask Mitt Anything, Mitt Romney, Press Releases, South Carolina

Pawley’s Island, SC – This morning, Governor Mitt Romney held his 100th “Ask Mitt Anything” town hall forum at the Applewood Pancake House in Pawley’s Island, South Carolina. From New Hampshire to California, Governor Romney has been meeting with voters across the country and taking their questions on rising to a new generation of challenges.

“Ask Mitt Anythings have become a cornerstone of our campaign across the United States. I’ve taken hundreds of questions, but have found that whether in Florida or Oklahoma, the American people are concerned about the same issues – defending our country both here and abroad, making health care more affordable, lowering taxes and strengthening our families. In the coming weeks, we’ll continue traveling throughout the country and sharing our vision for building a stronger America,” said Governor Romney.

Romney for President has taken the Ask Mitt Anything online as well. Governor Romney hosted the first online town hall forum on September 17th. Ask Mitt Anythings have also expanded to include “Ask Team Mitt Anythings,” a series of live, online, text-based chats with prominent supporters and members of the campaign. Romney for President Campaign Manager Beth Myers hosted the first Ask Team Mitt Anything on October 9th.

Fast Facts On Governor Romney’s “Ask Mitt Anythings”:

• Number Of Ask Mitt Anythings (As Of The End Of Today): 101
• Number Of Ask Mitt Anythings Held In A Typical Day: 2
• Most Ask Mitt Anythings Held In A Single Day: 6 In Iowa On August 9th
• City That Has Held The Most Ask Mitt Anythings: 3 In Manchester, New Hampshire
• Number Of States Where Governor Romney Has Held An Ask Mitt Anything: 8 (California, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, Oklahoma And South Carolina)
• The First Ask Mitt Anything: April 3 In Derry, New Hampshire

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Ann Marie Curling

STRATEGY FOR A STRONGER AMERICA: GOV. ROMNEY ON THE MICHIGAN ECONOMY AND LOWERING TAXES October 13th, 2007 | No Comments | Posted in Business and Economic Expansion, Jobs, Leadership, Michigan, Mitt Romney, Press Releases, Taxes

This compliments Governor Romney’s debate performance from the very state that he’s focusing on.

“There’s a lot we can do to strengthen Michigan. And in some respects, what Michigan is seeing the entire nation is going to see unless we take action now to get Michigan stronger.” – Governor Romney (CNBC, Republican Presidential Candidate Debate, Dearborn, MI, 10/9/07)

Governor Romney On Strengthening The Michigan Economy And Strengthening America:
Governor Romney On The Need To Work Together And Strengthen Michigan’s Economy: “It’s inexcusable that Michigan is undergoing a one-state recession, that the rest of the country is growing and seeing low levels of unemployment, but Michigan is seeing ongoing high levels of unemployment, almost twice the national rate. Industry is shrinking here, jobs are going away. This is just unacceptable, and therefore, everyone’s going to have to come together to solve the problem. And that means from the president’s standpoint, the president’s going to have to stand up and say: You know what? – to the auto industry – the door’s always open. We’re going to work with you and make sure that you have a listening hear and someone who will participate with labor and with management.” (CNBC, Republican Presidential Candidate Debate, Dearborn, MI, 10/9/07)

Governor Romney On Bringing Innovation To Michigan’s Economy: “Number two, we’re going to make sure that we invest in technology and research – a lot of that relating to energy, fuels; automotive research like material science to help boost Michigan once again.” (CNBC, Republican Presidential Candidate Debate, Dearborn, MI, 10/9/07)

Governor Romney On Strengthening Michigan Schools: “We’re going to have to fix the schools; as Newt Gingrich pointed out, 22 percent of Detroit kids don’t – or excuse me – 22 percent graduate from high school. That’s unacceptable.” (CNBC, Republican Presidential Candidate Debate, Dearborn, MI, 10/9/07)

Governor Romney On Providing Relief To Michigan Taxpayers: “We’re also going to have to do a better job keeping our taxes down. Jennifer Granholm has made a big mistake by raising taxes. I was, frankly, a little nervous to – by being here tonight. I figured that she was going to put a tax on the debate before we got finished.” (CNBC, Republican Presidential Candidate Debate, Dearborn, MI, 10/9/07)

Governor Romney On Ensuring A Level Playing Field For Michigan Goods: “And we’re going to have to go work, as well, to make sure that there’s a level playing field around the world as we compete, to make sure that American goods are pushing into other markets; that goods coming overseas aren’t getting an advantage as they do now with embedded taxes.” (CNBC, Republican Presidential Candidate Debate, Dearborn, MI, 10/9/07)

TAX BLUEPRINT #1: Making The Bush Tax Cuts Permanent:
Governor Romney Will Make The Bush Tax Cuts Permanent. Governor Romney believes making the Bush Tax Cuts permanent is the first step to ensuring that Michiganders are able to keep more of their hard-earned money.
By Making The Bush Tax Relief Permanent, Governor Romney Will Preserve Tax Relief For Millions Of Michigan Taxpayers:

• 3,642,000 Total Michigan Taxpayers Benefited From The Tax Relief In 2006.
• 3,286,000 Michigan Taxpayers Benefited >From The Rate Reduction In The Lowest Tax Bracket In 2006.
• 1,234,000 Michigan Couples Saw A Reduction In The Marriage Penalty In 2006.
• 960,000 Michigan Taxpayers Benefited >From The Increased Child Credit In 2006.

TAX BLUEPRINT #2: Rolling Back Tax Rates For All Michiganders:
Governor Romney Will Roll Back Tax Rates Across The Board For All Michigan Taxpayers. As President, Governor Romney will cut marginal tax rates across the board, allowing all Michiganders to save more money. This approach is fair, simple and extends the pro-growth benefits of tax rate cuts to all Americans.

TAX BLUEPRINT #3: Eliminating Taxes On Middle Class Savings:
Governor Romney Will Make Middle Class Savings Tax Free. Governor Romney’s plan will allow middle class Michiganders to save tax free by changing the tax rate on interest, capital gains and dividends to absolutely 0%. By helping more people in Michigan save and invest, we can meet the challenges of an aging population and ensure the financial security of America.

• Governor Romney’s Plan Will Allow Over 95% Of American Families To Save And Invest Tax-Free. Any taxpayer with Adjusted Gross Income of under $200,000 would pay a tax rate of absolutely 0% on all of the income they earn from their savings, capital gains and dividends.

Governor Romney’s Plan Will Help Millions Of Michigan Taxpayers Save And Invest Tax-Free. Based on 2005 tax returns:

• 2,054,471 Michigan Taxpayers Who Earned Interest Could Have Benefited From This Tax Break.
• 1,054,726 Michigan Taxpayers Who Earned Dividends Could Have Benefited From This Tax Break.
• 820,901 Michigan Taxpayers Who Earned Capital Gains Could Have Benefited From This Tax Break.

TAX BLUEPRINT #4: Eliminating The Death Tax Once And For All:
Governor Romney Will Kill The Death Tax. It is unfair to tax Michiganders three times: once when they earn their money; second when they invest it and receive income from those investments; and third when they die.

TAX BLUEPRINT #5: Cutting The Corporate Tax Rate:
Governor Romney Believes Our Corporate Tax Rate Must Be Competitive With The Rest Of The World. The United States has the second highest corporate tax rate in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. We simply cannot afford for future economic growth to have a tax rate that is out of alignment with the other major economies of the world.

TAX BLUEPRINT #6: Opposing Social Security Tax Increases:
Governor Romney Opposes Any Increase In Social Security Taxes. We can strengthen Social Security without resorting to higher Social Security taxes that will impact all Michiganders. Governor Romney will oppose any proposed increase in Social Security taxes.

TAX BLUEPRINT #7: Making Medical Expenses Tax Deductible:
Governor Romney Will Make Qualified Medical Expenses Tax Deductible. Governor Romney supports the full deductibility of qualified medical expenses, which will allow people in Michigan to deduct the cost of their health insurance and out-of-pocket medical expenses, where accompanied by at least catastrophic insurance.

Read Governor Romney’s Full Strategy For A Stronger America:
To read more about Governor Romney’s agenda to change Washington, please click on the Strategy for a Stronger America, a compilation of his policy proposals for conservative change and to meet the new generation of challenges confronting our nation. Since January 2007, Governor Romney has outlined more than 50 different policy proposals. From defeating violent Jihadists to protecting traditional values, Governor Romney believes we can build a stronger America by taking Washington apart and putting it back together based on conservative principles that strengthen our national defense, our economy and our families.

Previous Posts on Business and Economic Expansion
Previous Post on Jobs
Previous Posts on Taxes

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Ann Marie Curling

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: “Rudy Awakening” October 10th, 2007 | 4 Comments | Posted in Analysis, Commentary, and Editorials, Judicial Restraint, Leadership, Legal and Judicial, Mitt Romney, National Review, Press Releases, Rudy Giuliani

Woah Sally, don’t pull any punches. What a well written piece, and well researched and documented too. I’m so glad that Mr. Kmiec has brought this out in the open for all to see. It shows that Governor Romney is beyond measure the better person to be our next President.

From Governor Romney’s Press Release from today:

“Rudy Awakening –
Giuliani’s The-Constitution-Made-Me-Do-It Excuse Just Doesn’t Wash.”
By Douglas W. Kmiec
National Review Online
October 10, 2007

“Tuesday night’s Michigan debate was very revealing. The debate revealed the significant executive-leadership differences between Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney. When it gets down to specific cases, Mayor Giuliani is dependent upon others for direction and guidance and is just as likely to fall into mistaken ideas as not. At the same time, the debate revealed how, despite his protestations to the contrary, Giuliani is not really a supporter of conservative legal thinking.
“The facts on who supports spending restraint and tax reduction are plain. Romney does. Giuliani doesn’t. Giuliani’s lame excuse that ‘the-Constitution-made-him-spend’ just doesn’t cut it. Yes, Giuliani is right that the Supreme Court invalidated President Clinton’s use of the statutory line-item veto. But this is nothing Giuliani, who brought the case, should be proud of. Quite the contrary, it is the handiwork of the liberal Justice John Paul Stevens.
“The central issue in the case was whether Congress can authorize the president, after he signed legislation, to not spend all the money authorized. Mitt Romney’s answer is an unequivocal: ‘You bet!’ Giuliani’s answer seems to be: ‘No, and give me the money, so I can spend it.’
“The notion that the Constitution made him bring the case in order to spend the money is ludicrous on its own terms. Even worse, is Giuliani’s failure to see what the result of his dubious litigation was: to deprive the nation as a whole of an important mechanism of bipartisan spending restraint; a spending restraint mechanism that exists in 43 of the states and that was pleaded for by President Reagan on multiple occasions.”

…
“Moreover, as Justice Scalia explained at length, presidents throughout history had been authorized by Congress on a piecemeal basis to, upon certain findings, decline to spend. The line-item veto act merely gave that a more permanent and sound legal footing – until Giuliani came onto the scene with his liberal-leaning litigation.
“But don’t take my word for it. Listen to Justice Scalia directly, who wrote:
‘Had the Line Item Veto Act authorized the President to ‘decline to spend’ any item of spending contained in the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, there is not the slightest doubt that authorization would have been constitutional. . . .The title of the Line Item Veto Act, which was perhaps designed to simplify for public comprehension, or perhaps merely to comply with the terms of a campaign pledge, has succeeded in faking out the Supreme Court. The President’s action it authorizes . . .does not offend Art. I, § 7; and insofar as the substance of that action is concerned, it is no different from what Congress has permitted the President to do since the formation of the Union.’
“Mitt Romney is pledged to name to the Supreme Court individuals with the intellectual qualities and philosophy of judicial restraint of Justice Scalia, Alito, and Roberts. That is a meaningful pledge coming from Mitt Romney because he understands the practical consequences of a proper interpretation of the Constitution for the American taxpayer. Unlike Giuliani, he knows that the Constitution does not stand in the way of a bipartisan effort to limit runaway federal spending. Giuliani also says he likes these justices, but it’s not clear he understands why. Like Justice Stevens, the most liberal member of the Supreme Court, Giuliani was simply ‘faked out’ from taking a responsible fiscal action that the Constitution most certainly did not preclude.”…
Douglas W. Kmiec is chair and professor of constitutional law at Pepperdine University and co-chair of the advisory committee on the Constitution and the courts for Romney for President.
To read the full op-ed, please see: The National Review

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