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Governor Mitt Romney's Speech at 2004 RNC
GOPConvention.com ^ | 9-1-04 | Governor Mitt Romney

Posted on 09/02/2004 7:31:45 AM PDT by ConservativeStLouisGuy

I'm proud to be from Massachusetts, where John Kerry will be the junior senator until 2008.

You see, I don't believe Senator Kerry is the leader our country needs.

Let me say I respect his four months under enemy fire in Vietnam; we should honor that service as we do the service of all our fighting men and women.

No, it's John Kerry's record in his nearly 40 years since Vietnam that's the question. Study that record; if you want someone who voted for tax hikes 98 times, then yes, send him. If you want cuts in intelligence funding, then yes, send him. If you think that during the great national policy debate of the 1980's Ronald Reagan was wrong and Ted Kennedy was right, then by all means send in John Kerry. Senator Kerry now tells us he has a clear position on the war on terror.

He voted NO on Desert Storm in 1991 and YES on Desert Shield today. Then he voted NO on troop funding, just after he had voted YES.

He's campaigned against the war all year, but says he'd vote YES today. I don't want Presidential leadership that comes in 57 varieties! I want a strong President who stands his ground.

I want George W. Bush! We need unwavering leadership. America is under attack from almost every direction. We have been attacked by murderous, crazed terrorists, even in this great city. Our employers and jobs are threatened by low cost, highly skilled labor from abroad. American values are under attack from within.

Throughout our history, when our country needed us, Americans have stepped forward, standing up to every challenge. We need to step forward again today. We step forward by pursuing our education, pushing our minds to their limits, and by insisting that our schools are accountable for their successes and failures. Schools must be run for the benefit of our children, not the teacher's unions.

We step forward by innovating and taking risk in our free enterprises, by caring more about the quality of our work. We step forward by insisting on Ronald Reagan's vision of a compassionate and fiscally conservative government that promotes the opportunity of ownership and leaves more money in the hands of the taxpayers. We step forward by entering marriage before we enter parenthood.

We step forward by expressing tolerance and respect for all God's children, regardless of their differences and choices.

At the same time, because every child deserves a mother and a father, we step forward by recognizing that marriage is between a man and a woman.

We step forward by never forgetting that America is a force for good in the world, fighting for freedom and human rights.

On this, there is no question: George W.

Bush is right and the Blame America First Crowd is wrong! Americans will rise to every challenge we face.

I saw the character of America's people when I ran the Olympics in Salt Lake City. I asked speed skater Derek Parra what had been his most memorable Olympic experience.

It was not winning the silver medal. It was not winning the gold medal.

It was carrying the flag that had flown above the World Trade Center on September 11 into the Opening Ceremonies.

We had expected cheers from the 60,000 person audience as the flag entered the stadium.

Instead, total silence, complete reverence.

Derek maintained his composure as the national anthem was sung.

But then the choir surprised him by singing a reprise of the last line: "O say does that star- spangled banner yet wave, oe'r the land of the free and the home of the brave?" A gust of wind lifted the flag in his hands.

Derek said it was as if it came from the countless men and women who had paid the ultimate price for America's freedoms A BREATH FROM ABOVE THAT STIRRED THE HEARTS OF THOSE OF US BELOW, WHO WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER THEM.

My friends, we will move forward safer, stronger, and to better days under the courageous and compassionate leadership of President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney.

Thank you and God Bless You.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Miscellaneous; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2004; governormittromney; gwb2004; rnc; rncconvention; zellmiller
Some pick lines from his speech:

We step forward by expressing tolerance and respect for all God's children, regardless of their differences and choices.

At the same time, because every child deserves a mother and a father, we step forward by recognizing that marriage is between a man and a woman.

1 posted on 09/02/2004 7:31:45 AM PDT by ConservativeStLouisGuy
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To: ConservativeStLouisGuy
I don't want Presidential leadership that comes in 57 varieties!
2 posted on 09/02/2004 7:33:59 AM PDT by Paleo Conservative (Do not remove this tag under penalty of law.)
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To: Paleo Conservative

I stand corrected....that is a MUCH BETTER line from the speech! :-)


3 posted on 09/02/2004 7:36:33 AM PDT by ConservativeStLouisGuy (11th FReeper Commandment: Thou Shalt Not Unnecessarily Excerpt)
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To: ConservativeStLouisGuy

Mitt is cool, I am too young to remember his dad, George. But Mitt is great, he is organizing Repubs in Mass and with some coattails, can pick up a few seats in the state house come fall. The Dems is Mass have overplayed their hand with Gay Marriage.


4 posted on 09/02/2004 7:36:37 AM PDT by Pondman88
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To: ConservativeStLouisGuy
So when is Mitt organizing the Romney 2008campaign?
5 posted on 09/02/2004 7:41:09 AM PDT by Paleo Conservative (Do not remove this tag under penalty of law.)
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To: ConservativeStLouisGuy
Mitt seems a little stiff, not bad, but I thought the Lt. Governor was better.
She had nicer hair, too.
6 posted on 09/02/2004 7:47:09 AM PDT by Psalm 73 ("Gentlemen, you can't fight in here - this is the War Room".)
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To: Paleo Conservative

I didn't see this live, I was at work, or on the way home.

Somewhere I heard the line about "57 varieties". Very good! This is my first full convention that I've watched, and I've not been disappointed. Far from it!


7 posted on 09/02/2004 9:42:02 AM PDT by Christian4Bush (I approve this message: "John Kerry sees 2 Americas...America sees 2 John Kerrys." (VP Cheney))
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To: Pondman88

Yes, I agree....the Dems ALWAYS overplay their hands....(and, thankfully) they always take the extreme positions that CLEARLY allows the Republicans to easily differentiate themselves from the Dems....it's almost TOO easy!


8 posted on 09/02/2004 9:51:33 AM PDT by ConservativeStLouisGuy (11th FReeper Commandment: Thou Shalt Not Unnecessarily Excerpt)
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To: Paleo Conservative

he certainly has presidential looks, stature and (message) appeal!


9 posted on 09/02/2004 9:52:23 AM PDT by ConservativeStLouisGuy (11th FReeper Commandment: Thou Shalt Not Unnecessarily Excerpt)
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To: Psalm 73

yes, the lady was a bit more embullient -- I'll give her that advantage, yes....


10 posted on 09/02/2004 9:53:17 AM PDT by ConservativeStLouisGuy (11th FReeper Commandment: Thou Shalt Not Unnecessarily Excerpt)
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To: Paleo Conservative

I loved the line when Mitt said that Edwards wouldn't like what he was saying and Mitt said "Sue me", lol. The delivery was great too. Very funny.


11 posted on 09/02/2004 10:15:43 AM PDT by bushfamfan
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To: Christian4Bush
This is my first full convention that I've watched, and I've not been disappointed. Far from it!

So how old are you? The first conventions I was aware of were the 1968 conventions when I was six. I watched just about all of the 1972 conventions when I was ten. I thought it was hilarious when DemocRATS reported fractional votes for candidates.

12 posted on 09/02/2004 12:19:10 PM PDT by Paleo Conservative (Do not remove this tag under penalty of law.)
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To: Paleo Conservative

I'm 35. The first time I was able to vote was in 1988, and I voted (hate to say) for Dukakis. To this day, I don't know why.

I don't remember for whom I voted in 1992...I think that it was GHW.

Since then, though, I have voted Republican (Dole and Bush), and this year, in addition to my vote for Dubya, my girlfriend will be voting for him...now that she's heard both sides.

I've been interested in the process, but never on fire for it. 36 days following the 2000 election day seared--SEARED it for me. Hard core, give me the facts, "damn the (media), full speed ahead!"


13 posted on 09/02/2004 12:31:33 PM PDT by Christian4Bush (I approve this message: "John Kerry sees 2 Americas...America sees 2 John Kerrys." (VP Cheney))
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