On Tuesday at the GOP convention, the “America’s Got Talent” 2012 winner, Neal Boyd, sang Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the U.S.A.,” and the crowd got very excited: suddenly shouts repeating “U.S.A., U.S.A., U.S.A.,” were heard throughout the Tampa Bay Forum. Boyd made the people forget for a while all the problems the country is facing to concentrate on feeling proud of being an American. After Boyd, the serious talks about how to balance a budget and reduce the deficit continued.

Mia Love, who is running for Utah’s 4th congressional district, also spoke at the convention. She is an African American woman in an election where African Americans and female voters are not big supporters of Mitt Romney. Her task was to prove that being a female African American is compatible with being a hardcore republican.

Sher Valenzuela, small business owner and candidate for lieutenant governor in Delaware, said that 50 percent of small businesses are not hiring because of the excessive government regulations the Obama administration is giving them. She thinks that in order for small businesses to hire again, they have to get the government out of their back.

Governor John Kasich of Ohio also criticized president Obama. He mentioned his own state, Ohio, as an example of how to create jobs and balance the budget without rising taxes. He said that when he took office Ohio was 48th in the country in job creation and had an $8 billion deficit, but now Ohio is fourth in America in job creation and the first in the Midwest. Also, the budget now has a surplus rather than a deficit.

Kasich said he was able to do this by eliminating the programs that were not needed in his opinion, like nursing homes. He said grandparents are a lot happier and healthier in their homes. He also added that he cut taxes so Ohio could be competitive again. Governor Kasich also said that he believe he restored common sense in the regulations, honoring job creation rather than killing it.

Governor Bob McDonnell from Virginia also wanted to prove that Republican Governors are the ones with the solutions to balance the budget and reduce the unemployment rate. He said Republican governors lead seven out of ten states with the lowest unemployment rates and 12 out of 15 best states for doing business. McDonnell said that this proves that conservative fiscal policies do work.

Governor Mary Fallin of Oklahoma also told the story of her state to criticize President Obama; she said the country would overcome the economic problems if the federal government gets out of the way.

Fallin said that in Oklahoma the unemployment rate is 4.9%, and that Obama wants the people to believe that Oklahoma owes the success to the federal government. She on the other hand, believes Oklahoma owes its success to the state entrepreneurs and job creators. She accused President Obama of letting many Americans live with no hope and just change in their pockets; she added that Mitt Romney believes in the power of the people.

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Tampa, U.S.A. — Good evening America, and hello to the fired-up delegation from the Buckeye State right in front of me.

My name is Rob Portman and they say I was on Governor Romney’s short list of vice presidential candidates.

Apparently, it wasn’t short enough.

But it’s been a great convention and I am delighted to be here tonight to talk about the fundamental differences between Mitt Romney and Barack Obama when it comes to understanding our economy.

Let’s begin by talking about something the Democrats love to demonize - Mitt Romney’s success in the private sector. He built a company from the ground up, created lots of jobs, and yes, he made money.

He made it the old fashioned way . . . He earned it.

Then you have Barack Obama, who has never started a business—never even worked in business. And he claims those who have should give credit to the government or someone else for their success.

So, you have one candidate who understands that success comes from working hard, competing and taking risks.

And you have another candidate who believes success comes from government.

Which one do you think knows how to turn this economy around?

Which one would you choose to invest your life’s savings?

Should it be any different for safeguarding our nation’s economy?

Or let’s say you don’t have any savings. Let’s say you’re worried about how to pay September’s rent or mortgage.

Let’s say you are one of the millions of Americans out of work or the millions more who have given up looking.

You’ve gotta be running out of patience – and hope. You have to be tired, looking for a new start.

Well, you don’t have to be patient any longer. Through your vote this fall you can change the leadership of this country and the opportunities for you and your family.

America, it has been nearly four years of over eight percent unemployment – and double digit unemployment for young people, Hispanics and African-Americans.

Four years. FDR and Truman won an entire world war in four years.

America is tired of waiting.

In business, if you don’t move rapidly, you are out of business. You are finished.

We want a president who operates at business speed not government speed.

President Obama says he deserves reelection because his economic policies have worked.

NOT in this universe they haven’t.

In fact, the experts tell us that if we don’t change our policies we are going back into recession next year.

Tens of millions of Americans are not out of the last recession!

Governor Romney had a plan to build his business. He now has a detailed plan to restore our economy and strengthen the middle class.

I ask you: Where is the president’s economic plan?

Blaming others does not qualify as a plan. Now the president did submit a budget. It was so bad that not a single Republican or a single Democrat in the entire United States Congress would vote for it.

He got zero votes. That is a failure of leadership.

President Obama has been right about at least one prediction he’s made about the economy. He said, “If I don’t have this done in three years, then there’s going to be a one-term proposition.”

I think you are right about that, Mr. President.

It hasn’t worked, because you cannot spend your way, regulate your way, tax your way or blame your way out of the economic mess we are in.

You have to liberate the productive power of the American people through policies that encourage innovation, risk taking, investment and jobs.

And you have to compete and win in the global economy. Governor Romney understands this.

In contrast, President Obama is the first president in 75 years—Democrat or Republican—who hasn’t even sought the ability to negotiate export agreements and open markets overseas. Now why is this important?

Because 95 percent of the world’s consumers live outside our borders. And to create jobs, our workers and our farmers need to sell more of what we make to those people.

While this administration has been dragging its feet, other countries have been busy negotiating hundreds of new trade agreements to benefit their workers and their farmers, taking away our opportunities.

President Obama has been so driven to advance his big government ideology that he has abandoned the daily economic work that a government must do to open markets, restore business confidence and create the climate for job growth.

This is the work President Romney would begin on day one.

Take trade with China. China manipulates its currency giving it an unfair trade advantage. So why doesn’t the president do something about it?

I’ll tell you one reason – President Obama could not run up his record trillion dollar deficits if the Chinese did not buy our bonds to finance them.

We are as beholden to China for bonds as we are to the Middle East for oil.

This will end under Mitt Romney.

We need to knock down these trade barriers abroad, but we also need to knock down the self-imposed barriers to success right here at home.

We need to reform our outdated and complicated tax code. We need to fix our burdensome regulatory system and we need an energy policy that encourages development of our resources right here, in the ground, in America.

America has a choice between Mitt Romney, who seeks to grow the economy, and Barack Obamawho seeks to redistribute it.

Which one do you think will liberate America’s entrepreneurial spirit?

At the other party’s convention, you will hear the chant, “Four more years. Four more years.”

Folks – we can’t afford four more years. How about no more years?

Governor Romney chose a terrific partner in Paul Ryan of Wisconsin – Paul is a close friend with a great family and a reformer’s heart.

Vice President Biden has told people out of work to just, “hang in there.” So much for hope and change.

Paul Ryan is not asking America to continue to hang in there. He is proposing new policies that will give poor and middle class families opportunities and hope for the future.

Mitt Romney made his mark turning around businesses and solving problems.

Paul Ryan made his mark as a respected reformer focused on results.

Together they will do what President Obama has not done: They will lead in breaking through the partisan gridlock in Washington, D.C.

America, give them the chance to restore America’s economy and restore the American dream.

I have seen that dream up close. When I was a kid, my dad left his job as a salesman and started his own business selling forklift trucks. My Mom was the bookkeeper. He had to borrow money from her uncle because the bank wouldn’t give him a loan. He lost money for the first few years, but he never lost his dream.

And by the time he retired and my brother took over, the business had 200 employees – supporting 200 families in Southwest Ohio.

This is the classic American story – not of government telling us what to do – but of free men and free women willing to work hard and take a risk to build something of value for themselves, their families and their community.

About a year into the Obama Administration – I asked my dad whether he would do it again. He said, “Rob – with all the uncertainty out there today – I don’t know if I would take the risk.”

In that one sentence, he summed up what I’ve heard from hundreds of small business owners across Ohio and around this great country. They’re afraid to make the investment and jobs are the casualty.

Ladies and gentlemen, we need new leadership and new policies to bring back the dream and renew America’s promise.

No more excuses, no more blaming others, no more waiting.

We need Romney /Ryan and we need them now! And with your help, it will happen.

Thank you and God bless our great country.

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Tampa, U.S.A. — The following are remarks as prepared for delivery by the Hon. Rand Paul, U.S. Senator, Kentucky, at the 2012 Republican National Convention:

When the Supreme Court upheld Obamacare, the first words out of my mouth were: I still think it is unconstitutional!

The leftwing blogs were merciless. Even my wife said — can’t you pleeeease count to ten before you speak?

So, I’ve had time now to count to ten and, you know what? I still think it’s unconstitutional!

Do you think Justice Scalia and Justice Thomas have changed their minds?

I think if James Madison himself — the father of the Constitution — were here today he would agree with me: The whole damn thing is still unconstitutional!

This debate is not new and it’s not over. Hamilton and Madison fought from the beginning about how government would be limited by the enumerated powers.

Madison was unequivocal. The powers of the federal government are few and defined. The power to tax and spend is restricted by the enumerated powers.

So, how do we fix this travesty of justice? There’s only one option left.

We have to have a new president!

When I heard the current president say, “You didn’t build that,” I was first insulted, then I was angered, then I was saddened that anyone in our country, much less the president of the United States, believes that roads create business success and not the other way around.

Anyone who so fundamentally misunderstands American greatness is uniquely unqualified to lead this great nation.

The great and abiding lesson of American history, particularly the Cold War, is that the engine of capitalism — the individual — is mightier than any collective.

American inventiveness and desire to build developed because we were guaranteed the right to own our success. For most of our history, no one dared tell Americans: “You didn’t build that.”

In Bowling Green, Kentucky, the Taing family owns the Great American Donut shop. Their family fled war-torn Cambodia to come to this country. My kids and I love to eat doughnuts, so we go there frequently.

The Taings work long hours. Mrs. Taing told us that the family works through the night to make doughnuts. The Taing children have become valedictorians and National Merit Scholars.

The Taings from Cambodia are an American success story so, Mr. President, don’t you go telling the Taings: “You didn’t build that.”

When you say they didn’t build it, you insult each and every American who ever got up at the crack of dawn. You insult any American who ever put on overalls or a suit.

You insult any American who ever studied late into the night to become a doctor or a lawyer. You insult the dishwasher, the cook, the waitress.

You insult anyone who has ever dragged themselves out of bed to strive for something better for themselves or their children.

My great grandfather, like many, came to this country in search of the American Dream. No sooner had he stepped off the boat than his father died.

He arrived in Pittsburgh as a teenager with nothing, not a penny. He found the American Dream: not great wealth, but a bit of property in a new land that gave him hope for his children.

In America, as opposed to the old country, success was based on merit. Probably America’s greatest asset was that for the first time success was not based on who you were, but on what you did.

My grandfather would live to see his children become doctors, ministers, accountants and professors. He would even live to see one of his sons, a certain congressman from Texas, run for president of the United States of America.

Immigrants have flocked to our shores seeking freedom. Our forbearers came full of hopes and dreams. So consistent and prevalent were these aspirations that they crystallized into a national yearning we call the American Dream.

No other country has a Dream so inextricably associated with the spirit of its people.

In 1982, an American sailor, John Mooney, wrote a letter to his parents that captures the essence of the American Dream:

“Dear Mom and Dad, today we spotted a boat in the water, and we rendered assistance. We picked up 65 Vietnamese refugees.  As they approached the ship, they were all waving and trying as best they could to say, ‘Hello America sailor! Hello Freedom man!’ It’s hard to see a boat full of people like that and not get a lump somewhere between chin and bellybutton. And it really makes one proud and glad to be an American. It reminds us all of what America has always been — a place a man or woman can come to for freedom.”

Hung and Thuan Tringh are brothers and friends of mine. They came to America on one of those leaky, overcrowded boats. They were attacked at sea by pirates. Their family’s wealth was stolen. Thuan spent a year on a South Pacific island existing on one cup of rice and water each day until he was allowed to come to America. Now both of these men and their families are proud Americans. Hung owns his own business and Thuan manages a large company. They are the American Dream.

So, Mr. President, don’t go telling the Tringh family: “You didn’t build that.”

When the president says, “You didn’t build that,” he is flat out wrong. Businessmen and women did build that. Businessmen and women did earn their success. Without the success of American business, we wouldn’t have any roads, or bridges, or schools.

Mr. President, you say the rich must pay their fair share. When you seek to punish the rich, the jobs that are lost are those of the poor and middle class.

When you seek to punish Mr. Exxon Mobil, you punish the secretary who owns Exxon Mobil stock.

When you block the Keystone Pipeline, you punish the welder who works on the pipeline.

Our nation faces a crisis. America wavers. Unfortunately, we are one of a select group of countries whose debt equals their gross domestic product.

The republic of Washington and Jefferson is now in danger of becoming the democracy of debt and despair. Our great nation is coming apart at the seams and the president seems to point fingers and blame others.

President Obama’s administration will add nearly $6 trillion to our national debt in just one term.

This explosion of debt is unconscionable and unsustainable. Mr. President, we will not let you bankrupt this great nation!

Republicans and Democrats alike must slay their sacred cows. Republicans must acknowledge that not every dollar spent on the military is necessary or well-spent, and Democrats must admit that domestic welfare and entitlements must be reformed.

Republicans and Democrats must replace fear with confidence, confidence that no terrorist, and no country, will ever conquer us if we remain steadfast to the principles of our Founding documents.

We have nothing to fear except our own unwillingness to defend what is naturally ours, our God-given rights. We have nothing to fear that should cause us to forget or relinquish our rights as free men and women.

To thrive we must believe in ourselves again, and we must never — never — trade our liberty for any fleeting promise of security.

Author Paul Kengor writes of a brisk evening in small-town Illinois. Returning home from a basketball game at the YMCA, an 11 year old boy is stunned by the sight of his father sprawled out in the snow on the front porch. “He was drunk,” his son later remembered. “Dead to the world, crucified.” The dad’s hair was soaked with melted snow, matted unevenly against the side of his reddened face.

The boy stood over his father for a minute or two. He simply wanted to let himself in the door and pretend his dad wasn’t there. Instead, he grabbed a fistful of overcoat and heaved his dad to the bedroom, away from the weather’s harm and neighbors’ attention.

This young boy became the man – Ronald Reagan – whose sunny optimism and charisma shined so brightly that it cured the malaise of the late seventies, a confidence that beamed so broadly that it pulled us through a serious recession, and a faith that tugged so happily at all hearts that a generation of Democrats became Republicans.

The American Dream is that any among us could become the next Thomas Edison, the next Henry Ford, the next Ronald Reagan.

To lead us forward, away from the looming debt crisis, it will take someone who believes in America’s greatness, who believes in and can articulate the American dream, someone who has created jobs, someone who understands and appreciates what makes America great, someone who will lead our party and our nation forward.

I believe that someone is our nominee: Governor Mitt Romney.

As Reagan said, our freedom is never more than a generation away from extinction. If our freedom is taken, the American Dream will wither and die.

To lead, we must transform the coldness of austerity into the warm, vibrant embrace of prosperity.

To overcome the current crisis, we must appreciate and applaud American success. We must step forward, unabashedly and proclaim: You did build that. You earned that. You worked hard. You studied. You labored. You did build that. And you deserve America’s undying gratitude. For you, the individual, are the engine of America’s greatness.

Thank you.

Image Courtesy of  Gage Skidmore

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Tampa, U.S.A. — While we gather here tonight for the second night of the GOP Convention in Tampa, we’d like to pause to acknowledge those along the Gulf Coast impacted by Hurricane Isaac.

While it’s now been downgraded to a tropical storm, our hearts and our prayers remain with them.

And we pledge to help them recover and rebuild.

Tonight we have a terrific line-up for you. Our theme tonight is, “We can change it.”

We have heard of the challenges America is facing; now let’s talk about the solutions.

Those of you here in the convention, and those of you watching at home, know what needs to be done:

–We need to create more jobs and get our economy moving again.

–We need to make college affordable and within the reach of every child. I was the first in my family to graduate from college, so I know how important that is to the American Dream.

–We need a government that works for us, not against us, and lives within its means (just like you and I do).

–We also need a president who shares these ideas and values.

Our current president has a different philosophy.

For every problem, he has the same solution: more taxes, more spending and more government.

We know how those policies have turned out: more unemployment, more poverty, and more debt.

Friends, we know we can do better – we can change it. And tonight’s program is filled with people who will tell us how.

Senator John Thune will talk to us about how small businesses – like the one I ran with my family inWashington state – are the fuel our economy needs.

Senator Rob Portman will talk to us about the vital role of international trade in jump-starting our economy.

Governor Tim Pawlenty will share with us why he believes Mitt Romney is the man who can get the job done.

We’re so pleased that Mike Huckabee will be with us. We look forward to hearing his candid assessments as one of America’s favorite former governors.

And former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will talk about America’s role on the world stage – and how our current economic situation impacts our ability to lead.

New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez will talk about how she became the first female Hispanic governor in American history – and how she hopes to break down barriers for other young women.

And finally, our keynote speaker is a man with the courage of his convictions, who is not afraid to tackle the tough questions facing our country, the next vice president of the United States, Paul Ryan.

So let’s start by talking about one of the first things that will change under Mitt Romney – Obamacare. Join me in welcoming Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi and Georgia Attorney General Sam Olens.

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Tampa, U.S.A. – It’s an honor, as always, my fellow Republicans, to join you at our national convention, and add my voice to yours as we nominate the next president of the United States, my friend, Governor Mitt Romney.

I had hopes once of addressing you under different circumstances. But our fellow Americans had another plan four years ago, and I accept their decision.

I’ve been blessed for so long to play a role in our nation’s affairs that I’m conscious only of the debt I owe America, and I thank you for the honor.

When we nominate Mitt Romney, we do so with a greater purpose than winning an advantage for our party.

We charge him with the care of a higher cause. His election represents our best hopes for our country and the world.

It is said this election will turn on domestic and economic issues. But what Mitt Romney knows, and what we know, is that our success at home also depends on our leadership in the world.

It is our willingness to shape world events for the better that has kept us safe, increased our prosperity, preserved our liberty and transformed human history.

At our best, America has led.

We have led by our example, as a shining city on a hill. We have led at the direction of patriots from both parties.

We have led, shoulder to shoulder, with steadfast friends and allies. We have led by giving voice to the voiceless, insisting that every human life has dignity and aiding those brave souls who risk everything to secure the inalienable rights that are endowed to all by our Creator.

We have led with generous hearts, moved by an abiding love of justice, to help others eradicate disease, lift themselves from poverty, live under laws of their own making and determine their own destinies.

We have led, when necessary, with the armed might of freedom’s defenders.

And always we have led from the front, never from behind.

This is what makes America an exceptional nation: It is not just a matter of who we are, it is the record of what we have done.

It is the responsibility that generation after generation of Americans has affirmed and carried forward.

It is the cause that many Americans have sacrificed everything — absolutely everything — to defend.

And when they have gone into battle, as they do today, they have done so with the conviction that the country that sent them there is worth their sacrifice, that it stands for something more than the sum of our individual interests.

May God bless all who have served, and all who serve today, as He has blessed us with their service.

We are now being tested by an array of threats that are more complex, more numerous and just as deadly as any I can recall in my lifetime. We face a consequential choice — and make no mistake, it is a choice.

We can choose to follow a declining path, toward a future that is dimmer and more dangerous than our past.

Or we can choose to reform our failing government, revitalize our ailing economy and renew the foundations of our power and leadership in the world.

That is what’s at stake in this election.

Unfortunately, for four years, we’ve drifted away from our proudest traditions of global leadership — traditions that are truly bipartisan. We’ve let the challenges we face, both at home and abroad, become harder to solve.

We can’t afford to stay on that course any longer.

We can’t afford to cause our friends and allies — from Latin America to Asia, Europe to the Middle East, and especially in Israel, a nation under existential threat — to doubt America’s leadership.

We can’t afford to give governments in Russia and China a veto over how we defend our interests and the progress of our values in the world.

We can’t afford to have the security of our nation and those who bravely defend it endangered because their government leaks the secrets of their heroic operations to the media.

I believe we can’t afford to substitute a political timetable for a military strategy.

By committing to withdraw from Afghanistan before peace can be achieved and sustained, the president has discouraged our friends and emboldened our enemies, which is why our commanders did not recommend that decision and why they have said it puts our mission at greater risk.

We can’t afford another $500 billion in cuts to our defense budget — on top of the nearly $500 billionin cuts that the president is already making. His own secretary of defense has said that cutting our military by nearly $1 trillion would be “devastating.”

And yet, the president is playing no leadership role in preventing this crippling blow to our military.

A wise congressman from Wisconsin has said, “Our fiscal policy and our foreign policy are on a collision course.” And that man is our next vice president, Paul Ryan.

But most of all, we can’t afford to abandon the cause of human freedom. When long-suffering peoples demand liberation from their jailers and torturers and tyrants, the leader of the free world must stand with them.

Unfortunately, this is not happening.

When Iranians rose up by the millions against their oppressive rulers, when they beseeched our president, chanting in English, “Are you with us, or are you with them?”, when the entire world watched as a brave young woman named Neda was shot and bled to death in a street in Tehran.

The president missed a historic opportunity to throw America’s full moral support behind an Iranian revolution that shared one of our highest interests: ridding Iran of a brutal dictatorship that terrorizes the Middle East and threatens the world.

The situation is far worse in Syria. What began as peaceful protests has now become, 18 months later, a savage and unfair fight.

With the full backing of Iran, and Hezbollah, and Russia—with tanks, and helicopters, and fighter jets,Bashir Assad is murdering men, women and children.

More than 20,000 people have perished. Extremists are gaining ground. And the conflict is becoming more dangerous by the day for our allies, and for us.

In other times, when other courageous people fought for their freedom against sworn enemies of the United States, American presidents — both Republicans and Democrats — have acted to help them prevail.

Sadly, for the lonely voices of dissent in Syria, and Iran, and elsewhere, who feel forgotten in their darkness, and sadly for us, as well, our president is not being true to our values.

For the sake of the cause of freedom, for the sake of people who are willing to give their lives so their fellow citizens can determine their own futures and for the sake of our nation — the nation founded on the idea that all people, everywhere, have the right to freedom and justice — we must return to our best traditions of American leadership, and support those who face down the brutal tyranny of their oppressors and our enemies.

Across the world, people are seizing control of their own destinies. They are liberating themselves from oppressive rulers. And they want America’s support.

They want America’s assistance as they struggle to live in peace and security, to expand opportunity for themselves and their children, to replace the injustices of despots with the institutions of democracy and freedom.

America must be on the right side of history.

The demand for our leadership in the world has never been greater. People don’t want less of America.

They want more.

Everywhere I go in the world, people tell me they still have faith in America.

What they want to know is whether we still have faith in ourselves.

I trust that Mitt Romney has that faith, and I trust him to lead us.

I trust him to affirm our nation’s exceptional character and responsibilities.

I trust him to know that our security and economic interests are inextricably tied to the progress of our values.

I trust him to know that if America doesn’t lead, our adversaries will, and the world will grow darker, poorer and much more dangerous.

I trust him to know that an American president always, always, always stands up for the rights, and freedoms, and justice of all people.

I trust Mitt Romney to know that good can triumph over evil, that justice can vanquish tyranny, that love can conquer hate, that the desire for freedom is eternal and universal, and that America is still the best hope of mankind.

And now, my fellow Americans: Let’s elect our next commander-in-chief, and the next leader of the free world, my friend, Governor Mitt Romney.

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Tampa, U.S.A. – As a proud American serving the nearly 4 million American citizens of Puerto Rico, I am honored to be with you tonight.

We gather to celebrate the hopes and dreams of every American. We all believe in the greatness of this nation, and this greatness lies within each of us.

Hard-working Americans are fighting every day to provide for themselves and their families, and to leave a more prosperous country for the next generation.

That’s true here in Florida, it’s true in Puerto Rico, and it’s true throughout this great land of ours.

But, as families have tightened their budgets, Washington continues its wasteful spending.

Unless we elect leaders who take responsibility now, our children and theirs will pay for it later.

You and I know there is a better way, and like many conservative governors around the country, we are proving it.

When I took office, I inherited a $3.3 billion budget deficit, per person the largest anywhere in the nation.

We couldn’t even meet our payroll. We were on the brink of bankruptcy.

But we did not shy away from our responsibility to lead.

We cut government expenses by almost 20 percent, starting with my own salary.

We reduced our deficit 90 percent, while continuing to invest in our schools, hospitals, and highways.

At the same time, we slashed taxes 50 percent on individuals and 30 percent on businesses, the largest tax cuts in Puerto Rico’s history.

And our private sector – the real economy – began to create jobs again.

Imagine if we had national policies that support rather than prevent growth! We’d then be able to truly unleash the engine of prosperity that our country and our people deserve.

That’s what Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan will do for America. They understand that each community’s challenges are unique, but the answers are the same.

Our families cannot grow their budgets if politicians keep growing Washington’s budget.

Get government out of our way, and let freedom and the spirit of the American people shine through.

We can out-think, out-dream, out-work, and out-produce anybody in the world.

I know it, you know it, and Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan know it.

They have a plan and a vision that places our faith in you, the American people, not in Washington.

Ask any small-business owner in America today — from the dairy farmer in Appleton, Wisconsin, to the bodega owner in Kissimmee, Florida: they want to grow, to produce and to hire.

But they’re concerned, worried that Washington will continue to punish them with more taxes, more red tape, and more government control.

Give them the freedom to grow, and you’ll see how many jobs they create!

I like to talk a lot about freedom, because freedom is the essence of who we are as Americans.

Over 200,000 Puerto Ricans have served in uniform to defend our nation and the freedom we hold so dear.
Like in your home states, we raise and salute the American flag.

Just like our fellow citizens in Florida or Virginia, we share the same undying spirit that all Americans have.
Allow me to share an example of that spirit.

I visited a soldier from Puerto Rico at Walter Reed Army Medical Center several years ago.

This young man had bravely served in combat and was given little chance to live.

Without knowing if he could hear me, in every visit, I would whisper into his ear.

I would tell him how proud and thankful we were for his dedication and sacrifice, adding, no te rindas: don’t give up.

Months later, after his miraculous recovery, I had the honor of awarding him the Purple Heart.

He never gave up.

For him, and for every American in uniform, we will never give up.

For every mother who struggles, saves, and sacrifices so her children will have greater opportunities, we will never give up.

For every small-business owner who builds it to make a better life, we will never give up.

For Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan, who know what it takes to put America back to work and back on track, we will never give up.

And for the values that make America great: the justice that is our right, the freedom to unleash the greatness within each of us, and the liberty that God endowed every American.

For that, I will never give up, you will never give up, we will never give up!

God Bless you, and God bless the United States of America!

And muchas gracias, thank you, Puerto Rico – I’ll be home tomorrow!

Image Courtesy of  Gage Skidmore

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Tampa, U.S.A. — Thank you. Thank you very much. Good evening everyone, and welcome to Barack Obama’s retirement party!

Four years ago, we came together for this convention back in my home state of Minnesota, and a lot’s happened since then.

We’ve had four years of Barack Obama in the White House.

Ah, the Obama White House, one bad decision follows another. Hard to say exactly just what his worst mistake has been. There’s so many to choose from: The stimulus. His energy policy. Obamacare. Taxes. Joe Biden.

I hear Joe’s particularly interested in tonight’s proceedings. He even thought about coming here toTampa. And he’s taking notes because when Paul Ryan speaks, Joe will finally get to hear what a real vice president sounds like!

But you know, President Obama isn’t as bad as people say, he’s actually worse.

The president takes more vacations than that guy on the Bizarre Foods show.

And I’ll give Barack Obama credit for creating jobs these last four years for golf caddies.

Actually, Barack Obama is the first president to create more excuses than jobs! In his view, it’s George’s fault. It’s the bank’s fault. It’s Europe’s fault. It’s the weather’s fault. It’s Congress’ fault. Mr. President, if you want to find fault, I suggest you look in the mirror!

I’ve come to realize that Barack Obama is the tattoo president. Like a big tattoo, it seemed cool when you were young.

But later on, that decision doesn’t look so good, and you wonder: what was I thinking?

But the worst part is you’re still going to have to explain it to your kids.

Next week, Barack Obama will plead with America to give his failed ideas another chance. He’s asking Americans to give him more time and more money.

Well sorry, Mr. President, but you’re out of time, and we’re out of money.

Barack Obama’s failed us. But look, it’s understandable. A lot of people fail at their first job.

Now, our opponents claim to be the party of the middle class. But Democrats don’t understand this fundamental point: it’s really hard for people to be part of the middle class if they don’t have a job!

I know a bit about these things. I grew up in a meatpacking town.

For much of his life, my dad was a truck driver. My mom was a homemaker. She died when I was 16, and my dad lost his job not long after that. And I was the only one of the five kids in our family who had a chance to go to college.

When I traveled the country these past few years, I met Americans from all different walks of life.

If you ask middle-class Americans about their hopes and dreams, they’ll share their heart, but also their concerns.

Can they pay the mortgage? Will they have enough money to buy groceries, or gas for the car? Will they be able to get their kids into college or pay the tuition?

But jobs don’t come from politicians. They come from entrepreneurs, inventors, innovators and risk-takers.

America’s entrepreneurs know taxes are too high, and regulations are too costly and complex. Obamacare frightens them. And they want more American energy.

And they’re collectively making one common plea. They’re saying: I want to grow my business and employ people, but they’re also saying this: Just get the government off my back!

We need to let them know help’s on the way, and help’s name is Mitt Romney.

Ladies and gentlemen, we have the best candidate. This isn’t his first job, or the first time he’s been a leader who has produced results.

He made a success of failing companies. He made a success of the Olympics. He even made government in Massachusetts more effective and efficient.

And now he’s ready to help get America back on track and Americans back to work. He has a plan to strengthen and grow America’s middle class with lower taxes; a government that works for the American people instead of dashing their hopes and dreams; lower energy prices; and greater access to a quality education for all.

There’s one other thing I want to leave you with tonight. It’s important for America to know that Mitt Romney is not only a great leader, he’s also a remarkable person. He’s smart, gracious and wise. And he has this infectious good cheer about him – something I appreciate and something America needs.

Mitt Romney never quits moving. When he sees a problem, he goes after it and finds the solution.

It’s that can-do spirit, combined with a lifetime of service and success that convinced me to support him. And it’s that can-do spirit that we need in the White House, leading America now.

As a former governor, I know that leadership takes optimism, but not blind optimism.

We need a leader who understands the depth of our challenges, but who also doesn’t shy away from them.

Mitt Romney knows what our problems are, and he has the tools, the experience, the energy and the right polices to fix them.

After four years of this president, we need Mitt Romney now, more than ever.

I’m proud to be supporting him for president of the United States, and I know you are too.

And with any luck, in a few months, Barack Obama will at last get some experience in the private sector.

Thank you. God bless you, and God bless the United States of America.

Image Courtesy of  Gage Skidmore

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Tampa, U.S.A. — The following are remarks as prepared for delivery by the Hon. John Thune, U.S. Senator, South Dakota, at the 2012 Republican National Convention:

Good evening, fellow Republicans.

It’s no secret that I’m a sports fan. In fact, I get asked all the time if I’ve ever played basketball with President Obama. The answer is “no,” I’m still waiting for that invitation.

The next question is, “Do you think you could take him one-on-one?” I say, “I really don’t know, I’ve never seen him play.”

But I can tell you this. President Obama would be easy to defend, because you know he’s always going to go to his left.

Like many Americans, I’ve been blessed by the hard work and sacrifice of those who’ve come before.

Back in 1906, two Norwegian brothers named Nicolai and Matthew Gjelsvik came to this country in search of the American Dream. When they reached the shores of America, the only English words they knew were “apple pie” and “coffee,” which evidently they had plenty of on the trip over.

The immigration officials at Ellis Island determined that their name “Gjelsvik” – G-J-E-L-S-V-I-K – was too difficult to spell and pronounce, so they asked them to change it. The two brothers picked the name of the farm where they worked in Norway, which was called the Thune Farm. And so Nicolai Gjelsvik became Nick Thune, my grandfather.

With their new country and their new name, the two brothers began their new life by working on the railroad. They learned English and saved enough money to start a small hardware store.

And yes, Mr. President, they did build it!

My grandfather raised three sons. The middle son, my father, joined the Navy when World War II broke out.

He became a naval aviator, flying combat missions off the aircraft carrier Intrepid in the Pacific theatre. On one mission, he shot down four enemy aircraft, for which he received the Distinguished Flying Cross.

After the war, my dad quietly returned to South Dakota, his hardware store and his family.

Many versions of that story are told across this country. The details may be different – but the dream is the same.

I hate to say it, but that dream is in serious jeopardy. We have a sluggish economy, burdened by Obama administration policies that are weighing down our job creators. Middle-class Americans, in cities and on farms, are bearing the brunt.

The big-government bureaucrats of the Obama administration have set their sights on our way of life. Instead of preserving family farms and ranches, President Obama’s policies are effectively regulating them out of business.

His administration even proposed banning farm kids from doing basic chores!

Since President Obama took office, we’ve had 42 consecutive months of unemployment above 8 percent – the longest streak on record.

The cost of family health insurance premiums has risen by nearly 19 percent, college tuition has increased by 25 percent and fuel costs have doubled.

The number of people on food stamps has increased by 45 percent, and the debt we’re piling on the backs of our children and grandchildren has gone up by 50 percent. Yet for all President Obama’s talk about the middle class, middle-class incomes are down.

Folks, we won’t be in this situation with Mitt Romney in the White House. He understands what it takes for businesses large and small to thrive.

This knowledge doesn’t come from a textbook (although he’s read plenty of those). It comes from decades of rolling up his sleeves and getting the job done.

It comes from recognizing the strengths and contributions of every individual. His experience tells him that the most valuable insight can be gained – not by lecturing – but by listening.

And when he does use his presidential bully pulpit, it will be to champion the cause of small business and make it clear to all companies that it is safe to hire again.

On Day One of Mitt Romney’s presidency, the transformation of Washington will begin. Gone will be the arrogance of a president whose first instinct is to condemn achievement.

Gone will be the attitude that government knows best and solves all.

What you will see and hear is a president who will do everything in his power to make sure government is a catalyst for growth, not an obstacle to success. And, a president with a plan to strengthen the middle class.

May it never be said of us that when confronted with the economic peril before us, we averted our eyes, turned away and did nothing.

Our children’s future depends on our willingness to act and our decision to elect Mitt Romneypresident of the United States.

May God continue to bless the United States of America.

Image Courtesy of  Gage Skidmore

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The Foreign Policy Initiative organized an event called “Peace Through Strength: Restoring American Leadership in the World.” Toonari Post representatives Kiara Ashanti and I had the opportunity to assist as media during our time at the Republican National Convention.

Tim Pawlenty, former governor of Minnesota and candidate for president in the Republican primaries, was the main speaker. William Kristol, one the main political analysts in the nation, was the moderator.

Pawlenty said that there is a big difference in the Romney and Obama plan to ensure national security, although some liberal media have said they are basically the same. The former governor said Romney had plans to restore the United States’ global leadership role, which has been lost under Obama´s administration.

Pawlenty said that although many think Ryan and Romney have no experience in national security and foreign policy issues, they would definitely choose the best people to get the job done. Pawlenty reminded the audience that before Reagan became president, many doubted his credentials, but Reagan became one the best leaders the country has ever had.

Romney is a man who has studied history and knows how the world is, Pawlenty explained, so he has no doubt that if the United States is threatened Romney would not only have a philosophical reaction, he would have a concrete reaction to stop the threat.

The main speaker also criticized President Obama for taking money out of the Defense budget. He said that if Romney wins, rather than taking money out of the Defense budget, the budget would be increased, to increase the size of the Air Force and the Navy.

If Romney wins, his first priorities would be Iran, Syria and North Korea. Pawlenty explained that Iran has threatened a United States ally, Israel, and that the government should not let that happen. He also warned that if Iran has a nuclear weapon, the United States would respond.

According to Pawlenty, it does not matter if their national security plans are popular around the world, what really matters is if the country is safe, and under Mitt Romney the country would be safe.

Pawlenty also said that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is a tyrant that is murdering his own people and that he should be removed from office. He criticized that President Obama has not supported the Syrian rebels who are trying to take Assad out of power. He said the Russians, who, along with China, vetoed a UN intervention in Syria, are supporting Assad´s army with guns and training, and the United States is not doing that for the rebels.

Pawlenty assured that under Mitt Romney, the United States would definitely support its allies in need and would assume the role as the leader of the free world.

Image Courtesy of  Gage Skidmore

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Tampa, U.S.A. — I was so very honored to be asked to address one of this week’s themes, “We can do better.”

Then, I heard some folks backstage say that after hearing me speak, the delegates will say, “We sure can do better than Huckabee” and will nominate Mitt Romney to be the next President of the United States.

Tampa has been such a wonderful and hospitable city to us. The only hitch in an otherwise perfect week was the awful noise coming from the hotel room next door to mine. Turns out it was justDebbie Wasserman
Schultz practicing her speech for the DNC in Charlotte next week. Bless her heart.

Four years ago, Mitt Romney and I were opponents. We still are, but we’re not opposing each other.

We are mutual opponents of the miserably failed experiments that have put this country in a downward spiral.

Our country was in its origin an experiment, but an experiment in recognizing God-given individual liberty and creating a government in which no one is deemed better than another and all of us are equal.

Not equal in abilities, but in intrinsic worth and value. It is the essence of not just who we are, but what we are.

To those who question how once rivals can now be united, it’s simple – we have Barack Obama to thank.

He said, “You didn’t build it.”

Translation: “It doesn’t rightly belong to you!”

No small differences among us in our party approximate the vast differences between the liberty-limiting, radical left-wing, anti-business, reckless-spending, tax-hiking party of Barack Obama, Harry Reid, and Nancy Pelosi, versus an energized America who knows that we can do better.

For four years, we’ve given a chance to a man with very limited experience in governing, no experience in business whatsoever, and since taking office, mostly an interest in campaigning, blaming, and aiming excuses at his predecessor, the Republicans, and people in business, or as Republicans like to call them, employers.

We’ve stagnated into an economy that has taken all that hope “down the slope” and left millions without jobs, forced out of their homes by foreclosure, and herded into dependency upon a government that promises us candy and gives us cavities.

Barack Obama seems intent on enrolling more people on food stamps. Mitt Romney’s focus will be on generating more jobs that would make food stamps unnecessary for them.

We know full well that we can do better.

Mitt Romney turned around companies that were on the skids; turned around a scandal ridden Olympics that was deep in the red into a high point of profitable and patriotic pride; and turned around a very liberal state by erasing a deficit and replacing it with a surplus.

Barack Obama said if he couldn’t turn things around in three years, it would be a one-term proposition. It’s been almost four … let’s make him a proposition he can’t refuse.
Let’s vote him out!

The job of President is admittedly tougher than running a company, Olympic contest, or a commonwealth, but when one sees what even Bill Clinton noted was a sterling record of problem-solving that has marked the life of Mitt Romney, we are confident we WILL do better.

Mitt has been loyal to his wife, his sons, his country, his employees, and his church.

I’m sure the press will tell you he isn’t perfect.

But for the past four years, we’ve tried the one the press thought was perfect, and that hasn’t worked out so well for us.

We can do better!

The Founding Fathers of our great nation left taxation and tyranny seeking religious liberty and a society of meritocracy rather than aristocracy. They created a bold experiment in government, believing God gave us unalienable rights, and government’s role is simply to make sure they are protected.

So fearful were they that government would grow beyond their intention that even after crafting our magnificent Constitution, they said, “We can do even better.” They added amendments that we call the Bill of Rights that limit what the government can do and guarantee what “We the people” have the unimpeded right to do – whether to speak, assemble, worship, pray, publish, or even refuse intrusions into our homes.

Many of them died to pass on that heritage. They had lived under the boot of big government and said, “We can do better.”

As a kid growing up in a household with a dad who never finished high school and a family in which no male upstream from me had ever finished high school, much less gone to college, I was taught that there was nothing I could do about what was behind me, but could change everything about what was in front of me.

My working-poor parents told me I could do better. They taught me that I was as good as anyone else. It never occurred to them to tell me that I could rest comfortably and wait for Uncle Sugar to feed me, lead me, and then bleed me.

They told me to get off my backside, work hard, take risks, and treat people honestly and honorably. And look what’s happened – I have become as the press label me, “a failed candidate.”

It’s true; I have fallen from the high perch of politics and now wallow in the mud of the media, but I still know that as a country, we can do better, and with Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan, we will.

Let me clear the air about whether guys like me would only support an evangelical. Of the four people on the two tickets, the only self-professed evangelical is Barack Obama, and he supports changing the definition of marriage, believes that human life is disposable and expendable at any time in the womb or even beyond the womb, and tells people of faith that they must bow their knees to the god of government and violate their faith and conscience in order to comply with what he calls health care.

Friends, I know we can do better!

The attack on my Catholic brothers and sisters is an attack on me. The Democrats have brought back the old dance the “Limbo” to see how low they can go in attempting to limit our ability to practice our faith.

This isn’t a battle about contraceptives and Catholics, but of conscience and the Creator.

I care far less as to where Mitt Romney takes his family to church than I do about where he takes this country. Joe Biden said, “Show me your budget, and I’ll tell you what you value.” Well, in the Senate, Joe’s party hasn’t produced a budget in three years.

What does that say about their values?

Speaking of budgets, Joe Biden’s budget shows that while he wants to be generous with your money through higher taxes and government spending, for years he gave less than two-tenths of 1 percent of his money to charity.

He just wants you to give the government more so he and the Democrats can feel better about themselves. Mitt Romney has given over 16% of his income to his church and charity, and I’d feel better about having a leader who gives more of his own money instead of mine.

My concern is not Barack Obama’s past; my concern is for the future – not his future, but the future of my grandchildren.

And under this President, we burdened each of them with tens of thousands of dollars of debt, and a system that will collapse upon itself because he thinks we can prosper by punishing productivity and rewarding reckless irresponsibility.

The Democrats say we ought to give Barack Obama credit for trying. That sounds like the nonsense of giving every kid a trophy for showing up.

Friends, we’re talking about leading the country, not playing on a third-grade soccer team!

I realize this is the man who got a Nobel Peace Prize for what he would potentially do, but in the real world, you get the prize for producing something, not just promising it.

Sometimes, we’re so close to the picture, we can’t really see it clearly. I’ve worked with Bono for the past few years in the ONE campaign to fight AIDS and hunger and disease around the world.

He’s an Irishman and a great humanitarian who told me of his admiration for America. He said we’re more than a country; we’re an idea.

He reminded me that we are an exceptional nation with an extraordinary history who owes it to the generations coming after us to leave them an extraordinary legacy.

If we don’t change the direction of our nation now, our bequest will be nothing but an extraordinary shame.
But we can do better.

President Obama is out of gas; Americans are out of patience, and our great Republic is almost out of time. It’s time we no longer lead from behind, but get off our behinds and leave something lasting for those who come after us instead of a mountain of debt and a pile of excuses.

Tonight, it’s not because we’re Republicans; it’s because we’re Americans that we proudly stand withMitt Romney and Paul Ryan to say we will do better!

Image Courtesy of  Gage Skidmore

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Tampa, U.S.A. — The following are remarks as prepared for delivery by the Hon. Susana Martinez, Governor of New Mexico, at the 2012 Republican National Convention:

Thank you and good evening.

On behalf of the great state of New Mexico, let me express my gratitude for being invited to speak tonight.

Growing up, I never imagined a girl from a border town could one day become a governor.

But this is America

Y, en America todo es posible.

My parents taught me to never give up and to always believe that my future could be whatever I dreamt it to be.

Success, they taught me, is built on the foundation of courage, hard-work and individual responsibility.

Despite what some would have us believe, success is not built on resentment and fears.
We grew up on the border and truly lived paycheck to paycheck.  My dad was a golden gloves boxer in the Marine Corps, then a deputy sheriff. My mom worked as an office assistant.

One day, they decided to start a security guard business. I thought they were absolutely crazy—we literally had no savings, but they always believed in the American Dream.

So, my dad worked to grow the business.

My mom did the books at night.  And at 18, I guarded the parking lot at the Catholic Church bingos.

Now, my dad made sure I could take care of myself.

I carried a Smith and Wesson .357 Magnum — that gun weighed more than I did!

My parents grew that small business—from one 18-year-old guarding a bingo—to more than 125 people in three states.

And sure, there was help along the way.  But my parents took the risk. They stood up.  And you better believe that they built it.

My parents also taught me about having the courage to stand for something.  So, I went to law school and became a prosecutor.

I took on a specialty that very few choose to pursue – I prosecuted child abuse and child homicide cases.  Cases that were truly gut-wrenching.

But standing up for those kids, being their voice for justice, was the honor of a lifetime.

Sometimes you pay a price for standing up.

When I was a young prosecutor, I got called to testify against my boss. I could have backed down, but I didn’t. I stood up to him.  And he fired me for it.

So I took him on, ran against him for district attorney and beat him by a landslide!

I fear some of our leaders today have lost the courage to stand up.

What we have now are politicians.  They won’t offer real plans, and only stand up when they want to blame someone else.

And I don’t say that just because a Democrat is in the White House.  I was a Democrat for many years.  So were my parents.

Before I ran for District Attorney, two Republicans invited my husband and me to lunch.  And I knew a party-switch was exactly what they wanted.

So, I told Chuck, we’ll be polite, enjoy a free lunch and then say goodbye.

But we talked about issues—they never used the words Republican, or Democrat, conservative or liberal.

We talked about many issues, like welfare – is it a way of life, or a hand-up?

Talked about the size of government — how much should it tax families and small businesses?

And when we left that lunch, we got in the car and I looked over at Chuck and said, “I’ll be damned, we’re Republicans.”

This election should not be about political parties.  Too many Americans are out of work, and our debt is out of control.  This election needs to be about those issues.
And it is the responsibility of both parties to offer up real solutions and have an honest debate.

In New Mexico, I inherited the largest structural deficit in state history.

And our legislature is controlled by Democrats.

We don’t always agree.

But we came together – in a bi-partisan manner—and turned that deficit into a surplus, all without raising taxes.

That’s not the kind of leadership we are seeing from President Obama.

He promised to bring us all together, to cut unemployment, to pass immigration reform in his first year and even promised to cut the deficit in half in his first term.

Do you remember that?

But he hasn’t come close.

They haven’t even passed a budget in Washington, DC in three years!

If he can take credit for government building small businesses, then he can accept responsibility for breaking his promise and adding 5 trillion dollars to the national debt.

Because he did build that.

As the first Hispanic female governor in history, little girls often come up to me in the grocery store or the mall.  They look and point, and when they get the courage, they ask “Are you Susana?” and they run up and give me a hug.

And I wonder.  How do you know who I am?

But they do. And these are little girls.

It’s in moments like these when I’m reminded that we each pave a path.   And for me, it’s about paving a path for those little girls to follow.

No more barriers.

In many ways Mitt Romney and I are very different. Different starts in life. Different paths to leadership. Different cultures.

But we’ve each shared in the promise of America, and we share a core belief that the promise of America must be kept for the next generation.

El sueno Americanos es tener exito.

It’s success.

Success is the American Dream.

And that success is not something to be ashamed of, or to demonize.

There is one candidate in this election who will protect that dream, one leader who will fight hard to keep the promise of America for the next generation.

And that’s why we must stand up and make Mitt Romney the next president of the United States.

Thank you!

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The Republican convention has started and with it, the political attacks on the Democratic counter part, President Obama, and his economic policies.

The Republicans are very optimistic. This Tuesday, the Tampa Bay Forum was full of people who truly believe that getting Obama out of the White House is possible.

The Texas delegates were some of the most cheerful; they all wore the same cloth with the colors and symbol of their state and in cowboy hats. We should not forget that Texas is one of the states were the Republican Party is strong and is the native state of the former President George W. Bush.

The Republican National Committee Chairman, Reince Priebus, was the one that started the activities this Tuesday. He first reminded the crowd that under President Obama’s leadership there have been almost 23 million people who struggle to get a job.

Reince Priebus also said that he is convinced that the greatness of the United States comes from its people, not from the Federal Government, which he said was what President Obama believes. Priebus also accused Obama of having no experience managing a business.

Priebus also made reference to the two national debt clocks installed in the Tampa Bay Forum, one showing the total U.S. national debt and the other showing how much the national debt has increased since the convention started. Priebus reminded the crowd that the national debt is almost $16 trillion dollars and that since Obama took office, it has increased $5 trillions; Priebus criticized Obama’s administration for unnecessary spending.

The Wisconsin congressman, Sean Duffy, also criticized President Obama saying that young people are not able to live the American dream because of Obama’s failed economic policies. Duffy said that this has been the worst economic recovery since the Great Depression; he also said America needs to vote for Ryan and Romney to get fiscal responsibility in Washington.

Most of the speakers this Tuesday criticized the government unnecessary spending and also accused the Federal Government for intervening in areas were it shouldn’t — like in religious freedom, by forcing religious sponsored institutions like schools or hospitals to cover contraception methods in their employees insurances.

Congressman Tim Griffin, second district of Arkansas, also accused Obama for setting a new unemployment record; Fisher also said that under the Obama administration the government has taken $716 billion from Medicare to Pay for Obamacare. Congressman Fisher also said that Obama has opposed to the construction of the Keystone Pipeline, which, according to him, would be very beneficial to the country and would help to achieve energy independence of the United States.

Griffin also said that Obama has no idea on how to solve America’s problems and with Joe Biden as his navigator, things would not get better. Tim Griffin reminded the crowd that under a Romney administration things could be better.

Senate candidate for Nebraska, Deb Fisher, also had something to say to President Barack Obama. At the beginning of the speech she explained that she decided to enter politics because of the record spending, record debt and record unemployment the country is facing. She invited Obama to look to Nebraska, which has an unemployment rate of 4%, which was achieved by cutting spending and balancing the budget, and also letting the private sector do what it does best, which is growing the economy.

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Tampa, U.S.A. — Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus and Republican National Convention CEO William Harris made the following statements regarding convention planning:

“The Republican National Convention and the Republican National Committee, working in consultation with the Romney/Ryan campaign, are in regular contact with the National Weather Service, Governor Scott and local emergency officials in an effort to track and understand the potential impact of the storm. Governor Scott and local emergency officials have assured us that they have the resources in place to respond to this storm should it make landfall, as our primary concern is with those in the potential path of the storm.

We will continue to work closely with them and federal officials to monitor the storm and discuss any impact it might have on the Tampa area and the state of Florida. We continue to move forward with our planning and look forward to a successful convention.” – Bill Harris, President and CEO of the Republican National Convention

“We are just days away from the Republican National Convention where we will officially nominate Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan as the ticket who will get America working again. The Republican Party is ready for the mission ahead: sending America’s Comeback Team to Washington to rein in federal spending and put Americans back to work.

While President Obama is out of ideas, we have candidates for president and vice president who are uniquely qualified to answer the challenges of our time, and we look forward to helping them get elected in November.” – Reince Priebus, Chairman of the Republican National Committee

About the 2012 Republican National Convention

The 2012 Republican National Convention will be held at the Tampa Bay Times Forum August 27-30, 2012. Nearly 50,000 visitors are expected to come to the Tampa Bay area for the event, including delegates, alternate delegates, media and other guests.

Image Courtesy of  Gage Skidmore

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The tropical storm Isaac is  the main issue threatening the Republican Convention, but it is not the only one, Joe Biden’s Florida visit on August 27 and Augusto 28, with a stop in Tampa included, could also affect the Republican National Convention.

Biden’s visit to Tampa may take some media attention out of the convention, also President Obama has planned to campaign on August 28 and August 29 in Iowa, Colorado and Virginia, which may also take media attention out of the convention. Michele Obama has also plans to campaign on August 29; she has a planned appearance on David Letterman’s show On CBS.

Isaac has turned into a serious problem for the GOP Convention organizers’ security plans, half of the expected officers come from different parts of Florida that could be affected by the storm, which may force them to stay home.

Hillsborough County Sheriff David Gee stated: “We’re in a situation right now where we don’t know what’s going to happen.” David Gee also explained that some agencies might decide not to send security officers to Tampa if their area is affected by Isaac.

The Republican National Convention expects more than 3,500 officers from 59 law enforcement agencies from all around Florida. Inside the convention hall the Secret Service will be in charge of the security.

The Republican officials have tried to calm things down saying the convention will proceed as expected. Republican National Convention CEO William Harris stated: “We continue to move forward with our planning and look forward to a successful convention,” Harris added that “Governor Scott and local emergency officials have assured us that they have the resources in place to respond to this storm should it make landfall, as our primary concern is with those in the potential path of the storm.”

The Florida Governor Rick Scott also said that the state, local and federal authorities had no plans to cancel the convention. Scoot hopes the hurricane does not affect Florida, but he reminded that Florida is the most prepared state in the country for hurricanes.

Jeff Masters, director of meteorology for Weather Underground, explained that it is not probable that Tampa takes a direct hit from Isaac, but it could sideswipe the city causing rain and flood.

Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn also said the city is prepared for Isaac, he stated: “We have contingency plan after contingency plan,” and added: “We are ready in the event that it happens. I don’t think it’s going to be a factor in this particular convention. But we are prepared in the event that it is.” With 50,000 people coming to the convention the storm has become a big issue.

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Tampa, U.S.A. — Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus announced the theme and speakers for Wednesday, August 29, the third night of next week’s 2012 Republican National Convention.  The theme, said Priebus, will be “We Can Change It.”

“We want to remind Americans that we don’t have to settle for four more years of high unemployment, low pay and deep debt,” Priebus said.  “We will devote Wednesday night to showing the country that Mitt Romney’s ‘Plan for a Stronger Middle Class’ will restore our country as the best place in the world to find a job, start a business or hire a worker.”

Priebus said the Wednesday night program “will show that the Romney approach is both optimistic and achievable.”  The Romney plan will work toward energy independence, ensure that middle-class Americans have the skills to succeed, pursue trade that works for America, cut the deficit and champion small business.

“Having suffered through the longest sustained period of high unemployment since the Great Depression, Americans already know we can do better,” said Republican Convention CEO William Harris.  “Next Wednesday, Republicans will lay out Mitt Romney’s plan to do just that.”

Priebus and Harris announced the following schedule for Wednesday, August 29:

• Convention convenes
• Call to order
• Introduction of Colors
• Pledge of Allegiance
• National Anthem
• Invocation
• Remarks by Senate Republican Leader and Convention Temporary Chairman Mitch McConnell (KY)
• Performance by Beau Davidson
• Segment to be announced
• Remarks by Senator John McCain (AZ)
• Video
• Remarks by Attorney General Pam Bondi (FL) and Attorney General Sam Olens (GA)
• Remarks by Senator John Thune (SD)
• Remarks by Governor Jeb Bush (FL)
• Remarks by Senator Rob Portman (OH)
• Remarks by Steve Cohen, Screen Machine
• Remarks by Governor Luis Fortuno (PR)
• Remarks by Governor Tim Pawlenty (MN)
• Remarks by Condoleezza Rice
• Video
• Remarks by vice presidential nominee Rep. Paul Ryan
• Benediction by Archbishop Demetrios
• Adjournment

The 2012 Republican National Convention will be held at the Tampa Bay Times Forum August 27-30, 2012.  Nearly 50,000 visitors are expected to come to the Tampa Bay area for the event, including delegates, alternate delegates, media and other guests.

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Tampa, U.S.A. — This month’s Republican National Convention is expected to bring approximately 50,000 visitors to Tampa and drive delay times on the city’s major roads by 18 percent. The insight, released today by INRIX, the largest global traffic intelligence platform in the world, unveils a number of likely problem areas for drivers including:

• Routes South of Whiting Street will be closed, including the Platt Street Bridge and the part closure of the Selmon Expressway, between Willow Avenue and 50th Street
• Traffic will likely reroute to the I-275 or Kennedy Boulevard with delays increasing to more than 25 minutes on the busiest days, from an average of 10 to 15 minutes
• Overall traffic volume will significantly rise, with 350 charter buses and more than 500 private vehicles expected, with no plans to set aside specialized lanes on the interstates
• Short traffic signals could bring downtown Tampa to a standstill, with the biggest concerns being traffic signals on Kennedy Boulevard and Ashley Drive
• Road closures are anticipated to be lifted after 6PM on Friday August 31 st and will start from Saturday August 25 th

Jim Bak, Director of Community Relations, INRIX, shares advice to Tampa commuters: “There will likely be a conference session that clashes with the morning rush hour on Monday August 27 th and commuters should get an early start to avoid the anticipated delays. Staggering work hours around peak commuting times and working around the road closures as much as possible should help alleviate some of the pressure on the roads, we advise drivers to plan journeys in advance as much as possible.”

Current Top three worst bottlenecks in Tampa:

• I-275 Southbound from Floribraska Ave/28th Ave/Exit 28 to US-92/Dale Mabry Hwy/Exit 23,  traffic moves through this 4.2 mile stretch of road at rush hour at 33 mph for 24 hours each week
• I-275 Northbound from FL-60/Cypress St/Exit 39  to FL-574/Exit 46B where traffic crawls through this four mile stretch of road at an average speed of 22 mph for 13 hours each week.
• Veterans Expy/FL 569 Southbound where it intersects with Linebaugh Ave/Exit 7 is a half mile stretch of road where cars crawl at an average speed of 23 mph for 10 hours a week.

The Republican National Convention runs August 27 th to August 30 th 2012 across various locations in Tampa.

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Two new polls have appeared demonstrating the same thing: Obama is still slightly ahead of Romney. The surveys have been elaborated by AP-GfK and The Wall Street Journal/NBC News. Not even the nomination of Paul Ryan as Romney’s running mate has made the Republican comeback a sure thing, but Republicans still hope their Tampa Convention will turn things around.

The NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll shows the Obama-Biden ticket has the support of 48 percent of registered voters ,and the Romney-Ryan ticket gets 44 percent.

In the July poll the results were almost the same. Let’s remember that during that month Ryan had not yet been designated as Romney’s running mate. The Obama-Biden ticket had 49 percent of registered voters’ support, and Romney had 43 percent. Even through all of the Republican effort, only a slight difference has been seen in the polls from July to August.

Romney’s tax record, and his Medicare plan, which is not popular, is costing him serious trouble. These are the main issues he must solve to have a serious comeback opportunity. President Obama, on the other hand, is having trouble with the unemployment rate and the nation’s direction; he must convince the voters that in four more years he will be able to take the country in the right direction.

But not all of the polls look negative for Romney. If you consider just 12 key state battle grounds: Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin, Obama’s advantage over Romney has gotten smaller. He now leads 49 to 46 percent, when in the same poll on June and July he had an 8 percent advantage in these same key state battlegrounds.

Obama still has minorities’ support; Hispanics and African Americans are behind him. So are women, which makes it seem that the Democrat’s campaigning regarding Republicans’ war with women has succeeded.  Romney is leading Obama on white, rural and senior voters, respectively.

The AP-GfK poll shows similar results. One of the poll’s results worthy of consideration is that amongst people who think Medicare is a very important issue, 49 percent would vote for Obama and 44 percent for Romney. This proves that Obama’s Medicare plan is more popular. On the other hand, voters still think Romney is more capable of handling the economy, 48 percent favor him and 44 percent favor Obama.

According to this poll Obama is also seen as much more capable of handling social issues, such as abortion and same-sex marriage, 54 percent of them think Obama is much more capable of handling abortion, while only 33 percent think Romney is more capable.

Obama is also seen as a strong, honest and trustworthy leader, whilst Mitt Romney needs to work on his personal image in order to have a serious chance of winning this election.

Republicans are hoping their Tampa Convention will make them jump in the polls. They have prepared a Convention with speakers that could turn things around, like Chris Christie (key-note speaker) or Marco Rubio (who will introduce Mitt Romney). Also, the Convention will be an opportunity for Romney to work on his personal image and for people to know Paul Ryan’s proposals firsthand.

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The Obama campaign has announced that Vice President, Joe Biden, has plans to be in Tampa next week. This wouldn’t be an important announcement, but the same days he is planning to attend Tampa are the same days the Republican National Convention will be taking place in the city.

The White House released a statement saying: “Next week, on Monday, August 27 and Tuesday, August 28, Vice President Joe Biden will travel to the Tampa area and other cities for campaign events.” The Republican National Convention is scheduled to take place from August 27 to August 30 at the Tampa Bay Times Forum.

Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus has already responded to Biden’s plans saying that the Republicans will respond to any attempt from the Democrats to interfere with the convention.

Priebus even threatened the Democrats that if they interfere with their convention, they should not be surprised if the Republicans interfere with theirs: “I think it’s pretty common among parties to play with each other’s conventions, and we’ll have a pretty big presence in Charlotte as well,” Priebus added that “the nice thing about going first is that whatever they do to us, we can do ten times over to them.” This was a very serious threat; it seems Priebus believes that if the Democrats attack their convention the Republicans should counter-attack harder.

When Priebus was asked that if his declarations meant that Romney would be in Charlotte for the Democratic Convention, he responded: “You never know where we are going to be.”

This political campaign has been very aggressive, with both campaign teams trying to interfere in each other’s activities.

Joe Biden has been also involved in recent controversies because of the declarations he made on a speech in Danville, Virginia to a crowd that included many African Americans, in which he said that Romney’s Wall Street plan was going to put the people “back in chains.”

An Obama campaign official told ABC News that ““as the full quote makes obvious, the Vice President was clearly using a metaphor to describe the devastating impact of deregulating Wall Street and the financial industry, as well as how Governor Romney’s policies would take us back to the same failed formula that led to the 2008 financial crisis – the same failed formula that benefited a few, but crashed our economy and hurt the middle class.”

The Obama campaign official defended Biden, saying that he did not intend to make racial comments for political purposes, as many analysts have criticized.

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The Chairman of the Republican National Committee, Reince Priebus has announced that Florida Senator Marco Rubio and New Jersey Governor will have their opportunity to speak at the Republican National Convention on Tampa this month, one will have the keynote speaker role and the other will introduce Romney in his speech, in which he will accept the Republican nomination for President.

Priebus through his twitter account stated: “Excited to announce this am that @GovChristie will be the @GOPconvention keynote speaker and @marcorubio will introduce @MittRomney!”

With this announcement it is clear that the Republicans are making a huge effort to organize a world-class convention. Almost all of their rising stars are having the opportunity to speak and consolidate themselves as future leaders.

Reince Priebus, referring to the announcement that Christie will be the keynote speaker at the Convention, stated: “As governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie has proven how bold Republican leadership gets results. He has fearlessly tackled his state’s most difficult challenges, while looking out for hardworking taxpayers. He is a leader of principle and conviction, and I am excited to hear him address the Republican National Convention as our keynote speaker. Governor Christie will make the case for America’s Comeback Team and will rally our party and country in support of the Romney-Ryan ticket.”

The key note speaker position will also represent a great opportunity for Governor Christie to be considered as a presidential candidate in the future, and it will also grant him the opportunity to express his ideas nationwide. Referring to the announcement that Rubio will introduce Romney, Priebus also had something to say.

He stated: “Senator Marco Rubio is without a doubt one of America’s most dynamic and inspiring leaders, and I am excited to announce that he will introduce Governor Romney at the Republican National Convention…Senator Rubio is a proven leader and a man of true character and it is fitting that he will take on such an important role at our convention in his home state. Throughout his career, he has shown true dedication to constitutional principles, fiscal responsibility and free enterprise. As the son of immigrants, he has witnessed the promise of the American Dream firsthand and has worked to secure that promise for future generations.”

The presidential nomination acceptance speech by Senator John McCain at the Republican National Convention in 2008 drew 38.9 million viewers across the country. This year more viewers are expected, and the introduction is a great opportunity for Rubio to consolidate himself as the leader of the future.

Let’s not forget that not until few days ago, when it was not known that Paul Ryan would be Romney’s running mate, Rubio and Christie were some of the favorite candidates to become the Republican’s vice-presidential pick, and although they are consolidated figures among the Republicans, they had not been announced as speakers at the Convention. Many thought it was because one of them was going to be chosen as Romney’s running mate, and many still believe that Rubio will become the United States first Hispanic president.

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Tampa, U.S.A. — Erin Fesler, a freshman at Steinbrenner High School in Lutz, Florida, has been selected as the first place winner of the 2012 Republican National Convention’s “Elephants on Parade” art competition.

The competition was open to middle and high school students throughout the Tampa Bay area.  Participants were asked to submit a project that answered the question: “What does being an American mean to me?”

Fesler painted “Perseverance, Innovation, Sacrifice, Liberty, Unity and Strength” using oil paints on canvas. She says each element of the work – which incorporates an American bald eagle, a Native American, the Statue of Liberty, a NASA spacecraft, the United States Capitol building, an American flag and Arlington National Cemetery – represents a unique facet of our country’s identity.  As part of her prize, the painting will be displayed in the main convention venue, the Tampa Bay Times Forum, during convention week.

“I started painting about two years ago and I am interested in politics. I am taking an American Government class and it’s teaching me a lot about the political system and how it all works,” Fesler explained. “[The convention] is just amazing; it’s such an honor to be here. It just furthers my understanding of everything I am learning.”

Fesler, along with four other finalists, will have the opportunity to tour the Times Forum and the Tampa Convention Center, where an expected 15,000 credentialed media will be based for the convention.

“I commend Erin on her artistic accomplishment in this contest, as well as her desire to learn about the American government system,” said convention CEO William Harris. “This great country will succeed on the shoulders of the next generation, including Erin and her peers.”

The winning artwork can be seen here: http://goo.gl/2TgbO.

The 2012 Republican National Convention will be held at the Tampa Bay Times Forum August 27-30, 2012.  Nearly 50,000 visitors are expected to come to the Tampa Bay area for the event, including delegates, alternate delegates, media and other guests.

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From the eleven speakers announced for the Republican Convention, four of them are women: Condoleezza Rice, Susana Martinez, Nikki Halley and Mary Fallin.

Republicans wish to gain women’s sympathy during a time in which they have been accused by the Democrats of waging war against women.

The Democrats have directed hard criticism against the Republicans for trying to repeal the Affordable Care Act, which Democrats think is a law that offers many benefits and crucial protection for women.

Nevada Senator Harry Reid wrote in a Huffington Post article called “Republicans Renew War on Women” that “thanks to the Affordable Care Act, new insurance plans are already required to cover preventive care like mammograms, colonoscopies, blood pressure checks, prenatal exams and childhood immunizations without cost-sharing. Yet Republicans are so intent on blocking women’s preventive services like contraception coverage from taking effect, they are willing to risk national security.” Democrats want their voters to see the Republicans as the villains on this subject.

Reid continued criticizing the Republicans for blocking the opportunity for women to gain access to contraception methods. Sen. Reid said that the Republicans are only acting for ideological motives and are putting them ahead of scientific reasons.

Mary Fallin is the lastest female politician announced as a speaker for the Tampa Convention, and she is currently the first female Governor of Oklahoma. She is one of the most popular governors in the country, based on a poll made by sonnerpoll.com and released in January; almost 70 percent of the surveyed thought Fallin was doing a good job after just a year in office.

The Quinnipiac University/CBS News/New York Times poll on the presidential race shows that in key states like Florida, Pennsylvania and Ohio, Obama has an advantage on female vote over Romney, so Martinez, Rice, Halley and Fallin have a difficult mission trying to gain female voter’s sympathy for the Republicans.

Each of the women selected for the Republican National Convention have something special to offer and have made history in their positions. Susana Martinez is the first female Hispanic Governor of New Mexico and of the Country; Condoleezza Rice was the first African-American women that became Secretary of State, Nikki Haley is South Carolina first female Governor and Mary Fallin is Oklahoma first female Governor. This will hopefully prove to the female voters that the Republicans have women in important positions and that they support them.

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Rick Santorum, the man who surprised the world with his performance during the Republican primaries, has been announced as a speaker in the Republican National Convention.

Former Pennsylvania Senator, Rick Santorum’s, effort in the primaries made him very popular among the conservatives. His designation as a speaker in the Convention is trying to prove that the differences that arose during the primaries are over and that the Republican Party is united under Mitt Romney’s figure.

His appearance as a speaker in the Convention would greatly help Santorum’s political career and his future aspirations. The Convention is his great opportunity to solidify himself as the social conservative leader of the nation.

Santorum’s official website explains that “Rick Santorum was a candidate for the Republican nomination for President of the United States in 2012 and became known as a voice for conservatives who didn’t feel their voice was being represented.  His grassroots approach to campaigning – including visiting every one of Iowa’s 99 counties and his stunning victory in the Iowa caucuses – catapulted him to frontrunner status where he ultimately won 11 states and 3 million votes during the Republican primary process.” Santorum had a great performance in the Republican primaries, even though he didn’t have the money or the resources other candidates had.

Rick Santorum and his wife Karen are the parents of seven children, and during the primaries he consistently talked about the importance of needing strong families to build a strong economy. His basics proposals were that the government should give incentives for “marriage, children and free enterprise.” With his speeches he gained the support of the country’s most conservative sector.

Rick Santorum is also a dedicated believer in the dignity every life has. Santorum’s younger daughter, Isabella, was born with a condition called Trisomy 18, and the doctors didn’t expect she would survive her first day. But the little girl has beaten all odds and celebrated her fourth birthday in May of 2012. This experience has made Santorum a strong fighter against abortion.

His official website tells us his pro-life initiatives. Santorum “wrote and championed legislation that outlawed the heinous procedure known as Partial Birth Abortion as well as the ‘Born Alive Infants Protection Act,’ the ‘Unborn Victims of Violence Act,’ and the ‘Combating Autism Act’ because he believes each and every individual has value and the most vulnerable in our society need to be protected.”

A Washing Post reporter wrote that “Santorum was a tea party kind of guy before there was a tea party.”

Rick Santorum recently tweeted: “Honored to be speaking at @GopConvention where conservatives from across country will rally together for @MittRomney & make voices heard!” Let’s wait to see what kind of speech he has prepared for the Convention.

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Former 2012 Presidential Candidate Jon Huntsman has announced that he will not be going to the GOP National Convention in August. The Former Utah Governor has attended every GOP Convention since 1984 when he was a delegate for Ronald Reagan. At the last Convention Huntsman announced the Vice Presidential Candidate Sarah Palin.

Obama’s former ambassador to China told the Salt Lake Tribune: “I will not be attending this year’s convention, nor any Republican convention in the future, until the party focuses on a bigger, bolder, more confident future for the United States – a future based on problem solving, inclusiveness, and a willingness to address the trust deficit, which is every bit as corrosive as our fiscal and economic deficits.”

Huntsman left the presidential race in January of this year and endorsed Mitt Romney as the Republican candidate. Huntsman won three delegates during the race, two when he took third place in the New Hampshire primary and one from Texas. These three delegates would have guaranteed Huntsman a speaking part at the Convention.

Former New Hampshire GOP Chairman Fergus Cullen claims that Huntsman’s comments represent the independent nature of the former candidate.

This is not the first time Huntsman has butted heads with Republicans this year. In March of this year Huntsman was dropped from a Republican National Committee event that was being held in Palm Beach after comments he made about having a third party in America.

Huntsman stated, “I think we’re going to have problems politically until we get some sort of third party movement or some voice out there that can put forth new ideas. We might not win, but we can certainly influence the debate.” Huntsman was lined up to speak at the “Regents” event but was informed personally by the RNC Chairman Reince Preibus that he would not be allowed to attend.

Huntsman is not the only Republican who was invited and is not going to the Convention. Virginia Senate Candidate George Allen is also planning to not attend, but not for ideological reasons. Instead, the candidate claims that he wants to stay in state to talk to constituents and continue to campaign.

Similarly, many Democrats are skipping the Democratic Convention in September 2012 to try to garner more votes. Representative Steve Israel, the head of the House Campaign side of the Democratic Party, encouraged those who are running for election in 2012 to stay home because “if they want to win an election, they need to be in their district” he added “I don’t care if the president was at 122% favorability right now. I think [candidates] should be in their district.”

Missourian Senator Claire McCaskill agrees with Israel and was originally criticized for not going. McCaskill stated, “I’ve got a really hard election. If you had a really hard election and it was after Labor Day, would you go to North Carolina to a bunch of parties and glad-handing or would you stay home and work as hard as you know how to convince Missourians they should rehire you?” She also claims that she is not trying to distance herself from Obama.

Huntsman’s decision to stay home from the GOP Convention is unique in its ideological origins. Huntsman claims that the Republican party must “put our country before politics.” He also stated, “I encourage a return to the party we have been in the past from Lincoln right on through to Reagan, that was always willing to put our country before politics.”

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Advancing efforts to make the 2012 Republican National Convention the most dynamic, state-of-the-art event in the party’s history, organizers have announced Microsoft Corporation will serve as the convention’s Official Innovation Provider. The announcement underscores convention Chief Executive Officer William Harris’ commitment to embrace new technology that will spur interest and enthusiasm leading up to the August 27-30 event in Tampa.

The relationship includes a host of pioneering Microsoft solutions such as natural user interface in Microsoft’s Kinect, and video communications technology in Microsoft’s Skype. In addition, collaboration will be streamlined and improved through the use of the Microsoft Office Suite, SharePoint technologies and consulting services.

Microsoft technologies are designed to help people stay connected, collaborate and communicate as well as to create, access and share data, information and digital content in new ways. Many of these innovations have demonstrated remarkable uses in education, medicine, business and many other applications“ and can also help transform the convention experience. Microsoft and the convention will continue to find ways to leverage Microsoft’s technologies and experienced support teams to make this convention the most innovative to date.

“Technology is changing the way we plan and conduct conventions,” said Harris, a veteran convention planner who has helped managed three conventions. “We are working with Microsoft to identify new ways to improve the convention experience for not only attendees in Tampa, but interested individuals across the country.”

Added Brad Smith, Microsoft’s General Counsel and Executive Vice President, “Microsoft is excited to collaborate with the Republican National Convention on this important event. Through the use of Microsoft’s latest technology products, services and expertise, we aim to make this the most interactive, engaging and technologically advanced convention yet.”

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The 2012 Republican National Convention have announced that Google, Inc. has been named the “Official Social Platform and Live Stream Provider” of the Republican presidential nominating convention to be held Aug. 27-30 in Tampa.

As a convention partner, Google will provide a range of technology support and services, including streaming high-quality, live video of convention events and programs.

“Google and YouTube are transforming the political process, providing voters an unprecedented degree of participation and, for the very first time, giving every American who has access to a computer, tablet, video gaming system, interactive television, or video-enabled smart-phone an exclusive backstage pass to the podium of a national political convention,” said convention CEO William Harris.

Using a host of new technologies and communications platforms including “Google+ Hangouts” (a new multi-party videoconferencing feature), convention organizers hope to provide voters a virtual front-row seat to convention proceedings and activities.

“Having Google as a partner ensures the most engaging convention experience in history,” added Harris. “Our goal is to bring the convention to you, no matter where you are or which device you use.”

“We are excited to work with the Republican National Convention to help break down traditional barriers and empower voters. By incorporating our tools and technology, we are offering a behind the scenes look at the convention process and allowing voters, delegates and viewers to shape the conversation,” said Susan Molinari, Google’s Vice President of Public Policy.

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On March 28, the 2012 Republican National Convention unveiled its redesigned official website, www.GOPConvention2012.com.

The enhanced website provides a robust platform for expanded interactive and multimedia capabilities, including video and live-streaming broadcasts of convention proceedings. It fully integrates convention social media channels.

“We are planning an innovative, dynamic and informative convention,” said convention Chief Executive Officer William Harris. “One of our most vital assets in accomplishing this mission is our redesigned convention website and other digital assets such as Facebook, Google+ and Twitter.

“GOPConvention2012.com and our social media channels will provide a vibrant platform from which we communicate our nominee’s messages,” Harris said.  “Our goal is to tear down the convention walls and make the 2012 Republican National Convention open and accessible to anyone, anywhere.”

The site offers key features being deployed today and at critical junctures as convention planning continues, including the ability to login via social network platforms for a customized viewing experience and deep integration of Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and other social networks.

GOPConvention2012.com will also include live chats and historic photographs and videos of past Republican conventions. Other features will be added to the convention website in the coming weeks.

“The redesigned website will provide an interactive experience to our web visitors while helping us build a community and make history,” said Director of Communications James Davis.

The redesign effort was led by Alexandria, Va.-based Campaign Solutions, which created and maintained the 2008 and 2004 Republican Conventions’ websites and digital strategies. The company has been recognized for its work, including Pollie Awards for web design from the bi-partisan American Association of Political Consultants.

Campaign Solutions’ online strategy and website design efforts were also honored with the “Best of Show” award for the 2008 Republican National Convention website (Minneapolis-Saint Paul) and the “Best Website” award for the 2004 Republican National Convention website (New York).

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