>> please welcome back, chairman reince >> delegates and alternates, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the third session of the 2012 republican national convention. the convention will come to order. from the tampa bay area, it is my honor to introduce the amputee veterans of america support team for the presentation of the colors.

>> colors, forward. left, right, left, right. left, right, left, right. color guard, a halt. left turn, halt. order. halt. present, halt. >> please remain standing for the pledge of allegiance -- and the national anthem, and the invitation. -- invocation.

>> please welcome another american patriot, retired brigadier general patrick ray, a distinguished veteran of the vietnam war. [applause] >> i pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of america, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> order. >> as you were.

>> it is my privilege to introduce american recording artist and former basketball player, the daughter of senator scott brown of massachusetts, to sing our national anthem. >> oh, say can you see lighte don's early what so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight

over the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming and the rockets' red glare the bombs bursting in air gave proof through the night that our flag was still there oh say can you see -- say does that star spangled banner yet wave, over the land of the free and the home of the brave. [applause]

>> please welcome a leader in central florida's community, who will lead the invitation. -- invocation. >> ladies and gentlemen, good evening. it is an honor for me to be here with you today as a sikh and as an american. [applause] let us pray, almighty god, we call you many names, but you are one. keep your divine hand over all the delegates and candidates as they help steer the future of

our great nation. remind us of our purpose to love and serve one another and create a more peaceful world. we ask for blessing and to all leaders to work for the common good with humility and courage, integrity and compassion. please release each one of us from evil so that we may serve. help us remember that we belong to one family. we asked, almighty, to also keep watch over our nation's protectors, who worked tirelessly, day and night, to ensure our safety and our freedom. protect your children, give them

greece. -- grace. you are everywhere. my lord, you are but one. [speaking a foreign language] the name of god we find everlasting. the name of god we find everlasting optimism. [speaking a foreign language] almighty god, bless us all. thank you. [applause] >> color guard -- ten, hut.

>> please remain standing well be colors are retired. >> right shoulder. left turn. for word. left, right, left, right. [applause] [cheers and applause] ♪ >> it is the american story. a chart in your own past. forging new ways forward.

not because it is the easy way, but because it is the right way. for those with dedication and character, faith and conviction, sometimes that lonely path paved the way forward for millions. [cheers and applause] ♪ ron paul -- 22 years in congress. he has never voted for a tax increase, never voted for a debt ceiling increase, never wavered, never backed down. >> the government ought to be for the protection of liberty, not for the intrusion in our private lives, in economic affairs. you cannot keep printing money. i believe in limited government, individual liberty. we spend too much, taxed too much, are too much. it is bankrupting this country.

i knew i did not want to be a politician all my life. i was surprised i ever want. this message, i thought, would not go well with the people because i am not making wild promises. my wife for me this was a dangerous projects. she said, you could end up getting elected. >> he said, no, i wanted elected. you have to be like santa claus. he said, i do not want to give them something. i want to give them their freedom. >> it has been the consistent theme, government has grown too large. as it grows larger, your freedoms grow smaller. he has thought this through the years. >> when i first got to the house, i thought ron paul was not. he was out there, talking about the federal reserve, the monetary system. more and more i found myself gloating with tim. >> we have been talking about this since the early 1970's. he has not wavered, not buckled,

even when he had to stand alone. >> i put politics into two categories -- they are here to make a point order to make a difference. ron paul is the only one who has made a difference by making a point. >> we need to free up the market. >> he has been one of the most fiscally conservative members in the history of the congress. >> we would not have a $16 trillion debt if we had 435 ron pauls in congress. >> the more i think about him over the years, the more inspiring he is, what he has done. not being afraid of anything, willing to stand for what is right. ron paul was the tea party before there was a tea party. >> look to ron paul -- supporting the constitution. >> he wanted to do things others were not willing to do because his convictions are so deep. >> y, as we live beyond our means, we are destined to live beneath them. >> the lobbyists do not even

come by his office. they do not bother to come by because they know he cannot be bought. that is one of the deep and abiding conviction. >> he stands for freedom. he stands for liberty. he stands for the american values that made this country great. >> be more apparent it is that ron paul was right, all those years. >> whether people want to admit it or not, ron paul changed the conversation. [cheers and applause] >> please give a warm welcome to senate republican leader mitch mcconnell of kentucky. [cheers and applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, we are here for the simple reason that

our nation is in desperate need of leadership. we believe that that make brian -- we believe that mitt romney is the man for this moment. that is the hope message coming from tampa this week after four long years -- help is on the the way. america is about to turn the page on barack obama's four-year experiment in a big government. it starts by renewing our belief that we are called to do something better. over the past four years, americans have been led to believe that we are just like everybody else. that america really is not unique. but it is not true.

we are, we are different, not because of where we were born, but because of who we are as a people. because of what we have, in here. the president scoffs at this idea. to him, this kind of thinking is the problem, not the solution. that is why he has spent the last four years lowering american expectations instead of raising them. that is why he has been missing in action on the greatest challenges of our day. what this administration has in mind for america is not a renewal, it is a great leveling out. it wants the kind of government-

imposed equality that in a single generation transformed western europe from a place where for centuries high achievement and discovery and innovation were celebrated and cries to a place where they have elections about whether people should have to work. where they make promises they cannot keep and write checks they cannot cash. but that is not who we are. it does not even occur to an american that somebody else will solve their problems. americans take pride in solving problems for themselves. if we fail, we get back up and try again. it is what we do. [cheers and applause]

it is who we are. now, the president may want to give up on the problems we face and it simply manage the decline, but the american people do not. that is why this election is so very important. it is a choice about who we are. are we still a country that takes risks, that innovates, the that believes anything is possible? or are we a country that is resigned to whatever liberty the government decides to dish out. i tell students all the time that the only way to fail in america is to quit. i truly believe that that is the case. i know that mitt romney does too. [cheers and applause]

for four years, four long years, barack obama has a running from the nation's problems. he has not been working to earn reelection. he has been working to earn a spot on the pga tour. mitt romney has spent his entire life finding ways to solve problems. mitt romney has never been resigned to what somebody else said it was possible. he cut his own path. that is why he believes in his heart that america has a future full of opportunity and hope. that is why, when mitt romney looks down the road, he sees a country that is ready for a comeback. [cheers and applause]

i believe firmly that he is the man to lead that comeback. [cheers and applause] as we meet here tonight, america is suffering through an economic calamity of a truly this -- historic mansions. some are calling it the slowest recovery in our nation's entire 236-year history. my friends, to call this a recovery is an insult to recoveries. [applause] this is not the result of forces that are beyond our control. it is not the result of some center -- sinister political plot, as some of the more paranoid inhabitants of the left wing fever swamps would have you believe. it is the result of the policies

that barack obama and his democratic allies in congress spent two full years carefully putting into place, and which they are determined to continue if they win again. these are policies that are meant to gently, gently lost -- lull us into a state of lower expectations and diminished dreams. we got a preview of this future of the past few years. we hear the stories every day now. the father who puts on a suit every morning and leaves the house so his daughter does not now he lost his job. the recent college graduate facing up to the painful reality that the only door that is open to her after four years of study at a -- and a pile of debt is

her parents' door. these are the faces of the obama economy. this is america's future if we do not do something to change the course this president seems perfectly content to leave us on. so think about it. on the same day that we learned that unemployment went up in 44 out of 50 states last month, the president of the united states took the airwaves to tell people of albuquerque that he enjoys green chili but prefers read. -- red. we know what the president has on his ipod, but we do not know what he plans to do about the looming tax hike that could trigger another serious recession, that would result in even more americans losing their

jobs. so, ladies and gentlemen, america cannot afford another four years of this. [applause] for four years, americans have waited for the faintest like to flicker at the end of the tunnel. this president has let them down again and again and again. it is time to move on. it is time for a leader who will lead. that leader is mitt romney. thank you very much. [cheers and applause] >> jack blades has sold over 25

million albums and has collaborated with some of rock's most legendary artists, performing "back in the game," please welcome jack blades. ♪ >> i got nothing to hide. ♪ ♪ >> i want to be free. i never give it in. i do not know where i am going, but i know i will not go back --

♪ ♪ one more clink of the glass for a pain i cannot hide. ♪ ♪ i know what i want to be ♪ back in the game.

back, back in the game back in the game ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [electric guitar solo] i do not know where i'm going,

but i'm going anyway -- i don't care anyway back, back in the game ♪ ♪back, back in the game back in the game ♪ [guitar solo] back in the game, baby -- usa, back in the game.

we are going to put us right back in the game. ♪ [cheers and applause] ♪ >> i pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of america, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> everywhere i go, i meet people who represent the best of

america. they are hopeful, hard-working, determined, and proud. these americans are quite heroes. they raise strong families, run our factories, grow our food. they coached little league and soccer. they serve on the pta. they are volunteers who help our neighbors. they dreamed big dreams. the vision, the values, character, the can-do spirit of our small towns have made america great. this is the america known for thriving farms and factories, prosperous towns and cities, great colleges and universities. solid communities and churches. all of them born out of american optimism, norrish and sustained by hard work and a belief in the american future of limitless possibilities an opportunity --

and opportunity as an american birthright. there was a time not long ago -- each of us can work a little bit taller and stance traitor because we had a gift nobody else in the world shares. -- stand a little straighter because we had the gift nobody else in the world shares. we are americans. we know it without question, so does the world. >> it makes me think about all the other people who came before me. >> the spirit that holds this country together -- >> those days are coming back. >> there is no place i would rather live in the world that america. >> from now until november, our campaign will carry a simple message -- america's greatest days are yet ahead. >> from the great state of kentucky, please give a warm welcome to senator rand paul.

[cheers and applause] >> thank you. thank you, thank you, thank you. thank you. [cheers and applause] thank you, ky. thank you. you know, when the supreme court upheld obamacare, the first words out of my mouth were, i still think it is unconstitutional. [cheers and applause] the left wing blogs were

merciless. even my wife said, can not you please just count to 10 before you speak? i had time to count to 10. you know what? i still think it is unconstitutional. [cheers and applause] do you think justice scalia and justice thomas have changed their mind? >> no! >> i could give james madison himself, the father of constitution, if he were here today, he would agree, the whole damn thing is still unconstitutional. [cheers and applause] this debate is not new. it is not over. hamilton and madison fought from the beginning about how the government would be limited by the enumerated powers.

madison was unequivocal, the powers of the federal government are few and defined. [cheers and applause] the power to tax and spend is restricted by the enumerated powers. so how do we fix this travesty of justice? there is only one option left, we have to have a new president. [cheers and applause] when i heard the current president say, you did not build that, i was first in salted, then i was angered, and then i was saddened that anyone in our country, much less the president of the united states, believes

that roads create a business success and not the other way around. [cheers and applause] anyone who is so fundamentally misunderstanding of american greatness is uniquely unqualified to lead this great nation. [cheers and applause] the great and abiding lesson of american history, particularly the cold war, is that engine of capitalism, the individual, is mightier than any collective. [cheers and applause] american inventiveness and the desire to build a developed because we were guaranteed the right to own our success. for most of our history, nobody

dared to tell americans, you did not build that. in bowling green, kentucky,the tang family owns the -- a doughnut shop. their family fled war-torn cambodia to come to this country. our kids and i love this -- these doughnuts, so we go frequently. they work long hours. they told us they worked through the night to make the donuts. they have become valedictorians and national merit scholars. the tangs from cambodia are an american success story, so mr. president, do not go telling the tang family that they did not build that. [cheers and applause] when you say, when you say they did not 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 anybody who has ever drag themselves out of bed to strive for something better for themselves and 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 work, but what you did. [cheers and applause] my grandfather would live to see his children become doctors and ministers, accountants and professors. he would even live to see one of his sons, a certain congressmen from texas -- [cheers and applause] a certain congressmen from texas run for the presidency of the united states. [cheers and applause] immigrants have flocked to our shores seeking freedom. our forebears came full of hopes and dreams. so consistent and prevalent were these aspirations that they

crystallized into a national yearning that 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 wrote a letter to his parents that captured the essence of the american dream. he wrote, dear mom and dad, today we spotted a boat in the water and render assistance. we picked up 65 vietnamese refugees. as they approached the ship, they were all waiting and trying as best they could to say, hello, american sailor, hello, free demand. it is hard to see a boat full of people and not get a lump sum or between chin and belly button, but it really makes one proud to be an american. it reminds us all of what america has been, a place a man or woman can come to for freedom.

two brothers, friends of mine, they came to america on one of those leaky boats from vietnam. they were attacked at sea by pirates. their family possible was stolen. when spent a year on a south pacific island, existing on a cup of rice and water until she was allowed to come to america. now both of these men and their family are proud americans. one owns his own business, another manages a large company. they are the american dream. so, mr. president, do not go telling that family that you did not build that. [cheers and applause] when the president says, you did not build that, he is flat out wrong. businessmen and women did build that. businessmen and women did burn their success.

without the success of american business, we would not have any roads, bridges, or schools. mr. president, you say that 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 the middle-class. [cheers and applause] 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. [cheers and applause] our nation faces a crisis. america waivers. unfortunately, we are one of a select group of countries whose

debt now equals their gross domestic product. the republican -- republic of washington and jefferson is now in danger of becoming a democracy of debt and despair. our great nation is coming apart at the scenes, and the president just seems to point fingers and blame others. president obama's administration will add nearly $6 trillion to our national debt in just one term. [crowd boos] and i am hoping it is just one term. [cheers and applause] this explosion of debt is unconscionable and unsustainable. mr. president, we will not let you bankrupt this great nation. [cheers and applause]

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. [cheers and applause] democrats, democrats must admit that domestic welfare entitlements must be reformed. [cheers and applause] republicans and democrats must replace fear with confidence. confidence that no terrorist or no country will ever contra us if we remain steadfast to the principles of our founding documents.

[cheers and applause] we have nothing to fear except our own unwillingness to defend what is naturally hours, our god-given rights. [cheers and applause] we have nothing to fear that should cause us to for debt or relinquish our rights as free men and women. [cheers and applause] to thrive, we must believe in ourselves again, and we must never, never trade our liberty for any fleeting promise of security. [cheers and applause]

1 author writes of a brisk evening in a small town in illinois. returning from a basketball game at the ymca, and 11-year- old boy is stunned by the sight of his father, sprawled out on the snow in the front porch. he was drunk, his son would later remember, debt to the world, crucified. his hair was soaked with melted snow, matted against 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 was not there. instead, he grabbed a fistful of overcoat and he heaved his dad into the bedroom, away from the weather's harm and the neighbors attention. this young boy would become the man, ronald reagan. [cheers and applause] the man we know as ronald reagan, whose son optimism and charisma shine so brightly that it toured the malaise of the late 1970's, a confidence that's been so broadly that it pulled us through a serious recession, ce that tug so happily at the hearts of all that a generation of democrats became republicans. [cheers and applause] the american dream is that any among us can become the next thomas edison, the next henry

ford, the next ronald reagan, but to lead us forward away from this looming debt crisis it will take someone who believes in america's greatness, who believes in and can articulate the american dream, somebody who has created jobs, somebody who understands and appreciates what makes america great. somebody who will lead our party and our nation forward. i believe that someone is our nominee, governor mitt romney. [cheers and applause] 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. [cheers and applause] you earn that. you worked hard, you studied, you lay bird, you did build that. -- labored, you did build that. [cheers and applause] you do -- and you deserve america's undying gratitude for you, the individual, are the engine of america's greatness. thank you.

[cheers and applause] >> the first time i went to the oval office as president, i was in all. after i got there, i had a guest. that was president 41. >> i was in the bathtub at the white house residence. a guy who worked there came in and said, your son is over in the oval office. >> the conversation was something like this -- welcome, mr. president. it is good to see you, mr. president. that is all we said. >> just looking in and seeing your own son the president of united states. i rememb >> the armor visiting dad in the oval office when he was president,

and how much reverence he treated the office. i tried to do the same thing. it is a place for you make decisions and welcome dignitaries and walk and some friends, but it is a place that always has to be treated with respect and dignity. >> we sort of had been involved with him in poland. he came to the white house, he really spoke no english, but he mentioned freedom and stood down as he was given the highest award president can give a foreigner, and kissed the ground. it was very emotional. >> the first time vladimir putin came to visit washington, the sun was pouring through the windows. the oval office just sparkle. the door opened up and in came president putin. his first words were, my god.

when my dad was president, he would kindly invite us to the white house. he invited me to a state dinner with the queen -- she took a big risk, a diplomatic gamble. but it worked out ok. >> the black sheep -- something about clablack sheep. we moved in as far away as possible for the luncheon. >> we were coming in, ladies and gentlemen, the president of united states. in walks dana carvey. >> i noticed this podium for the average -- other guy -- i would love to be over here, but i am down here. >> we did not have the issues with handing -- family. i got a big stack of correspondence to sign and go through. the correspondence -- one was a

lesson -- letter. he said, he was so sorry he had made a mistake. >> a lot of people will remember george for having the determination and the toughness and persistence to be able to see us through in our country. recessive very difficult time after the terrorist attack. i am so proud of george. >> integrity, honesty, never a scandal around his presidency. we forget the importance of that. they will remember him for being a good president who got a lot of things done, but the thing i take pride in its integrity. if -- they will remember him as a great president, not only was he well-prepared for the job,

but when the unexpected took place, he handled it with vision, a clear strategy, and connors. >> he is the most decent, honorable, wonderful -- nobody has been as lucky as i have been. they were member -- will remember him as courageous. >> dad and i both know what it takes to be president. there is no doubt in our minds that mitt romney would be a great president -- will be a great president. >> he is a great man. >> i hope that all the people at the convention work really hard. i think romney is prepared . i isann romney-- ann romney would be great. it rumbled with fabulous job. >> we want to say our very best wishes to everybody at the convention.

i would we want to thank everybody therefore there strong support for all our republican candidates. the local ones, up to our president -- our candidate for president, mitt romney . [cheers and applause] >> please welcome bo davison, lessed." now sing "b ♪ coming, what is honor? all these words are just ideas ♪

what is glory? ♪ down?they just written it ♪ ♪ when we hear a word like freedom, do we know what it really means, or do we take it all for granted, living like kings and queens? ♪ essed to live in freedom, to live in peace, blessed with food and shelter, blessed with life, blessed to have -- blessed that someone

braver fought so we could have joiny ♪ ♪ e are blessed ♪ no fear -- have we lost our very fifth in faith itself? ♪ is it alright, or is it madness, what do we pray in times of sadness? ♪ it is easy to

remember but easy to forget, the beauty of our country ♪ to live inessed freedom, blessed to live in peace, blessed with food and shelter, blessed that someone braver fatah so we could have joy ♪ we aree blessed, oh blessed ♪ to live in freedom, blessed with

food and shelter, blessed with that someonesed to have braver fought so we can have joy -- we are blessed ♪ blessed ♪e ♪ we are blessed ♪ [cheers and applause]

>> please welcome the iraq war veteran and the daughter of governor mcdonnell of virginia, jannine mcdonald, as well as chris devlin-young of new hampshire, a paralympian and a veteran. [cheers and applause] >> thank you very much. good evening. i am proud to be one of the 212,000 service women who have served in iraq and afghanistan over the past decades. [cheers and applause] thank you. as a 24-year-old virginian in a iraq, i worked with some of the most courageous men and women

this nation has to offer. we were united in a singular costs -- to protect the nation that we love. [cheers and applause] it has been my privilege to serve alongside heroes of every service, defending this nation and its citizens is not without sacrifice for service members and the families that support them. that is why we need leaders who do not play chicken with an asian's defense. defense.tion's we need leaders who will invest in the defense, not abandon it. [cheers and applause] that is why we need mitt romney and paul ryan. [cheers and applause]

now it is my distinct honor to introduce chris devlin-young, a hero in his own right, a former coast guard men and a two-time paralympic gold medalist in alpine skiing. chris. [cheers and applause] >> thank you. it is wonderful to be here with you tonight. in 1982, while flying in heavy fire during a coastguard mission, our plane crash, leaving the paralyzed from the waist down. well my career as a coast guardsman and, in new world service began for me. 27 years ago, this california boy was introduced to ski racing at the first veterans administration winter sports clinic. i decided then and there to dedicate myself to racing and

coaching other injured veterans. being a gold medal pralympian gives me a whole new way to honor and serve my country. [cheers and applause] being a coach of paralympic medalist's give me -- gives me a way to honor and serve others. i believe we can all serve, no matter what our challenges. it is not about what you lost from life, but rather what you are able to give. [cheers and applause] now it is my honor to introduce a hero who has given himself regardless of the price. he is the son and grandson of admirals. a decorated naval pilot. a war hero.

the senior senator of the great state of arizona, senator john mccain. [cheers and applause] >> thank you, thank you. [applause] thank you. thank you very much. it is an kotter as always, my fellow republicans, to join you in 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 under different circumstances but our fellow americans had another plan for you years ago and i accept their decision. i have been blessed for so long to play a role in our nation's affairs and i am conscious only of the debt in america at. i think you for the honor. -- thank you for the honor. [applause] when we nominate mitt romney, we do so with a greater purpose than winning an advantage for our party. we charged him with the care of by a higher cause. his election represents the best hopes for our country, and the world. it is said that this election will turn on domestic and economic issues. but what mitt romney knows and what we know is the 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 a 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 lead in 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 by -- to all by our creator. [cheers and applause]

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. if we have led when necessary with the armed rights of freedom's defenders and we have led from the front, never from behind. [cheers and applause] 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 a firm and carried forward. it is a 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, all who serve today as he has blessed us with their service. [cheers and applause] we are now being tested by an array of threats that are more complex, more numerous, and just as deeply and as deadly as 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 is at stake in this election. [applause] unfortunately, for four years, we have drifted away from our proudest traditions of global leadership. traditions that are truly bipartisan. we that the challenges we face at home and abroad -- we let the challenges we face at home and abroad harder to solve. we cannot afford to stay on the course and the lager. we cannot afford to cause our friends and allies from latin america, europe, asia, the middle east and especially in

israel, a nation under existential threat, to doubt america's's leadership. [cheers and applause] we cannot 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 cannot afford to have the security of our nation -- we cannot have the security of our nation and those who bravely defended it endangered because their government leaks the secrets of their heroic operations to the media. [cheers and applause] coughei believe we cannot afforo

substitute a political timetable to a military strategy. by continuing to withdraw from afghanistan, the president has encouraged and emboldened our enemies which is why commanders have said it puts our mission at much greater risk. we cannot afford another $500 billion in cuts in our defense budget on top of the nearly $500 billion in cuts that the president is making. [applause] 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. that man is our next vice- president, paul ryan. [applause] but most of all, we cannot afford to abandon the cause of human freedom. when long suffering peoples demand liberation from their jailers and tortures and tyrants, the leader of the free world must stand with them. unfortunately, this is not happening. when iranians rosa by the millions against their repressive rulers, when day besieged our president, chanting in english -- they beseeched our president, chanting in english, are you with us or are you with

them? when a brave woman was shot and bled to death in the street, the president missed an historic opportunity to throw america's full moral support behind an iranian revolution that shared one of our highest interests, redding iran of a group of dictators that terrorized the middle east and threatens the world. [applause] 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 russia and hezbollah with tanks and helicopters and fighter jets, bashir asaad is ordering men, women, and children. extremists are 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 helped -- acted to help them prevail. [applause] sadly for the lonely voices of dissent in syria and iran and elsewhere in the world, who feel forgotten in their darkness, and sadly for us as well, our president is not being true to our values. [applause] 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, which must return to our best traditions of american leadership and support those who faced down the brutal tyranny of their oppressors and our enemies. [applause] my friends, across the world, people are seizing control of their own destinies. there liberating themselves repressive rulers -- they are liberating themselves from repressive rulers and the what america's support. they want america posie -- america's assistant as they 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. [applause]

the demand for our leadership in the greater. people do not want less of america. they want more. everywhere i go in the world, people tell me that 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. [applause] 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 does not lead, our adversaries will.

and the world will go darker, poorer, and much more dangerous. i trust him to know that an american president always, always, always stands up for the rights and freedom and justice of all people. [applause] i trust mitt romney to know that good can triumph over evil, that justice can vanquish tyranny, that love can cover 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. [applause] ♪ >> we speak the same language of freedom and justice and the right of every person to live in peace. israel and america are in many respects the reflections of one another. >> mitt romney believes we share the terrace relationship with israel. israel respects the rights of people of all religions and will preserve the holy places of christians, jews, and muslims. >> people believe in the right of leaders -- to select our leaders. we believe in the rule of law, knowing that in its absence, the rights of the week will be

oppressed. it is my fm conviction that the security of israel is in the vital national security interests of the united states. the enduring alliance is more than a strategic alliance. it is a force for good in the world. no country, or organization, or individual should ever doubt this truth. a free and strong america will always stand by the free and strong israel. >> it is a deeply moving experience to be in jerusalem. the capital of israel. [applause] ♪

♪

>> please welcome rep. kathy laurence rogers from washington

state. >> good evening. while we gather here tonight for the second night of the republican convention in tampa, we would like to pause to acknowledge those along the gulf coast impacted by hurricane isaac. welded has been -- while it has been downgraded to a tropical storm, our hearts and prayers remain with them and we pledged to help them recover and rebuild. to find out more about how you can help those affected by hurricane isaac, please visit redcross.org/give. [applause] tonight, we have a terrific line up for you. our theme tonight is, we can change it. we have heard the challenges america is facing now. let's talk about the solutions.

those of you in the convention and those of you watching at home know what needs to be done. we need to create more jobs, get our economy moving. 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 need a president that shares these 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. france, we know we can do better. we can change it. tonight's program is filled with people who will tell us how. senator johnson will talk to us about how small businesses like the one i ran with my family in washington state, are the fuel our economy needs. senator robb portman will talk about the vital role of international trade in jump starting our economy. gov. tim pawlenty will share with us why he believes mitt romney is the man who can get the job done. we are so pleased that mike huckabee can be with us. we look forward to hearing his candid assessment as one of america's favorite former governors. and former secretary of state

condoleezza rice will talk about american's role on the world stage at how our current economic situation impacts our ability to lead. new mexico governor suzanna martinez will talk about how she became the first hispanic governor -- female governor in american history and she will talk about breaking down barriers for women. our keynote speaker is a man with the courage of his convictions who is not afraid to tackle the tough questions facing our country. next, vice president of the united states -- and next president of the united states, paul ryan. let's start by talking about one of the first things that will change under mitt romney. obamacare. journey in welcoming -- join me

in welcoming the attorneys general. >> as attorneys general, we have been on the front line defending the constitution and the american people from a president driven to exercise government power over our freedom, our rights, and our lives. we know that the constitution limits federal power. president obama clearly believes those limits just get in his way. so he ignores them, time and again. he promises to rescue our economy and infirm and by investing in green jobs but instead, funnels or tax dollars into campaign donors -- your tax

dollars into campaign donor pockets. he refuses to come clean with congress and the american people about fast and furious. >> he sure does. he talks about giving us more control over health care decisions, but instead, grants the power to government bureaucrats. he claims that government is responsible for private sector success, but the only thing he is building is bigger government. and obamacare is exhibit a. >> it distorts our constitution and endangers our fragile economy. we did everything in our power to stop it, taking the fight all the way to the united states supreme court. we prevailed on our main arguments. >> the court agreed that the commerce clause of the

constitution does not allow the federal government to purchase a product to four sued to purchase something you do not want. -- purchase a product for you to purchase something you do not want. >> they upheld the individual insurance mandate by calling it something the president's war it never was. -- president swore it never was. president, and delegates said it was not a tax. the new americans were hurting and the last thing we needed was another tax because they knew if the american public were told that obamacare was just a

massive tax hike, they would not have a prayer of passing it. >> instead, president obama and the democrats called it a mandate. then they turned around and without a shred of shame, asked the court to call the mandate a tax. a president cannot bring himself to a acknowledge publicly -- to acknowledge publicly that the only reason the still stands is because it is -- the act still stands because it is a tax. he knowingly and purposely impose this unwarranted restriction against the will of the people -- imposed this unwarranted restriction against the will of the people. this is not why young american

men and women today risk their lives in defense of freedom. , do youou tonight want skyrocketing health- insurance premiums? >> do you want enormous financial burdens on young people who already shoulder our nation's crushing debt? >> do you what the government to force individuals and religious institutions to violate the tenets of their faith? >> do you want over $1 trillion in new tax increases? >> do you what a job that straggles our businesses -- a mandate that stragglengles our businesses? >> do you want the federal government to steal hundreds of

billions of dollars from medicare to hide the true cost of obamacare? >> do you want more of this for four more years? the health care lawsuit has reminded all of us that the constitution limits the power of government. it has reminded us of the precious relationship between federalism and individual liberty. and though we fundamentally disagree with his decision, chief justice roberts did observe that it is not the supreme court's job to protect the people from the consequences of their political choices. >> that is right. it is our jobs to make any choice -- our job to make a new choice. it is up to us to stand up and say in a loud, clear voice,

enough. it is time to repeal obamacare. it is time to stop those who ignore the constitution when it is expedient. it is time to remember that our rights are not a gift from government but from god. and by his grace, we will defend them. it is time for mitt romney and paul ryan. thank you. ♪ >> please give a warm welcome to the u.s. senator from south dakota, and chairman of the senate republican conference, john suhn.

>> thank you. thank you, s.d., and good evening, my fellow republicans. it is no secret that i am a sports fan. in fact, i get asked all the time if i have ever played basketball with president obama. the answer is no. i am still waiting for that invitation. the next question is, do you think you could take him one-on- one? i said i do not know, i have not seen him play. i can tell you this. president obama would be easy to defend because you know he is always going to go to his left. like many americans, i have been

blessed by the hard work and sacrifice of those who have come before. it was in 1936 when two norwegian brothers came to this country in search of the american dream. when they came, the only english words they knew were the words apple pie and coffee which evidently they had plenty of on the trip over. the immigration officials at ellis island determined their name which was spelled -- was too difficult to spell and pronounced. they ask them to change it. they picked the name of the farm where they worked in norway. with their new country and their new name, they began their life

by working on the railroad. they learned english and save enough money to start a small hardware store. and yes, mr. president, they did build it. my grandfather raised three sons. the middle son joined the navy. he became a naval aviator, flying combat missions off the aircraft carrier intrepid in the pacific theater. on one mission, he shot down four aircraft for which he'd this -- received the distinguished flying cross. my dad returned to south dakota to his heart restore 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 the obama administration policies that are weighing down our job creators. middle-class americans and cities and 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 policy are effectively regulating them out of business. his administration imposed batting farm kids from doing basic chores. since president obama took office, we have had employment over 8%. the longest streak on record.

the cost of family held health insurance premiums has risen by 19%. college intuition has increased by 25%, and fuel costs have doubled. the number of people on food stamps has increased by 45%. the debt that we're piling on the backs of our children and grandchildren has gone up by 50%. after all of president obama's talk about the middle class, middle class incomes are down. folks, we will not be in the situation -- the this situation with mitt romney in the white house. he understands what it takes for businesses, large and small, to grow and to create jobs. this knowledge does not come from a textbook. although he has read plenty of those. it comes from decades of rolling up his sleeves and getting the

job done. it comes from recognizing the strength and contributions of every individual. his experience tells them the most valuable insight can be gained not by lecturing but by listening. when he does use his presidential bully pulpit, it will be to champion the cause of small businesses 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 began. gone will be the arrogance of a president whose first instinct is to condemn achievement. gone will be that 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 that government is not an obstacle to success. and you will have a president with a plan to strengthen the middle class. my friends, may never be said of us that when confronted with the economic peril before us, that we have ever did our eyes, turned away, and did nothing. depends onn's future our willingness to act and our decision to elected mitt romney president of the united states.

thank you, ladies and gentlemen. may god continue to bless the united states of america. >> good evening, convention goers. we are live on the floor and with me is a civil engineer from india. tell us about why you came and emigrated to this country. give us a little snapshot. >> let me first say one thing. i am a proud republican from the state of wisconsin. >> googled paul ryan country. >> the next vice-president of the united states. i came to this country as a student. with a few dollars in my pocket and a dream in my heart.

this country provided opportunity for any person from anywhere in the world and live the american dream. guess what? i have lived the american dream. and i am very proud of that -- it. this is the best country on the earth and i love it with a passion. in 1980, something happened to change my life. a man by the name of ronald reagan was elected president of the united states. and he inspired me so much that i decided to become a u.s. citizen and a republican. >> tell me this. you owned a small business for 22 years. in your opinion, what are the biggest challenges that small- business owners face today? >> let me go back to ronald reagan a bit. he used to say that america is a shining city on a hill.

under president obama, we have become a tent city with people waiting in line for government handouts and i do not like it. >> we want to thank you for joining us from wisconsin. great state. we want to turn it back to the program once again. live from the 2012 republican national convention. back to program. >> please welcome tad true, vice president of the wyoming-based private company. p -- pipe company. >> thank you. energy powers everything we do and america depends on reliable and affordable energy. this is a simple concept, but the obama administration does not get it.

his policies are driving us away from energy independence, not toward it. mitt romney knows that we need and all the above energy policy that includes oil, gas, and coal. and chernobyls. like wind and solar. -- and renewal bulls like wind and solar so we can secure energy independence for our country. infrastructure is fundamental to all energy systems. infrastructure is critical to achieving energy independence. infrastructure like pipelines. which prompts me to ask, mr. president, where is the keystone pipeline?

i am part of the third generation of a family owned businesses and we operate pipelines in wyoming, north dakota, and montana. these companies were started by my grandfather and run by my father and uncles. between them and our 152 dedicated and talented employees, we built almost 4,000 miles of pipeline. a lot of our recent work has been constructing new pipeline infrastructure in western north dakota. the support and development of the oil shale, and exciting and important development for america. some time ago, we agreed to build the on ramp to the keystone pipeline so it can take american-produced oil to american markets.

if keystone had received timely approval of their permit, it would be under construction today. instead, americans have missed out on jobs from this pipeline because the obama administration has placed politics with the keystone -- played politics with the keystone project. my three boys will be part of the fourth generation of our family business. although my kids think pipelines are boring, i know and you know and mitt romney knows that pipelines are vital to american oppose the energy system. ladies and gentlemen, this is not about just one pipeline. this is about a fundamental transformation of american

oppose the energy system so we can achieve that long sought after goal of energy independence. more importantly, it is about my three boys and four children, and about rebuilding a nation that can once again power itself. we need a president that understands that we need all that energy, all that oil, all those jobs, and we need a president that understands that american needs that pipeline. that president is mitt romney. thank you. [applause] >> good evening. we are life from backstage. today, i have the honor to be with michigan delegates michelle vorhees. you tell us about

yourself. >> i am a wife and mother and i come from a small town in michigan. i am a small-business owner. >> i understand you have a commercial real-estate business. how has your business faired under president obama? >> let me say that obama did not build my business, but he is doing everything in his power to tear down. under his administration, the regulations and restrictions that he is placing on the banks have caused them to stop lending money. even though we have excellent credit and we have never missed a payment, we're not sure whether we will get the financing to continue funding our business. this creates an term -- uncertainty so we're not hiring. this makes for 12 hour to 14 hour days that we have to work to keep our business running. i have an 18-year-old tyson off to college and a 90-year-old

mother-in-law that we're caring for. i do not see any end in sight if things did not change. i want to see that we give thanks to god for everything we have. my husband and i have been married for 35 years and during that time, we have worked hard and play by rules, we have done everything right. we thought at the end of the day we would have a great retirement and a successful business that we could leave to our kids but right now i do not know if i will get to retire. i am 55. i do not want to start over again and do something else. under the obama administration, i feel our dreams are slipping away. >> her story is one of the many of small-business owners and what they're going through today during the obama administration trade we go back live to the republican national convention. thank you.

♪

[applause]

>> please give a warm welcome to senator robb portland -- rob

portman of ohio. >> thank you. good evening, america, and the delegation from the buckeye state right in front of me. [cheers and applause] my name is rob portman, and they say i was on governor romney's short list of vice-presidential candidates. apparently, it was not short enough. [laughter] what a great convention, and i am 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, and he made money. [cheers and applause] he made it the old-fashioned way, folks. he earned it. [cheers and applause] then you have barack obama. who never started a business, never even worked in business, and yet, he claims those who have should give credit to the government or someone else for their success. [boos] so you have one candidate, who believes that success comes from working hard, competing, and taking risks, and you have another candidate, who believes that success comes from government. [boos] let me ask you this. which one of those do you think knows how to turn around this economy? [cheers and applause] right answer.

let me ask you this. which one would you choose to invest your life savings? >> mitt romney, romney, romney! >> should it be any different for safeguarding our economy? or let's say you do not have any savings. let's say you are worried about to pay septembers rent or mortgage. let's say you are one of the millions of americans out of work or one of the millions more who have given up looking for work. you have got to be running out of patience and hope. you have got to be tired, looking for a new start. well, you do not have to be patient and longer. three your vote this fall, you can change the outcome of this country and the outlook for you and your family. [cheers and applause] america, it has been nearly four

years of 8% unemployment, double-digit unemployment for hispanics, african-americans, four years, and fdr and truman won an entire world war in four years. america is tired of waiting. [cheers and applause] listen, in business, if you do not move rapidly, what happens? you are out of business. you are finished. we want a president who operates at business speed, not governments beat. [cheers and applause] -- not government speed. president obama says he deserves reelection because his economic policies have worked. not in this universe, they have not. >> no! >> in fact, the experts tell us that if we do not change our policies, we are going back into

recession next year. folks, 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 for restoring our economy and strengthening the middle class. [cheers and applause] i ask you, where is the president's economic plan? blaming others does not qualify as the plan. [laughter] now, the president did submit a budget. it was so bad, folks, that not a 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. [cheers and applause] president obama has been right about at least one prediction he has made about the economy.

he said, "if i do not have this done in three years, then there is going to be a one-term proposition." [cheers and applause] i think you are right about that, mr. president. it has not worked, because you cannot spend your way, regulate your way, tax your way, or blame your way out of the economic mess that we are in. [cheers and applause] 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. [cheers and applause] in contrast, president obama is the first president in 75 years,

democrat or republican, who has not even sought the ability to negotiate export agreements and open markets overseas. now, why is this important? because 95% of the world's consumers live outside our borders, and to create jobs, workers and our farmers need to sell more of what we make to those people. [cheers and applause] while this administration has been dragging its feet, other countries have been busy, negotiating hundreds of new trade agreements to benefit their workers, their farmers, taking away our opportunities. president obama has been so driven to advance his big government ideology that he has abandoned the daily work that the 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. [cheers and applause]

take sharing -- take trade with china. china manipulates its currency, giving it an unfair trade advantage, so why does the president not do something about it? i tell you, president obama could not run his record trillion dollar deficit if the chinese did not buy our bonds to finance them. folks, we are as beholden to china for bonds as we are to the middle east for oil. this will end under mitt romney. [cheers and applause] we need to knock down these barriers to trade abroad, but we also need to knock down a self- imposed barriers to success right here at home. we need to reform our outdated

and complicated tax code. we need to fix our board and some regulatory system, and we need a policy that encourages the development of our resources right here in the ground in america. [cheers and applause] america has a choice between mitt romney, who seeks to grow the economy, and barack obama, who seeks to redistribute it. which one do you think will liberate american entrepreneurial spirit? >> romney, romney, romney! > at the other party's convention, you will hear another chant. "four more years, four more yea rs!" folks, we cannot have another

four more years. how about no more years? [cheers and applause] governor romney chose a terrific partner in paul ryan of wisconsin. [cheers and applause] paul is a close friend, a great family man, and he has got a contrast toeart, in joe biden. vice-president biden will tell people out of work to, quote, "just hang in there." so much for hope and change. paul ryan is not asking americans to hang in there. he is proposing to policies that would give poor and middle-class families opportunity and hope for the future. [cheers and applause]

mitt romney made his mark turning around businesses, 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. [cheers and applause] america, give them the chance to restore the american 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 for a big company and started his own business, taking a risk. he sold trucks. my mom was the bookkeeper. she had to borrow money. they had to borrow money from her uncle because the bank would not give him a loan. he lost money the first few years, but he never lost his dream. by the time he retired and my

brother took over, the business had 200 employees, 200 families in southwestern wyoming who were supported by the business. -- in southwestern ohio who were supported by this business. freedmen and free women willing to work hard and take a risk to build something of value for themselves, their families, and their community. [cheers and applause] about a year into the obama administration, i asked my dad if he would do it again. he said, "rock, with all the uncertainty out there today, i do not know if i would take the risk of." -- take the risk." the sum it up. they are afraid to make the investment, and jobs are the

casualty. ladies and gentlemen, we need new leadership and policies to bring back the dream and renew america's promise. cheers and greet -- [cheers and applause] no more excuses, no more blaming others, no more waiting. we need romney-ryan, and we need them now. [cheers and applause] and with your help, it is going to happen. thank you, and god bless our great country. [cheers and applause] ♪ >> please, give a warm welcome to steve coghen from ohio. -- steve cohen. >> good evening. my name is steven cohen, and i

am president of sri machine industries, of construction and mining equipment located in the great buckeye state of ohio. -- the president of screen machine industries. and, yes, we did build this country. nearly 3 million small businesses serve as the american backbone for job creation and product innovation. the opportunity to create new products and open new markets is the american dream. this capitalistic spirit has supported our economy since its founding as a manufacturer, our products are the heart beats of business. we cannot tolerate company's

steel and work without compensation. it could take several years and several thousand dollars to achieve patent status. once granted, we expected to be protected. our products are often stolen and copied overseas for a mere fraction of the price. all too often, tariffs and trade practices make it difficult for american businesses to export. we will need a president that will protect the patented inventions, guard the value of our currency, and open up new markets for our products. american small businesses face a mountain of regulations and taxes. in addition, our international competitors do not have to face the upcoming costs associated with finding a multibillion- dollar health care plan, over reaching emissions standards, and the unnecessary war on: --

on coal. these create an enormous disadvantage in the marketplace, and it strangles small-business is. while we face higher government- imposed costs, cheaper imports from overseas companies flood our markets. unnecessary mandates make our products more difficult to sell. give our companies the ability to expand and hire again. let's bring that back original american dream to invent, to employ, and prosper. thank you. [cheers and applause]

>> [speaking foreign language] from puerto rico, i am stephanie. it is not every day where someone comes along to set goals, with the determination to get it done, and the wisdom to make the right choices. mitt romney and paul ryan have that courage, wisdom, and conviction. in porter we go, we are also lucky to have such a leader in luis fortuno, who brought our economy on its knees to its feet. jobs are on the rise, and puerto rico is beginning to realize its potential. we are saying pr does it better thanks to this governor, and everyone on this item is, we are proving it. washington can learn a lot from the current and next governor of puerto rico, luis fortuno.

[cheers and applause] ♪ >> thank you. thank you very much. buenas noches, puerto rico. buenas noches, florida. blondest marches, america. as a proud american surge in the nearly 4 million american citizens of puerto rico, i am honored to be with you tonight. we have gathered 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 leave a more prosperous country for the next generation. it is true in florida. it is true in puerto rico, it is

true throughout this great land of ours, but as family's tight in their budget, washington continues its wasteful spending. unless we elect leaders who take responsibility now, our children and theirs will pay for it later. [cheers and applause] you and i know there is a better way. unlike many conservative governors around the country, we are proving it. -- and like many conservative governors around the country. when i took office, i inherited a $3.30 billion budget deficit. per person, the largest anywhere in the nation. we cannot 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%, starting with my own salary. we reduce our deficit 90% while continuing to invest in our schools, hospitals, and highways. at the same time, we cut taxes 50% on individuals and 30% on businesses, the largest tax cut in puerto rican history. [cheers and applause] and guess what? our private sector, the real economy, began to create jobs again. imagine, if we had national policies that support rather than prevent growth, we would then be able to truly unleash the prosperity that our country and our people deserve. that is what mitt romney and paul ryan will do for america. [cheers and applause]

they, they understand that each community's challenges are unique, but the answers are the same. they cannot do this if they keep growing washington's budget. we need to get garbage out of our way, and we need to have freedom and the spirit of the american people shine through. we can outthink, out dream, out of work, and out produce anybody in the world -- we can out dream, outfit, outwork, and outproduce anybody in the world. mitt romney and paul ryan certainly 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 wisconsin to an owner in florida, they want to grow, to produce, and to hire. but they are concerned, worried that washington will continue to punish them with more taxes, more red tape, and more dormant controls. give them the freedom to grow, and you will see how many jobs they create. [cheers and applause] i like to talk a lot about freedom because freedom is the essence of who we are as americans. over to a hundred thousand poor ricans have served in uniform to defend our nation and the

freedom we hold so dear -- over 200,000 porter ricans -- puerto ricans. 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, and this young man had bravely served in combat and was given the middle chance to live. without knowing if he could hear me, at every visit, i would whisper in his ear, i would tell him how proud and thing zero we were for his dedication and sacrifice, adding, "do not 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. >> we will never give up! >> for every mother is sacrifices so were children and of greater opportunity, we will never give up. for every small-business owner who makes 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, 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. >> we will never give up! >> thank you, and god bless the united states of america. thank you. [cheers and applause] >> performing the somme -- the song "so good," the katinas.

♪ handslap your if you are feeling good tonight, then clap your hands if you are feeling good tonight, if you are feeling good tonight, ♪ ♪ id is available -- it is

available, it is so fine ♪ ♪ >> ♪ put your hands together, put your hands together, put your hands together good good, good, good good, good, good, good good, good, good, good, good, good, good, good, goood, good ♪

♪ ♪ hey ♪ ♪ [applause] [video clip] >> america does not just exist for the people. we believe in the constitution, the declaration of independence. we believe in life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. individuals pursuing their own dreams, making us the most

prosperous nation on earth, this is our moment. >> this is the kind of america i believe. >> americans today, ready to act worthy of ourselves, ready to do what must be done to ensure health and liberty for ourselves, our children, and our children's children. >> because we believe. >> how can we not believe in the greatness of america? >> if you had a small business, you did build that. >> to save the american dream for our children and theirs. >> to be affirmed the convictions that unite us and go forward shoulder to shoulder to secure the victory that america deserves. let's do it together. thank you, and god bless america.

>> usa, usa, usa, usa! ♪ >> from the state of minnesota, please welcome former governor tim pawlenty. ♪ [cheers and applause] >> thank you. thank you very much. good evening, everyone. nd welcome to barack obama's retirement party. [cheers and applause] four years ago, we came together for this convention back in my home state of minnesota, and a lot has happened since then. we have had four years of barack

obama in the white house. ah, the obama white house. one bad decision follows another. it is hard to say exactly just what his worst mistake has been. there are so many to choose from. the stimulus. his energy policy. obamacare. taxes. joe biden. [laughter] now, i hear joe is particularly interested in tonight's proceedings. he even thought about coming here to tampa, and he is taking notes, because when paul ryan speaks, joe will finally get to hear what a real vice president sounds like. [cheers and applause]

but, you know, president obama it is not as bad as people say. he is actually worse. [laughter] the president takes more vacations than the guy on that food show. and i will give barack obama credit for creating jobs these last four years. for golf caddies. [laughter] actually, barack obama it is the first president to create more excuses than jobs. [applause] in his view, it is george's fault. it is the bank's fault. it is europe's spot. it is the weather's fault. it is congress' fault.

mr. president, if you want to find fault, i suggest you look in the mirror. [cheers and applause] i have come to realize that barack obama is the tatoo president. like a tattoo, it seemed cool early on, but later, that decision does not look so good, and you wonder, "what was i thinking?" [applause] but the worst part is that you're going to have to explain it to your kids. next week, barack obama will plead with americans to give his

failed policies and ideas another chance. he is asking americans to give him more time and more money. well, sorry, mr. president. you are out of time, and we are out of money. [cheers and applause] barack obama has failed us, but, look, it is understandable. a lot of people fail at their first job. [applause] [whistling] now, our opponents claim to be the party of the middle class, but democrats do not understand this fundamental point.

it is really hard for people to be part of the middle class if they do not have a job. now, i know about these things. i grew up in a meat packing town. foremost of his life, my dad was a truck driver. my mom was a homemaker. she died when i was 16 years old, and my dad lost his job not long after that. i was the only one of five kids and our family that had a chance to go to college. when i travelled the country these past few years, i met americans from every walk of life. if you ask middle-class americans about their hopes and dreams, they will share their heart but also their concerns. can they pay the mortgage? will they have enough money to buy groceries or put gas in the car? will they be able to get their kids into college or pay their

tuition? but jobs do not come from politicians. they come from the entrepreneurs, the inventors, the innovators, and the risk takers. america's entrepreneurs no taxes are too high, and regulations are too costly and complex. obamacare frightened them, and they want more american energy, and they are collectively making one common pleas. they are saying, "i want to run my business and employ people, " but they are also saying this. "just to get government off of my back." [cheers and applause] we need to let them know that help is on the way, and help's

name iws -- is mitt romney. ladies and gentlemen, we have the best candidate. this is not his first job or the first time he has been a leader that produced results. he has 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, is ready to help get america back on track and americans back to work. [applause] 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, alarming energy prices, -- lowering energy

prices, but there is one other thing that i want to leave you with tonight. it is important for america to know that mitt romney is not only a great leader, he is also a remarkable person. [applause] he is smart, gracious, and wise. and he has this infectious good cheer about him, something i appreciate, and something american needs. mitt romney never quits moving. when he sees a problem, and he goes after it and finds a solution. it is that can-do spirit combined with a lifetime of service and success that convinced me to support him, it is that can-do spirit in the white house that we need leading us now. as a former governor, i know that leadership takes optimism, but not blind optimism.

we need a leader that understands the depth of our challenges but wasa does not shy away from the end. mitt romney knows what our problems are, and he has the tools and experience and energy and right policy to fix them. [cheers and applause] after four years of this president, we need mitt romney now more than ever. i am proud to be supporting him as president of the united states, and i know you are, too, and with any luck, in a few months, barack obama will at last give some experience in the private sector. [cheers and applause] thank you. god bless you, and god bless the united states of america. good night. [cheers and applause]

♪ >> please, give a warm welcome governor mikeown, huckabee. >> thank you. thank you very much. i was so very honored to be asked to address one of this week's theme is. "we can do better? " and then, i was backstage, and i heard some folks say that after hearing speak, some folks would say, "we sure can do better than mike huckabee," and then that is when they would nominate mitt romney to be the next president of the united states of america. tampa has been a wonderful and hospitable city, and i am grateful for all they have done for us, but the only hitch in an otherwise perfect week was the

awful noise coming from the hotel room next door to mind. it turns out it was just divvy wasserman schultze -- debbie wasserman schultz practice in her speech for next week. years ago, we were opponents, but we are not opposing each other. we are opponents of what has put this country in a downward spiral. the united states of america was originally an experiment, but it was an experiment in recognizing god-given individual liberty and creating a government in which no one is deemed better than another, and which all of us are equal. not equal in abilities, but equal in intrinsic worth and

value. it is the essence, not just of who we are but what we are. it is quite simple. we have barack obama to thank. it was barack obama who said, "you did not build it." translation? "it does not belong to you." well, no small differences in our party approximate the vast differences between the liberty- limiting, anti-business, a tax spending and tax hiding party of harry reid, barack obama, and nancy pelosi, versus the party that know is we can do better. [cheers and applause] -- the tax spending and tax hiking party of harry reid,

barack obama, and nancy pelosi. no experience in business whatsoever, and since taking office, mostly interested in campaigning, blaming, and aiming excuses at his predecessor, the republicans, and people in business, or as republicans like to call it, and employers. we stagnated into an economy that has taken all of that hope right down the slope and has left millions without jobs, forced out of their homes by foreclosure, herded into a tendency by a government that promises us candy but gives us cavities. barack obama's seems intent on enrolling more people in food stamps. the mitt romney focus is going to be on generating more jobs that will make food stamps and necessary for them. [cheers and applause]

we know full well we can do better. mitt romney turnaround companies, he turned around a scandal with an olympics that was deep and the red to a high point of patriotic pride, and he turned around a very liberal state when he replaced a deficit with a surplus. remember when barack obama said when he could not turn things around in three years, it would be a one-term proposition? well, it has been almost four years. i say, let's make him a proposition he cannot refuse. let's vote him out. [cheers and applause] i understand that the job of president is admittedly tougher than running a company, an

olympic contests, 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 that we will do better. [cheers and applause] i am thrilled to say that mitt romney has been loyal to his lovely wife, who knocks it out of the park last night in this arena. [cheers and applause] he has been loyal to his sons, to his country, to his employees, and to his church. i am sure now that the press is going to tell you he is not perfect. my friends, for the past four years, we tried the one that the press thought was perfect, and that has not worked out all that well for us. that is why tonight, i tell you,

we can do better. our founding fathers left taxation and tyranny, seeking religious liberty, and a society of meritocracy rather than aristocracy. what they created is a bold experiment in government, believing that god gave us inalienable rights, and the government's role is to make sure those rights are protected. so were they that the government would grow beyond their intention that even after crafting our magnificent constitution, they said, "we can do even better." they added amendments. we called them "the bill of rights." those bill of rights and limit what the government can do, and a guarantee what we, the people, have the unimpeded right to do,

whether to speak, assemble, worship, bray, publish, or even refuse intrusions into our homes -- worship, pray, published. many americans died to pass on that. what they said was "we can do better." as a kid, growing up in a household, my dad never finished high school. i grew up in a family in which no male and it never occurred to them to tell

upstream from the had finished high school much less gone to college, but i was taught that even though there is nothing i could do about what is behind me, i could change everything about what is in front of me. my working poor parents told me that i could do better. they taught me that i was as good as anybody else,me that i t comfortably and wait for good old uncle to feed me, and then bleed me. they told me to get off my back side, where car, treat people honestly and look at me today. i have become as the press like to label me a failed candidate. it is true. i have fallen from the high perch of politics, and now i wallow in the media. but i still know that as a country we can do better, and i know that with mitt romney and paul ryan, we will do better. i went to clear up something.

whether an evangelical 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 expandable at any time in the warm, even beyond, and he tells people of faith that they have to about their knees to the god of government and violate their faith of conscious -- conscience in what he calls health care. friends, i know we can do better. [cheers and applause] friends, let me say it is clearly impossible that the attack on my catholic brothers and sisters is an attack on me. [cheers and applause] the democrats have brought back

that from limbo, to see how low they can go in attempting to limit our ability to practice our faith, but this is not a battle about contraceptives and catholics but about conscience and the creator. let me say to you tonight, i care far less as to where mitt romney takes his family to church than i do about where he takes this country. [cheers and applause] joe biden said, "show me your budget, and i will tell you what you value." well, in joe's party, they have not produced a budget in three years. what does that say about their values? and, by the way, speaking of budgets, joe biden budget shows that while he wants to be very

generous with your money through higher taxes and greater spending, for years, he gave less than two tenths of 1% of his own 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 church and charity, and, my friends, i feel a lot better about having a president who will give generously of his own money instead of mine or yours is. [cheers and applause] my concern is not barack obama's past, but my concern is for the future of my grandchildren. middle chandler and scarlet.

-- little chancellor -- chandler. a system that will collapse upon itself because he thinks that we can prosper by punishing productivity and rewarding reckless irresponsibility. the democrats say we ought to give barack obama credit for trying. folks, that sounds like the nonsense of giving every kid a trophy for showing up. let's be clear. we are talking about leading the country, not playing on a third grade soccer team. look, i realize, this is a man that got a nobel peace prize for what he could potentially do. but in the real world, you get the prize for producing something, not just promising something. [cheers and applause]

sometimes, we get so close to the picture that we cannot see it clearly. i never had the privilege of working with bono the campaign to fight aids and disease and hunger around the world. bono is an irishman and a great humanitarian, and i remember him telling me about his admiration for america. he said, "america is more than just a country. we are an idea." and he reminded me that we are an exceptional nation with an extraordinary history, row owes it to the generations that are coming after us to lead them with an extraordinary legacy, but if we do not change the direction of our nation now, our bequest will be nothing but an extraordinary shame, but, dear friends, we can do better.

[cheers and applause] president obama is out of gas, and americans are out of patience, and our great republic is almost out of time. it is time that we no longer lead from behind but that we get off of our behinds and leave something lasting for those who came after arrests instead of a mountain of debt and a pile of excuses. tonight, not because we are republicans, it is because we are americans. and we proudly stand with mitt romney and paul ryan, and we say, "we will do better." god bless you. thank you. god bless. [cheers and applause] ♪

fool, i went and state to a long, and now, i am wondering if our love is strong here i am, baby, signed, sealed, delivered, i am yours ♪ baby, here i am, signed, sealed, delivered, i am yours signed, sealed, delivered, i am yours here i am, baby i am signed, sealed, delivered,

i am yours ♪ ♪ >> ladies and gentlemen, please give a warm welcome to the former u.s. secretary of state condoleezza rice. [cheers and applause] ["sweet home alabama plays'] [cheers and applause] >> thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you very much. thank you. [cheers and applause] thank you, thank you, thank you very much. thank you. thank you, thank you.

>> we love you, condi! >> thank you so much. good evening. good evening, distinguished delegates. good evening, fellow republicans. good evening, my fellow americans. [cheers and applause] we gather here at a time of significance and challenge. this young century has been a difficult one. i can remember as if it was yesterday when mike dunn assistant came into my office at the white house to say that a plane had hit the world trade center, and then, a second plane, and then a third plane, the pentagon, and later, we would learn that a plane had crashed into a field in pennsylvania, driven into the ground by brave souls who died so that others might live.

[applause] from that day on, from that day on, our sense of vulnerability and our concept of security were never the same again. then, in 2008, the global financial and economic crisis would stun us. and it's still reverberates as we deal with unemployment and economic uncertainty and bad policies that cast a pall over an american economy and a recovery that is desperately needed at home and abroad. and we have seen, we have seen that the desire for liberty and freedom is, indeed, universal, as men and women in the middle east rise up to seize it. yet, the promise of the arab spring is engulfed in uncertainty, internal strife, and hostile neighbors. it is challenging the young,

fragile democracy of iraq. dictators in iran and syria butcher their people and threat to regional security. russia and china prevent a response, and everyone asks, "where does america stand?" [applause] indeed, indeed, that is the question of the hour. where does america stand? do you think when the friends or foes alike do not know the answer to that question, unambiguously and clearly, the world is likely to be a more dangerous and chaotic place. since world war ii, the united states has had an answer to that question. we stand for free peoples and free markets. we will stand and support them. [applause] we will sustain a balance of power that favors free them.

now, to be sure, the burdens of leadership have been heavy. i know, as you do, the sacrifice of americans, especially the sacrifice of many of our greatest in the ultimate sacrifice, but our armed forces are the surest shield and foundation of liberty, and we are so fortunate that we have men and women in uniform who volunteer, they volunteered to defend us at the front lines of freedom, and we owe them our eternal gratitude. [cheers and applause] i know it has not always been easy though it has been rewarding to speak for those who

otherwise do not have a voice. the democracy advocate in venezuela, the political prisoner in iran. it has been hard to muster the resources to support fledgling democracies and to intervene on behalf of the most desperate. the aids or from in uganda, the young woman who is the traffic into the sex trade in southeast asia. it has been hard yet this assistance together with the compassion network of private charities, people of conscience and people of faith, have sown - have shown the soul of our country. i know there is a wariness. it feels as if we have carried these burdens long enough. but we can only know that there is no choice because one of two

things will happen if we do not lead. either no one will lead and there will be chaos or someone will fill the vacuum who does not share our values. my fellow americans, we cannot have a choice. we cannot be reluctant to lead and you cannot lead from behind. [applause] mitt romney and paul ryan understand this reality. our well being at home and our leadership abroad are inextricably linked. they know what to do. they know that our friends and allies must again be able to trust us. from israel to columbia, from poland to the philippines.

they have to know that we will be reliable and consistent and determined. our foes can have no reason to doubt our resolve because peace really does come through strength. [applause] our military capability and our technological advantage will be safe in mitt romney's hands. if you are worried about the rise of china, does consider this -- the united states has negotiated -- has ratified only three trade agreements in the last few years. those were negotiated in the bush administration. china has signed 15 free trade

agreements and is in the progress of negotiating as many as 18 more. we are abandoning free and unfettered trade and it will come back to haunt us. -- free and unfair trade and it will come back to haunt us. we must not allow the chance to maintain energy independence to slip from our last -- from our grasp. we can develop them sensitively, securing our environment but the must develop them. -- but we must develop them. and we have the ingenuity to develop alternatives sources of energy. most importantly, mitt romney and paul ryan will rebuild the foundation of our strength, the

american economy. stimulating private sector growth and stimulating small business entrepreneurship. [applause] when the world looks at us today, they see an american government that cannot live within its means. they see an american government that continues to borrow money, that will mortgage the future of generations to come. the world knows that when a nation loses control of its finances, it eventually loses control of its destiny. that is not the america that has inspired people to follow our lead. [applause] after all, when the world looks to america, they look to us

because we are the most successful economic and political experiment in human history. that is the two bases of american exceptional was an. -- true basis of american exceptional them. what really unites us is not religion or ethnicity. it is an idea. and what an idea it is. that you can come from humble circumstances and you can do great things, that it does not matter where you came from, it matters where you are going. [applause] my fellow americans, ours has never been -- we have never

believed that i am doing poorly because you are doing well. we have never been jealous of one another and never envious of each others' successes. no, ours has been a belief in opportunity and it has been a constant struggle long and hard up and down to try to extend the benefits of the american dream to all. but the american ideal is in danger today. there is no country, not even a rising tide of that can do more harm to us than we can do to ourselves if we do not do the hard work before us here at home.

an at any other time in history, greatness is built on mobilizing human potential and ambition. we have always done that better than any country in the world. people have come here from all over the -- all over because they have believed our creed of opportunity and limitless horizons. they have come here from the world's most impoverished nations just to make a decent wage and they have come here from advanced societies as engineers and scientists that fuel the knowledge base of revolution in the silicon valley of california. in the research triangle of north carolina, along route 128 in massachusetts, in austin, texas, and across this great land. [applause]

we must continue to welcome the world's most ambitious people to be a part of us. in that way, we stay young and optimistic and determined. we need immigration laws that protect our borders, meet our economic needs and show that we are a compassionate nation of immigrants. [applause] we have been successful because americans have known that one -- once status of birth is not a permanent condition. americans have believed that you might not be able to control your circumstances but you can control your response to your circumstances.

and your greatest ally in controlling your response to your circumstances has been a quality education. today, when i can look at your zip code and i can tell -- and i honestly say it does not matter where you came from. in matters where you are going. the crisis in k-12 education is a threat to the very fabric of who we are. my mother was a teacher. i respect the profession. we need great teachers, not for want and not mediocre ones. we have to have high standards for our kids. self-esteem comes from achievement. not from lax standards.

and we -- we need to give parents a greater choice, particularly poor parents whose kids are trapped in failing neighborhood schools. this is the civil-rights issue of our day. if we do anything less, we can damage generations to joblessness and hopelessness and life on the government. if we do anything less, we will endanger our global imperative for competitiveness. and if we do anything less, we will tear apart the fabric of who we are and some at the turn

toward its entitlement and grievance. mitt romney and paul ryan will rebuild us at home. and it will help us lead abroad. it will provide an answer to the question where does america stand? the challenge is real and the times are hard. but america has met and overcome our challenges before. whenever you find yourself a doubting us, just think about all those times that america may be impossible seemed inevitable in retrospect. our revolutionary founding act as the greatest military power of the time, a civil war, brother against brother, thousands dead on both sides of the merged in more perfect union. a second founding when inpatient patriots were determined to overcome the birth defect of slavery and the scourge of

segregation. a long struggle against communism with the soviets even -- the soviet union's collapse and in the aftermath of 9/11, the willingness to take hard decisions that toward us and prevented the follow on attack that everybody thought preordained. and on a personal note, and little girl grows up in a jim crow birmingham. the segregated city of the south where her parents cannot take her to a movie theater or to restaurants but they have convinced that even if she cannot have it hamburger at woolworth, she can be the president of the united states if she wanted to be and she becomes the secretary of state. [applause]

yes, yes. yes. yes, america has a way of making the impossible seemed inevitable in retrospect but we know it was never inevitable. it took leadership. and it occurs. and it's a belief that our values. mitt romney and paul ryan have the integrity and the experience and the vision to lead us. they know who we are. they know who we want to be. they know who we are in the world and what we offer. that is why this is a moment of

consequence. because it just has to be that the most compassionate country on the face of the earth will continue to be the most powerful and that begins -- beacon for prosperity and the party across the world. god bless you and god bless this extraordinary country. the united states of america. >> from the state of new mexico, the first hispanic female governor in the history of the united states, please welcome governor susana martinez.

>> thank you. and good evening. before i begin tonight, let people in our prayers that families impacted by the storm affecting the gulf coast. if you have not done so already, please donate to the red cross. to find out more about how you can help those affected by hurricane isaac, please visit redcross.org/give. i am susana martinez.' 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 little girl from a border town could one day become a governor. but this is america. in america, todo es posibile.

my parents taught me to never give up. and you always believe that my featured could be whatever i dent it to be. -- my future to be whatever i jumped it to be. success 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 fear. [applause] we grew up on the border and truly live 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 it were absolutely crazy. we literally have no savings. but they always believed in the american dream. [applause] 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. [applause] now my dad made sure i could take care of myself. i carried a smith and wesson 357 magnum. [applause] yes, that gun weighed more than

i did. my parents grew that smart business -- small business from 118-year old guard a bit and go to more than 125 employees -- guarding a bingo to more than 125 employees in three states. there was helped along the way. but my parents took the risk. they stood up and you better believe they built it. my parents also taught me about having the courage to stand for something. so i went to law school and i became a prosecutor. i took on a specialty that very few choose to pursue. i've prosecuted chao the peace. and child -- child abuse and child homicide cases.

in standing up for those kids, being their voice for justice was the honor of a lifetime. sometimes to pay a price for standing up. when i was a young prosecutor, i got called to testify against my boss. i could get back down but i did not. 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. [applause] i fear some of our leaders today have lost the courage to stand up.

we have now earl politicians. it will not offer real plants -- we have narrow politicians and they will not offer real plans. i was a democrat for many years, so were my parents. before i ran for did it attorney, to republicans invited my husband and i to lunch. -- before i ran for district attorney, two republicans invited my husband and i to lunch. we talked about issues. and never used the word republican are democrats, conservative or liberal. we talked about many issues like welfare, is it the way of life or hand up? talked-about size of government, how much should it tax families

and small businesses? left that lunch, we got in the car and i looked over at my husband and said i'll be damned." we're republicans. [applause] this election should not be about political parties. to many americans are out of work. and our debt is out of control. this election need 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 truck full deficit in

state history. -- largest structural deficit in state history. we do not always agree but we came together in a bipartisan manner and turned that deficit into a surplus. and we did it without raising taxes. but that is not the kind of leadership that we are seeing president obama. he promised to bring us all together, to cut unemployment, to pass immigration reform is dead this first year. and even promised -- reform in his first year.' and even promised to cut the deficit in half. he has not come close. they have not even passed a

budget in washington, d.c. in 3 years. crowd: boo! >> if you can take credit for government buildings ma businesses, then he can accept responsibility for breaking his promise and adding $5 trillion to the national debt. because he did build that. [applause] at the first hispanic female governor in the history, little girls often come up to me in the grocery store or in the mall. a look and a point and when they

get the courage to come up, they ask are you susana martinez? and they run up and they give me a hug. i wonder, how do you know who i am? but they do. and these are little girls. it is in a moment like these when i am reminded that we each pay for a path at for me, it is about paving a path for those little girls to follow. they need to know no more barriers. [applause] in many ways, mitt romney and i are very different. different start in life, different paths to leadership, different cultures but we have 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 americana -- it is

success and success of the american dream. 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 is why we must stand up and make mitt romney the next president of the united states. [applause] thank you. >> today we take another step forward in helping restore the promise of america.

leadership begins with character and values. he is a person of great steadiness whose integrity is unquestioned and his word is good. he understands the fiscal challenges facing america and the fiscal catastrophe that awaits us if we do not change course. today is a good day for america and there are better days ahead. >> when i look at all he has done, his wife, his family, i am just so proud. i know his father would be as well especially tonight. >> i am so proud to introduce my husband, the next five president -- and that the vice- president of the united states, paul ryan. [applause] ♪ >> hello, everybody.

thank you. thank you. thank you very much. hey, wisconsin. thank you. mr. chairman, delegates, fellows citizens -- i am honored by the support of this convention for vice president of the united states.

i accept the duty to help lead our nation out of a jobs crisis and back to prosperity. i know we can do this. i accept the calling of my generation to give our children the america that was given to us with opportunity for the young and security for the old. i know that we are ready. our nominee is sure ready. his whole life prepared him for this moment. to meet serious challenges in a serious way. without excuses. after four years of getting the runaround, america needs a turnaround in demand for the job as governor mitt romney. for the job is

governor mitt romney. i and the newcomer to this campaign. to let me share a first impression. -- so let me share a first impression. i have never seen opponent so silent about their record and so desperate to keep their power. they have run out of ideas. their moment came and went. fear and division is all they have left. with all of their allads, the president's -- with all of their attack ads, the president is just throwing away money. and he is pretty experienced at that. [applause] you see, some people cannot be

dragged down by the usual cheap tactics. because their character, ability, and train and decency are so obvious. these and deployment, that is mitt romney. cy are soain decen obvious. ladies and gentlemen, that is mitt romney. your nomination is an unexpected turn. it came as news to my family. [laughter] and i would like to meet them. my best friend and wife, our daughter, liza, and our boys, charlie and sam. the kids are happy to see their

gramm who lives in florida. there she is, my mom, betty. my dad, a small-town lawyer, was also named paul. he was a gentle presence in my life. i like to think he would be proud of me and my sister and brothers. you know what? i am sure proud of him and where i come from. jamesville, wisconsin. i live on the same block where i grew up. we belong to the same parish where i was baptized. it is that kind of place.

the people of wisconsin have been good to me. i have tried to live up to their trust. and now, i asked those hard- working men and women and millions like them across america to join our cause and get this country working again. when governor romney asked me to join the tickets, i said let's get this done. that is exactly what we are going to do. president obama came to office during an economic crisis, as he might -- as he has reminded us a time or two. those were very tough days.

in any fair measure of his record has to take that into account. my home state voted for president obama. when he talked about change, many people liked the sound of it. especially in jamesville when we were about to lose a major factory. in a lot of guys i went to school with work at withgm plant. candida obama said i believe if our government is there to ate obama- candid said i believe if dark arm is there to support you, this plant will be here for another hundred years. as it turns out, that plant the obama said id ndidate believe if the plant will be

here another hundred years. as it turns out, that did not happen. millions of americans have graduated from president -- from college. half of them cannot find the work they studied for or any work at all. here is the question -- and without a change in leadership, what with the next four years be any different from the last four years? the first troubling sign came with the stimulus. it was president obama's first and best shot at fixing the economy. at a time when he got everything

he wanted under one-party rule. it cost $831 billion. the largest onetime expenditure ever by our federal government. they went to companies like solyndra with their connections, subsidized jobs and make believe markets. the stimulus was a case of political patronage, corporate welfare, and cronyism at their worst. you the american people of this country work cut out of the deal. weird -- what the taxpayers get out of the obama stimulus? more debt. that money was not just spent and wasted. it was borrowed, spent, and wasted.

maybe the greatest waste of all this time. here we were faced with a massive job crisis so deep that is everyone out of work stood in single file, that unemployment line would stretch the length of the entire american continent. you would think that any president, whatever his party, would make a job creation and nothing else has first order of economic business. but this president did not do that. instead, we got a long, divisive, all or nothing attempt to put the federal government in charge of health care. crowd: boo! >> obamacare comes to more than 2000 pages of rules, mandates, taxes, fees, and fines that have

no place in a free country. [applause] that's right. you know what? the president has declared that the debate over government controlled health care is over. that will come as news to the millions of americans to let mitt romney so we can repeal obamacare -- who elect mitt romney so we can repeal obamacare.

and the biggest power play of all in obamacare came at the expense of the elderly. even with all the hidden taxes to pay for the health care takeover, even with the new law and new taxes on nearly 1 million small businesses, the planners in washington still did not have enough money. they needed more. they needed hundreds of billions more. so they just took it all away from medicare. $716 billion funneled out of medicare by president obama. crowd: boo! >> an obligation we have to our parents and grandparents is being sacrificed all to pay for a new entitlement we did not even ask for. [applause]

the greatest threat to medicare is obamacare. and we're going to stop it. in congress, when they picked up the heavy books and the charts about medicare, my thoughts go back to a house on garfield street in jamesville. my one defer -- my wonderful grandmother had alzheimer's. she moved in with my mom and me to read we did all the little things that made her feel loved. we had held for medicare. it was there. just like it is there for my mom

today. medicare is a promise and we will honor it. in mitt romney, paul ryan administration will protect and strengthen medicare from imams generation, my generation and for my kids and yours -- medica re for my mom's generation, my generation, and for my kids and yours. still our opponents can consider themselves on notice. in this election on this issue, the usual posturing is not going to work. mitt romney and i know the difference between protecting a program and reading it. ladies and gentlemen, our nation needs this debate, we want this debate, we will win in this debate.

obamacare, as much as anything else, explains why a presidency that began with such anticipation now comes to such a disappointing close. it began with a financial crisis. it ends with a job crisis. it began with a housing crisis they alone did not cause. it ends with a housing crisis they did not correct. [applause] it began with a perfect couple a

credit rating for the united states. it ends with the downgraded america. it all started off with a stirring speeches, the thrill of something new. is aall that' left presidency and drift, surviving on slogans that already seem tired. grasping at the moment that has already passed. like a ship trying to sail on yesterday's win. -- wind. [applause] you know, president obama was asked not long ago to reflect on any mistakes he might have made. he said, well, i have not communicated enough. [laughter] he said his job is to "tell a

story to the american people." as if that is the whole problem here? he needs to talk more and many to be better listeners? ladies and gentlemen, these past four years, we have suffered no shortage of words in the white house. what is missing is leadership and in the white house. that's right.

that barack obama does tell, for ever shifting blame to the last administration, is getting old. the man assumed office almost four years ago. isn't it about time he assumed responsibility? [cheers and applause] in this generation, a defining responsibility of government is to steer our nation clear of a debt crisis while there is still, -- time. in 2008, candidate obama called a $10 trillion national debt unpatriotic. serious talk from what looked like a serious reformer. by his own decisions, president

obama has added more debt than any other president before him. and more than all the troubled governments of europe combined. one president, one term, $5 trillion in new debt. crowd: boo! >> he created a new bipartisan debt commission. they came back with an urgent report. he thanked them, sent them on their way and then did exactly nothing. crowd: boo! >> republican stepped-up with good faith reforms and solutions equal to the problems. how did the president respond? by doing nothing. nothing except to dock and demagogue the issue. so here we are. $16 trillion in debt and still he does nothing. in europe, massive debts have

put a terrorist -- entire governments at risk of collapse and bills the has done nothing. all we have heard from this president and his team are attacks on anyone who dared to point out the obvious. they have no answer to this simple reality. we need to stop spending money we do not have. really simple. not that hard. my dad used to say to me, son, you have a choice. you can be part of the problem, or you can be part of the solution. the president -- the present administration has made its

choices. mitt romney and i have made hours. before the momentum overwhelms us all, we are going to solve this nation's economic problems. i am going to level with you. we do not have that much time. but if we are serious and smart and the lead, we can do this. after four years of government trying to divide up the wealth, we will get america creating wealth again. with regulatory reform, we will put government back on the side of men and women who create jobs and the men and women who need jobs. my mom started a small business

and i have seen what it takes. mom was 50 when my mom -- when my dad died. she got on a bus every weekday for years and road 40 miles each morning to madison. she earned a new degree and learn new skills to start her small business. it was not just a new livelihood. it was a new life. and it transformed my mom from a widow in grief to a small businesswoman who is -- his happiness was not just in the past. working for hope. it made our family proud -- work gave her hope. it made our family proud. and to this day, my mom is my role model.

behind every small business, there is a story worth knowing. all the corner shops in our towns and cities, the restaurant, cleaners, and gems, hair salons, hardware stores, they did not come out of nowhere. a lot of heart goes into each one. a small business -- a small business people said they made it on their own, all they are saying is nobody else works seven days a week in their place. nobody showed up to open a door at 5:00 in the morning. no one did their thinking and worrying for them. after all that work, it sure does not help to hear from their president that government gets the credit. what they deserve to hear is the

truth -- yes, you did bill that. -- did build that. we have a plan for a stronger middle-class with a goal of generating 12 million new jobs over the next four years. in a clean break from the obama years, and from the years before this president, we will keep federal spending at 20% of gdp or less because that is enough.

the choice is whether to put hard limits on economic growth or hard limits on the size of government. we choose to limit government. i learned a good deal about economics and about america. from the author of the reagan tax reforms, the great jack kemp. what gave jack that incredible enthusiasm was his belief and the possibilities of free people. in the power of free enterprise and strong community to overcome poverty and despair. we need that same optimism right now. in our dealings with other nations, a mitt romney, paul ryan administration will speak with confidence and clarity. whenever men and women rise up for their own freedom, they will

know the president is on their side. instead of managing american decline, leaving allies to doubt as an adversary to test us, we will act in the conviction that the united states is still the greatest force for peace and liberty that as well as ever known. -- that this world has ever known. president obama is the kind of politician who put promises on the record and then call back the record.

but we are four years into this presidency. the issue is not the economy that barack obama inherited. not the economy that he envisions. but this economy that we are living. college graduates should not have to live out their 20's in their talks with bedrooms. staring up at fading obama posters and wondering when they can move out and get going with life.

everyone who feels stuck in the obama economy is right to focus on the here and now. and i hope you understand this, too. if you are feeling left out or passed by, you have not failed. your leaders have failed you. none of us should have to settle for the best this administration offers -- a dull, adventure-last journey from one entitlement to the next great a government planned life. a country where everything is free but us. listen to the way we are spoken to. listen to the way we are spoken to already as if everyone is

that the that the sum clasper station in life. victims of circumstances beyond our control with the government there to help us cope with our feet. it is the exact opposite -- with our fate. it is the exact opposite of everything i learned growing up in wisconsin are going to college in ohio. when i was waiting tables, washing dishes, or mowing lawns for money, i never thought of myself as that in some station in life. i was on my own path. my own journey. an american journey. where i could think for myself, decide for myself, define happen as for myself. that is what we do in this country. that is the american dream. that is freedom and i will take it any day over the supervision and say -- sanctimony of the central planners.

by themselves, the failures of one administration are not a mandate for a new administration. a challenger must stand on its own merits. he must be ready and were the to serve for the office of president. we are a full generation apart, governor romney and i. and in some ways, we are different. there are the songs in his ipod which i have heard on the campaign bus. [laughter] and i have heard it on many hotel elevators. [laughter] he actually urged me to play some of the south at campaign rallies. i said, look, i hope it is not a deal breaker, but my playlist starts with ac/dc and ends with

zeppelin. a generation apart, but that does not matter. it mixes different but not in any of the things that matter. mitt romney and i both grew up with that of a heart lead and we know in place like -- we know what places like wisconsin and michigan look like when times are good. when people are working, when families are doing more than just getting by. and we know it can be that way again. we have had very different careers, mainly in public service, his mostly in the park -- private sector. he helped turn around failing businesses and start businesses. being successful in business, that is a good thing.

mitt romney has not only succeeded but he has succeeded where others could not. he turned around the olympics at a time when a great institution was collapsing under the weight of bad management. and over spending and corruption. sounds kind of kent -- kind of familiar, doesn't it? he was a republican governor of a state where almost nine in 10 legislators are democrats and yet he balanced the budget without raising taxes. unemployment went down. household incomes went up.

massachusetts saw its credit rating upgrade. mitt and i also go to different churches but in any church, the best kind of preaching is done by example. i have been wanting that example. the man who will accept your nomination is prayerful and faithful and honorable. not only a defender of marriage, he offers an example of marriage at its best. not only a fine businessman, he is a fine man. our faiths come together in the same moral creed. we believe that in every life, there is goodness for every person there is hope. each one of us was made for a