Mitt Romney RNC Speech (VIDEO) (TEXT)

Watch Mitt Romney's Republican Convention speech.

Read excerpts from the speech, as prepared for delivery. Check back for the full text.

On the need to change the culture of government in Washington:

"We need change all right - change from a liberal Washington to a conservative Washington! We have a prescription for every American who wants change in Washington - throw out the big government liberals and elect John McCain."

On why John McCain is best qualified to be our next president:

"The right course is the one championed by Ronald Reagan 30 years ago, and by John McCain today. It is to rein in government spending and lower taxes, for taking a weed-whacker to excessive regulation and mandates, for putting a stop to tort windfalls, and to stand up to the Tyrannosaurus appetite of government unions.

"And at Saddleback, after Barack Obama dodged and ducked every direct question, John McCain hit the nail on the head: radical Islam is evil, and he will defeat it! Republicans prefer straight talk to politically correct talk!"

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On the dangers of big government:

"Liberals would replace opportunity with dependency on government largesse. They would grow government and raise taxes to put more people on Medicaid, to work requirements out of welfare, and to grow the ranks of those who pay no taxes at all. Dependency is death to initiative, risk-taking and opportunity. It's time to stop the spread of government dependency to fight it like the poison it is! It's time for the party of big ideas, not the party of Big Brother!"

On why the McCain-Palin ticket is the right choice for the future of America:

"Just like you, there has never been a day when I was not proud to be an American. We inherited the greatest nation in the history of the earth. It is our burden and privilege to preserve it, to renew its spirit so that its noble past is prologue to its glorious future. To this we are all dedicated and I firmly believe by the providence of the Almighty, that we will succeed. President McCain and Vice President Palin will keep America as it has always been - the hope of the world."

About the Republican National Convention

The 2008 Republican National Convention will be held at Saint Paul's Xcel Energy Center from Sept. 1-4, 2008. Approximately 45,000 delegates, alternate delegates, volunteers, members of the media and other guests are expected to attend the convention. Minneapolis-Saint Paul is expected to receive an estimated $150-$160 million positive economic boost from the four-day event. For more information about the 2008 Republican National Convention, please visit our website at www.GOPConvention2008.com and join our social network sites on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

Comments

[Lemmiwinks]

damn that mitt romney guy for being successful and having a wonderful family!!!! what an a-hole!!!!!

[filo]

The GOP has no sense of shame and they have no sense of IRONY.

I mean c'mon Mitt talking about eastern elitists?

That was too funny.

[sfmc98]

First, he doesn't even know who the president is!

"We need change all right — change from a liberal Washington to a conservative Washington! ..Throw out the big government liberals and elect John McCain!"

Then, he goes on to say that "Opportunity expands...when taxes are lowered" but a minute later complains that liberals "grow the ranks of those who pay no taxes at all" HUH?

Then the idiot complains about China and Russia doing the very thing he is promoting: Capitalism! "China is acting like Adam Smith on steroids. Russia and the oil states are siphoning more than $500 billion a year from us in what could become the greatest transfer of economic wealth in history." UHHH what about the free market?! You're saying acting like your hero Adam Smith is a BAD THING?

And then in one of the stupidest contradictions he makes, he bemoans the mortgage crisis, which was the deregulated free market at work at its finest. The whole situation was created because the government specifically deregulated banks."Mortgage money was handed out like candy, speculators bought homes for free — when this mortgage mania finally broke, it slammed the economy."

But then goes on to say that "the right course is the one championed by Ronald Reagan 30 years ago and by John McCain today. It is to rein in government spending and to lower taxes, for taking a weed whacker to excessive regulation and mandates."

People cheered for this!

[chiefeditor]

I guess now we know why McCain didn't make this dude his running mate? Anyway, MP3 highlights are up here: http://www.entertonement.com/collections/2896/Mitt-Romney-Addresses-The-2008-GOP-Convention

[BrettinHalifax]

Jon Stewart (I think) said it best, Democrats hate America.

Republicans just hate the 50% of America that doesn't agree with them.

[emory]

that was rich christian and white

[emory]

HIS SPEACH WAS INSANE!!!!

everything that he said was wrong with america was republican creation, we now have the largest gov in history thanks to his friends the debt to china and their control over our gross product is thanks to the repubs.

romney you and your friends did it to us now own it. you Orwellian ass-hole

[nivek]

Willard Mitt Romney blames Wall Street and corporate America for our economic woes.That's precious.

[KareninSac]

PLEASE Obama use the quote from Romney "One party with Big Ideas or One Party as Big Brother." He was thinking that the party as Big Brother is the Republicans. Yup, the same ones who are reading your emails and mail right now, folks.

[Synnerman]

So, he's going after Mrs. Obama on her patriotism and ignoring the fact that the VP nominee and her husband were part of an actual separatist group. Yeah, well done Mitt.

[onedivasinger]

The gloves are off Mitt...you pathetic Pat Boone wanna be! Obama won't take you on, but the rest of us will!
He and Sarah Palin are both opportunists....the only difference is that one made his money taking people's jobs and ruining their lives, and the other uses her office for political vendettas. They have nothing to offer, so watch the red meat racism and disgusting comments fill the nasty Geritol laden air!

[dnels14]

Huckabee said, "You're not gonna find moments on YouTube of me saying something different about the sanctity of human life today than I said ten years ago ten minutes ago or 50 years ago. You're not gonna find something on YouTube where I say something completely different about gun ownership, the second amendment than I did last week last year or ten years ago." Huckabee heated up the rhetoric even more with an obvious reference to Romney's gaff regarding his hunting experience. Last spring Romney said, "I purchased a gun when I was a young man. I've been a hunter pretty much all my life," Later he admitted to having gone hunting only a couple times. At today's event Huckabee argued, "You're not gonna hear me making up stuff about my biography," Huckabee said, "I don't go around saying I'm a lifetime golfer because I once rode in a golf cart when I was eight years old."

He even called Romney out for flip flopping on his love for Ronald Reagan. "You're not gonna hear me talk about how I was once a person who was once on the other side of the issue when it came to the Reagan Bush legacy; didn't believe in it, was an independent, and now I love Ronald Reagan. I loved Ronald Reagan when Ronald Reagan first ran for office."

[ppace60657]

Is this a joke?? I really can't tell. "throw out the big government liberals" - Republicans have been in charge the last 8 years! If it's a joke about what a crazy Republican would say, I'm laughing. If it's really what Mitt will say, I can't wait to read the mainstream media's coverage of it.

[zull2]

30 years of Reaganomics directly caused the mess we're in today. "Liberals" haven't had free reign in Washington since...well, since the country had a much smaller debt, much smaller deficit, and was on top of the world economically. We had a slight dip in the late 70's, the Republicans jumped on it, and drove it right down the toilet. Romney is a part of that, along with John McCain...who has coincidentally been a part of that 30 years of economic downslide. We've had a few little upswings on account of the outcome of technological innovation, but we straight up squandered those chances to get the economy back on track in favor of Reaganomics. AKA, rich people take the cash and run.

[strength]

doesnt sound too exciting, same old same old....anything new?

Dems dont know how to run the economy! they dont know how to win wars and all we do is tax tax tax, oh and kill babies!

the American public look at what a conservative washington looks like, it looks less green than a democratic one for all people,not just the rich there millionare!

Obama/Biden 08

[ibsteve2u]

lollll...wow - but having tens of millions of dollars makes you blind...