Jul 19, 2007; Craig Romney Visits Miami

Thursday, Jul 19, 2007

Boston, MA - On Wednesday, Craig Romney, Governor Mitt Romney's youngest son, visited Miami, Florida, to meet with area voters. Accompanied by Miami-Dade County Commission Chairman Bruno Barreiro and Remedios Díaz-Oliver, Craig interviewed with Radio Mambi, WQBA Radio and La Poderosa Radio. He then visited the Little Havana Activities Center before having lunch at Versailles Restaurant.

 

Craig Romney Discusses His Family:

 

Craig Romney: "My brothers and I are supporting our father not only because he's our father, but because we sincerely feel he would be the best president and leader for this country. My brothers and I are doing some interesting things to help. My brother Josh ... is traveling through all of Iowa's counties. ... Today my mother, wife and one-year-old son are traveling on a bus throughout South Carolina. ... My brother Tagg was working for the Los Angeles Dodgers in what he called his dream job, and he left it to come to Boston to work on our father's campaign." (WQBA Radio, 7/18/07)

 

Raquel Regalado Of La Poderosa: "This is a family-oriented campaign. This is a great contribution. ... Something that our community values, and I think all Americans do, are family values because the President is a prominent figure. ... I think it's important at this time when the entire world is focusing on the family. ... This means that at least the government is returning to the principle that everything stems from the family." (La Poderosa Radio, 7/18/07)

 

Armando Perez-Roura Of Radio Mambi: "We have to talk about the candidates' ethics. It's very important. This country, like the rest of the world, is suffering a deep moral crisis. And because of this, we are in danger of losing our liberty and democracy. I believe this candidate is very qualified in this respect. It's clear in his personal life. It's evident in everything he represents." (Radio Mambi, 7/18/07)

 

Craig Discusses Governor Romney's Priorities:

 

Craig Romney: "We are facing a new generation of challenges in this country. ... What my father has is the experience as governor, as a businessman and as the head of the Olympics. He has the experience necessary to bring change to Washington and confront these problems that affect our future. My father always talks about a three-legged stool. ... It's based on three key things that Ronald Reagan also believed in - strengthening the family, the military and the economy. If we strengthen these things, the future of this country will be a bright one. This is what my father can do for this country." (Radio Mambi, 7/18/07)

 

Craig Discusses Cuba:

 

Craig Romney: "My father believes that the people of Cuba need a democratic transition, not just a change of power. He is optimistic about Cuba's future because of the exile community's work and the support for the pro-democratic movement in Cuba." (WQBA Radio, 7/18/07)

 

Craig Discusses The State Of The Campaign And Governor Romney's Record On Health Care:

 

Bernadette Pardo Of WQBA: "But Republicans are undecided about whom to choose and are not quite satisfied with their current candidates. What does your father, Mitt Romney, have to offer that is different from the others?"

 

Craig Romney: "I believe candidates like John McCain, Rudy Giuliani and Fred Thompson are all nationally known candidates. ... In states like Iowa and New Hampshire where the people have had the opportunity to meet my father and learn more about his positions and beliefs, he's doing very well and enjoys strong support. I believe the same thing will continue to happen as people get the chance to know him better."

 

Pardo: "What really caught my attention about the Governor is what he did on the issue of health care. For me, this is a fundamental issue. ... Can you please explain to people what Governor Romney did on the issue of health care?"

 

Craig Romney: "One of the most important issues in this country is health care. My father found a way to make health insurance more affordable for all. But he didn't want the government to take over, and he didn't want to raise taxes to pay for this plan. What he did was work with businesses and others to implement a plan that would, according to law, require all people to have insurance. It's similar to auto insurance in the sense that everyone must have it. They can choose whichever plan they want and serves them best, but everyone needs to have coverage." (WQBA Radio, 7/18/07)

 

Policy Briefing: Protecting Our Children

Thursday, Jul 19, 2007

 

"Following the Columbine shootings, Peggy Noonan described our world as 'the ocean in which our children now swim.' She described a cesspool of violence, and sex, and drugs, and indolence, and perversions. ... I'd like to see us clean up the water in which our kids are swimming." - Governor Mitt Romney (Governor Mitt Romney, Remarks At The Frontiers Of Freedom Ronald Reagan Gala, Washington, D.C., 4/18/07)

 

Watch Governor Romney's New "Ocean" Ad Here

 

Governor Romney's Agenda To Protect Our Children:

 

Yesterday, In Colorado, Governor Mitt Romney Outlined Several New Initiatives To Protect Our Children. To protect our children, Governor Romney will propose a new "One-Strike, You're Out" law for sexual predators, enforce our nation's obscenity laws, and guard against excessive violence and sexually explicit material in video games. We must clean up the ocean in which our children swim and these are the common-sense first steps in protecting our children.

 

Protecting Our Children From Sexual Predators:

 

Governor Romney Will Propose A "One-Strike, You're Ours" Law For Those Convicted Of Preying On Children Using The Internet. As President, Governor Romney will propose new, tougher federal penalties for first-time offenders who use the Internet to sexually assault children, including stiff mandatory jail time to be followed by lifetime tracking by Global Positioning Satellite (GPS). This will represent a "One-Strike, You're Ours" law for child predators.

 

- The Growing Threat Of Crimes Committed Against Children Via The Internet Is A Disturbing Trend. In February 2006, the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched Project Safe Childhood, an initiative designed to protect children as they navigate the Internet. The Bush administration correctly recognized that as technology advances and the Internet becomes more accessible, there is a real danger that computer-facilitated crimes committed against children will continue to rise.

 

- By Enacting Tougher Laws, The Federal Government Will Be Following The Lead Of States Across The Country. Governor Romney's "One-Strike, You're Ours" Law will impose on the federal level the same tough sentences that states like Florida and California have put in place with "Jessica's Law." In Massachusetts, Governor Romney successfully fought to put the photos of the state's most dangerous sex offenders on the Internet, and he signed legislation to make it easier to extend the civil commitments of sex offenders. In 2006, President Bush signed the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act, which significantly strengthened the nationwide sex offender registration system and created new federal crimes and enhanced penalties for other pre-existing crimes. Yet, most federal laws are not tough enough when sentencing a first-time offender for sex crimes against a child.

 

Protecting Our Children By Enforcing Our Obscenity Laws:

 

Governor Romney Will Enforce Our Nation's Obscenity Laws. As President, Governor Romney will require the Department of Justice to enforce our existing federal obscenity laws and ensure that we prosecute producers and distributors of the worst-of-the-worst obscene materials. Even though the interstate trafficking of obscenity is illegal, federal obscenity laws have not been adequately enforced. To protect our children, we need to enforce our current laws.

 

Protecting Our Children From Excessive Violence And Sexually Explicit Material In Video Games:

 

Governor Romney Will Punish And Fine Retailers For Selling Excessively Violent And Sexually Explicit Video Games To Minors. While the current system of voluntary self-regulation of video games has improved, we still need to do more to protect our children. There must be strong punishments and fines for retailers that sell violent and sexually explicit video games to minors.

 

 

In Case You Missed It: Mrs. Romney In South Carolina

Thursday, Jul 19, 2007

"Ann Romney's delicate balance wins her admirers"

By Susan Page

USA Today

July 19, 2007

 

"Ann Romney had met Elizabeth Edwards only once and in passing, but the day after Edwards announced in March that her cancer had recurred in an incurable form, Romney called her.

 

"'I expressed my gratitude for her for continuing to fight on' in the presidential campaign and for the 'courage she's giving to other people that are struggling,' Romney says. 'And I said, "I totally understand why you're still fighting. I totally get it."'

 

"When she hung up the phone, Elizabeth Edwards told adviser Jennifer Palmieri she felt a 'special kinship' with Romney.

 

"While the two women don't have much in common politically – Romney's husband is seeking the Republican presidential nomination, Edwards' husband the Democratic one – each is all too familiar with the competing emotions and demands that come with balancing a serious disease and a spouse's political ambitions.

 

"Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1998, Romney, now 58, credits mainstream and alternative therapy with keeping her out of a wheelchair and putting the degenerative neurological disease in remission. As she begins to campaign on her own, she is talking more openly about her struggle and what it has taught her."

 

...

 

"While her MS was never kept a secret, Romney hadn't done much campaigning on her own when her husband made an unsuccessful bid for the Senate in 1994, before her diagnosis, or during his successful run for governor in 2002.

 

"'I decided I was very comfortable with it. Everybody has problems. Everyone has issues. And this happens to be a surprise thing that came in my life, and I didn't count on. Everywhere I go people come up to me, they mob me – anyone who has MS or has a relative with MS – they come up and hug and cry. I don't care what somebody else thinks about it. I know for certain people I'm championing a struggle that they're going through.'"

 

...

 

"When she was diagnosed nine years ago, however, she felt 'crushed into dust,' too exhausted even to open the mail and fearful that soon she would be unable to walk. A regimen that included both intravenous steroids and such alternative therapies as acupuncture and reflexology has enabled her to resume much of her life.

 

"That, and her horse Baron. An equestrian since she was a girl in Michigan, she began to ride again in hopes of regaining muscle tone. Now she competes in dressage competitions with her bay gelding."

 

...

 

"On this trip, she's accompanied by daughter-in-law Mary and grandson Parker, 16 months old and exuberant. Mary Romney, 25, is married to Ann Romney's youngest son, Craig. 'She's such a strong woman,' she says of her mother-in-law, but on the road 'I feel I need to protect her.' Mary tries to make sure Ann Romney doesn't have to stand in the sun for an extended period. The two do Pilates exercises together in their hotel room.

 

"At a campaign lunch in Greenville and the reception in Columbia, Ann Romney talks about other things, of course, touting her husband's record on health care while governor and his role in turning around the scandal-plagued Salt Lake City Winter Olympics in 2002.

 

"Still, the crowd becomes hushed and attentive as she talks – sometimes matter-of-factly, sometimes with a catch in her voice – about how he stood by her during the worst days of her struggle with MS. She says it's taught her that everyone carries 'a bag of rocks' – some personal challenge or tragedy – even if others can't see it." ...

 

To read the full article, please see: http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2007-07-18-ann-romney_N.htm

 

 

For Additional Coverage Of Mrs. Romney's Trip To South Carolina, Please See:

 

• ABC's Sunlen Miller: \"Ann Romney in South Carolina: A Family Affair\" (July 18, 2007)

 

• Ann Romney Speaks With NBC's Columbia, SC, Affiliate

 

Governor Mitt Romney Announces The Iowa Faith And Values Steering Committee

Thursday, Jul 19, 2007

 

Boston, MA – Today, Governor Mitt Romney announced the formation of the Iowa Faith and Values Steering Committee. This committee of 92 leaders will advise Governor Romney on the important social issues most affecting the people of Iowa.

 

"To ensure a stronger America, we must strengthen families, defend traditional marriage and promote the sanctity of human life. The men and women who will be joining our effort today are committed to defending these important values. I look forward to working with this team in bringing change to Washington," said Governor Romney.

 

Joining Romney for President, Chair Tom Coates said, "In the bluest of blue states, Governor Romney led the charge to defend traditional families. In the face of political adversity, he fought to protect marriage, defend the sanctity of human life and strengthen families. Governor Romney is the one candidate who has made stronger families a cornerstone of his candidacy, and we hope to ensure every Iowan knows his strong record of defending conservative values."

 

To hear audio of why Tom Coates, Iowa Faith and Values Steering Committee Chair, is supporting Governor Romney, click here. You can also listen by calling 641-715-3801, and entering this access code: 8065784.

 

Romney For President Iowa Faith And Values Steering Committee Chairs:

 

- Tom Coates, Des Moines – Chair

- Mike Canady, Des Moines – Co Chair

- Keith Hunter, Des Moines – Co Chair

- Sen. David Johnson, Ocheyedan – Co Chair

- Rose Kramer, Dubuque – Co Chair

- Kathy Oltmans, Council Bluffs – Co Chair

 

Romney For President Iowa Faith and Values Coalition Steering Committee Members:

 

Bremer County:

 

- Kris Brunkhorst

 

Cass County:

 

- Deb Field

- Jim Field

 

Cerro Gordo County:

 

- Bart Pals

- Jodi Pals

 

Clarke County:

 

- George Barber

 

Decatur County:

 

- Bob Bixby

- Deb Etchison

- Gary Etchison

 

Dubuque County:

 

- Janet Buss

- Becky Herrig

- Ron Herrig

- Rose Kramer

- John Tallent

- Tracy Tallent

 

Fremont County:

 

- Karen McAllister

 

Harrison County:

 

- Don Blackford

- Stephanie Blackford

 

Hardin County:

 

- Andy Cable

 

Jasper County:

 

- Pat Bazal

 

Linn County:

 

- Tim Palmer

- Renee Schulte

 

Marshall County:

 

- Betty Caldwell

- Pastor Dan Caldwell

 

Monona County:

 

- Di Ann Rose

- Gene Vandebur

- Lois Vandebur

 

Montgomery County:

 

- Gail Ernst

- Joni Ernst

- Sandy Schoonover

- Ted Schoonover

 

Muscatine County:

 

- Susanne Carter

- Yvonne Fillmore

- Sen. Jim Hahn

- Janetta Stamler

- Paul Stamler

 

Page County:

 

- Iris Morrison

- Karen York

 

Pottawattamie County:

 

- Betty Baber

- Dick Baber

- Miriam Beck

- Tony Beck

- Steve Cates

- Donna Conn

- Gladys Danker

- David Edwards

- Jody Edwards

- Steve Johnson

- Grace King

- Wylie King

- David Overholtzer

- Rosemary Overholtzer

- Susan Overholtzer

 

Polk County:

 

- Andy Christenson

- Tom Coates

- Jon Gruber

- Leigh Anne Gruber

- William Carl Livingston

- Victoria Livingston

- David Payer

- Connie Schmett

- Kim Schmett

- Ruby Thomason

- James Trahms

 

Poweshiek County:

 

- Diana Hanson

 

Scott County:

 

- Paul Janecek

- Janet Janecek

 

Story County:

 

- Dennis Freeman

- Kevin Kimle

- Pat Kimle

- Jim Kurtenbach

- Linda Livingston

- Andy Norman

- Jacqui Norman

 

Tama County:

 

- Marcia Livingston

- William Livingston

 

Union County:

 

- Laura Hartman

 

Warren County:

 

- Jeanette Best

- Joe Best

 

Webster County:

 

- Gil Copper

 

Woodbury County:

 

- Norma Adema

- Bernard Cooper

- Ruby Cooper

- Brent Hoffman

- Brett Lyon

- Theresa Moran