Sep 25 2007

Page history last edited by mike 2 yrs ago

Romney Angered by Ahmadinejad's Appearance at Columbia

By: Carla Marinucci

San Francisco Chronicle

Tuesday, Sep 25, 2007

"GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney, appearing at his first public event in the Bay Area, expressed outrage Monday that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was allowed to speak at Columbia University in New York, saying if the controversial leader 'had any extra time in New York, he ought to go to the Holocaust Museum - and not Columbia University."

"'It's time for us to stand up,' Romney said at a town hall meeting in Santa Clara. 'This is not a person who should have been invited to speak at one of our universities.'

...

"Romney's criticism of Ahmadinejad's appearance was one of a dozen topics the former Massachusetts governor addressed Monday afternoon at David's Restaurant in the heart of Silicon Valley's bustling high-tech corridor. He was invited to Santa Clara by the Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce.

"Pat Dando, who heads the chamber, said in her introduction of Romney, a former venture capitalist: 'How refreshing it would be if we actually had a business person in the White House - a real business person.'"

...

"Standing with a microphone before an audience of about 250 supporters, invited guests and just-plain-curious voters - a friendly crowd that included many undecided Californians - the GOP presidential candidate appeared energized as the star of a forum billed as 'Ask Mitt Anything.'

"The questions allowed Romney to talk up his positions on a variety of issues, including education, health care and Republican values - and rip Democratic front-runner Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York.

"Romney, asked about health care, took a swing at Clinton, noting 'my (health) plan got passed in Massachusetts. Hers didn't.'"

...

"Romney argued the federal government should leave the issue of health insurance to the states.

"'There's a lot of what we did that other states could copy ... but there are enough differences between states that I would rather states create their own plan.'

"'Gov. (Arnold) Schwarzenegger has got his own plan here ... more power to him,' Romney said.

"'We can learn from one another. It's a principle of federalism at work.'"

...

"And, Romney on several occasions underscored his business credentials to the Silicon Valley crowd, noting that he has been involved with 'something you're familiar with ... venture capital.'

"'One of the things we have to do is take some of the innovation and technology that you're famous for here, and finally apply it in Washington,' he said.

"'In the private sector, there's innovation and technology ... and if you don't get better, then your competitor gets better and puts you out of business,' he said.