Republican National Convention Blog

Rick Santorum victory Speech Minnesota, Missouri and Colorado FULL VIDEO 02/07/12

sookietex@yahoo.com (sookietex) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:19:26 PST

Rick Santorum victory Speech Minnesota, Missouri and Colorado FULL VIDEO 02/07/12

Rick Santorum: 'Conservatism is alive and well' Feb 7, 2012 - 14:17 - GOP presidential candidate thanks supporters, blasts President Obama

Posted by RickSantorum from Colorado February 8, 2012

Ron Paul's Nevada Caucus Speech VIDEO

sookietex@yahoo.com (sookietex) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:08:50 PST

Ron Paul's Nevada Caucus Speech VIDEO Uploaded by RonPaul2008dotcom on Feb 4, 2012.

Category: News & Politics. Tags: ron paul, nevada, minnesota, gold, silver. License: Standard YouTube License.

Newt Gingrich Nevada Caucus Night Speech VIDEO

sookietex@yahoo.com (sookietex) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:32:02 PST

Newt Gingrich Nevada Caucus Night Speech VIDEO Republican 2012. presidential candidate Newt Gingrich spoke to supporters about the results of the Nevada caucus. 22 minutes

Tags: Republican Party, Nevada, Gingrich

Mitt Romney Nevada Caucus 2012 Full Victory Speech VIDEO

sookietex@yahoo.com (sookietex) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:56:24 PST

Mitt Romney Nevada Caucus 2012 Full Victory Speech VIDEO

Uploaded by jeraboo29 on Feb 5, 2012. Mitt Romney focuses on economic policies after his Nevada caucus victory.

Category: News & Politics. Tags: Newt Gingrich Nevada speech, Newt Gingrich caucus, newt Gingrich debate, Newt Gingrich ad, Newt Gingrich commercial, Newt Gingrich attacks, Mitt Romney bad lip reading, Nevada Caucus 2012, Florida primary mitt Romney, mitt Romney victory speech, mitt Romney Florida speech, Nevada victory speech, Ron Paul 2012, Ron Paul today, Ron Paul debate, Ron Paul ad Ron Paul this week, Rick Santorum booed, Rick Santorum ad, Rick Santorum debate

License: Standard YouTube License. Video Credit: jeraboo29

Pat Meehan Weekly Republican Address on GOP Plan for America's Job Creators 02/04/12 TEXT PODCAST VIDEO

sookietex@yahoo.com (sookietex) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 06:05:02 PST

Pat Meehan Weekly Republican Address on GOP Plan for America's Job Creators 02/04/12 TEXT PODCAST VIDEO Podcast of the address: Download MP3 for PODCAST || FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT BELOW. ||

Washington (Feb 3) ***EMBARGOED UNTIL 2/4/12, 6:00 A.M. EST***

Delivering the Weekly Republican Address, Rep. Pat Meehan (R-PA) highlights Republicans’ Plan for America’s Job Creators, which offers better solutions to help small businesses and opportunities to build on common ground in Washington. Initiatives highlighted in the address include legislation to extend the payroll tax cut for a full year and the American Energy & Infrastructure Jobs Act, which, Rep. Meehan notes, “will support the creation of more than one million private-sector jobs – not by wasting your money on pork-barrel projects and so-called ‘stimulus’ spending, but by removing government barriers that are getting in the way of American job growth.” The audio of the Weekly Republican Address is available immediately; the video will be available for viewing and downloading after the embargo is lifted.

“Hello, I’m Pat Meehan, and I represent the hardworking people of Pennsylvania’s Seventh Congressional District.

“The need for Washington to act on jobs is as urgent as ever. The nation’s unemployment rate has now exceeded eight percent for three years running – the longest stretch since the Great Depression. Struggling families and workers want to end the gridlock and get our economy moving. House Republicans have offered good ideas that will help create jobs, but to execute them, we need leadership from President Obama and help from his fellow Democrats who control the Senate.

“As part of Republicans’ Plan for America’s Job Creators, the House has passed nearly 30 bipartisan jobs bills that the Senate hasn’t considered, proposals to help small businesses grow and create jobs. It was promising to see the president come out this week and endorse several of our ideas, but what would really be helpful is for him to urge the Senate to actually vote on them.

“One of our jobs bills would extend the payroll tax cut for a full year, as the president requested. The Republican-led House has passed this bill, but the Democratic-controlled Senate hasn’t. A bipartisan conference committee is working to change that, but time is running short.

“Our Democratic colleagues in Washington have a responsibility to tell the nation what they’re prepared to do to extend the payroll tax cut for a full year and give middle-class families and small businesses much-needed certainty.

“Another jobs bill in the works is an energy and infrastructure plan that will support the creation of more than one million private-sector jobs – not by wasting your money on pork-barrel projects and so-called ‘stimulus‘ spending, but by removing government barriers that are getting in the way of American job growth. This marks a sea change from the way things were done in the past by both parties, who stuffed highway bills with earmarks, many of which only drained resources from urgent projects that have a direct connection to economic growth.

“In 2005, I’m sad to say, a Republican-led Congress passed a highway bill that contained more than 6,300 earmarks, including the ‘Bridge to Nowhere.’ John Boehner was one of only eight members who voted against that bill. He’s now our Speaker, and those days are over.

“Instead of more earmarks or new taxes, our bill will remove barriers to job growth by expanding American energy production – which will help lower gas prices – and using the revenue to repair and improve our roads and bridges. Repairing our roads and bridges isn’t just a safety issue, it’s an economic one. Pennsylvania has more structurally deficient bridges than any other state, and a half-million people in the Commonwealth are out of work. That’s why our bill removes barriers to job growth and reforms the process by ending needless delays, empowering states and communities, and ensuring resources go to projects that have a direct connection to our economy.

“This is another good idea that will help put Americans back to work, and it, too, is built on common ground. The president supports improving infrastructure and recently echoed our party’s call for an ‘all-of-the-above’ energy strategy. To learn more about the American Energy & Infrastructure Jobs Act and the Republican jobs plan, visit jobs.GOP.gov.

“Our economy faces serious challenges right now – gridlock in Washington doesn’t have to be one of them. The House is acting on good ideas, and with help from the President and Democrats in the Senate, we can get these things done. The people we represent sent us here to find solutions and move the country forward – not further divide it.

“Thank you for listening, and God bless America.”

VIDEO and IMAGE CREDIT: HouseConference

TEXT CREDIT: John Boehner | speaker.gov H-232 The Capitol Washington, DC 20515 P (202) 225-0600 F (202) 225-5117

AUDIO / VIDEO FILES CREDIT: The House Republican Conference - Digital Communications visual.media@mail.house.gov 202-225-5439 +sookie tex

Donald Trump Endorses Mitt Romney FULL VIDEO

sookietex@yahoo.com (sookietex) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:05:52 PST

Mitt Romney today announced the support of Donald Trump. Mr. Trump joins a growing list of over 2,500 elected officials, leaders and activists from across the country who have endorsed Mitt Romney.

“I am humbled by the endorsements I have received from Republicans across the political spectrum. Donald Trump’s endorsement of me today sends a strong signal that he believes we have the best chance to make President Obama a one-term president,” said Mitt Romney. “We share both a background in the private sector and a belief that Washington needs to get out of the way of small business. His support is a sign that business leaders are fed up with Washington and want someone with actual experience creating jobs and working in the real economy in the White House.”

Uploaded by PBSNewsHour on Feb 2, 2012: Business magnate Donald Trump endorsed former governor Mitt Romney for president Thursday afternoon In Las Vegas, Nevada.

Category: News & Politics. Tags: Mitt Romney, Donald Trump, GOP, republicans, nomination, 2012, campaign, endoresment, president, election, nevada, primary, las vegas, caucus, License: Standard YouTube License.

TEXT CREDIT: Mitt Romney for President

Newt Gingrich Florida Republican Primary Speech (C-SPAN) FULL VIDEO TEXT TRANSCRIPT

sookietex@yahoo.com (sookietex) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:00:54 PST

Uploaded by CSPAN on Jan 31, 2012. From C-SPAN coverage, Newt Gingrich delivers hist speech the night of the Florida Republican Primary.

Category: News & Politics. Tags: cspan, C-SPAN, Newt, Gingrich, Florida, Republican, Presidential, Primary. License: Standard YouTube License

FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT:

NEWT GINGRICH: Thank you all very, very much. And thank all of you up here. I particularly want to start by thanking Attorney General Bill McCollum, who just has been a great state-wide leader and has done so much to help us and he and Ingrid have just been tremendous.

I also want to thank Mayor Krotty and Adam Levine who co-chaired statewide and really helped us put this together in a remarkably short time. And so we're very grateful to all of you.

I also want to introduce my daughter Kathy and her husband, Paul, they live down in Key Biscayne.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

GINGRICH: And I'm very proud of Kathy because she did a whole series of Spanish language media over the last couple of weeks helping us in the Miami area, and really reaching out across all the Spanish community and also my daughter Jackie and her husband Jimmy who are here.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

GINGRICH: And Jackie has been -- Jackie has been doing speeches, doing television and radio. And as many of you know, she is the -- she and Jimmy are the mother and father of my two major debate coaches, Maggie and Robert. So it's great to have them here.

I want to thank Floridians. Callista and I talked about this. And everybody here has been so positive in every part of the state, that we just thank all of you for the hospitality and the kindness. We thank the well over a half million Floridians who voted for us.

And I think Florida did something very important, coming on top of South Carolina. It is now clear that this will be a two-person race between the conservative leader, Newt Gingrich, and the Massachusetts moderate.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

GINGRICH: And the voters of Florida really made that clear. Now you'll notice a number of folks are holding up a sign about 46 states to go.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

GINGRICH: We did this in part for the elite media, because, you know, the same people who said I was dead in June and July, and said I was gone after Iowa, who seemed totally quiet the night of the South Carolina victory, are now going to be back saying, what's he going to do? What's he going to do? What's he going to do?

So I just want to reassure them tonight, we are going to contest every place and we are going to win and we will be in Tampa as the nominee in August.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

CROWD: Newt, Newt, Newt, Newt, Newt, Newt, Newt, Newt, Newt, Newt.

GINGRICH: Now, you might ask, in the face of a 5-1 onslaught, how can that be true? And I'll give you the answer. It was stated at an historic moment in 1863, in dedicating our first National Military Cemetery by the president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, who said we have government of the people, by the people, for the people. And we're going to have people power defeat money power in the next six months.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

GINGRICH: And you might say, how are we going to do that? Well, the same way that we came back in June and July and by December, we're ahead in the Gallup poll nationally by 12 or 13 points with no money. It turned out that if you have ideas and you have solutions and you're positive and you can communicate a better future, and you have a history of actually doing something in the past, that the combination begins to reach to the American people.

So let me talk briefly about what this is going to be about. This is the most important election of your lifetime.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

GINGRICH: If Barack Obama gets re-elected, it will be a disaster for the United States of America. Make no bones about it. If he can have a record this bad, unemployment this bad, deficits this bad, policies this bad, gasoline prices this high, and still get re- elected, you can't imagine how radical he'll be in his second term.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's right.

GINGRICH: So designing and putting together a people's campaign, not a Republican campaign, not an establishment campaign, not a Wall Street funded campaign, a people's campaign, and saying to every American of every background and every ethnic group and every community, we have a better future for you and your family. It's a future of jobs, it's a future of lower gasoline prices, it's a future of a balanced budget, it's a future of a smaller Washington, it's a future of more power back home to you and your family and your neighborhood.

This is a future we ask you to join us in imposing on the establishment in Washington and imposing it on both parties.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

GINGRICH: Let's talk briefly about the power of ideas. In 1980, I was very honored to be able to help put together the first Capitol Steps event. And at that point, Senate and House candidates came together with Governor Reagan. David Broder wrote about it in the "Washington Post" as a very courageous decision by Reagan because he didn't have to run as part of a team. And he did something nobody had done before. And we won six U.S. Senate seats by a combined margin of 75,000 votes and we picked up 33 House seats.

In 1994, building on that experience, we got 350 candidates to come and to be part of a "Contract with America," to stand on the capitol steps. We offered a positive program and we had the largest one-party increase in American history in an off-year. Nine million additional Americans voted for a positive vision and we kept our word and every item on the contract was voted on in the first 93 days.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

GINGRICH: There's a core question both in the primaries and in the general election. A simple question. If you're comfortable with the way America is decaying, then we don't have to change much. We can just manage the decay. If you think that's a terrible thing to do to your children and grandchildren, it's a terrible thing to do to your country, and if you are prepared to do what it takes to make sure that we change direction, not just the presidency, but the Congress, the bureaucracy, the judges, the policies, so that the entire system gets on the right track, so that America can give our children and grandchildren a more prosperous, a safe and better future, this is how big the gap is.

But there are folks over here in both parties who are quite comfortable managing the decay. I am running, Callista and I made the decision to run, our children, our son-in-laws joined us in that decision because we believe it is cheating our grandchildren to not insist on fundamental basic change in Washington, even if the establishment doesn't like it.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

CROWD: Newt, Newt, Newt, Newt, Newt, Newt, Newt, Newt, Newt, Newt.

GINGRICH: In the next few days, we're going to develop the equivalent of the contract from 1994, except this is going to be a personal one between me and you, because I'm asking you to make me president and therefore, I have a personal responsibility. It's going to come in two parts. Part one is conditional and requires your help. Part two, I can do if I win the election, without having to condition it.

Part one only works if you help me and we run a team campaign, which means, by the way, we have to replace Bill Nelson with a conservative.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

GINGRICH: But if you help us, and in addition to winning the presidency, we elect a Republican Senate and a Republican House, I will ask them on January 3rd to stay in office, and I will ask them to immediate pass the repeal of Obama-care.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

GINGRICH: I will ask them to immediately pass the repeal of the Dodd-Frank bill, which is killing housing, killing small business and killing independent banks.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

GINGRICH: And I will ask them to pass the repeal of Sarbanes- Oxley, which is crippling American businesses with no net profit.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

GINGRICH: And my goal is to have all three bills sitting there, waiting, so the minute I am sworn in, I can sign all three and we're off to a pretty good opening morning.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

GINGRICH: Now those three promises are conditional. We have to win the Senate by a big enough margin to manage it and we have to increase our strength in the House. Help me do that, I'll do those three.

Now let me tell you some things and we're going to put this together in a way that you'll be able to see in writing with my signature and you'll be able to hold me accountable. There are a series of executive orders I can issue that the Congress can't stop as long as they're within the law. The very first executive order will abolish all of the White House czars as of that moment.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

GINGRICH: We will issue immediately an executive order on the same day. All of this is going to happen about two hours after the inaugural address.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right.

GINGRICH: OK? No point in hanging out and having fun. Before we get to go to the various balls that night, we're going to have a work period. This is going to be a working presidency.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

GINGRICH: I may not get in as much golf as Obama, but I'll get in a lot more job creation.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's right.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

GINGRICH: And I tell you up front, I'm not going to compete with Obama in singing because I'm not running for entertainer-in-chief, I'm running for president.

(CHEERS)

GINGRICH: And I would say to him now, Mr. President, you cannot sing your way past the disaster of your presidency.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

GINGRICH: Now, we will immediately -- you know, I forgot my teleprompter, I said to my staff earlier.

(LAUGHTER)

GINGRICH: I mean, I'm having to wing this because of the staff failure.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You don't need it.

GINGRICH: So we're going to sign on that day the authorization for the immediate deployment of the Keystone Pipeline as of that day.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

GINGRICH: My message to the people of Canada is, don't cut a deal with the Chinese. Help is on the way, by January, you're going to build the right pipeline to the right place.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

GINGRICH: I'll just give you a couple more. We're going to put together a package. You're going to see, this is what a serious conservative president is like, who is bold and is prepared to change Washington despite the screams of the establishment on both parties. So a couple more steps. We will on that day sign an executive order that will instruct the State Department that day to open the embassy in Jerusalem and recognize Israel.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

CROWD: Newt, Newt, Newt, Newt, Newt, Newt, Newt, Newt, Newt, Newt, Newt, Newt.

GINGRICH: Just two more examples. I will sign on that day an executive order reinstating Ronald Reagan's Mexico City policy, no U.S. money will go anywhere in the world to pay for abortion, period.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

GINGRICH: And finally, many of you may have noticed that the Obama administration has declared war on the Catholic Church and other religious institutions. I want you to know that on the very first day, I will sign an executive order repealing every anti-religious act of the Obama administration as of that moment.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

GINGRICH: The reason I am comfortable telling you all this is I have been studying what America needs to do since the fall of 1958, when my dad was stationed in Europe in the army. I have been working at what we need to do, as congressman, speaker of the House, in the private sector.

I believe it is possible to get this country back on track. My commitment is to unleash the spirit of the American people, to find new and innovative and positive things, to do them seven days a week, to do them relentlessly, to do them without stop, to make sure that we have fundamentally gotten America back on the right track.

And I pledge to each and every one of you personally, if you will reach out across the country, if you will use Facebook and YouTube and Twitter, and phone calls and even visits, if you will tell all of your friends in the other 46 states that there is a chance to nominate a conservative who knows what he is doing, who has done it before, and who has the courage and determination to get it done, I promise you that if I become your president, I pledge to you my life, my fortune, and my sacred honor. This is about America.

Thank you. Good luck and God bless you.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

TEXT CREDIT: Newt Gingrich 2012: (678) 973-2306 P.O. Box 550769, Atlanta, GA 30355

Mitt Romney Florida Republican Primary Victory Speech (C-SPAN) FULL VIDEO

sookietex@yahoo.com (sookietex) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:45:23 PST

Mitt Romney Florida Republican Primary Victory Speech (C-SPAN) FULL VIDEO

Uploaded by CSPAN on Jan 31, 2012. From C-SPAN coverage, Mitt Romney delivers a victory speech upon winning the Florida Republican Primary. GOP candidate says a competitive campaign makes his party stronger. For more information,

Category: News & Politics. Tags: Mitt Romney victory speech, Mitt Romney victory rally, Mitt Romney new Hampshire, Mitt Romney iowa, Mitt Romney newt gingrich, Florida primary 2012, Florida mitt Romney, Florida victory speech.

License: Standard YouTube License

Allen West 'Obama, Reid, Pelosi, take your message and get the hell out of the USA' VIDEO

sookietex@yahoo.com (sookietex) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 15:11:15 PST

Congressman Allen West @ Palm Beach County GOP Party Lincoln Day Dinner 2012 "Obama, Reid, Pelosi, take your message and get the hell out of the USA"

Congressman Allen West in West Palm Beach Florida at the Annual GOP Palm Beach County Lincoln Day Dinner 2012. Thanks to CSPAN

Born and raised in the inner city of Atlanta, in the same neighborhood where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once preached, patriotism is in Congressman West's blood. His father was a Corporal in the U.S. Army and served in the European theater of operations in WW II, and his mother, the outspoken and lovable "Snooks" West, worked as a civilian on a local Military Installation. Congressman West's nephew currently serves in the Army. Before retiring as an Army Lieutenant Colonel, West served as a Field Artillery Officer in several combat zones: in Operation Desert Storm, in Operation Iraqi Freedom, where he was battalion commander for the Army’s 4th Infantry Division, and in Afghanistan, where he trained Afghan officers to take on the responsibility of securing their own country.

"My father was proud of his own service, and believed that serving your country was the greatest of all honors," West said. "Both of my parents taught me that it was not necessary to rely on a government handout to achieve my goals. They wanted me to believe in myself and told me that in America, with hard work, all things are possible."

In 2004, after serving 22 years in the Army, West retired from the Military, and brought his wife, Angela, and two daughters, Aubrey and Austen, to South Florida, to be closer to his wife's family. Congressman West taught high school for one year and then returned to Afghanistan as a civilian advisor to the Afghan army.

Congressman West received his Bachelor's degree while on an ROTC scholarship at the University of Tennessee and later went on to get a Master's degree from Kansas State University, both in political science. He also holds a Master of Military Arts and Sciences from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff Officer College in political theory and military operations.

In his Army career, Congressman West has been honored many times, including a Bronze Star, three Meritorious Service Medals, three Army Commendation Medals (one with Valor), and a Valorous Unit Award. He received his valor award as a Captain in Desert Shield/Storm, was the US Army ROTC Instructor of the Year in 1993, and was a Distinguished Honor Graduate III Corps Assault School. He proudly wears the Army Master parachutist badge, Air Assault badge, Navy/Marine Corps parachutist insignia, Italian parachutist wings, and German proficiency badge.

In his free time, Congressman West enjoys cheering on his beloved Tennessee Volunteers, is an avid distance runner, a certified SCUBA diver, motorcyclist, and attends Community Christian Church in Tamarac, Florida.

VIDEO CREDIT: Uploaded by copyrightphotos on Jan 28, 2012. Category: News & Politics, Tags: 12, License: Standard YouTube License.

TEXT and IMAGE CREDIT: Congressman Allen West Washington DC Office 1708 Longworth HOB Washington, DC 20515 ph: 202-225-3026 • fx: 202-225-8398

Marco Rubio Delivers Weekly Republican (GOP) Address 01/28/12 FULL VIDEO TEXT TRANSCRIPT

sookietex@yahoo.com (sookietex) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 12:40:45 PST

Published on Jan 28, 2012 by gopweeklyaddress. In the Weekly Republican Address, Florida Senator Marco Rubio explains the failures of the Obama administration. He contrasts those with the promise of America that he and Republicans believe in, if the government stops doing the wrong things.

Sen. Rubio says, "As you know, earlier this week, President Obama delivered his fourth annual address to Congress. It was an opportunity for the President to talk about his accomplishments over the last three years and to lay out his plans for the year ahead.

"And he missed on both counts.

"You didn't hear much talk about the success of his Administration—and that's because there isn't much.

"Yes, this President inherited a significant national debt, but over the last three years he's made it worse. Our national debt has grown by nearly 50 percent since he took over, and now, for the first time since World War II, our national debt is larger than our country's economy.

"Yes, this President inherited an economy where unemployment was too high, but over the last three years he's made it worse. Today our unemployment rate is higher than the day he took office. In fact, since he took over, it's been stuck over 8 percent every single month.

"This President didn't talk about his record for one simple reason; he doesn't want you to know about it. But you do know about it, because you feel the failure of his leadership every single day of your life.

"The bottom line is this President inherited a country with serious problems. He asked the Congress to give him the stimulus and Obamacare to fix it. The Democrats in Congress gave it to him. And not only did it not work, it made everything worse.

"President Obama has a year left in the White House. So what are his plans now to make things better? What does he plan to do now, that he didn't do before? Well we got our answer Tuesday night. He plans to divide us against each other. To pit Americans against other Americans in the hopes of generating enough votes to get re-elected.

"He tells Americans worried about their jobs that the way to help them is to raise their bosses' taxes.

"He tells those who are hurting that the only way they can be better off, is for others to be worse off.

"He tells all of us that the only way for some of us to climb up the economic ladder is for others to be pulled down.

"This divisive rhetoric, this effort to gain political support by convincing some that they will be better off if we punish others, this stuff has never worked anywhere it's been tried.

"People end up fleeing countries who adopt economic policies based on these flawed principles. And more often than not, they come here.

"They come here because this is not who we are.

"Americans have always believed that all of us can succeed.

"That those who have made it fairly, can stay there. And those who are trying to make it will have a real chance to join them.

"This is what has made us different. This is what has made us prosperous. This is what makes us exceptional.

"And now, for the first time in my adult life, we have a President who's asking us to abandon our economic heritage.

"To become like the countries people come here to get away from.

"To become like everybody else.

"Yes, people are hurting. Yes, there is a growing gap between the rich and the poor.

"But the way to solve it is not to embrace the 'trickle up poverty' economics of other nations.

"The way to solve it is to embrace the American Free Enterprise system.

"No economic system is perfect. But the American Free Enterprise system has empowered millions of people in the past. I know, because I saw it with my own eyes.

"My father was a bartender. And I thank God every night that there was someone willing to risk their money to build a hotel on Miami Beach and later in Las Vegas where he could work.

"I thank God that there was enough prosperity in America so people could go on vacation to Miami or Las Vegas. Where people felt prosperous enough to have weddings or Bar Mitzvahs and, by the way, could leave tips in my Dad's little tip jar. Because with that money he raised us. And he gave me the opportunity to do things he never had a chance to do.

"Now, we had help along the way. I had student loans and grants from the government to help me get my education. And I went to our public school system.

"That's an important role for government to play. And so I also thank God that we had an economy prosperous enough to afford to pay for these things as well.

"So, I'll just close by saying, I hope this year will be the beginning of our work towards a new and prosperous American century.

"Because I know that this idea of a nation where anyone from anywhere can accomplish anything, it's not just something I read about in history books. I've seen it in my own life. And there's no reason why we cannot continue it here, if only we do the right things."

Category: News & Politics. Tags: Marco Rubio, Florida, Republican Address, Response, Obama, White House, Senate, Congress, Primary, State, Union, Economy, Debt, Unemployment, Stimulus, Obamacare, Government, Divide, Taxes, Leadership, Prosperity, America, Exceptional, Free, Enterprise.

License: Standard YouTube License

VIDEO IMAGE and TEXT CREDIT: gopweeklyaddress

Republican (GOP) Debate Florida FULL CNN DEBATE VIDEO TEXT TRANSCRIPT 01/26/12

sookietex@yahoo.com (sookietex) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 08:03:22 PST

Republican (GOP) Debate Florida FULL CNN DEBATE VIDEO TEXT TRANSCRIPT 01/26/12

Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul, Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum met in this debate hosted by CNN, the Republican Party of Florida and the Hispanic Leadership Network.

CNN political anchor Wolf Blitzer moderated the two-hour presidential debate which took place at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville on Thursday, January 26 at 8 p.m. ET.

In addition to questions posed to the candidates by Blitzer and Florida Republicans in the audience, CNN solicited questions and comments submitted in real-time from CNN.com, the CNN Politics fan page on Facebook and by using the OFFICIAL hashtag on Twitter. #CNNDebate.

Full Text Transcript of CNN FLORIDA REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE

Aired January 26, 2012 – 20:00 ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

WOLF BLITZER, DEBATE MODERATOR AND CNN LEAD POLITICAL ANCHOR: From the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, this is the Florida Republican presidential debate.

(APPLAUSE)

Tonight, the four Republican candidates are here to tell us why they’re the most qualified to take on President Barack Obama. I’m Wolf Blitzer. We want to welcome our viewers in the United States and around the world. We also want to thank our co-sponsors, the Republican Party of Florida and the Hispanic Leadership Network.

Members of the Florida Republican party are here in the audience with us and some of them will have a chance to question the candidates.

In addition, our sister network CNN in Espanol is standing by in Miami with members of the Hispanic Leadership Network who will also have a chance to question the candidates. Viewers can send us questions online. On Twitter, make sure to include the hash tag #CNNdebate; on Facebook at Facebook.com/CNNpolitics; and, of course, on CNNpolitics.com.

It’s now time to welcome the 2012 Republican presidential contenders.

(APPLAUSE) CNN Florida Republican Presidential Debate FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT

Broadcast: CNN. Sponsors: Republican Party of Florida and the Hispanic Leadership Network. Host: Wolf Blitzer. Participants: Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum, Ron Paul

Category: News & Politics. Tags: Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum, Ron Paul, Republican, GOP, FL, 2012, Election, debate, Wolf Blitzer, Hispanic Leadership Network, HLN, Republican Party of Florida, RPOF, University of North Florida, UNF, Jacksonville, Florida, CNN, Jan 26, January 26, January 26th, 0126, 01262012, HD, 720p.

Uploaded by PointZeroRed on Jan 26, 2012 Time: 08:00 PM (20:00) EST on Thursday, January 26th, 2012 Location: University of North Florida in Jacksonville, Florida.

License: Standard YouTube License.

Florida Republican (GOP) Debate LIVE STREAMING CNN VIDEO FEED 01/26/12

sookietex@yahoo.com (sookietex) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 13:31:03 PST

Florida Republican (GOP) Debate LIVE STREAMING CNN VIDEO FEED 01/26/12

The CNN LIVE FEED above should go LIVE shortly before 8:00 pm ET. FULL LIVE STREAMING VIDEO FEED.

Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul, Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum will meet in this debate hosted by CNN, the Republican Party of Florida and the Hispanic Leadership Network.

CNN political anchor Wolf Blitzer will moderate the two-hour presidential debate which will take place at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville on Thursday, January 26 at 8 p.m. ET.

In addition to questions posed to the candidates by Blitzer and Florida Republicans in the audience, CNN will solicit questions and comments submitted in real-time from CNN.com, the CNN Politics fan page on Facebook and by using the OFFICIAL hashtag on Twitter.
#CNNDebate.

MORE DEBATES: +sookie tex

Hermain Cain Delivers Tea Party Response to the State of the Union Address (SOTU) VIDEO

sookietex@yahoo.com (sookietex) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 06:07:22 PST

Hermain Cain Delivers Tea Party Response to the State of the Union Address (SOTU) VIDEO

Uploaded by PBSNewsHour on Jan 24, 2012. Herman Cain delivers the Tea Party response to President Obama's State of the Union Address.

Category: News & Politics. Tags: herman cain, tea party, state of the union, president obama, republicans, gop, democrats. License: Standard YouTube License.

VIDEO and IMAGE CREDIT: PBSNewsHour

Republican Response Mitch Daniels State of the Union Address (SOTU) FULL VIDEO TEXT TRANSCRIPT

sookietex@yahoo.com (sookietex) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 05:28:57 PST

Republican Response Mitch Daniels State of the Union Address (SOTU) FULL VIDEO TEXT TRANSCRIPT

Uploaded by CSPAN on Jan 24, 2012. From C-SPAN coverage, Governor Mitch Daniels (R-IN) delivers the Republican Response to President Obama's State of the Union Address (SOTU).

Category: News & Politics. Tags: Government, C-SPAN, cspan, governor, Mitch Daniels, Indiana, State of the Union, GOP, Republican Response

License: Standard YouTube License.

Republican Response Mitch Daniels State of the Union Address (SOTU) FULL VIDEO TEXT TRANSCRIPT

INDIANAPOLIS -- Here's the full text, as prepared for delivery, of Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels' Republican response to the president's State of the Union address to the nation:

"The status of 'loyal opposition' imposes on those out of power some serious responsibilities: to show respect for the Presidency and its occupant, to express agreement where it exists. Republicans tonight salute our President, for instance, for his aggressive pursuit of the murderers of 9/11, and for bravely backing long overdue changes in public education. I personally would add to that list admiration for the strong family commitment that he and the First Lady have displayed to a nation sorely needing such examples.

"On these evenings, Presidents naturally seek to find the sunny side of our national condition. But when President Obama claims that the state of our union is anything but grave, he must know in his heart that this is not true.

"The President did not cause the economic and fiscal crises that continue in America tonight. But he was elected on a promise to fix them, and he cannot claim that the last three years have made things anything but worse: the percentage of Americans with a job is at the lowest in decades. One in five men of prime working age, and nearly half of all persons under 30, did not go to work today.

"In three short years, an unprecedented explosion of spending, with borrowed money, has added trillions to an already unaffordable national debt. And yet, the President has put us on a course to make it radically worse in the years ahead. The federal government now spends one of every four dollars in the entire economy; it borrows one of every three dollars it spends. No nation, no entity, large or small, public or private, can thrive, or survive intact, with debts as huge as ours.

"The President's grand experiment in trickle-down government has held back rather than sped economic recovery. He seems to sincerely believe we can build a middle class out of government jobs paid for with borrowed dollars. In fact, it works the other way: a government as big and bossy as this one is maintained on the backs of the middle class, and those who hope to join it.

"Those punished most by the wrong turns of the last three years are those unemployed or underemployed tonight, and those so discouraged that they have abandoned the search for work altogether. And no one has been more tragically harmed than the young people of this country, the first generation in memory to face a future less promising than their parents did.

"As Republicans our first concern is for those waiting tonight to begin or resume the climb up life's ladder. We do not accept that ours will ever be a nation of haves and have nots; we must always be a nation of haves and soon to haves.

"In our economic stagnation and indebtedness, we are only a short distance behind Greece, Spain, and other European countries now facing economic catastrophe. But ours is a fortunate land. Because the world uses our dollar for trade, we have a short grace period to deal with our dangers. But time is running out, if we are to avoid the fate of Europe, and those once-great nations of history that fell from the position of world leadership.

"So 2012 is a year of true opportunity, maybe our last, to restore an America of hope and upward mobility, and greater equality. The challenges aren't matters of ideology, or party preference; the problems are simply mathematical, and the answers are purely practical.

"An opposition that would earn its way back to leadership must offer not just criticism of failures that anyone can see, but a positive and credible plan to make life better, particularly for those aspiring to make a better life for themselves. Republicans accept this duty, gratefully.

"The routes back to an America of promise, and to a solvent America that can pay its bills and protect its vulnerable, start in the same place. The only way up for those suffering tonight, and the only way out of the dead end of debt into which we have driven, is a private economy that begins to grow and create jobs, real jobs, at a much faster rate than today.

"Contrary to the President's constant disparagement of people in business, it's one of the noblest of human pursuits. The late Steve Jobs - what a fitting name he had - created more of them than all those stimulus dollars the President borrowed and blew. Out here in Indiana, when a businessperson asks me what he can do for our state, I say 'First, make money. Be successful. If you make a profit, you'll have something left to hire someone else, and some to donate to the good causes we love.'

"The extremism that stifles the development of homegrown energy, or cancels a perfectly safe pipeline that would employ tens of thousands, or jacks up consumer utility bills for no improvement in either human health or world temperature, is a pro-poverty policy. It must be replaced by a passionate pro-growth approach that breaks all ties and calls all close ones in favor of private sector jobs that restore opportunity for all and generate the public revenues to pay our bills.

"That means a dramatically simpler tax system of fewer loopholes and lower rates. A pause in the mindless piling on of expensive new regulations that devour dollars that otherwise could be used to hire somebody. It means maximizing on the new domestic energy technologies that are the best break our economy has gotten in years.

"There is a second item on our national must-do list: we must unite to save the safety net. Medicare and Social Security have served us well, and that must continue. But after half and three quarters of a century respectively, it's not surprising that they need some repairs. We can preserve them unchanged and untouched for those now in or near retirement, but we must fashion a new, affordable safety net so future Americans are protected, too.

"Decades ago, for instance, we could afford to send millionaires pension checks and pay medical bills for even the wealthiest among us. Now, we can't, so the dollars we have should be devoted to those who need them most.

"The mortal enemies of Social Security and Medicare are those who, in contempt of the plain arithmetic, continue to mislead Americans that we should change nothing. Listening to them much longer will mean that these proud programs implode, and take the American economy with them. It will mean that coming generations are denied the jobs they need in their youth and the protection they deserve in their later years.

"It's absolutely so that everyone should contribute to our national recovery, including of course the most affluent among us. There are smart ways and dumb ways to do this: the dumb way is to raise rates in a broken, grossly complex tax system, choking off growth without bringing in the revenues we need to meet our debts. The better course is to stop sending the wealthy benefits they do not need, and stop providing them so many tax preferences that distort our economy and do little or nothing to foster growth.

"It's not fair and it's not true for the President to attack Republicans in Congress as obstacles on these questions. They and they alone have passed bills to reduce borrowing, reform entitlements, and encourage new job creation, only to be shot down time and time again by the President and his Democratic Senate allies.

"This year, it falls to Republicans to level with our fellow citizens about this reality: if we fail to act to grow the private sector and save the safety net, nothing else will matter much. But to make such action happen, we also must work, in ways we Republicans have not always practiced, to bring Americans together.

"No feature of the Obama Presidency has been sadder than its constant efforts to divide us, to curry favor with some Americans by castigating others. As in previous moments of national danger, we Americans are all in the same boat. If we drift, quarreling and paralyzed, over a Niagara of debt, we will all suffer, regardless of income, race, gender, or other category. If we fail to shift to a pro-jobs, pro-growth economic policy, there will never be enough public revenue to pay for our safety net, national security, or whatever size government we decide to have.

"As a loyal opposition, who put patriotism and national success ahead of party or ideology or any self-interest, we say that anyone who will join us in the cause of growth and solvency is our ally, and our friend. We will speak the language of unity. Let us rebuild our finances, and the safety net, and reopen the door to the stairway upward; any other disagreements we may have can wait.

"You know, the most troubling contention in our national life these days isn't about economics, or policy at all. It's about us, as a free people. In two alarming ways, that contention is that we Americans just can't cut it anymore.

"In word and deed, the President and his allies tell us that we just cannot handle ourselves in this complex, perilous world without their benevolent protection. Left to ourselves, we might pick the wrong health insurance, the wrong mortgage, the wrong school for our kids; why, unless they stop us, we might pick the wrong light bulb!

"A second view, which I admit some Republicans also seem to hold, is that we Americans are no longer up to the job of self-government. We can't do the simple math that proves the unaffordability of today's safety net programs, or all the government we now have. We will fall for the con job that says we can just plow ahead and someone else will pick up the tab. We will allow ourselves to be pitted one against the other, blaming our neighbor for troubles worldwide trends or our own government has caused.

"2012 must be the year we prove the doubters wrong. The year we strike out boldly not merely to avert national bankruptcy but to say to a new generation that America is still the world's premier land of opportunity. Republicans will speak for those who believe in the dignity and capacity of the individual citizen; who believe that government is meant to serve the people rather than supervise them; who trust Americans enough to tell them the plain truth about the fix we are in, and to lay before them a specific, credible program of change big enough to meet the emergency we are facing.

"We will advance our positive suggestions with confidence, because we know that Americans are still a people born to liberty. There is nothing wrong with the state of our Union that the American people, addressed as free-born, mature citizens, cannot set right. Republicans in 2012 welcome all our countrymen to a program of renewal that rebuilds the dream for all, and makes our 'city on a hill' shine once again."

VIDEO and IMAGE CREDIT: CSPAN

TEXT CREDIT: John Boehner | speaker.gov H-232 The Capitol Washington, DC 20515 P (202) 225-0600 F (202) 225-5117

State of the Union SOTU Republican and Tea Party Response LIVE STREAMING VIDEO FEED

sookietex@yahoo.com (sookietex) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 19:39:56 PST

State of the Union SOTU Republican and Tea Party Response LIVE STREAMING VIDEO FEED

The CNN LIVE FEED as well as the CBS NEWS embed below should go LIVE shortly before 9:00 pm ET. FULL LIVE STREAMING VIDEO FEED.

9 ET. State of the Union address: President Obama delivers his State of the Union address before a joint session of Congress. Obama to lay out proposals, address economy in State of the Union

TBD* GOP response to State of the Union. Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels will deliver the Republican response to President Obama’s State of the Union Address. Daniels to offer Republican State of the Union response

TBD* Tea Party response to State of the Union. Former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain delivers the Tea Party response to the State of the Union Address. Herman Cain endorses ‘we the people’

The State of the Union speech Januaary 24, 2012 at 9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT). Republican Response to the State of the Union address (SOTU). Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels will deliver the rebuttal immediately following President Obama’s SOTU address before joint session of Congress. Republican (GOP)response should begin at approximately 10:15 p.m. ET.

Use Twitter OFFICIAL hashtag #SOTUGOP to ask House Republicans your questions. Paul Ryan will be among those answering.

The streaming video can be seen on CNN for iPhone and iPad app.

The Republican address can also be watched live online following the president’s State of the Union at GOP.gov/SOTU.

Governor Daniels, now in his eighth and final year as Indiana’s chief executive, has compiled a solid record of effective government and fiscal responsibility, making him well-suited to outline Republicans’ better solutions to the challenges Americans are facing in this struggling economy.

House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH)

RNC TV Ad On The State Of Our Union Under Obama VIDEO TEXT

sookietex@yahoo.com (sookietex) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:42:03 PST

RNC TV Ad On The State Of Our Union Under Obama VIDEO.

WASHINGTON – The Republican National Committee (RNC) launched a new television ad “State of Our Union” to coincide with President Obama’s State of the Union address tonight. The ad displays the nation’s economic struggles—13 million unemployed and 49 million in poverty—that are a direct result of Barack Obama’s failed leadership. It is being aired in Washington, DC as well as North Carolina, Virginia and Michigan, key battleground states where Barack Obama is on the defensive after three years of failed promises.

“Barack Obama has a lot of a explaining to do in tonight’s State of the Union Address,” said RNC Chairman Reince Priebus. “One year ago, he stood before the American people and promised he would tackle the housing crisis, rampant joblessness and get our economy back on track. But one year later, it’s more than clear that his sole priority is getting reelected.”

“The day after he delivers his State of the Union Address, Barack Obama will be jetting off to five states he wants to win to be reelected. Instead of more words and empty promises, the American people need a president who will focus on the single most important issue in the country: fixing our economy. It’s time we elect a president who puts good-paying American jobs above his own.”

TEXT CREDIT: Republican National Committee 310 First Street, SE Washington, DC 20003 info@gop.com p 202.863.8500 || f 202.863.8820

VIDEO CREDIT: rnc

Mitt Romney delivers prebuttal to President Obama’s State of the Union Address

sookietex@yahoo.com (sookietex) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:59:22 PST

Mitt Romney today delivered prebuttal remarks to President Obama’s State of the Union Address in Tampa, Florida. The following remarks were prepared for delivery.

Thank you. It’s good to be in the Sunshine State. It breaks my heart to visit plants like this one.

In 2008, this plant closed because of the economic downturn. In a normal recovery under strong leadership, it could now be full of workers.

Here in Florida, people used to wake up and look forward to a hard day’s work and a good, honest wage.

The money they earned helped support families and build communities. Today too many factory floors are silent, warehouses are deserted, corporate offices are empty, and real estate endeavors are abandoned. Floridians are struggling to find a job, keep a home, and raise a family.

As I’ve traveled across America, I’ve heard similar stories in virtually every corner of this country. High unemployment and record home foreclosures. Debt that’s too high and opportunities that are too few. This is the real state of our union. But you won’t hear stories like these in President Obama’s address tonight. The unemployed don’t get invitations to sit with the First Lady.

Instead, tonight, the President will do what he does best. He will give a nice speech with a lot of memorable phrases. But he won’t give you the hard numbers.

Like 9.9 – that’s the unemployment rate in this state.

Or 25 percent – that’s the percentage of foreclosed homes in America that are right here in Florida.

Or $15 trillion – that’s the size of our national debt.

Instead, tonight, President Obama will make the opening argument in his campaign against a “Do Nothing Congress.” But, we shouldn’t forget that for two years, this President had a Congress that could do everything he wanted.

With huge Democratic majorities in the House and Senate, President Obama was free to pursue any policy he pleased.

Did he fix the economy?

Did he tackle the housing crisis?

Did he get Americans back to work?

No.

He spent $787 billion on a stimulus bill and put us on track to borrow and spend $5 trillion in just his first term.

He forced through Obamacare – a trillion-dollar entitlement we don’t want and can’t afford.

He took over auto companies and student loans.

He stacked the National Labor Relations Board with union yes-men who, in turn, did favors for his campaign contributors and favorite friends.

When we needed stability and solvency, he gave us Solyndra.

When we needed a climate for private investment, he gave us Cash for Clunkers.

When we needed more domestic energy to keep prices low and create jobs, he imposed bans on oil drilling and turned his EPA regulators loose to slow our development of natural gas.

He’s spearheaded one of the largest expansions of government in American history. And he’s paying for it with money borrowed from China.

Three years ago, we measured Candidate Obama by his hopeful promises and slogans.

Today, President Obama has amassed an actual record of debt, decline, and disappointment.

This President’s agenda made these troubled times last longer. He and his allies made it harder for the economy to recover.

Instead of solving the housing crisis and getting Americans back to work, President Obama has been building a European-style welfare state. He has pushed for a second stimulus and deep cuts to our national defense. He’s asking the American people for another trillion dollars – and another term in office.

He keeps telling people, “We can’t wait.” To which I say, “Yes, we can.”

Tonight, the President will deliver his State of the Union. But make no mistake: What he’s really offering are partisan planks for his re-election campaign.

The President has been telling people that his agenda will create an economy that's “built to last.”

Well, let’s talk about what has lasted.

What has lasted is unemployment above 8% for 35 straight months. What will last is almost as much debt in four years as all the prior presidents combined. What will last are home values that are too low and foreclosure rates that are too high. And a legacy of debt that will imperil future generations.

What is critical is that we make today Barack Obama’s last State of the Union.

The President’s agenda sounds less like “built to last” and more like doomed to fail. What he’s proposing is more of the same: more taxes, more spending, and more regulation. And all of his proposals involve “big” government and “big” price tags.

Tonight, we’ll also be treated to more divisive rhetoric from a desperate campaigner-in-chief. It’s shameful for a President to use the State of the Union to divide our nation. And someone ought to tell him: In order for the economy to truly “work for everyone,” everyone needs to be working.

But more than anything, I expect the President will take this opportunity to take another victory lap. In big speeches, he tends to tell tall tales about an America that’s thriving on his watch.
In 2010, he announced that “the worst of this economic storm has passed.” I know the people of Tampa don’t believe that. Today, 24 million Americans are struggling for work. 2.8 million Americans have lost their homes. But President Obama believes he ranks among the four best presidents in history.

Here in Florida, you know better. You know that this President has run out of ideas. He’s run out of excuses. And, with your help, 2012 will be the year he runs out of time.

If tonight were the first message to Congress in a Romney administration, I’d have the courage to tell the American people how it is and tell Congress what we really need to do. I wouldn’t spend my time blaming others for how we got in this mess; I’d explain how we’re going to get out of it. I’d use the State of the Union to lay out an agenda that will get our country back on track and get our fiscal house in order.

My agenda would make government simpler, smaller, and smarter.

As President, I will repeal unnecessary regulations and restore our good credit rating.

I will reduce tax rates and simplify the tax code, especially for middle-income Americans.

I will streamline regulation, ensure the prompt review of projects, and order agencies to focus on economic growth. The Keystone Pipeline is a real “shovel-ready” project that would put 20,000 Americans back to work. Three years of review is long enough. The President was wrong to reject it. I will approve it.

I will open up new markets for American goods, and open up our lands so that we can finally develop our energy resources. A revolution in drilling for natural gas has opened up new supplies that will create American jobs, provide affordable energy, and offer our manufacturers a competitive edge. My administration will support the development of these resources, not find excuses to stand in the way.

If I were speaking to Congress tonight, I’d note that it’s now been one thousand days since the Senate last passed a budget. That’s irresponsible. It’s unacceptable. And, as President, I will cut spending, cap spending, and finally balance the budget.

I would pledge to do all that a President can to get America working again. When it comes to the economy, my highest priority would be worrying about your job, not saving my own.

As President, I will reverse the Obama-era defense cuts. I believe a strong America must – and will – lead the future. I will insist on a military so powerful that no one would ever think of challenging it.

That is the State of the Union I would deliver tonight. My plans protect our freedom and preserve opportunity. They reflect common-sense solutions and conservative values. And, over the past seven months, that agenda has rallied millions of Americans to our cause.

Our campaign is about more than replacing a President; it is about saving the soul of America. This election is a choice between two very different destinies.

President Obama wants to “fundamentally transform” America. We want to restore America to the founding principles that made this country great.

This President puts his faith in government. We put our faith in the American people.

Ours is the party of free enterprise, free markets, and consumer choice. The Republican Party stands for personal responsibility and equal opportunity. We don’t demonize prosperity. We celebrate success.

That’s the difference between our party and this President. He leads the party of big government. He believes in ever-expanding entitlement.

He’s wrong. We’re right. And this is a battle we cannot lose.

During my 25 years in business, I helped companies like Staples and the Sports Authority grow from start-ups to international enterprises. I turned around companies, a state government, and an Olympics. And I am passionate about our economic liberty because I have seen it reward the hard work of many – and create prosperity for all.

I have the experience to get America back to work. I have the judgment we need in the White House. And I will offer a real choice in the coming campaign.

Tonight will mark another chapter in the misguided policies of the last three years – and the failed leadership of one man. But Americans know that our future is brighter and better than these troubled times.

We still believe in the hope, the promise, and the dream of America. We still believe in that shining city on a hill.

A year from now a President will be giving another State of the Union address. The choice before us is clear.

Do we want a president who will try to explain again why his policies haven’t worked?

Do we want a president who will keep promising that this time he will get it right?

Do we want a president who keep telling us why he’s right and why we’re wrong?

Or do we want the sense of excitement that comes with a new beginning?

We are Americans and Americans don’t have to settle for a president who argues that things could be worse. We know that things can – and must – be better.

If you want to make this election about restoring American greatness, then I hope you will join us.

If you believe the disappointments of the last few years are a detour, not our destiny, then I am asking for your support.

If you share my belief that we need to scale back government so that we can expand prosperity, then I need your vote.

Thank you. And God bless the United States of America.

TEXT and IMAGE CREDIT: Mitt Romney for President P.O. Box 149756 Boston, MA 02114-9756 857-288-3500. For press inquiries, please contact press@mittromney.com. For all other inquiries, please contact info@mittromney.com.

Republican Debate NBC News Tampa Florida 01/23/12 FULL DEBATE VIDEO

sookietex@yahoo.com (sookietex) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:02:50 PST

Republican Debate NBC News Tampa Florida 01/23/12 FULL DEBATE VIDEO

The Republican (GOP) Debate NBC News Tampa Florida 01/23/12. The Republican Debate at the University of South Florida Theatre 1 in Tampa, January 23, 2012 at 9 p.m. ET.

Four candidates participated: Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul, Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum.

NBC News / National Journal / Tampa Bay Times Debate and the Florida Council of 100, moderated by NBC's Brian Williams and featuring National Journal’s Beth Reinhard and the Tampa Bay Times’ political reporter Adam C. Smith. 9 p.m.

This was the first weekday prime time airing of a primary debate on a broadcast network in the 2012 election cycle.

@NBCPolitics recommended using the OFFICIAL hashtag #FLDebate on Twitter.

CONTACTS: NBC News Communications: Erika Masonhall, (212) 664-3230 / erika.masonhall@nbcuni.com || National Journal Communications: Taylor West, (202) 266-7756 / twest@nationaljournal.com || Tampa Bay Times Communications: Jounice Nealy-Brown, (727) 893-8289 / nealybrown@tampabay.com

MORE DEBATES: +sookie tex

Gingrich Group Releases Freddie Mac Contract Document FULL PDF

sookietex@yahoo.com (sookietex) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:15:05 PST

Gingrich Group Releases Freddie Mac Contract FULL PDF Retention Agreement Cover Page and Agreement

ATLANTA - The Gingrich Group, LLC today announced it is releasing a contract written by Freddie Mac for consulting services it contracted with the organization.

“Subject to a conversation between our counsel and Freddie Mac, we have received permission to release the attached contract,” said Nancy Desmond, Chairman and CEO of the Gingrich Group. “As noted under the scope of work section on Page 14, the contract was solely for consulting purposes and not lobbying.

“Freddie Mac and The Gingrich Group have agreed that this release is limited to the contract alone and does not constitute a general release of the confidentiality provisions between us,” Desmond added.

Newt Gingrich relinquished his ownership in the company in May 2010 when he announced his bid for President of the United States.

For more information contact: Susan L. Meyers, smeyers@gingrichgroup.com 404-518-2271

Republican Debate NBC News Tampa Florida 01/23/12 LIVE STREAMING VIDEO

sookietex@yahoo.com (sookietex) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:19:28 PST

UPDATED: 01/24/12 Republican Debate NBC News Tampa Florida 01/23/12 FULL DEBATE VIDEO

Republican (GOP) Debate NBC News Tampa Florida 01/23/12 LIVE STREAMING VIDEO.

The NBC News LIVE FEED should go LIVE shortly before 9:00 pm ET. NBC News / National Journal / Tampa Bay Times will host the Debate from Tampa, Florida, University of South Florida. on Monday, January 23 at 9 pm ET. FULL STREAMING VIDEO.

The Republican (GOP) Debate NBC News Tampa Florida 01/23/12 LIVE STREAMING VIDEO (LIVE FEEDS). The Republican Debate at the University of South Florida Theatre 1 in Tampa, January 23, 2012 at 9 p.m. ET.

Four candidates will participate: Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul, Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum.

NBC News / National Journal / Tampa Bay Times Debate and the Florida Council of 100, moderated by NBC's Brian Williams and featuring National Journal’s Beth Reinhard and the Tampa Bay Times’ political reporter Adam C. Smith. 9 p.m.

This will be the first weekday primetime airing of a primary debate on a broadcast network in the 2012 election cycle.

LIVE FEEDS should also be available at these locations nbcpolitics.com, nationaljournal.com, and tampabay.com. Telemundo will broadcast the debate in its entirety with simultaneous Spanish-language translation.

@NBCPolitics recommends using the OFFICIAL hashtag #FLDebate on Twitter.

CONTACTS: NBC News Communications: Erika Masonhall, (212) 664-3230 / erika.masonhall@nbcuni.com || National Journal Communications: Taylor West, (202) 266-7756 / twest@nationaljournal.com || Tampa Bay Times Communications: Jounice Nealy-Brown, (727) 893-8289 / nealybrown@tampabay.com

MORE DEBATES: +sookie tex

Ron Paul Speaking after the South Carolina Primary VIDEO.

sookietex@yahoo.com (sookietex) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 09:03:42 PST

Ron Paul Speaking after the South Carolina Primary VIDEO.

Ron Paul: 'We will continue' Jan 21, 2012 - 15:53 - Republican presidential candidate rallies supporters, promises to fight on.

Newt Gingrich won the Republican South Carolina presidential primary with 243,153 votes (40.4%). Mitt Romney came in second with 167,279 (27.8%). Rick Santorum finished in third place with 102,055 votes (17%). Ron Paul came in fourth with 77,993 (13%).

Rick Santorum Speaking after the South Carolina Primary VIDEO

sookietex@yahoo.com (sookietex) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 09:05:42 PST

Rick Santorum Speaking after the South Carolina Primary VIDEO. Santorum: 'It's a wide open race' Jan 21, 2012 - 13:09 - Presidential candidate congratulates Newt Gingrich, thanks supporters.

Newt Gingrich won the Republican South Carolina presidential primary with 243,153 votes (40.4%). Mitt Romney came in second with 167,279 (27.8%). Rick Santorum finished in third place with 102,055 votes (17%). Ron Paul came in fourth with 77,993 (13%).

Mitt Romney Speaking after the South Carolina Primary VIDEO

sookietex@yahoo.com (sookietex) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 09:09:26 PST

Mitt Romney Speaking after the South Carolina Primary VIDEO 'Still got a long way to go' Jan 21, 2012 - 10:12 - Republican presidential candidate congratulates Newt Gingrich, thanks supporters, looks ahead to Florida

Newt Gingrich won the Republican South Carolina presidential primary with 243,153 votes (40.4%). Mitt Romney came in second with 167,279 (27.8%). Rick Santorum finished in third place with 102,055 votes (17%). Ron Paul came in fourth with 77,993 (13%).

Newt Gingrich speech after winniing South Carolina primary VIDEO

sookietex@yahoo.com (sookietex) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 09:11:10 PST

Newt Gingrich speech after winniing South Carolina primary VIDEO. 'We Want to Run an American Campaign' Jan 21, 2012 - 22:29 - Former House speaker criticizes 'elites' as he celebrates South Carolina victory

Newt Gingrich won the Republican South Carolina presidential primary with 243,153 votes (40.4%). Mitt Romney came in second with 167,279 (27.8%). Rick Santorum finished in third place with 102,055 votes (17%). Ron Paul came in fourth with 77,993 (13%).

Jeb Hensarling Weekly Republican Address on the State of the Union & GOP JobsPlan 01/21/12 TEXT PODCAST VIDEO

sookietex@yahoo.com (sookietex) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 06:19:00 PST

Weekly Republican Address TEXT PODCAST VIDEO 01/21/12 Podcast of the address: Download MP3 for PODCAST || FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT BELOW. ||

Weekly Republican Address: Rep. Jeb Hensarling on the State of the Union & GOP Jobs Plan

Chairman Hensarling: “The State of the Union is a time for truth-telling, and the sad truth is that the president’s policies are making our economy worse.”

Washington (Jan 20) ***Embargoed until 6:00 a.m. EST, January 21, 2012***

Delivering the Weekly Republican Address on the eve of the State of the Union, Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) says President Obama’s policies have made the economy worse and Republicans are offering better solutions, including a Plan for America’s Job Creators. Rep. Hensarling cites this week’s decision to reject the Keystone XL pipeline extension, which would have created more than 20,000 jobs, as an example of how the president’s policies are hurting rather than helping. The lawmaker notes that the pipeline extension would run through his congressional district in Texas. The audio of the Weekly Republican Address is available immediately; the video will be available for viewing and downloading after the embargo is lifted.

“Hello, I’m Congressman Jeb Hensarling of Texas, and I serve as chairman of the House Republican Conference.

“Three years ago this week, President Obama celebrated his inauguration. As he prepares for his State of the Union address, it’s worth reviewing the previous messages he’s delivered to a nation eager to create jobs. In 2009, we were told that if we passed his ‘stimulus’ plan, the economy would improve. In 2010, we were told that if we passed his government takeover of health care, the economy would improve. Last year, we were told that his budget would help us ‘win the future.’

“Those were the promises, here are the facts.

“Since President Obama took office, 1.7 million fewer Americans have jobs. Gas prices have doubled. More Americans are on food stamps than ever before. The new health care law is making it harder for small businesses to hire and provide health insurance. Our national debt now exceeds the size of our entire economy. And as the president takes to the podium to address the nation, we will be marking 1,000 days since the Democrat-controlled Senate has even bothered to pass a budget.

“Regardless of the president’s good intentions, his policies have failed the American people. His policies haven’t just failed to make the economy better – they have actually made it worse.

“Just this week, the president wasted a golden opportunity to help create at least 20,000 new American jobs when he rejected a popular energy project. The Keystone pipeline extension would run from Canada to Texas, right through my congressional district. As you may know, this project has undergone extensive environmental reviews, and is backed by a diverse coalition, from unions and small businesses to lawmakers in both parties. In fact, the president’s own jobs council recently stated that projects like this one can create hundreds of thousands of jobs. Despite all of this, the president rejected the project and buried 20,000 shovel ready jobs.

“We can’t afford to go on like this, and we don’t have to.

“Republicans will continue fighting to bring these Keystone jobs to the United States. And we will also continue to listen to the American people and present better solutions that support small business job creation. By implementing Republicans’ Plan for America’s Job Creators, the House has sent nearly 30 bipartisan jobs bills to the Democrat-controlled Senate. One of those bills includes the full-year extension of the payroll tax credit that the president asked us to pass. Unfortunately, our jobs bills remain stuck in the Democrat Senate, and President Obama hasn’t urged the Democrat majority leader, Senator Harry Reid, to act.

“This has to change. Our jobs bills are focused on common-sense priorities like boosting competitiveness for manufacturers, reducing red tape for small businesses, and producing more American energy. These are also ideas supported by the president’s jobs council.

“The State of the Union is a time for truth-telling, and the sad truth is that the president’s policies are making our economy worse. It’s a new year, it’s a time for new, bipartisan solutions to our jobs crisis. We remain hopeful the president will change course and work with Republicans and Democrats in Congress to help get people back to work.

“You can learn more about the Republican jobs plan, and watch the Republican response to the State of the Union, at GOP.gov/SOTU/.

“Thank you for listening, and God bless the United States of America.”

VIDEO and IMAGE CREDIT: HouseConference

TEXT CREDIT: John Boehner | speaker.gov H-232 The Capitol Washington, DC 20515 P (202) 225-0600 F (202) 225-5117

AUDIO / VIDEO FILES CREDIT: The House Republican Conference - Digital Communications visual.media@mail.house.gov 202-225-5439