GOV. BOB McDONNELL: Are you ready to win? Well what a treat it is to be here in one of the reddest counties in all of Virginia, Loudon County.  And we want to welcome back Gov. Romney.  We haven't seen him in Virginia since yesterday.  Well what a treat to be here.  General Cuccinelli.  I never go anywhere without my lawyer.  It's dangerous in Virginia as the governor.  But thank you all so much for coming.  Just a little over 130 days to go until we elect a new president of the United States thanks to the Commonwealth of Virginia.  So there's a lot to do.  We're going to have a great air war.  You see the governor on TV.  He's doing a great job raising money, inspiring people, but you're the ground war.  You're the army that's going to get this job done to protect the best interests of the United States of America.

You know this is the greatest country on Earth, the land of the American Dream.  This is the marvelous land of opportunity that our founders, Jefferson and Madison and the rest planted a couple of centuries ago.  It's a place where veterans go and serve in wars abroad because they love freedom so much, they're willing to serve and die for other people.  It's a remarkable place.  All the veterans raise your hands so we can give you a round of applause.  Thank you.

But you know that the reason you're here is that great American Dream, our beloved land of opportunity, our free enterprise system is under attack now from this administration and the federal government, and it's why we need new leadership.  Eight-point-two percent unemployment rate going on now for 40 months.  Sixteen trillion in debt, mortgaging the future of these kids, your grandkids and others.  Unacceptable.  No coherent plan on energy.  We've just got to have new leadership.  This president's played the blame game, he's blaming everybody but himself for the economy, and that's why it's time for a new president, a new commander in chief of the United States of America.

You know you heard the general talk about the court cases a little bit, but I think this week is such a great reminder about why we need a president like Mitt Romney who will focus on jobs and opportunity and growth and free enterprise and dreams.  Because you look at what's happened just this week.  A case about the federal government suing the states for trying to enforce the law and now tomorrow the Court will rule on the greatest power grab in the history of the United States by the federal government to take over your health care and to tell you that you must buy a product or a good and if you don't, you get fined.  That simply cannot stand in the United States of America. 

But here's the biggest problem.  All that time when President Mitt Romney would have been focusing on jobs and economic development and getting you back to work and creating better dreams for you and your kids, this president's focusing on unfunded mandates on the states and taking over the health care system, the best health care system in the world, by the federal government.  So this president is out of touch, out of time, and it's time for a new president.

It's no wonder that the nation and the economy that was the envy of the Earth is now struggling and why a recovery is coming so slow, because we don't have a leader that understands free enterprise, and is focused on health care and big government programs and trampling on the ability of states to do what they do best and on your individual rights.  That's what the president should have been doing the last three years to get us back on track, but he hasn't done it.  He hasn't set priorities.

So ladies and gentlemen,  that's why I'm so glad that Gov. Romney's spending all this time in Virginia.  He is the man that will help to restore the American Dream.  Why?  Because he has lived the American Dream.  He understands the greatness of America.  He understands that it's free people in a free society pursuing opportunity that's the greatest thing about our country, not more government entitlements and guarantees.  It's individual citizens living at liberty, creating jobs and opportunity.  It's what he did in Massachusetts; it's what he did for the Olympics, turning that around.  It's what he did in the private creating over 100,000 new jobs.  We need a job creator.  Somebody who celebrates success.  Somebody who will unify the country and not divide us, and so that's why I so glad to be here to support a man of faith and character that gets the greatness of America, who will help to turn this country back around to the dreams that our Founders planted here so long ago.  Please welcome the next president of the United States, Mitt Romney.

FORMER GOV. MITT ROMNEY: Thank you.  Wow, thank you so much.  Thank you.  This is a--  Wow what a welcome, I'll tell you.  You guys in Loudon are doing a great job.  You may well be the county that decides the next president, and if you are, it'll be me.  Thank you.

Now I've been listening to Attorney General Cuccinelli and Governor McDonnell and very clear that a big decision's coming tomorrow from the Supreme Court.  My guess is they're not sleeping real well at the White House tonight.  That's the way it ought to be.

And this is a decision by the way about whether or not Obamacare is constitutional, whether it passes constitutional muster.  And so we're all waiting to see how the Court will decide.  One thing we already know however.  We already know it's bad policy and it's got to go.

And so if the Court upholds it, if they say, look, it passes the Constitution, it still is bad policy and that'll mean if I'm elected we're going to repeal it and replace it.

And if on the other hand the Court strikes it down, it'll be doing my work for me.  I won't have to repeal it, but I still will have to replace it, and I will.  And I'm asked from time to time why don't you like Obamacare?  What is it that's wrong with it?  Well let me count the ways, alright, there are a lot.

I mean first I don't like the idea of government bureaucrats getting between us and our doctors.  That's number one.

And by the way for our senior citizen friends who are concerned about Medicare, let's remind them of one other thing we don't like about Obamacare.  The president cut $500 billion out of Medicare to pay for Obamacare.  Another good reason to get rid of it.

And then for those a little younger, he's adding trillions of dollars to federal spending.  We don't need more debt.  We do not need more deficits.  We cannot pass on these burdens to the next generation.

Now there are a couple of other things we don't like about Obamacare.  We don't like the fact that it's estimated that up to 20 million people who get their insurance through their employer will be dropped from insurance; they won't be able to keep their insurance.  And by the way, those that keep their insurance are going to see their premiums go up.  So for these, among many other reasons, whatever the Supreme Court does tomorrow, one thing we know.  If I'm elected president we're going to get rid of Obamacare and replace it with real reform.

There are going to be a lot of sleepless nights at the White House over the next few months because the president's in a tight spot.  He's in a tight spot because of Obamacare and the fact that the American people don't want it and the more they learn about it the less they like it. 

He's in a tight spot because he hasn't done what he said he'd do.  He said he'd turn this economy around.  That was his number one priority.  He went on the "Today" show right after being inaugurated, and he said, if I can't turn around the economy in three years, I'll be looking at a one term proposition.  Now given the fact that he said that, he's been trying to convince us over the last several days that he's really already turned things around.  He said for instance that the private sector is doing fine. 

But then 23 million American voices spoke up, people that were out of work or stopped looking for work or are underemployed.  They said how about us?  This private sector, this private economy hasn't turned around for us.  Moms and dads who have had to explain to their kids that they can't afford college; they've had to raid their college savings to make ends meet in their homes.  Retirees wonder how they can make ends meet because the returns on their CDs and investments has become pretty darn low in these times.  People who were coming home from conflict, who've served our country valiantly and bravely, come home and stand in an unemployment line.  Middle class Americans who are wondering how they're going to make ends meet with gasoline prices higher, food prices higher, and wages have dropped by 10 percent.  The median income in America has dropped 10 percent in the last four years.  This president has not turned around the economy.  He cannot say he has.  We're not going to let a one-term proposition turn into an eight year proposition.

And so he's amended his pleadings if you will.  He's changed his argument.  He says well, okay, I don't really mean the private sector's doing fine, but I can tell you that we're making progress.  I was with Chris Christie last night.  He said their campaign slogan--yeah, Chris is a great guy--he said their campaign slogan, the little sign they put out front says forward.  He said they should change it to backward, alright, because if progress is what we're seeing, we don't want more of it. 

What we're seeing in his policies, by the way, is not policy that helps get the economy going, but instead policies that have made it harder for our economy to get going again and put people back to work.  And the reason is his policies were not focused on creating jobs.  They were focused on implementing his liberal agenda.  There's nothing wrong with people having an agenda, but when the country's in crisis, you have a moral responsibility to focus on helping people come out of that crisis.

It was not just bad policies.  It was the moral failure to put forward a piece of legislation that would help Americans get back to work, and to focus the energy of the White House on Obamacare.  This particular piece of legislation--  Go out and ask employers that you know, small businesses, retailers, businesses like this one, high tech businesses.  This corner of Virginia is known across Virginia as a place of technology and innovation.  You ask people in this corner, say does Obamacare make it more likely or less likely to hire people.  And I know the answer, because the Chamber of Commerce did a survey across the nation.  Three-quarters of the businesses surveyed said Obamacare makes it less likely for them to hire people.  How could the president do this in a time of economic crisis?

And then there were his other pieces of legislation.  His cap-and-trade proposal to try and raise the cost of energy.  That scares away jobs.  And then there was his labor management policy that said to Boeing that they can't build a facility in South Carolina.  That scares away jobs.  Then it was this financial regulatory reform legislation.  Look, we need good regulation and most regulations need to be updated; we've learned that.  But this bill was an 848-page monstrosity, and it has made it not harder for the big banks, the too-big-to-fail banks so to speak, they've gotten bigger.  Wha'ts happened is that the community banks.  The small banks that loan to small business, they're the ones getting crushed.  The president's policies have not helped people go back to work.  If I'm president my job one will be getting good jobs for middle class Americans.

Let me tell you though, that there's one thing that the president said in his speech that I agree with.  He said that every American deserves a fair shot, and I could not agree more.  I think this is the land of opportunity for every single person, every single citizen of this great nation, and I want to make sure that we keep America a place of opportunity, where everyone has a fair shot to get as much education as they can afford and with their time they're able to get, and if they have a willingness to work hard and the right values, they ought to be able to provide for their family and have a shot at realizing their dreams.  That's the nature of America.

But when he says that, he opens himself up to some questions.  Let me ask you.  Do you think that coming generations of Americans are going to have a fair shot if we pass trillions of dollars of debt onto them?  [Audience: No!]

Do you think college graduates who are coming out of college where half of them can't find a job consistent with their skills, are they getting a fair shot?  [Audience: No!]

How about entrepreneurs all over the country that are developing various technologies when they hear that the government is taking your tax dollars and investing or giving loans to businesses like Solyndra that were campaign contributors to the Obama economy, are those other inventors and the taxpayers getting a fair shot?  [Audience: No!]

How about kids in the DC school system that heard that the president blanked out for a while there the scholarship program that let them choose the school of their choice.  How about the kids across America any time the president bows to the teacher's union ahead of the kids.  Are our children getting a fair shot?  [Audience: No!]

I think you've got it right.  If [it] ever came to a time when we had a president that did not give a fair shot to the middle class people of this country, it's this president and because of that we're going to get a president who will give a fair shot to the American people.

Now let me--  Look if good jobs for the American people are job one for me if I'm president, how am I going to do that.  Let me give you some ideas.

Number one, I'm going to take advantage of the extraordinary energy resources we have in this country.  Coal, oil, gas, nuclear, renewables.  We're going to take advantage of our energy. 

And by the way, I also like the fact that we trade with other nations.  That is good for us.  We sell products from here to other businesses and other places around the world.  That's good.  We want to open up new markets for American goods.  This president's been in office for three and a half years.  During that time European countries and China have negotiated some 44 trade different agreements with nations around the world.  Guess how many this president's negotiated.  Zero.  Zero.  Unacceptable.  I want to open up new markets for our goods, particularly in Latin America where we're close and where we have natural advantage.  And by the way when people cheat, when they cheat on trade like China has cheated, I'm going to crack down on them.  They can't get away with taking our jobs. 

I want to make sure that people who are thinking of starting a business here, opening their doors or even foreign investors thinking about investing here, those things create jobs, I want them to know that in the future America is not going to become Greece or Spain or Italy or Stockton, California.  I want them to know that we have a stable currency and a sound financial basis so I'm going to make sure we do something politicians have talked about for years and not done.  I'm going to cut spending, I'm going to cap it and finally get us a balanced budget.

Our economy-- [chants]

You guys are great, thank you.  Look.  Our economy, our economy is driven by something the Founders figured out a long time ago.  The Founders figured out that an economy would be stronger not with a bigger and bigger government that tried to guide the economy and pick winners and losers, or in the case of this president picking losers, but instead giving people freedom, letting individuals pursue their dreams.  And so each American going off in their own direction, trying to pursue an opportunity that they think could change their life or the lives of people around them, this is what's driven America's economy.  The Founders said that we were entitled to pursue happiness as we choose, not by  virtue of the grace of government, but virtue of the gift of God.  We are free in this nation to pursue our dreams. 

Each day you see a liberal president with a view to get government larger and larger and larger and more directive and more demanding and more insertive in our lives it makes it harder and harder for economy to do what it's always done.  Live the American experiment and lift all people.  And the success of people in America, those that achieve their dreams, like right here in this enterprise, these dreams do not make us poorer; they make us better off, they account for the fact that America has the highest standard of living of any major nation in the world.

I love America.  I know how critical these times are. 

I was in Great Britain a number of years ago, no, excuse me a number of months ago, and met with a number of leaders there.  One of them said this.  He said Mitt, if you're lucky enough to be elected president of the United States, and you travel to foreign capitals, you will undoubtedly have rehearsed for you all the mistakes they think America's making.  But he said but please don't ever forget this.  The one thing we all fear the most is a weak America.  American strength is the best ally world peace has ever known.  We must keep America strong.

A strong military depends on a strong economy, and a strong economy depends on people with the right values and homes and with the desire to lift themselves and pursue their happiness in the way they believe is best for them and for those around them.  This nation depends, depends on the course we're going to choose, and the world depends on the course we're going to choose on November 6th.  And so I'm counting on Virginia to do the right thing and help us get America back on track to greatness.

You know on Memorial Day I was proud to stand with a number of the members of our armed forces and veterans.  I was in San Diego.  I got a chance to introduce three gentlemen who had served in the Second World War, one of whom was of particular interest to me.  He was the lookout on the U.S.S. Tennessee in Pearl Harbor on the day of the attack.  And he said he looked in the eyes of the pilot that was coming in and dropping armament on their ships, and he said that he was injured in that blast and yet went on to serve for 33 years in the U.S. Navy.  I had him stand to be recognized.  

But I note there are not as many World War II veterans among us as there used to be.  They're getting older. And those that are with us are not quite as strong as they used to be; they can't hold the torch quite as high as they used to high it, hold it rather, and it's a torch of freedom and hope and opportunity.  It's not America's torch, but it's America's duty and honor to hold that torch aloft, and now it's our turn, it's our turn to seize that torch and hold it aloft, and we can only do that if we have strong homes and strong values and a strong economy and a strong military.  I will keep America strong and make sure we remain the hope of the Earth.  Thank you so much.  Great to be with you.  Thank you.


Transcript copyright © 2012 Eric M. Appleman/Democracy in Action.