The Green Papers
The Green Papers
Commentary

Day 4 of the 2012 REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION

by Richard E. Berg-Andersson
TheGreenPapers.com Staff
Fri 31 Aug 2012

The fourth and final day of the 40th Republican National Convention was called to order at 7:30 PM Eastern Daylight Time on Thursday 30 August 2012 [2330 GMT] by the Convention Permanent Chair, Speaker of the U.S. House John Boehner. The colors were presented by the US Central Command Joint Forces Color Team and the Pledge of Allegiance was led by Dylan Nonaka, former Executive Director of the Republican Party of Hawaii and a Marine Corps veteran of the Iraq War; the National Anthem was sung by the singing group SEVEN and the Invocation was delivered by Ken Hutchins of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (the Mormon Church of which Governor Romney himself is a member).

Convention Chairman Boehner then formally announced that which we all already knew: that Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan had been nominated for, respectively, President and Vice-President of the United States by this very gathering.

Congressman Connie Mack 4th of Florida, the Republican candidate for the United States Senate was the first speaker of the evening:

Once again, it's morning in America. There are new leaders on the horizon- Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan- America's comeback team...

We've always been a people with big dreams and limitless potential: after all, this is America. Our success is built on our values and our principles, but so many of them are under attack: our commitment to Freedom and Liberty and to everything that makes our country great seems to embarrass the Blame America First crowd. They penalize individual achievement while praising the power of Government- but they have not, cannot and will not destroy our spirit...

We owe it to those who have given so much to regain our strength, and remain one of the strongest forces for Freedom the world has ever seen: our allies deserve our unwavering support and our enemies need to know we stand to defend Freedom at all costs. America was built on the belief in free enterprise, hard work, passion and faith- we have the awesome responsibility to make that dream a reality. That dream is not an impossible dream- it's the American Dream: it's sure, it's strong and it's steady...

That's what this election is all about - making the American Dream a reality again. It's not about the past- it's not about what was done wrong: it's not about blaming America- it's quite the opposite. Tonight, we embark on a renewal of the American Dream: tonight, we honor those who have come before us and done so much- many even giving their lives. And, tonight, we honor our children and their children to ensure their dreams- whether it's playing under the lights or starting a business or being a doctor or a nurse or a soldier or a sailor or even a President or a Vice-President: dreams can become realities.

After all, this is America- and it's morning once again.

This was followed by a video tribute to the late President Ronald Reagan, after which former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich (another former rival for the presidential nomination that was now Governor Romney's) and his wife Callista came to the podium.

Obama's waiving of the work requirement in welfare reform is just one example of his direct repudiation of President Reagan's values. Obama is proud of what he has done and of his politically motivated partisanship, but he should be ashamed for putting politics before people, Newt Gingrich stated. His wife then added: Governor Romney will return America to work and to the principles that are at the core of President Reagan's legacy. This year, the American people will once again have an important choice to make. The former House Speaker then declaimed: Now, each of us must commit ourselves in the tradition of Ronald Reagan to come together. President Reagan said, "there is no substitute for victory'' and, this November, we cannot settle for anything less. This is the most critical election of our lifetime: each of us must do our part now to insure that America remains, in the tradition of President Reagan, a land of freedom, hope, and opportunity.

Craig Romney, the youngest son of Governor and Mrs. Romney, came to the podium and spoke a few words in Spanish, then noted It's easy to forget that the story of my father's success begins with the story of two immigrants - my grandfathers - who came to this country with little more than hope in the opportunity of America. Through their hard work and perseverance they lived the American dream, and gave opportunities to their children they wouldn't have had anywhere else. The Republican Party is dedicated to preserving that opportunity for all Americans.

[NOTE: Mitt Romney's father- the late Governor George Romney of Michigan- had been born in Mexico to Mormon colonists from the United States, while Mrs. Romney's father had been born in Wales]

The next speaker was former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, the son of one former President and the brother of another:

I love my brother, Jeb Bush said. During incredibly challenging times, he kept us safe. So, Mr. President, it's time to stop blaming your predecessor for your failed economic policies! You were dealt a tough hand but your policies have not worked- in the fourth year of his Presidency, a real leader would have accepted responsibility for his actions and you haven't done it...

This election is about the future of this Nation. We can shape that future with what we do here, with what we do on November 6th- we can restore America's greatness. That starts with a strong economy, a smart energy policy, lower deficits, and a President who puts America's workers and job-creators first.

But to have a great future- a secure future, a future that is equal to our potential as a nation- we need to do something else: we must make sure that our children and grandchildren are ready for the world we are shaping today. It starts in our homes, in our communities and, especially, in our schools.

Former Governor Bush introduced Sean Duffy, a schoolteacher in Austin, Texas.

Bush resumed speaking: Here's another thing we can do: Let's give every parent in America a choice about where their child attends school.

Everywhere in our lives, we get the chance to choose. Go down any supermarket aisle - you'll find an incredible selection of milk. You can get whole milk, 2% milk, low-fat milk or skim milk. Organic milk, and milk with extra Vitamin D. There's flavored milk- chocolate, strawberry or vanilla- and it doesn't even taste like milk. They even make milk for people who can't drink milk! Shouldn't parents have that kind of choice in schools?

Governor Romney gets it: he believes parents - regardless of zip code or income - should be able to send their child to the school that fits them best...

There are many people who say they support strong schools but draw the line at school choice. "Sorry, kid. Giving you equal opportunity would be too risky and it will upset powerful political forces that we need to win elections." I have a simple message for these masters of delay and deferral: choose! You can either help the politically powerful unions or you can help the kids.

Now, I know it's hard to take on the unions- they fund campaigns, they're well-organized. Election day? They'll show up: meanwhile, the kids aren't old enough to vote. But you and I know who deserves a choice- Governor Romney knows it, too.

At this point, Bush introduced Frantz Placide- who had been educated under Jeb Bush's own School Choice program in Florida.

Bush once more returned to the podium: Because he is a former Governor, Mitt Romney understands that States must lead this national movement. In Massachusetts, Governor Romney narrowed the gap between students of different races, raised testing standards, and put into place a merit scholarship- the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship- that gives students four tuition free years at any Massachusetts public institution of higher learning. He's a champion for bringing hope to education and he intends to be a champion for equality of opportunity, a President who always puts students first. So in this election, remember this: our future as a Nation is at stake.

Fact is, this election is not about just one office- it is about one nation. If we want to continue to be the greatest nation on the planet, we must give our kids what we promise them: an equal opportunity. That starts in the classroom, it starts in our communities- it starts where you live and it starts with electing Mitt Romney the next President of the United States.

Yet once more, Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rogers of Washington State- vice chairman of the House Republican Conference- came forward, this time to introduce the evening's theme of 'We Believe in America'.

Congresswoman Rogers then introduced Grant Bennett, president of CPS Technologies, who had also been an assistant to Mitt Romney when Romney himself was pastor at their Mormon Church (the Church of Latter-Day Saints utilizes lay clergy). Bennett noted that Mitt didn't discuss questions of Theology: he found his definition of Religion in James in the New Testament (specifically, the Letter of James 1:27a: "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this: To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction" [King James Version]).

To more dramatically make the point, a couple who had been in Romney's (and Bennett's) congregation- Ted and Pat Oparowski, who had lost their teenage son to cancer- came forward to talk about how Romney had comforted the boy in his last days (Romney delivered the eulogy at the boy's funeral and had even helped him draw up a Will), while Pam Finlayson spoke of the Romney's helping her get through the difficulties of raising a daughter who faced serious medical conditions from birth.

Bob White- chairman of the Romney for President campaign and a partner with Mitt Romney in the investment company Bain Capital- came to the podium:

For 30 years, I have been at Mitt Romney's side when he did extraordinary things... Our journey began when Mitt asked a small group of us to help him start an investment firm called Bain Capital... Mitt was absolutely clear what he expected from each of us: we would act with absolute integrity, mutual respect- true teammates: and we would recognize the profound responsibility we owed to those who had placed their trust in us.

Integrity; Respect; Responsibility; Trust: these are not just words to Mitt Romney- these are principles he lives by.

The next speaker was Tom Stemberg, the founder of STAPLES- one of the companies aided by Bain Capital:

Twenty-five years ago, I had a crazy idea for a new business: I wanted to do to office supplies what Home Depot had done with home improvement. I pictured an office superstore for regular customers and small businesses- the business would be called Staples. It wasn’t easy at first: I had a vision and a business plan. Then I met Mitt Romney- he helped make it come alive...

For me, as a founder, it was the realization of a dream- so you can imagine my dismay when I see this White House and their campaign demonizing Mitt Romney, demonizing Bain Capital: demonizing the private equity industry that created so many new jobs over and over again. Fiction; half-truths; downright lies. You have to ask yourself: why would an Administration that can’t create any jobs demonize someone who did? I’ve got a theory- I think when it comes to jobs, new businesses, and economic growth, they just don’t get it. They say that Mitt Romney is out of touch with ordinary Americans- they just don’t get it...

The Obama campaign will tell you that Bain Capital was a form of Vampire Capitalism: drain the blood from a company and move on- they just don’t get it... they’ve got a jobs council that never meets, a Democratic Senate that doesn’t act, a President who doesn’t believe and a Vice President who won’t stop talking- they just don’t get it! They don’t get it because they don’t believe in the spirit of the entrepreneur: they don’t understand what it means to risk money to create something new. They don’t understand the hard work it takes to get a business off the ground, the sacrifices you make...

Well, let me tell you: my friend Mitt Romney gets it- and I could not be more confident in saying that the American People get it. That’s why, this November, they will elect Mitt Romney as the next President of the United States of America!

Next came Kerry Healey, a Republican National Committeewoman from Massachusetts who had been Mitt Romney's Lieutenant Governor and who talked about Romney's record as Governor of ye olde Commonwealth:

How did he fix our State? Well, he quickly assembled a cabinet of the best and the brightest- drawing on both parties, Republicans and Democrats: half women, half men- to give him the full spectrum of ideas and advice. He respected different opinions, valued open debate, and when it was all said and done, Mitt Romney knew how to make a decision... And, unlike President Obama, Governor Romney’s economic policies were rewarded with a credit upgrade...

Mitt never took a salary as Governor- but he worked harder than anyone I know... Mitt was always a hands-on leader... and he is ready to bring that same work ethic, vision and integrity to the White House.

She was followed by Jane Edmonds who- even though a liberal Democrat at the time- had been appointed Governor Romney's Secretary of Workforce.

Taylor Hicks- a past winner of 'American Idol'- came out to perform 'Taking it to the Streets' before multi-Olympic Gold winner (in Skeet Shooting) Kim Rhode came to the podium and introduced a number of former American Olympians- two of whom also spoke to the assembled: Mike Eruzione, captain of the USA Olympic Hockey Team that won the Gold Medal in 1980 (and a fellow Boston University alum, by the way ["Go, Terriers!" ;-)]) and Derek Parra, an Speed Skater at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City of which Governor Romney had been the CEO.

The next musical interlude was provided by Gospel singer BeBe Winans, joined by the Tampa Bay City Life Church Chorus after which a special "surprise guest" who was not originally on the evening's schedule- actor, director and former Mayor of Carmel-by the Sea, California Clint Eastwood came to the dais and started off by saying I know what you're thinking: you're thinking 'what's a movie tradesman doing out here? You know they are all left-wingers out there, left of Lenin'. At least that's what people think- but that's not really the case. There's a lot of conservative people, a lot of moderate people- Republicans, Democrats- in Hollywood. It's just that the conservative people- by the nature of the word itself- play it a little more close to the vest: they don't go around hot-dogging it.

After this, Eastwood had a little fun having an imaginary, humorous conversation with President Obama (represented by an empty chair off to the side of the podium) before getting serious again and saying But I'd just like to say something, ladies and gentlemen- something that I think is very important. It is that... we own this country... Yes, we own it. And it's not you owning it and not politicians owning it- politicians are employees of ours... And whether you're Democrat or whether you're a Republican, or whether you're Libertarian or whatever, you're the best- and we should not ever forget that. And when somebody does not do the job, we got to let 'em go. Let 'em go.

Next came Senator Marco Rubio of Florida:

I watched my first Convention in 1980 with my grandfather... as a boy, I used to sit on the porch of our house and listen to his stories about history and politics and baseball as he would puff on one of his three daily Padron cigars: Now I don't remember... all the things he talked to me about- but the one thing I remember is the one thing he wanted me to never forget: that the dreams he had when he was young became impossible to achieve- but there was no limit to how far I could go, because I was an American. Now... for those of us who were born and raised in this country, sometimes it becomes easy to forget how special America is- but my grandfather understood how different America was from the rest of the world, because he knew life outside America.

Tonight, you will hear from another man who understands what makes America exceptional. Mitt Romney knows America's prosperity didn't happen because our Government simply spent more money- it happened because our people use their own money to open a business and, when they succeed, they hire more people, who invest or spend their money in the economy, helping others start a business and create jobs... we've heard, for a long time now, about Mitt Romney's success in business: it's well known- but we've also learned he's so much more than that: Mitt Romney is a devoted husband, a father, a grandfather- a generous member of his community and church...

Our problem with President Obama isn't that he's a bad person: by all accounts, he too is a good husband, and a good father- and, thanks to lots of practice, a good golfer. Our problem is not that he's a bad person: our problem is that he's a bad President... His new slogan for his campaign is the word 'Forward'-- Forward? A government that spends $1 trillion more than it takes in? An $800 billion stimulus that created more debt than jobs? A government intervention into Health Care paid for with higher taxes and cuts to Medicare- scores of new rules and regulations? These ideas don't move us 'Forward'- these ideas move us backwards: these are tired and old Big Government ideas that have failed every time and everywhere they have been tried. These are ideas that people come to America to get away from! These are ideas that threaten to make America more like the rest of the world, instead of helping the rest of the world become more like America.

As for his old slogan: under Barack Obama, the only 'Change' is that 'Hope' has been hard to find. Now, sadly. millions of Americans are insecure about their future- but, instead of inspiring us by reminding us of what makes us special, he divides us against each other. He tells Americans they're worse off because others are better off: that rich people got rich by making other people poor. 'Hope' and 'Change' has become 'Divide and Conquer'. But, in the end, it doesn't matter how you feel about President Obama because this election is about your future, not about his- and this election is not simply a choice between a Democrat and a Republican: it's a choice about what kind of country we want America to be...

I know that for so many of you, these last few years have tested your faith in the promise of America. Maybe you are at an age when you thought you would be entering retirement but now, because your savings and investments are wiped out, your future is uncertain; maybe, after years of hard work, this was the time you expected to be your prime earning years but, instead, you've been laid off and your house is worth less than your mortgage; maybe you did everything you were told you needed to do to get ahead- you studied hard and finished school- but now you owe thousands of dollars in student loans: you can't find a job in your field and you've moved back in with your parents. You want to believe we're still that place where anything is possible but things just don't seem to be getting better and you are starting to wonder if things will ever be the same again.

Yes, we live in a troubled time but the story of those who came before us reminds us that America has always been about new beginnings- and Mitt Romney is running for President because he knows that, if we are willing to do for our children what our parents did for us, life in America can be better than it has ever been...

We are all just a generation or two removed from someone who made our future the purpose of their lives. America is the story of everyday people who did extraordinary things- a story woven deep into the fabric of our society. Their stories may never be famous but, in the lives they lived, you find the living essence of America's greatness. To make sure America is still a place where tomorrow is always better than yesterday, that is what our politics should be about- and that is what we are deciding in this election...

The story of our time will be written by Americans who haven't yet been born. Let's make sure they write that we did our part- that, in the early years of this new Century, we lived in an uncertain time but we did not allow fear to cause us to abandon what made us special. We chose more Freedom instead of more Government; we chose the principles of our founding to solve the challenges of our time; we chose a special man to lead us in a special time; we chose Mitt Romney to lead Our Nation- and, because we did, the American Miracle lived on for another generation to inherit!

With that, Senator Rubio introduced the man of the hour- the 2012 Republican Presidential Nominee, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, who entered the hall at floor level, shaking the hands of delegates as he moved past them (but, even inside the Republican National Convention, with Secret Service agents following not all that far behind before the Republican presidential nominee bounded onto the stage and strode to the podium to begin his Speech of Acceptance):

I accept your nomination for President of the United States of America.

I do so with humility, deeply moved by the trust you have placed in me: it is a great honor-- it is an even greater responsibility. Tonight, I am asking you to join me to walk together to a better future. By my side, I have chosen a man with a big heart from a small town- he represents the best of America, a man who will always make us proud: my friend and America's next Vice-President, Paul Ryan...

Four years ago, I know that many Americans felt a fresh excitement about the possibilities of a new President. That President was not the choice of our Party, but Americans always come together after elections: we are a good and generous People who are united by so much more than what divides us.When that hard fought election was over- when the yard signs came down and the television commercials finally came off the air- Americans were eager to go back to work: to live our lives the way Americans always have- optimistic and positive and confident in the future. That very optimism is uniquely American- it is what brought us to America.

We are a nation of immigrants: we are the children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren of the ones who wanted a better life- the driven ones, the ones who woke up at night hearing that voice telling them that life in that place called America could be better. They came not just in pursuit of the riches of this world but for the richness of this life: Freedom- freedom of religion; freedom to speak their mind; freedom to build a life- and yes, freedom to build a business with their own hands. This is the essence of the American experience.

We Americans have always felt a special kinship with the future: when every new wave of immigrants looked up and saw the Statue of Liberty or knelt down and kissed the shores of Freedom just ninety miles from Castro’s tyranny, these new Americans surely had many questions- but none doubted that, here in America, they could build a better life: that, in America, their children would be more blessed than they. But today, four years from the excitement of the last election- for the first time- the majority of Americans now doubt that our children will have a better future: it is not what we were promised...

This is when Our Nation was supposed to start paying down the National Debt and rolling back those massive deficits; this was the Hope and Change America voted for. It's not just what we wanted- it's not just what we expected: it's what Americans deserved... I wish President Obama had succeeded because I want America to succeed- but his promises gave way to disappointment and division. This isn't something we have to accept: now is the moment when we can do something: with your help we will do something. Now is the moment when we can stand up and say, "I'm an American. I make my destiny. And we deserve better! My children deserve better! My family deserves better! My country deserves better!"

So here we stand: Americans have a choice- a decision. To make that choice, you need to know more about me and about where I will lead Our Country:

I was born in the middle of the century in the middle of the country- a classic Baby Boomer: it was a time when Americans were returning from war and eager to work- to be an American was to assume that all things were possible. When President Kennedy challenged Americans to go to the Moon, the question wasn't whether we'd get there- it was only when we'd get there. The soles of Neil Armstrong's boots on the moon made permanent impressions on our souls and in our national psyche... Tonight that American flag is still there on the Moon and I don't doubt- for a second!- that Neil Armstrong's spirit is still with us: that unique blend of optimism, humility and the utter confidence that when the world needs someone to do the really big stuff, you need an American. That's how I was brought up.

My dad had been born in Mexico and his family had to leave during the Mexican Revolution: I grew up with stories of his family being fed by the U.S. government as war refugees. My dad never made it through college and apprenticed as a lathe and plaster carpenter and he had big dreams. He convinced my mom, a beautiful young actress, to give up Hollywood to marry him: he moved to Detroit, led a great automobile company and became Governor of the great State of Michigan.

We were Mormons and, growing up in Michigan, that might have seemed unusual or out of place- but I really don't remember it that way! My friends cared more about what sports teams we followed than what church we went to. My mom and dad gave their kids the greatest gift of all- the gift of unconditional love: they cared deeply about who we would be, and much less about what we would do... And that's how it is in America: we look to our communities, our faiths, our families for our joy, our support, in good times and bad- it is both how we live our lives and why we live our lives. The strength and power and goodness of America has always been based on the strength and power and goodness of our communities, our families, our faiths: that is the bedrock of what makes America, America- in our best days, we can feel the vibrancy of America's communities, large and small...

Many of you felt that way on Election Day four years ago: Hope and Change had a powerful appeal- but, tonight I'd ask a simple question: if you felt that excitement when you voted for Barack Obama, shouldn't you feel that way now that he's President Obama? You know there's something wrong with the kind of job he's done as President when the best feeling you had was the day you voted for him. The President hasn't disappointed you because he wanted to- the President has disappointed America because he hasn't led America in the right direction: he took office without the basic qualification that most Americans have and one that was essential to his task- he had almost no experience working in a business. Jobs to him are about Government.

I learned the real lessons about how America works from experience:

When I was 37, I helped start a small company. My partners and I had been working for a company that was in the business of helping other businesses, so some of us had this idea that- if we really believed our advice was helping companies- we should invest in companies: we should bet on ourselves and on our advice- so we started a new business called Bain Capital. The only problem was, while we believed in ourselves, nobody else did: we were young and had never done this before and we almost didn't get off the ground. In those days, sometimes I wondered if I had made a really big mistake... That business we started with 10 people has now grown into a great American success story: some of the companies we helped start are names you know...

These are American success stories and yet the centerpiece of the President's entire re-election campaign is attacking success- is it any wonder that someone who attacks success has led the worst economic recovery since the Great Depression? In America, we celebrate success, we don't apologize for it! We weren't always successful at Bain- but no one ever is in the real world of business.That's what this President doesn't seem to understand: business and growing jobs is about taking risk, sometimes failing, sometimes succeeding, but always striving- it is about dreams. Usually, it doesn't work out exactly as you might have imagined: Steve Jobs was fired at Apple- he came back and changed the world.

It’s the genius of the American free enterprise system- to harness the extraordinary creativity and talent and industry of the American people with a system that is dedicated to creating tomorrow’s prosperity rather than trying to redistribute today's. That is why every President since the Great Depression who came before the American people asking for a second term could look back at the last four years and say with satisfaction: "You are better off today than you were four years ago."-- except Jimmy Carter and except this President!

This President can ask us to be patient- this President can tell us it was someone else’s fault: this President can tell us that the next four years he’ll get it right. But this President cannot tell us that you are better off today than when he took office. America has been patient- Americans have supported this President in good faith: but, today, the time has come to turn the page. Today, the time has come for us to put the disappointments of the last four years behind us- to put aside the divisiveness and the recriminations: to forget about what might have been and to look ahead to what can be. Now is the time to restore the Promise of America: many Americans have given up on this President, but they haven’t ever thought about giving up- not on themselves, not on each other: and not on America!

What is needed in our country today is not complicated or profound- it doesn't take a special government commission to tell us what America needs what America needs is jobs- lots of jobs... to the majority of Americans who now believe that the future will not be better than the past, I can guarantee you this: if Barack Obama is re-elected, you will be right!

I am running for President to help create a better future- a future where everyone who wants a job can find one, where no senior fears for the security of their retirement: an America where every parent knows that their child will get an education that leads them to a good job and a bright horizon. And, unlike the President, I have a plan to create 12 million new jobs- it has five steps:

First, by 2020, North America will be energy independent by taking full advantage of our oil and coal and gas and nuclear and renewables; second, we will give our fellow citizens the skills they need for the jobs of today and the careers of tomorrow: when it comes to the school your child will attend, every parent should have a choice- and every child should have a chance; third, we will make trade work for America by forging new trade agreements- and when nations cheat in trade, there will be unmistakable consequences; fourth, to assure every entrepreneur and every job creator that their investments in America will not vanish as have those in Greece, we will cut the deficit and put America on track to a balanced budget; and fifth, we will champion small businesses, America's engine of job growth- that means reducing taxes on business, not raising them: it means simplifying and modernizing the regulations that hurt small business the most- and it means that we must rein in the skyrocketing cost of Health Care by repealing and replacing 'Obamacare'!...and let me make this very clear- unlike President Obama, I will not raise taxes on the Middle Class!

As President, I will protect the sanctity of Life: I will honor the institution of Marriage- and I will guarantee America's first Liberty: the Freedom of Religion! President Obama promised to begin to slow the rise of the oceans and heal the planet: my promise is to help you and your family. I will begin my presidency with a jobs tour- President Obama began with an apology tour: America, he said, had dictated to other nations. No, Mr. President, America has freed other nations from dictators! Every American was relieved the day President Obama gave the order and Seal Team Six took out Osama bin Laden- but, on another front, every American is less secure today because he has failed to slow Iran's nuclear threat... We will honor America's democratic ideals because a free world is a more peaceful world: this is the bipartisan foreign policy legacy of Truman and Reagan- and, under my Presidency, we will return to it once again.

You might have asked yourself if these last years are really the America we want, the America won for us by the greatest generation... The America we all know has been a story of the many becoming one, uniting to preserve Liberty, uniting to build the greatest economy in the world, uniting to save the world from unspeakable darkness. Everywhere I go in America, there are monuments that list those who have given their lives for America: there is no mention of their race, their Party affiliation, or what they did for a living. They lived and died under a single flag, fighting for a single purpose- they pledged allegiance to the United States of America...

That America, that united America, will preserve a military that is so strong, no nation would ever dare to test it; that America, that united America, will uphold the constellation of rights that were endowed by our Creator, and codified in our Constitution; that united America will care for the poor and the sick, will honor and respect the elderly, and will give a helping hand to those in need; that America is the best within each of us- that America we want for our children. If I am elected President of these United States, I will work with all my energy and soul to restore that America, to lift our eyes to a better future. That future is our destiny; that future is out there- it is waiting for us. Our children deserve it, Our Nation depends upon it- the peace and freedom of the world require it and with your help we will deliver it. Let us begin that future together tonight.

After finishing his Acceptance Speech, the Republican candidate for President of the United States stepped away from the podium and waved to the assembled- soon thereafter he was joined by his Running Mate, Paul Ryan-- after the obligatory "National Ticket together on stage" photo op, "cue the balloons"! After which the two GOP national candidates were joined by their wives, then their children and then other members of their families as the Convention cheered and balloons popped.

After BeBe Winans (joined again by the Tampa Bay City Life Church Chorus) returned to perform 'America, the Beautiful' (Governor Romney seen singing the words to at least its first verse), His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan- Roman Catholic Archbishop of New York- came forward to deliver the Benediction. Then Permanent Chair and U.S. House Speaker Boehner returned to the podium to entertain a motion for the Convention to adjourn sine die which was approved viva voce and at 11:31 PM Eastern Daylight Time [0331 GMT Friday 31 August 2012], the 40th Republican National Convention had officially become the stuff of History.

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