Despite a rough start to the 2012 Republican National Convention, between Democrat/Media-led hurricane hysteria and Republican establishment rules shenanigans, there were actually some pretty spirited speeches from Day 2. Here's the ones, for me, that stood out with exceptional qualities...
Rising GOP starlet Mia Love (small-town Utah mayor running for Congress) electrified'em early in the evening, speaking on the American Dream: "The America that I grew up knowing was centered in self reliance and filled with the possibilities of living the American Dream. The America I know is grounded in the determination found in patriots and pioneers, in small businesses with big ideas; it's found in farmers who work in the beauty of our landscapes, and our heroic military; it's found in the Olympic athletes, and every child who looks at the seemingly impossible and says, 'I can do that.' That's the America I know. President Obama's version of America is a divided one, often pitting us against each other, based on income level, gender and social status. His policies have failed us, we're not better off than we were four years ago, and no rhetoric, bumper sticker or Hollywood campaign ad can change that! Mr President, I'm here to tell you the American People are awake, and we're not buy what you're selling in 2012."
Like governors Kasich and Christie's speeches, Gov. Scott Walker focused on how a new energized Republican administration can turn around an indebted state. Then he defined what that kind of reform means: "Now more than ever, we need reformers; leaders who think more about the next generation, than just the next election... Now in a few weeks, we'll celebrate the 225th anniversary of our federal Constitution. Moments like that remind us that what makes America so great, what makes us exceptional, is that throughout our history, in moments of crisis, be they economic or fiscal, military or spiritual, what makes America amazing is that there have always been men and women of courage who think more about the future of their children and their grandchildren than they did about their own political careers."
Rick Santorum ran the gambit of issues important to conservative principles, from a mixture of immigration & handouts to the family & marriage to education & school choice. Then upon addressing welfare and work requirements, Santorum issued a stern warning followed by a resilient hope: "But President Obama's policies undermine the traditional family, weaken the education system, and this summer he showed us once again he believes in government handouts and dependency by waiving the work requirement for welfare. Now I helped write the welfare reform bill. We made the law crystal clear: no president can waive the work requirement. But as with his refusal to enforce our immigration laws, President Obama rules like he is above the law. Americans take heed. When a president can simply give a speech or write a memo, and change the law to do what the law says he cannot do, we will no longer be a republic. Yet as my family and I criss-crossed America, something became so obvious to us: America is still the greatest country in the world, and with God's help and good leadership, we can restore the American Dream." And building from that journey across the country with a story about the hardworking hands he shook along the way, Santorum's standing-O moment came with the story of his Bella, lauding the party for firmly opposing abortion: "I thank God that America still has one party that reaches out their hands in love to lift up ALL of God's children, born and unborn."
Considering the day's earlier actions of the chattering class, it had to have been difficult, but fellow Texan, Ted Cruz, still came out swinging for the grassroots: "I have the honor of standing before you this evening for one reason: because thousands and thousands of grassroots activists stood united, not for a candidate, but for the sake of liberty... We are seeing a great awakening, a national movement of We the People brought together by what unites us: a shared love of liberty and an understanding of the unlimited potential of free men and free women. I want to tell you a love story. It's the story of all of us. It's a love story of freedom. It's the story of our Founding Fathers who fought and bled for freedom, and crafted the most miraculous political document ever conceived, our Constitution. The Framers understood that our rights come not from monarchs, but from God; and that those rights are secure only when government power is restrained."
And look, even a former Alabama Democrat congressman turned Republican, Artur Davis, showed up! "The last time I spoke at a convention, it turned out I was at the wrong place, so Tampa, my fellow Republicans, thank you for welcoming me where I belong!" After the greetings, Davis gave a few poignant messages, not only to Republicans at the convention: "Now, America is the land of second chances, and I gather in this close race, you have room for the estimated 6 million of us who got it wrong in 2008, and who want to fix it?" ...but to Democrats watching as well: "To those Democrats and Independents whose minds are open to argument, listen closely to the Democratic Party that will gather in Charlotte and ask yourself if you hear your voice in the clamor? Ask yourself if these Democrats still speak for you?"
Nikki Haley excoriated Obama over his assault on South Carolina. After speaking of the challenges governors face, she said, "like so many of my governors, I work day in and day out to try and improve the lives of the people of my state; and sadly, the hardest part of my job continues to be this federal government, this administration and this president... Unfortunately, these past few years, you can work hard, try to be as successful as possible, follow the rules, and President Obama will do everything he can to stand in your way." She continued to call him out...on illegal immigration, on voter ID, and on federal labor unions & blocking non-union manufacturing...
Then came the speech of the night! No, not the keynote from Chris Christie...but the phenomenal speech given by the next first lady, Ann Romney! She knocked it out of the park on so many levels by personalizing the relationship between her and the boy she met at a dance 47 years ago, sharing their profound love of family, of country, of life. Ann focused on so many aspects of motherhood and womanhood, effectively muzzling the Democratic narrative, while summing up the difficulties facing women in this recession so succinctly: "We're too smart to know there aren't easy answers, but we're not dumb enough to accept that there aren't better answers." Right on! And of Mitt, Ann gave one of the most personal and powerful comments of the night: "This is important, I want you to hear what I'm going to say: Mitt doesn't like to talk about how he has helped others, because he sees it as a privilege, not a political talking point." Then after elaborating on his bottom-up work ethic, his successes and strengths both in business and as governor, Ann Romney pledged, "I can't tell you what will happen over the next four years, but I can only stand here tonight as a wife and a mother and a grandmother, an American, and make you this solemn commitment: This man will not fail. This man will not let us down. This man will lift up America." For those who had not met Ann Romney before tonight, this was certainly not the woman the liberal media had introduced you to, not the corporate wife...on the contrary, she proved herself to be an all-American woman.
