Fact check from AP’s education writer: “When Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney decried President Barack Obama as beholden to the nation's teachers' unions and unable to stand up for reform, he glossed over four years of a relationship that has been anything but cozy. Obama has promoted initiatives that encourage districts to tie teacher evaluations to student performance and to expand the number of charter schools -- actions the teacher unions have long been against, and which Romney himself promoted Wednesday in a speech in Washington outlining his education platform.”
NPR’s Claudio Sanchez: “Romney's argument that President Obama's beholden to teachers unions will be a stretch, in large part because unions are no fans of the administration's support for charter school, merit pay, and evaluation schemes that tie teachers' performance to students' test results. Still, Mr. Romney's plan for K through 12 education is different than the president's plan in a basic way, says Andy Rotherham, a former advisor to the Obama administration.”
The L.A. Times’ Paul West makes the point that Romney’s rare trip to the inner city “probably had more to do with outreach to suburban moderates than to African Americans, who are strongly behind President Obama.”
Here’s the Philadelphia Inquirer’s first-hand take.
“A day after Mitt Romney addressed the Latino Coalition , the presumptive Republican nominee released a second Spanish-language ad outlining the agenda for his first day in office,” the Boston Globe writes. “But Romney’s attempts to court Latino voters -- with whom he is unpopular -- appear half-hearted, according to some observers. The ads indicate Romney’s early to-do list does not include immigration reform, a subject he also ignored Wednesday when speaking to Latino business owners at the US Chamber of Commerce in Washington.”
Similarly, National Journal’s Beth Reinhard writes, “The stage is set for an epic battle over the Hispanic vote in the presidential election, but so far, President Obama is crushing the competition… While Obama’s ads are specifically targeted at a Hispanic audience, Romney’s Spanish-language ads are exactly the same as his ads in English, only translated into Spanish.” One Democrat described Romney’s strategy as “watering the desert.”
Peggy Noonan interviewed Romney. Note that Romney is keeping notes on his presidential campaign, writing every two or three days. Sounds like a memoir coming. He also claims: “[V]ictory is still a thrill, but I don't feel agony in loss."
Romney notes that he gets upset with himself for verbal mistakes, like saying, “I like to be able to fire people." And then he goes on to criticize the media: “‘I have to think not only about what I say in a full sentence but what I say in a phrase.’ In the current media environment, ‘you will be taken out of context, you'll be clipped, and you'll be battered with things you said.’ He says it is interesting that ‘the media always says, 'Gosh, we just want you to be spontaneous,' but at the same time if you say anything in the wrong order, you're gonna be sorry!’”
And he claimed: “If Barack Obama is re-elected, ‘it will be very difficult to get off that path. If I'm elected, I will usher in a period of economic vitality,’ that will leave the world ‘surprised.’ Not only the world: ‘America is going to see a vitality we had not expected.’”
He raised money last night in Boston at the home of a former Bain employee.
Romney will be raising money Tuesday with Newt Gingrich and Donald Trump. “For a mere $3 donation to help elect Mitt Romney, donors could find themselves dining with real estate mogul Donald Trump,” USA Today writes. “The fundraising ask, sponsored by Romney Victory Fund, the joint fundraising effort by Romney and the Republican National Committee, features a sketch of Trump pointing, with the words ‘I want you’ and ‘Dine with the Donald’ under the picture. A cursive (+ Mitt) is next to Trump's name.”
Trump yesterday had a suggestion for Romney’s VP – him. "Probably the best choice of all would be Donald Trump," he said, per the New York Daily News. And, the always-humble Trump apparently wants to speak at the Republican National Convention. He tweeted Tuesday: “Hmmm...can you imagine me speaking at the RNC Convention in Tampa? That's a speech everyone would watch."
The Daily News reports: “Republican insiders have confirmed that Trump’s name has been floated as a possible speaker for the August convention, but no decisions have been made.”


Donald Trump is all about. . .himself. If I were Mitt Romney, I would stay far away from the Donald, who has said ridiculous things about Obama that now Mitt will have to either repudiate or defend. Does he really need Trump's money??
Golly gee, no Romney, we just want you to STOP LYING. And hecky darno, do you need money so bad you have to associate with the King of Birthers, Donald Trump? Oh that's right, there will never be enough money for you, ethics be darned.
Lovely! Romney seems to be settling in for a humiliating defeat in November. :)
He doesn't want to spend any of his own money if he doesn't have to.
"If I'm elected, I will usher in a period of economic vitality,’ that will leave the world ‘surprised.’ Not only the world: ‘America is going to see a vitality we had not expected."
Yea right! Tax breaks and deregulation are not going to fix anything.
We are on a path that is improving the situation for our nation. Lets just stay focused.
My question for you all is: Have Republicans purposefully been holding our economy's growth back just to make Obama lose in Nov.?
I believe Republicans are cynical enough.
You really have to wonder, get-centered. I mean, what was the mantra of the 2010 election? "Job Creation!!" And then the Republicans have fought Obama on every initiative he puts forth, and they fail to put forward any of their own. It was just a convenient political slogan.
Then, they choose a nominee whose past experience "creating jobs" also involves destroying too many others. Romney is a weak candidate, and he hasn't seen anything yet of the fight we're going to wage to keep his "mitts" off the WH. He's been attacking Obama non-stop since the beginning of the primary, and Pres. Obama has been biding his time, waiting until the right moment to respond. What Romney doesn't realize, apparently, is that telling lies (about Obama's actions regarding education, for example) and his associating with people like Trump who make false innuendos about the President's citizenship just fire up his base. Thanks!
Yes, I get that Romney is supposed to attack and try to win the election. The way he is doing it shows his weaknesses, however. He is not explaining how that kind of corporate experience specifically helps him to be a good president. He also ignores his record in MA, during which job growth was abysmal.
President Romney.
Get used to it.
Four more years of President Obama.
Get used to it.
rukidding47 - yes, you are kidding. There will be no Romney presidency. Get used to it!
Four years of waste is plenty.
How do you feel about the eight wasted years of Bush/Cheney?
We wouldn't be in a financial hole if your little shrub hadn't lied us into an unfunded war in Iraq and started a war in Afghanistan while at the same time cutting taxes.
Fortunately, the American people woke up from their stupor and turned off Dancing with the Stars long enough to elect a great leader, Barack Obama. Now if we can just get them to turn off Fox News and ignore Romney's robocalls, we'll re-elect a great leader and continue our path toward prosperity for the middle class.
please, please, PLEASE pick The Donald for VP. It would be a hoot.
Sorry Detroit-Storm, but Romney's looking for another Dick Cheney with a 9% approval. and now courting Trump. This Romney guy just isn't vary smart.
You would think Trump would have learned after being married so many times: When a good-looking idiot wants to be around you, they are after the money.
I would love to have Cheney's life too, including the pension and healthcare that the american people are paying for.
NoLimitSoldier...if what matters most to you in life is money and power, you must be a Romney supporter.
As for money, anyone greedy and ruthless enough can become rich in America. This is the land of opportunity. Just remember that you can't take it with you.
Low information republicans that don't know anything, especially facts! Have another slice of the republican, "cow pie of distortion.”
I take um-bridge with you using distortion Job1. It should be have another slice of the tea people Koch republican "cow pie of lies". Lets call them what they are liars.
Amen Mo, I stand corrected.
Willard is a bald faced liar!
He lies about anything, all things. Lies about other people, Lies about his 'job creation' at Bain.....won't talk about it at all, won't talk about his time as Governor, won't talk about his tax returns, won't talk about his off-shore accounts.
Willard the Liar!
To bad the media won't call Romney what he is. An habitual liar.
It's really hard to believe that Willard will evade every important question about his previous professional life, for the entire campaign.
I saw another clip of him just briefly mentioning his time as Governor..but then denegrated the position by saying "I didn't inhale"........so I guess, for him, being governor was equal to using illegal substances or he was taking a swipe at President Clinton.
Either way, very bad form, as usual!
It's really hard to believe that Willard will evade every important question about his previous professional life, for the entire campaign.
I saw another clip of him just briefly mentioning his time as Governor..but then denegrated the position by saying "I didn't inhale"........so I guess, for him, being governor was equal to using illegal substances or he was taking a swipe at President Clinton.
Either way, very bad form, as usual!
Sorry for the double post......don't know what happened!
Romney & Trump, now that's one circus I'd love to see...
Romney making his little girly steps across the stage while trumps hair flip, flops.
Trump could teach Willard how to walk, in exchange Willard will hook him up with his hair stylist.
www.usdebtclock.org
Get spending under control. Time to change the White House.
He also preaches against wallstreet while opening his pocket to any donor in the shadows, actions speak louder than words mr pres, actually do something positive that you have preached about and we may gain respect for you
Why anyone would give Trump the time of day beats me! He's just a big blow-hard. Zzzzzzz....