TAMPA, Fla. -- Ohio Republicans stressed the primacy of their state's role in deciding elections, underscoring for them the importance of working to elect Mitt Romney this fall.
Josh Romney, son of the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, along with with Ari Fleischer, former presss secretary to President George W. Bush, addressed the Ohio delegation at a breakfast held here on the day the convention was set to begin, and then quickly recess. The message was clear: Ohio holds the key to Republicans winning back the White House.
"It is a thrill for me to be here with the most important delegation, in the most important state, in the most country in the world," said Fleischer. He later added, "You have a profoundly important job ahead of you, and boy do you know how to do it in Ohio. We need you to deliver the Buckeye State for Mitt Romney."
Ohio Sen. Rob Portman and Rep. Pat Tiberi were also on hand to deliver a similar message. Buckeye State politicians will be well represented on the convention stage this week with Portman, Gov. John Kasich and House Speaker John Boehner all speaking. It is their responsibility, Portman said, to introduce voters in their state to Romney, which has been inundated with negative political ads from both sides.
"If you're an Ohio citizen, what have you heard about Mitt Romney? Mostly attack ads from Barack Obama...We need to explain to people who they are and why they're doing this," Portman said of the Republican ticket.
The freshman senator was quick to voice his praise for the selection of Rep. Paul Ryan as the Republican vice presidential nominee. Portman was on the shortlist and was largely thought to be a top contender for the job, but on Monday he said Mitt Romney made a "terrific" choice.
"He's an ideas guy, he's got a reformer's heart. He's in this for all the right reasons. It's not about him, it's not about ego, it's not about partisanship, it's about helping America," he said of Ryan.
And while there were plenty of kind words for Ryan, Fleischer also gave praise to the currently elected vice president.
"Right after this convention, of course, the Democrats have their convention, where I plan to go to Charlotte because I want to put the name of Joe Biden in nomination to be vice president of the United States," Fleischer joked. "We have a ticket that keeps giving us gifts on the other side. Joe Biden doesn't know what state he's in, Joe Biden doesn't know what century it is."
Josh Romney's presence at the breakfast was also a sign of the importance his father places on Ohio. He stressed his dad's emphasis on family, calling him a hero. And while Mitt Romney's speech on Thursday is thought to be in part an introduction of himself on a personal level, Josh Romney said the address will largely focus on the thing he entire campaign has been based around -- the economy.
"He knows what it's going to take to get this economy back and going again and that's what his speech will be about it. And that's really what he knows, that is what he is very good at is understanding how the economy works, understanding how to create jobs. That's what he's done all his life," said Josh Romney.


I wonder how Ron Paul supporters feel about their delegation(s) being relegated to the cheap seats in the nose bleed sections?
Why isn't Dr. Paul getting a speaking spot?
Pay attention Paul supporters... Willard doesn't give a rats ass about YOU!
Hey!
Did ya'll hear Charlie Crist is going to be speaking at the DNC?
What a refreshing voice of sanity amidst the sea of right wing crazy!
0bama is so pathetic, he doesn't even recognize when he isn't wanted.
elliot - posting from breitbart is not considered actually posting anything. Your ignorance in now knowing this is so telling.
And, the "story" is such a joke. Please. No one with a brain would take anything from breitbart as anything but perverse propaganda - which it is!
Obama/Biden 2012
quit lying about being highly educated seeking. you're as bad as ruken
CA - oh yeah, I'll worry about what YOU think! NOT!
elliot - that would be his HOME state of Michigan - THAT home state? Yeah, let's see him hold that in November!
Obama/Biden 2012
The GOP did not want Romney in 2008.
In 2012, they have to talk against Obama
because, Romney has done NOTHING since, he lost in 2008.
AND YOU THINK THIS PLASE IS A BASTION OF CREDIBILITY. BUDDY, THIS IS 0BAMA'S BIGGEST SUPER PAC.
I don't see why he doesn't take advantage of the "anybody but" crowd and hijack Romney's support.
You seem so worried about Michigan, so tell me about MA? From what I gathered there, mitt is not going to carry MA, perhaps the real reason he won't release those tax returns - could they show him living somewhere else while voting in MA? Naw, that would be "voter fraud", now wouldn't it, mitt? You betcha, wink, wink!
Good point, Union Baby. If Willard can't take the state in which he was the governor, how can he possibly expect to take the rest of the country?
its not what i think, its your lies you tell them how you see fit.
Didn't you know? In order to speak, the GOP wanted 2 things...
1. Dr. Paul must give a full-throated endorsement of Mr. Romney.
2. The GOP and the Romney/Ryan Campaign get to review the speech before Dr. Paul speaks.
Dr. Paul wanted neither.
Caesar - you are rambling today, put down the koolaid buddy, you have had your quota. When did you go to MA last? I was there in July, spent almost 2 weeks there, toured most of the state, met a lot of working/middle class people - the only good thing they said about mitt was that they were thankful he was awol the last two years they paid him. What to do the good folks of MA tell you?
Breitbart? ... who said the dead don't fart ...
I still don't see Ron Paul supporters voting for anyone except Ron Paul and in some states that could cost mitt the EC vote.
poor noid thinks the taliban is a product of only the GOP. but of course Noid has a link to prove both the above and aforemetioned statement.
Hey union, just having a discussion with Seeking. of course anything i say that isnt on Obama's knob is going to sound like rambling to you though
I knew that... guess my *snark off button* is broken! ☺
I'm no fan of the guy, but I have to give him credit for telling Willard to "shove it"...
Hey!
Did ya'll hear Charlie Crist is going to be speaking at the DNC?
What a refreshing voice of sanity amidst the sea of right wing crazy!
__________________________________________
Nasty DumbFux: Charlie Crist is the Dumb-ed down, valium-sedated, version of Zell Miller. He was always a loser Barry a$$-kisser and boot-licker. THAT'S why he is now a DNC rising star.
Good luck with that loser.
Ron Paul is such a joke!! Anyone that would follow him would have to be a looney. He is one high strung creep! He belongs with the repubs!
It would appear that Elliot is becoming a little unraveled. Reading Breitbart will do that to a person.
And not being sure of the fellow you're following into wherever can also make one unbalanced.
One thing is for sure Romney will lose in more states of consequence than he will win, and his former or is it still his home state, I cant keep track, Massachusetts will not be one of them.
Come back and talk to us about polls in late October so we wont have to do as much speculating.
aka the 3rd generation of failed presidential candidates.
why is he even mentioned?Is it because, according to Romney, Josh is being patriotic by helping him with the election?
Patriotic would be sending his own sons to fight in wars that daddy supports and/or wants to start
Albany Joe, should be fitting for the libtardsrus crowd indeed
Currently roasting in Hell.
Union Baby, Tennessee
today? it's more like ALWAYS. Most of us having him on ignore - works great.
even the Fox News wrote that Romney has no chance in Massachusetts but I guess little Caesar knows something that people of Massachusetts don't.
Sailcat-2064101
yet we have morons claiming Romney's "excellent" record as governor of Mass while they fail to aknowledge two things:
1. People of Mass didn't like Romney while governor and they like him even less now
2. Romney himself will not talk about Massachusetts since there is nothing good to say
TWO BIG RED FLAGS that some choose to ignore!
Each of us has one vote and Hope for a Change. It's been a 3-1/2 year wait.
No one knows Mitt's record as governor better than the people of Massachusetts and they are saying loudly, "No mo' Mitt!"
scott, talk to McConnell and Boehner.
Obama 2012
Ohio's Voting Mess
Back Story – Due to very long lines (3+ hours) at many voting polls in 2004, where an estimated 3% of voters gave up and did not vote the State legislature voted to allow early and expanded absentee voting. This was effective as lines on Election Day 2008 were only about 30 minutes.
After Republicans won the State legislature and the Governorship in 2010 they voted to eliminate early voting and reduce absentee voting. However voters rebelled and gathered over 700,000 signatures (nearly 3 times what was needed) to put the issue on the ballot for November 2012. In an un-presented move the legislature voted to repeal the bill they had passed. In its place they passed a bill that restored early voting but eliminated the last 3 days before Election Day except for active duty military.
The last 3 days is what the Federal Government filed the lawsuit over. That case has been heard and Ohio voters are awaiting the court's decision. The only clue we have from the justice is when the argument turned to the active duty military still being permitted to vote on those 3 days and the judge stepped in saying that this is not about who can vote but who cannot vote. Waiting …….
Recent events – Each of the 88 counties in Ohio has an Election Board consisting of 2 Republicans and 2 Democrats where any of the 4 member board has a tie vote on any issue the Secretary of State will be the tie breaker.
What happened next was that in primarily Republican counties the Board voted for extended hours and weekend early voting while in the counties that are primarily Democrat the Board tied with the Republican members voting against any extended voting and restricted the hours to Mon thru Fri, 8 am to 5 pm. The tie breaker went to the Republican SoS and he sided with the Republican Board members as expected.
After several major news outlets decried the clearly partisan action by Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted and a threat of several lawsuits Husted declared that all 88 counties will have the same days and hours for early voting.
However the ruling for all 88 counties eliminated all early voting on weekends and restricted the weekday hours.
Next (08/17/2012) – Two Democrats on the Montgomery County Board of Elections (Dayton area) refused to withdraw their resolution to extend early voting on weekends. Jon Husted issued an ultimatum to Dennis Lieberman and Tom Ritchie Sr. to withdraw their resolution to maintain weekend hours or face suspension. After a refusal to change or withdraw their motion Mr. Husted suspended them.
"I believe that this is so critical to our freedom in America and to individual rights to vote, that I am doing what I think is right, and I cannot vote to rescind this motion," Lieberman said. "In 10 years, I've never received a threat that if I don't do what they [voters] want me to do, I could be fired. I find this reprehensible."
http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/news/local-govt-politics/husted-suspends-democrats-on-montgomery-county-boa/nRDx5/
Doug Preisse, chairman of the Republican Party in Franklin County, which contains the city of Columbus, admitted in an email to the Columbus Dispatch that black voters would now have a more difficult time voting:
I guess I really actually feel we shouldn't contort the voting process to accommodate the urban — read African-American — voter-turnout machine. Let's be fair and reasonable.
Preisse was one of the Board of Elections members who blocked Democratic efforts in Franklin County to expand voting hours to evenings and weekends. According to the Dispatch, he called claims of unfairness "bull@!$%#. Quote me!"
Preisse also served on Newt Gingrich's leadership team in Ohio during the primary and is a top political consultant to Ohio Governor John Kasich (R).
In 2008, 82% of early voters in Franklin County voted on nights or weekends.
http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/08/19/fight-over-poll-hours-isnt-just-political.html
Stop spamming
WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
elliot - Your kind of post shows a mentally disabled person - at best. At worst it shows your handlers have lost total control of you and you're seriously off your meds!
elliot,
This is the first time I ever posted this comment and it
is my creation with a couple excerpts from news outlets.
This is more than you can claim !
Dennis - it is the republican way, win however you can, they are just as happy to buy it as they are to cheat it (hence, 2000), no morals, no values, no honesty, that is today's republican party and everything they stand for is aimed at helping the 1% stay the 1%.
He stressed his dad's emphasis on family, calling him a hero
A hero is a man or woman who volunteers to serve in the U.S. military. A hero is a cop, firefighter, or teacher, who serves the public, day in and day out with no thanks from the Republican Party. A venture capitalist like Romney is only a hero to his investors.
Correct Amy, there is noting heroic about donating your time to the mormon church, and I still say mitt has more of a mormon problem in the south than the rnc would like to acknowledge, I know "Bubba", been raised in bubbaland all my life and one thing they taught bubba at the local evangical church is that mormons are wrong and evil.
Republicans in Ohio are trying to steal the vote. I hope the Democrats have an active presence in very voting place because its not only the ID requirement, it is making sure that no double standard for the ID requirement is allowed. Enforcing ID in minority neighborhood and letting your neighbors in the rural communities vote without ID. Allowing them to vote because you know who they are and you know they will vote Republican so you give them a pass on the ID. A combination of this can steal this election so we not only need to turn out the vote, we need to police the rurals and the burbs also.
Yes Anna - make sure there are poll watchers at every voting place and make sure they have the media on speed dial. Very often it is the poll workers themselves who cause the problems - most are repugnant plants and have been planning to do this for a long, long time. I say take a picture of them with your cell phone, record the incident and e- mail it to the local media, then make sure all the Democrats have proper ID and get them to vote early - early voting normally does not take place in a specific location and you can vote at your county election commission office during early voting, which helps ease the possibility of them rejecting your vote or not allowing you to vote for their own purposes. Also, take people to the polls with you, when fighting repugnants there is always safety in numbers. time to take the gloves off and fight, women like me are not going to become the uterine transport for the 1% male population and neither are our daughters.
- most are repugnant plants and have been planning to do this for a long, long time.
Do you have any proof on this?
Read information on True the Vote thetotas. They are Obama bashing Republican racists who's sole mission is to intimidate minority voters. Reporters went undercover into these meetings to see if they were genuine or agenda driven. Guess what! Obama haters 100%.
Got a link to those reporter's "findings"?
TalktotheHand,
Google true the vote and read about them. Not what they say about themselves but what major media say about them and within those reports you'll see numerous reports from undercover reporters.
YOu mean like how Obama volunteered for the military or cop or fightfighter? Or Amy is ok with community organizing as a true heroic deed.
i've had plenty republicans thank me for my service. Oh well, vets like minorities and gays are just a means to end for the left.
You are obviously not old enough to remember the Vietnam War, Ceasar. Well, Mitt Romney choose to "serve" during that conflict by moving to France for two years to do missionary work for the Mormon Church.
His sons were old enough to serve in Iraq, in a war the Republicans called Democrats cowards for wanting to end, and not one Romney son served in the military then.
Amy What exactly did our VP Biden do during Viet Nam? Oh that is right got 5 student deferments.
what does Vietnam have to do with it Amy? Why is it only honorable and heoric if you serve in war? His sons arent running so what do they have to do with it? But the LDS church kind of requires that missionary work to advance within the church. You definetly arent old enough to do some research instead of spouting partisan Rhetoric. Where was Clinton at again during Vietnam since you're throwing out irrelevant people.
Caesar - ok, you finally nailed it, mitt did that heoric work in order to advance with the lDS, right? Not suprising since the only reason he does anything is in order to advance himself and a few of his close friends (Sheldon, Koch brothers, etc). Sorry, not buying that one or as we say in the South, that dog just won't hunt, there is no glory in advancement of the mormon church if you are an evangelical, especially a southern evangelical (and I am one!).
Hmmmm....
Biden's son is a decorated member of the military.
Which one of Willard's 5 sons has served... again?
WTF does any of that have to do with it Fisty, Hotcoal Amy? Obama couldnt even serve at McDonalds, you know a JOB. get off the knob bootlickers
Union, wtf are you talking about? I merely explained his LDS commitment. Why not cry about the Jehovah Witnesses? besides im not worried about what you do in the south, you still have white's only signs at the drinking fountains
ksw62118
you know what makes Romney "extra special"??? Not the deferments because I won't blame anyone for not wanting to go to war to kill or be killed. What makes Romney special is the fact that while he - HIMSELF- was against going to war, HE CRITICIZED THOSE WHO WERE AGAINST THE WAR.
also Romney lied when said: “It was not my desire to go off and serve in Vietnam, but nor did I take any actions to remove myself from the pool of young men who were eligible for the draft,” Romney told the newspaper.
It's a lie because we all know that by seeking 4 deferments, Romney did in fact take actions to remove himself from the draft.
It was Romney's son who called him a "hero." I never said a Democratic politician was a hero, who didn't serve. I don't begrudge Biden or Clinton, or the Romney sons, for that matter, from not serving, but, as Bayllie says, it's hypocritical to dodge military service while claiming to support the use of the military - endangering other young people's lives, while refusing to risk your own.
Dennis, just goes to show that Republicans are for free and fair elections only when they can control the outcome. Democrats will have to ramp up absentee ballot efforts (which BTW are more prone to fraud than in person voting) to offset. I hope Obama, rather than trying to match Willard negative ad for negative ad (there must be a point of dimising returns on those at some point anyways) and put the money to GOTV.
It also cracks me up those on the right who love to rip Obama as a "community organizer." I guess working to improve the lives of the less fortunate is something to be sneered at and ridiculed. Well, they got their man in Willard, an anti-community organizer if there ever was one. Who better to epitomize the whole "hooray for me and f-you" atttitude of the current GOP than someone who will eliminate hundreds of jobs and destroy the economic base of small cities and towns with the signature of a pen in order to make a buck or two.
Profit equals successful business? Nope. There is no hate for successful businessmen, just lying piece of shiit successful businessmen.
And that lying piece of Shiit community organizer we elected last time.......
Hope and Change....... turned out to be......Blame and more of the same!!!!!
25 years ago we had Ronald Reagan, Johnny Cash, and Bob Hope. Today we have Barack Obama, no cash and no hope.
Romney/Ryan 2012
and we may have the Uterus Police in every women's bedroom, and no cash as romney/ryan out-sourced all federal jobs.
Obama 2012