By Kevin Green–
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney made a campaign stop at the Olsen Student Center on Thursday. After a shameless plug Dr. Sam Clovis, professor and chair of the business administration and economics department, introduced Romney to a rousing ovation. Romney then proceeded to thank all the students in attendance joking, ”I have to be honest with you guys. I don’t know how any young person in this country would vote democrat.” Adding, “ My party is focused on making sure that America is strong and prosperous for you.”
During the 45-minute town hall meeting Romney shared his thoughts on everything from immigration to contraception, as well as Medicaid and the current state of the middle class. He also reiterated his goals for America saying, “I want us to have the strongest values, the strongest economy, and the strongest military.” He noted that although current President Barack Obama,“…did not cause the recession. He made the downturn worse and made the recovery last longer.”
Romney then went on to criticize the President and his current stimulus package saying, “Someone needs to tell him the stimulus is dead, gone…the emperor has no clothes…I don’t know what he’s campaigning about. He needs to go back to Washington and sit down with Democrats and Republicans and work on legislation that will get America working again. “ Adding, “We didn’t elect him to campaign. We elected him to lead and we need that leadership.”
Periodically, eyes rolled as repeated cell phone interruptions mired the event. Likewise, some in attendance seemed more focused on the television cameras than on the policies and legislation Romney was promoting. For example Matt Winter, of Sibley, Iowa questioned Romney about his presence in the state, though his long soliloquy of remarks about other candidates and periodical pauses for the cameras and audience reaction (to his monologue) could have been omitted.
This was Romney’s first visit to Sioux City since 2007. Although Romney promised, “to be here again and again. I want to get the support of the people of Iowa…Iowa comes first…”
After spending 35 of his 45-minute discussion answering questions, Romney took time for audience photos and hand shakes before departing. In conclusion reminding those in attendance that, “I love this country. I hope I made that clear…I love America. I don’t want to go down as being part of the worst generation, or a mediocre generation…It’s our responsibility to give to the next generation an America that is as bright and prosperous as the one we inherited.”
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