Romney Campaign Press Release - Romney For President Launches New Television Ad, "Leadership"

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Kevin Madden (857) 288-6390

Boston, MA – Today, Romney for President launched its newest television ad, "Leadership." The ad highlights Governor Romney's leadership in turning around the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics, numerous companies and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. With his proven experience running businesses and institutions, Governor Romney will bring his energy to changing Washington.

The ad will begin airing as part of the campaign's rotation today in Iowa and New Hampshire. Script and viewing links are below.

Script For "Leadership" (TV:30):

ANNOUNCER: "An Olympics hit by scandal and deficits, he rescued them.

"He turned around dozens of companies and became a business legend.

"A state losing jobs, with huge deficits, Governor Mitt Romney turned it around – cutting spending, instead of raising taxes.

"At every step, he's met extraordinary challenges. Mitt Romney – the energy and experience to turn around Washington."

GOVERNOR MITT ROMNEY: "I'm Mitt Romney and I approved this message."

To watch "Leadership," please see: http://mitt-tv.mittromney.com/?showid=308409

AD FACTS: Script For "Leadership" (TV:30):

ANNOUNCER: "An Olympics hit by scandal and deficits, he rescued them."

- The Associated Press: "Romney took over as head of Salt Lake's Olympic organizing committee in February 1999 after it was revealed Salt Lake organizers doled out more than $1 million in cash and gifts to members of the International Olympic Committee to win the 2002 bid. Under Romney's leadership, the Games were lauded as a critical success, a model of post-Sept. 11 security and turned a $100 million profit. Romney, a successful venture capitalist before the Games, wrote a book after titled 'Turnaround: Crisis, Leadership and the Olympic Games.'" (Debbie Hummel, "Utah's 'Adopted Son' Returns To State For Presidential Fundraiser," The Associated Press, 2/21/07)

- Governor Romney Turned A $379 Million Deficit Into A $100 Million Profit. "As early as 1999, a financial crisis was looming: The Games were mired in a bribery scandal and were running a $379 million deficit. Romney was asked to step in, and he immediately slashed budgets and boosted sponsorships. And since the Games were held just months after Sept. 11, 2001, he oversaw a huge security apparatus. He now says it was one of the most difficult things he'd ever done, comparing it to 'arranging 17 Super Bowls a day for 17 days.' The Games ended up with a $100 million profit." (Marcia Vickers, "The Republicans' Mr. Fix-It," Fortune Magazine, 6/27/07)

- The Boston Globe's John Powers: Due To "Romney's Energy, Optimism, And Executive/Entrepreneurial Skills, The Salt Lake Olympics ... Appear Likely To Be A Huge Success." "The IOC had forced out or was about to expel 10 members who had taken nearly $1 million worth of cash and gifts from the Salt Lake bidders. The local organizing committee was bleeding hundreds of millions of dollars of red ink, while would-be sponsors and donors, wary of being linked to tarnished Olympic rings, sat on their wallets. And Utahns who had celebrated in the streets when the games were awarded were sickened and angered. Now, thanks largely to Romney's energy, optimism, and executive/entrepreneurial skills, the Salt Lake Olympics - barring an act of God or terrorism - appear likely to be a huge success." (John Powers, "Golden Opportunity," The Boston Globe, 2/3/02)

ANNOUNCER: "He turned around dozens of companies and became a business legend."

- Governor Romney Has "A Solid Reputation In The Business Community For Turning Companies Around." CNN's RHONDA SCHAFFLER: "Romney had a solid reputation in the business community for turning companies around, like Staples, Domino's Pizza and the Sports Authority." (CNN's "Business Unusual," 1/27/02)

- Boston Business Journal: Romney "Made His Name As A Turnaround Man." "Bain & Co. was a crowning victory for Romney, 47, who has made his name as a turnaround man. As chief executive of Bain Capital Inc., the venture group he was picked to launch back in 1984, he has backed and helped repair more than 50 companies. With an initial $14 million invested by the partners of Bain & Co., Bain Capital has since raised $500 million in four funds, pouring dollars into companies like Staples Inc., Brookstone and The Sports Authority." (Beth Healy, "Romney Puts Skills In Business To Test," Boston Business Journal, 6/10/94)

- Bloomberg's Heidi Pryzbyla: "Romney's business record is unmatched by the current crop of leading candidates." (Heidi Pryzbyla, "Romney Finds Classmate Bush's Management Lapses Unlikely Hurdle," Bloomberg, 7/1/07)

- The Boston Globe's Robert Gavin And Sacha Pfeiffer: "In time, Romney would lead the shaky start-up from a staff of seven people managing $37 million to 115 people managing $4 billion in assets. During Romney's 15-year tenure, Bain Capital would post an astonishing record, on average doubling its return on realized investments every year." (Robert Gavin and Sacha Pfeiffer, "Reaping Profit In Study, Sweat," The Boston Globe, 6/26/07)

ANNOUNCER: "A state losing jobs, with huge deficits, Governor Mitt Romney turned it around - cutting spending, instead of raising taxes."

- Governor Romney Closed The Nearly $3 Billion Shortfall Without Tax Increases. "When Mitt Romney became governor of Massachusetts in 2003, the state had a budget gap of almost $3 billion and was losing thousands of jobs a month. In Mr. Romney's four-year tenure, the deficit was eliminated without raising the sales tax or the income tax, and since the labor slump hit bottom in December 2003, the state has gained 81,000 jobs." (Pam Belluck, "Romney Candidacy Puts Massachusetts Economy In Spotlight," The New York Times, 3/16/07)

- To Close The Budget Gap, Governor Romney Forced The Legislature To Pass "Tremendous Spending Cuts." "Governor Romney receives credit for actual spending in FY 2003, even though he entered office halfway into the fiscal year, because of the tremendous spending cuts he forced down the Legislature's throat in January of 2003. Facing a $650 million deficit he inherited from the previous administration, Romney convinced the unfriendly State Legislature to grant him unilateral power to make budget cuts and unveiled $343 million in cuts to cities, healthcare, and state agencies. This fiscal discipline continued in 2004, in which Romney continued to slash 'nearly every part of state government' to close a $3 billion deficit." (The Club For Growth, "Mitt Romney's Record On Economic Issues," Press Release, 8/21/07)

- In The Four Budgets He Signed, Governor Romney Used The Line-Item Veto Or Program Reduction Power In An Attempt To Cut Spending By Nearly $1 Billion. (Office Of Governor Mitt Romney, "Romney Signs No New Tax Budget In Time For New Fiscal Year," Press Release, 6/30/03; Office Of Governor Mitt Romney, "Governor Mitt Romney Signs $22.402B Fiscal Year 2005 'No New Tax' Budget," Press Release, 6/25/04; Office Of Governor Mitt Romney, "Governor Mitt Romney Signs Into Law $23.8 Billion Budget For Fiscal Year '06," Press Release, 6/30/05; Office Of Governor Mitt Romney, "Governor Mitt Romney Signs $25.2 Billion Fiscal Year 2007 State Budget," Press Release, 7/8/06)

- The Club For Growth: Governor Romney "Imposed Much-Needed Fiscal Discipline On A Very Liberal Massachusetts Legislature." (The Club For Growth, "Mitt Romney's Record On Economic Issues," Press Release, 8/21/07)

- Massachusetts Citizens For Limited Taxation Executive Director Barbara Anderson: "There was no one else out on the horizon and with the legislature almost entirely Democratic, we felt it was necessary to have a grown-up in the corner office. ... And we were right to back him. He's been a really good friend to the taxpayers." (Shawn Macomber, "Mighty Mitt Romney," The American Spectator, 3/06)

- Boston's Pioneer Institute's Steve Adams: "Without Romney, we would have been slapped with a lot of new taxes." (John J. Miller, "Matinee Mitt," National Review, 6/20/05)

ANNOUNCER: "At every step, he's met extraordinary challenges - Mitt Romney. The energy and experience to turn around Washington." GOVERNOR MITT ROMNEY: "I'm Mitt Romney and I approved this message."

To watch "Leadership," please see: http://mitt-tv.mittromney.com/?showid=308409