Romney Campaign Press Release - What They're Saying: About Governor Mitt Romney's Presidential Announcement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Kevin Madden (857) 288-6390

"The Romney Campaign Is Off And Running":

The Associated Press' Liz Sidoti: "Opening the tour, Romney gave a speech to hundreds of supporters at the sprawling Henry Ford Museum outside of Detroit, the automotive capital and a site chosen for its emphasis on ingenuity that changed the nation." (Liz Sidoti, "Romney Formally Announces Presidential Candidacy," The Associated Press, 2/13/07)

- Detroit Free Press' Zachary Gorchow: "The hundreds of Michigan Republicans who enthusiastically welcomed the former Massachusetts governor as he announced his candidacy at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn were more than ready to adopt him as their favorite son." (Zachary Gorchow, "Romney Counts On Michigan Roots To Propel Him To The White House," Detroit Free Press, 2/14/07)

- The Boston Globe's Scott Helman: "The event, which Romney's campaign said drew 800 people, was rich in symbolism and nostalgia for Romney, who grew up in the nearby suburb of Bloomfield Hills and whose father, George, was an auto executive and three-term Michigan governor." (Scott Helman, "Invoking American Dream, Romney Begins Run," The Boston Globe, 2/14/07)

CNN's Candy Crowley: CNN'S WOLF BLITZER: "Candy, how did it go this morning?" CROWLEY: "It went very well." (CNN's "The Situation Room," 2/13/07)

National Journal's Charlie Cook: "I put it all in a package, that you look at Mitt Romney and you see a guy that is incredibly bright, very, very impressive." (NBC's "Nightly News," 2/13/07)

NBC's Campbell Brown: "Whatever his challenges, the frontrunners are watching his every move. Senator John McCain is expected to accelerate his plans to keep up with the early campaigning. And former Mayor Rudy Giuliani said this week he is definitely running. He is just working out the details for when he plans to make it official." (NBC's "Nightly News," 2/13/07)

MSNBC's Kevin Corke: "It was a very impassioned speech here as he was flanked by his wife Ann of 37 years, also a Michigander. And again, the Romney campaign is off and running, playing it well here in Middle America if you will, Norah." (MSNBC's "Decision 2008," 2/13/07)

Governor Romney "An Outsider Capable Of Transforming The Government":

Fox News' Carl Cameron: "And Mr. Romney chose here, Dearborn, Michigan, the Henry Ford Museum to American Industry and Innovation to underscore his belief that he can offer some creative, sort of outside the box changes for the country." (Fox News' "Fox News Live," 2/13/07)

The New York Times' Adam Nagourney: "In his speech today, Mr. Romney alluded to his successes in business and in running the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City, saying that Washington needed the kind of innovation and transformation that could come from private enterprise." (Adam Nagourney, "Romney Declares '08 Candidacy In Michigan," The New York Times, 2/13/07)

Politico's Jonathan Martin: "Seeking to capture the can-do spirit of the heartland that he was raised in, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney came to his native Michigan Tuesday to make official his bid for the presidency in a speech that touched broadly on themes of American ingenuity..." (Jonathan Martin, "Romney Uses Broad Strokes In Officially Declaring For President," Politico, 2/13/07)

Bloomberg's Heidi Przybyla: "Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney today became the first of the leading Republican hopefuls to make official his bid for the 2008 presidential nomination, defining himself as an outsider capable of transforming the government." (Heidi Przybyla, "Former Governor Romney Opens 2008 Presidential Bid," Bloomberg, 2/13/07)

The Washington Post's Anne E. Kornblut: "With a call for 'innovation and transformation in Washington,' Mitt Romney formally stepped into the Republican presidential field on Tuesday morning, portraying himself as both a political outsider and an experienced executive who would bring efficiency to the White House." (Anne E. Kornblut, "Romney Joins The 2008 Race," The Washington Post, 2/14/07)

Wall Street Journal's John Harwood: "Well, he was trying to showcase innovation and the need for innovation, his ties to Michigan, of course, where his father was a governor for three terms, was also a major auto executive." (MSNBC's "Hardball," 2/13/07)

Detroit News' Gary Heinlein: "Romney's announcement speech was laced with patriotism and morality. He called for lean government, military strength and more freedom." (Gary Heinlein, "Native Son Romney Targets 'Values Vote,'" Detroit News, 2/14/07)

Deseret Morning News' Suzanne Struglinski: "'Innovation' was main message at each stop as he told audiences that America faces some serious challenges and he believes he can think of new ways to solve them." (Suzanne Struglinski, "Romney Hits Trail In Iowa, Michigan," Deseret Morning News, 2/14/07)

Governor Romney Has A Record Of Innovation And Transformation:

ABC's Kate Snow: "In front of a new Ford hybrid and a 1963 Rambler once championed by his father, the former Governor of Massachusetts talked about the need for innovation. ... [And he] played up his resume, building up companies, saving the Salt Lake City Olympic Games from financial ruin." (ABC's "World News Tonight," 2/13/07)

Power Line Blog: "In his remarks, Romney used the museum and the technological advances it chronicles to speak about his life-long pursuit of innovation and transformation in the public and private sectors. This, I believe, will be the major theme of his campaign. And it's a valid one. I view Romney as an old-fashioned 'good government' Republican, but one who also believes in and will adhere to socially conservative values. He thus represents a synthesis of traditional 1950s Republicanism and the newer kind. ... The synthesis I've just described seems to reflect not only two strands of Republicanism, but also Romney's life experiences as a devout religious believer and a modern, cutting edge business consultant." ("Mitt's Officially In," Power Line Blog, http://powerlineblog.com, 2/13/07)

USA Today's Jill Lawrence: "Only one Republican presidential candidate has run a business, governed a state and turned an ailing Olympics into a success story." (Jill Lawrence, "Romney Kicks Off White House Run," USA Today, 2/14/07)

CBS' Gloria Borger: "The political resume is impressive. A former Republican governor of the very Democratic Massachusetts, where he passed a universal health care plan, and the man credited with saving the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, who is also telegenic." (CBS' "Evening News," 2/13/07)

Politico's Jim VandeHei: "[H]e certainly brings experience. And he has a certain following and cache among conservatives, and I think that business background, at least early on, will help him because it shows that he's been a problem-solver in the past and he's had to deal with a lot of complex issues both on the business side and as Governor of Massachusetts." (CNBC's "Street Signs," 2/13/07)

Reuters' John Whitesides: "Romney nurtured an image of competence and can-do leadership in turning around the debt-ridden Salt Lake City Olympics and during his term in Massachusetts, one of the most liberal states, where he balanced the state budget and signed a state universal health insurance law." (John Whitesides, "Republican Romney Calls For U.S. Innovation," Reuters, 2/13/07)

Des Moines Register's Lisa Rossi: "At the Des Moines event, Romney touted his experience in the business world, pointing to his tenure as president of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee for the 2002 Winter Olympics, where he said he turned it 'from scandal and a closed mentality to an open experience for all the world.'" (Lisa Rossi, "Romney Touts Values As He Unveils '08 Bid," Des Moines Register, 2/14/07)

The Salt Lake Tribune's Thomas Burr: "Five years ago, Mitt Romney harnessed his business talent to turn a scandal-tarred Olympic Games into a success before the eyes of the world." (Thomas Burr, "It's Official: Romney Is A Candidate," The Salt Lake Tribune, 2/14/07)