Best to watch the above video, but here are a few highlights (Transcript):

“

President Obama frequently reminds us that he inherited a troubled economy. But a troubled economy is not all that President Obama inherited. He inherited the greatest nation in the history of the earth. He inherited the most productive and innovative nation in history. He inherited the largest economy in the world. And he inherited a people who have always risen to the occasion, regardless of the challenges they faced, so long as we have been led by men and women who have brought us together, called on our patriotism, and guided the nation with vision and conviction.

Despite all that he inherited, President Obama did not repair our economy, he did not save Medicare and Social Security, he did not tame the spending and borrowing, he did not reach across the aisle to bring us together. Nor did he stand up to China’s trade practices, or deliver on his promise to re-make our relations with the Muslim world, where anti-American extremism is on the rise.

What he inherited wasn’t the only problem; what he did with what he inherited made the problem worse.

In just four short years, he borrowed nearly $6 trillion, adding almost as much debt held by the public as all prior American presidents in history.

He forced through Obamacare, frightening small business from hiring new employees and adding thousands of dollars to every family’s healthcare bill.

He launched an onslaught of new regulations, often to the delight of the biggest banks and corporations, but to the detriment of the small, growing businesses that create two-thirds of our jobs.

New business starts are at a 30-year low because entrepreneurs and investors are sitting on the sidelines, weary from the President’s staggering new regulations and proposed massive tax increases.

Many families can’t get mortgages and many entrepreneurs can’t get loans because of Dodd-Frank regulations that make it harder for banks to lend.

The president invested taxpayer money–your money–in green companies, now failed, that met his fancy, and sometimes were owned by his largest campaign contributors. He spent billions of taxpayer dollars on investments like Solyndra, Tesla, Fisker, and Ener1, which only added to our mounting federal debt.

Energy prices are up in part because energy production on federal lands is down. He rejected the Keystone Pipeline from Canada, and cut in half drilling permits and leases, even as gasoline prices soared to new highs.

No, the problem with the Obama economy is not what he inherited; it is with the misguided policies that slowed the recovery, and caused millions of Americans to endure lengthy unemployment and poverty. That is why 15 million more of our fellow citizens are on food stamps than when President Obama was sworn into office. That is why 3 million more women are now living in poverty. That is why nearly 1 in 6 Americans today is poor. That is why the economy is stagnant.—Mitt Romney

 
 
And about his own plans, Mitt Romney promised:

• One, we will act to put America on track to a balanced budget by eliminating unnecessary programs, by sending programs back to states where they can be managed with less abuse and less cost, and by shrinking the bureaucracy of Washington…
   
• Two, we’ll produce more of the energy we need to heat our homes, fill our cars, and make our economy grow…
   
• Three, we will make trade work for America. We’ll open more markets to American agriculture, products, and services. And we will finally hold accountable any nation that doesn’t play by the rules. I will stand up for the rights and interests of American workers and employers.
   
• Four, we will grow jobs by making America the best possible place for job creators, for entrepreneurs, for small business, for innovators, for manufacturers…
   
• Finally, as we create more opportunity, we also will make sure that our citizens have the skills to succeed…
   

 
In closing, Mitt Romney promised:

“

If we do those five things, our economy will come roaring back. We will create 12 million new jobs in just four years, raise take-home pay, and get the American economy growing at four percent a year—more than double this year’s rate. After all the false promises of recovery and all the waiting, we will finally see help for America’s middle class.—Mitt Romney

 
I am ready for President Mitt Romney.  Are you?
 
 
Matthew Weaver is president/CEO of Project Weavers, which offers project management training and PMP exam prep courses.

Jennifer Griffin writes at Fox News that the Obama Administration denied at least three real-time requests for help in Benghazi, that the nearby team that eventually went to help did so explicitly against orders, that there were two drones overhead (at least one with lasers pointed at the attacking mortars), air support on standby, and troops within hundreds of miles immediately ready to help. Against all of this, Fox News says everyone was told repeatedly to stand down while the firefights went on for over seven hours.

If this is true and can be substantiated, Barack Obama needs to seriously explain himself, especially why the White House and State Department watched this live and not only refused action when repeatedly requested but told everyone to stand down (which is what Fox is now reporting).

And don’t get distracted with Secretary Clinton’s apology and any attempt to assign her blame. Last night Christopher Collins wrote in the Examiner that “Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had ordered more security at the U.S. mission in Benghazi before it was attacked where four Americans, including U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens were murdered by Al-Qaeda but President Obama denied the request.

Barack Obama needs to recognize that his cowardice and treason resulted in four dead Americans. Their families want answers (See Weekly Standard).

This is so incredibly outrageous. Obama should immediately resign in disgrace for his failure to defend America. If not, Congress should look for immediate impeachment.
 
 
This article is also published with permission at NoQuarterUSA and featured at Memeorandum.
 
 
Matthew Weaver is president/CEO of Project Weavers, which offers project management training and PMP exam prep courses.

Funny…

Not so funny…

Okay, I’ll give Barack Obama his due for the his comment about Chris Matthews after the first debate: “Four years ago I gave him a thrill up his leg, this time around I gave him a stroke.”

Even more telling, the whining of the Obama nutroots crowd of Kool-Aid drinkers, especially on Twitter.  Little was said of Barack Obama, the main focus of their ire was Mitt Romney.  “Disrespectful”, “No humility”, “savage and mean”, “over the line”, “petty”.

Actually, the Barack Obama crowd was surprisingly absent on Twitter as there was an incredible outpouring of positive comments about Mitt Romney at the dinner.  “Hilarious”, “Romney has them in stitches”, “awesome”, “Romney killed it”, “on fire”, “very classy”.

One of the best lines of many: “In honor of Sesame Street, tonight’s dinner brought to you by the letter ‘O’ and the number 16 trillion”–Mitt Romney
 
 
Matthew Weaver is president/CEO of Project Weavers, which offers project management training and PMP exam prep courses.

What are you looking for at tonight’s debate?  Want to learn more about the VP candidates?  Want to see how they defend the presidential candidates?  Or, do you simply want to see fireworks?

Regardless of how the debate actually goes we will quite likely be left with the choice of believing the media or our lying eyes.

• Barack Obama desperately needs Joseph Biden to win tonight’s debate to slow down his free fall.
  [Read more at Slate or Politico.]
   
• It is pretty clear that among Barack Obama’s media lackeys expectations are so low for Joseph Biden that if he says anything meaningful and supportive of Barack Obama he’ll be declared the victor.
  [Read more at CNN.]
   
• Why is it that these presidential and vice presidential debates keep getting stacked with biased and often partisan moderators (recall Gwen Ifill in 2008).  Tonight Paul Ryan not only faces Joseph Biden, but also long-time Barack Obama friend turned moderator Martha Raddatz.  Will she betray bias in favor of Barack Obama and Joseph Biden?  Even Huffington Post says she should recuse herself as Tucker Carson and Neil Patel at Daily Caller expose her more than 20 year old personal ties to Barack Obama.  Lori Lowenthal Marcus, at Jewish Press, takes this further by offering more details to clarify the conflict of interest and the apparent collaboration of ABC.  Read more at Memeorandum.  On the other hand, for all of Jim Lehrer’s efforts, it didn’t help Obama much last week. [See Todd Kinsey or ABC News]
   

Please post your thoughts in the run-up to the debate and live blog your comments during the debate and afterward.
 
 
This article is also published, with permission, at NoQuarterUSA.
 
 
Matthew Weaver is president/CEO of Project Weavers, which offers project management training and PMP exam prep courses.

This election cycle we have Barack Obama’s sitting vice president Joseph Biden and challenger Mitt Romney has chosen Paul Ryan.  Both are from Capital Hill, political insiders if you will.  They have long histories independent of their current roles as vice presidential candidates.

But pedigree aside, who are elder Biden and youngster Ryan?  (I justify that age comparison as I sit in between the two at 52.  Besides, Joseph Biden is plenty old enough to be Paul Ryan’s father.)

Obviously Joseph Biden and Paul Ryan bring their own baggage to the debate–either to add to or detract from their respective presidential candidate partners.

Vice President Joseph Biden.  His biggest challenge tonight is to defend and rebuke the growing truth that Barack Obama and his administration are liars and a failure even as he tries to falsely stick that label on Mitt Romney. [Read more].  Heck, Joseph Biden will have to try and do so when he has, in his own words, called out Obama for his lies over and over again during the past several years.

• Most recently he explained about claims that Barack Obama intended to raise taxes, “‘Obama and Biden want to raise taxes by a trillion dollars.’ Guess what? Yes, we do”—Joseph Biden
   
• But just earlier Joseph Biden stated: “This is deadly earnest, man. This is deadly earnest.  How they can justify raising taxes on the middle class that’s been buried the last four years? How in the Lord’s name can they justify raising their taxes with these tax cuts?”—Joseph Biden
   
• And buried?  Besides tens of millions of people un– or underemployed, consider that gasoline was just $1.843 per gallon in January 2009 and now sits at $3.813 and even as much as $6 per gallon in California. [WSJ]
   
• And racism?  When speaking to a black audience, Joseph Biden claimed Romney wanted to “put y’all back in chains.”—Joseph Biden
   

Congressman Paul Ryan.  His challenge is to keep the focus on the disappointing failure of the Obama administration and how the only hope will come from change in the form of electing Mitt Romney.  Paul Ryan will surely be asked to explain his congressional proposals with those of Mitt Romney.

• Proposed in Congress what was known as “The Ryan Budget” that restructured entitlements and reduced discretionary programs, which directly hit core Democratic consituencies.
   

And, of course, Obama’s ongoing foreign policy debacle will surely come up in the debate.  Read more on on NoQuarterUSA, where I often write:

• “Obama’s Libyan Lies Taking Toll” by Larry Johnson
   
• “Lara Logan on Libya” by Larry Doyle
   
• “House Oversight Hearing, Benghazi Security Failures” by Larry Johnson
   

Also, take a quick read of Erik Wasson’s “Budget in spotlight for Ryan vs. Biden” at The Hill for some anticipated give and take tonight, plus here is a video clip from Morning Joe„ courtesy of Elisabeth Liora. Take note that they report 18% of Ohio voters have already voted via early absentee ballots.
 

 
 
Finally, do vice-presidential candidates even matter?  Personally, I think the election is already a done deal for Mitt Romney. He destroyed Obama in their first debate, plus Obama is exposed as a failure in economics and foreign policy.  There is no enthusiasm for Barack Obama.  He is a loser left to campaign on hate and anger.  Joseph Biden, in my opinion, cannot save him.
 
 
This article is also published, with permission, at NoQuarterUSA.
 
 
Matthew Weaver is president/CEO of Project Weavers, which offers project management training and PMP exam prep courses.

“

It is not just the character of our country—it is the record of our accomplishments.  America has a proud history of strong, confident, principled global leadership—a history that has been written by patriots of both parties.  That is America at its best.  And it is the standard by which we measure every President, as well as anyone who wishes to be President. Unfortunately, this President’s policies have not been equal to our best examples of world leadership.  And nowhere is this more evident than in the Middle East.

In clear, concise terms Mitt Romney took Barack Obama directly to task for his foreign policy approach and failures.

Full transcript of Mitt Romney’s remarks:

“I particularly appreciate the introduction from my good friend and tireless campaign companion, Gov. Bob McDonnell.  He is showing what conservative leadership can do to build a stronger economy.  Thank you also Congressman Goodlatte for joining us today. And particular thanks to Gen. Peay. I appreciate your invitation to be with you today at the Virginia Military Institute.  It is a great privilege to be here at an Institution that has done so much for our nation, both in war and in peace. 

For more than 170 years, VMI has done more than educate students.  It has guided their transformation into citizens, and warriors, and leaders.  VMI graduates have served with honor in our nation’s defense, just as many are doing today in Afghanistan and other lands.  Since the September 11th attacks, many of VMI’s sons and daughters have defended America, and I mourn with you the 15 brave souls who have been lost. I join you in praying for the many VMI graduates and all Americans who are now serving in harm’s way.  May God bless all who serve, and all who have served.

Of all the VMI graduates, none is more distinguished than George Marshall—the Chief of Staff of the Army who became Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense, who helped to vanquish fascism and then planned Europe’s rescue from despair. His commitment to peace was born of his direct knowledge of the awful costs and consequences of war.

General Marshall once said, “The only way human beings can win a war is to prevent it.” Those words were true in his time—and they still echo in ours.

Last month, our nation was attacked again.  A U.S. Ambassador and three of our fellow Americans are dead—murdered in Benghazi, Libya.  Among the dead were three veterans.  All of them were fine men, on a mission of peace and friendship to a nation that dearly longs for both.  President Obama has said that Ambassador Chris Stevens and his colleagues represented the best of America.  And he is right.  We all mourn their loss.

The attacks against us in Libya were not an isolated incident.  They were accompanied by anti-American riots in nearly two dozen other countries, mostly in the Middle East, but also in Africa and Asia.  Our embassies have been attacked.  Our flag has been burned.  Many of our citizens have been threatened and driven from their overseas homes by vicious mobs, shouting “Death to America.” These mobs hoisted the black banner of Islamic extremism over American embassies on the anniversary of the September 11th attacks.

As the dust settles, as the murdered are buried, Americans are asking how this happened, how the threats we face have grown so much worse, and what this calls on America to do.  These are the right questions.  And I have come here today to offer a larger perspective on these tragic recent events—and to share with you, and all Americans, my vision for a freer, more prosperous, and more peaceful world.

The attacks on America last month should not be seen as random acts.  They are expressions of a larger struggle that is playing out across the broader Middle East—a region that is now in the midst of the most profound upheaval in a century.  And the fault lines of this struggle can be seen clearly in Benghazi itself.

The attack on our Consulate in Benghazi on September 11th, 2012 was likely the work of forces affiliated with those that attacked our homeland on September 11th, 2001. This latest assault cannot be blamed on a reprehensible video insulting Islam, despite the Administration’s attempts to convince us of that for so long.  No, as the Administration has finally conceded, these attacks were the deliberate work of terrorists who use violence to impose their dark ideology on others, especially women and girls; who are fighting to control much of the Middle East today; and who seek to wage perpetual war on the West.

We saw all of this in Benghazi last month—but we also saw something else, something hopeful.  After the attack on our Consulate, tens of thousands of Libyans, most of them young people, held a massive protest in Benghazi against the very extremists who murdered our people.  They waved signs that read, “The Ambassador was Libya’s friend” and “Libya is sorry.” They chanted “No to militias.” They marched, unarmed, to the terrorist compound.  Then they burned it to the ground.  As one Libyan woman said, “We are not going to go from darkness to darkness.”

This is the struggle that is now shaking the entire Middle East to its foundation.  It is the struggle of millions and millions of people—men and women, young and old, Muslims, Christians and non-believers—all of whom have had enough of the darkness.  It is a struggle for the dignity that comes with freedom, and opportunity, and the right to live under laws of our own making.  It is a struggle that has unfolded under green banners in the streets of Iran, in the public squares of Tunisia and Egypt and Yemen, and in the fights for liberty in Iraq, and Afghanistan, and Libya, and now Syria.  In short, it is a struggle between liberty and tyranny, justice and oppression, hope and despair.

We have seen this struggle before.  It would be familiar to George Marshall.  In his time, in the ashes of world war, another critical part of the world was torn between democracy and despotism.  Fortunately, we had leaders of courage and vision, both Republicans and Democrats, who knew that America had to support friends who shared our values, and prevent today’s crises from becoming tomorrow’s conflicts.

Statesmen like Marshall rallied our nation to rise to its responsibilities as the leader of the free world.  We helped our friends to build and sustain free societies and free markets.  We defended our friends, and ourselves, from our common enemies.  We led.  And though the path was long and uncertain, the thought of war in Europe is as inconceivable today as it seemed inevitable in the last century.

This is what makes America exceptional: It is not just the character of our country—it is the record of our accomplishments.  America has a proud history of strong, confident, principled global leadership—a history that has been written by patriots of both parties.  That is America at its best.  And it is the standard by which we measure every President, as well as anyone who wishes to be President. Unfortunately, this President’s policies have not been equal to our best examples of world leadership.  And nowhere is this more evident than in the Middle East.

I want to be very clear: The blame for the murder of our people in Libya, and the attacks on our embassies in so many other countries, lies solely with those who carried them out—no one else.  But it is the responsibility of our President to use America’s great power to shape history—not to lead from behind, leaving our destiny at the mercy of events.  Unfortunately, that is exactly where we find ourselves in the Middle East under President Obama.

The relationship between the President of the United States and the Prime Minister of Israel, our closest ally in the region, has suffered great strains. The President explicitly stated that his goal was to put “daylight” between the United States and Israel.  And he has succeeded.  This is a dangerous situation that has set back the hope of peace in the Middle East and emboldened our mutual adversaries, especially Iran.

Iran today has never been closer to a nuclear weapons capability.  It has never posed a greater danger to our friends, our allies, and to us.  And it has never acted less deterred by America, as was made clear last year when Iranian agents plotted to assassinate the Saudi Ambassador in our nation’s capital.  And yet, when millions of Iranians took to the streets in June of 2009, when they demanded freedom from a cruel regime that threatens the world, when they cried out, “Are you with us, or are you with them?”—the American President was silent.

Across the greater Middle East, as the joy born from the downfall of dictators has given way to the painstaking work of building capable security forces, and growing economies, and developing democratic institutions, the President has failed to offer the tangible support that our partners want and need.

In Iraq, the costly gains made by our troops are being eroded by rising violence, a resurgent Al-Qaeda, the weakening of democracy in Baghdad, and the rising influence of Iran. And yet, America’s ability to influence events for the better in Iraq has been undermined by the abrupt withdrawal of our entire troop presence. The President tried—and failed—to secure a responsible and gradual drawdown that would have better secured our gains.

The President has failed to lead in Syria, where more than 30,000 men, women, and children have been massacred by the Assad regime over the past 20 months. Violent extremists are flowing into the fight.  Our ally Turkey has been attacked.  And the conflict threatens stability in the region.

America can take pride in the blows that our military and intelligence professionals have inflicted on Al-Qaeda in Pakistan and Afghanistan, including the killing of Osama bin Laden.  These are real achievements won at a high cost.  But Al-Qaeda remains a strong force in Yemen and Somalia, in Libya and other parts of North Africa, in Iraq, and now in Syria. And other extremists have gained ground across the region.  Drones and the modern instruments of war are important tools in our fight, but they are no substitute for a national security strategy for the Middle East.

The President is fond of saying that “The tide of war is receding.” And I want to believe him as much as anyone.  But when we look at the Middle East today—with Iran closer than ever to nuclear weapons capability, with the conflict in Syria threating [sic] to destabilize the region, with violent extremists on the march, and with an American Ambassador and three others dead likely at the hands of Al-Qaeda affiliates— it is clear that the risk of conflict in the region is higher now than when the President took office.

I know the President hopes for a safer, freer, and a more prosperous Middle East allied with the United States. I share this hope.  But hope is not a strategy.  We cannot support our friends and defeat our enemies in the Middle East when our words are not backed up by deeds, when our defense spending is being arbitrarily and deeply cut, when we have no trade agenda to speak of, and the perception of our strategy is not one of partnership, but of passivity.

The greater tragedy of it all is that we are missing an historic opportunity to win new friends who share our values in the Middle East—friends who are fighting for their own futures against the very same violent extremists, and evil tyrants, and angry mobs who seek to harm us.  Unfortunately, so many of these people who could be our friends feel that our President is indifferent to their quest for freedom and dignity. As one Syrian woman put it, “We will not forget that you forgot about us.”

It is time to change course in the Middle East.  That course should be organized around these bedrock principles: America must have confidence in our cause, clarity in our purpose and resolve in our might. No friend of America will question our commitment to support them… no enemy that attacks America will question our resolve to defeat them… and no one anywhere, friend or foe, will doubt America’s capability to back up our words.

I will put the leaders of Iran on notice that the United States and our friends and allies will prevent them from acquiring nuclear weapons capability. I will not hesitate to impose new sanctions on Iran, and will tighten the sanctions we currently have. I will restore the permanent presence of aircraft carrier task forces in both the Eastern Mediterranean and the Gulf region—and work with Israel to increase our military assistance and coordination.  For the sake of peace, we must make clear to Iran through actions—not just words—that their nuclear pursuit will not be tolerated.

I will reaffirm our historic ties to Israel and our abiding commitment to its security—the world must never see any daylight between our two nations.

I will deepen our critical cooperation with our partners in the Gulf.

And I will roll back President Obama’s deep and arbitrary cuts to our national defense that would devastate our military. I will make the critical defense investments that we need to remain secure.  The decisions we make today will determine our ability to protect America tomorrow.  The first purpose of a strong military is to prevent war.

The size of our Navy is at levels not seen since 1916. I will restore our Navy to the size needed to fulfill our missions by building 15 ships per year, including three submarines.  I will implement effective missile defenses to protect against threats. And on this, there will be no flexibility with Vladimir Putin. And I will call on our NATO allies to keep the greatest military alliance in history strong by honoring their commitment to each devote 2 percent of their GDP to security spending. Today, only 3 of the 28 NATO nations meet this benchmark.

I will make further reforms to our foreign assistance to create incentives for good governance, free enterprise, and greater trade, in the Middle East and beyond. I will organize all assistance efforts in the greater Middle East under one official with responsibility and accountability to prioritize efforts and produce results.  I will rally our friends and allies to match our generosity with theirs.  And I will make it clear to the recipients of our aid that, in return for our material support, they must meet the responsibilities of every decent modern government—to respect the rights of all of their citizens, including women and minorities… to ensure space for civil society, a free media, political parties, and an independent judiciary… and to abide by their international commitments to protect our diplomats and our property.

I will champion free trade and restore it as a critical element of our strategy, both in the Middle East and across the world.  The President has not signed one new free trade agreement in the past four years.  I will reverse that failure.  I will work with nations around the world that are committed to the principles of free enterprise, expanding existing relationships and establishing new ones.

I will support friends across the Middle East who share our values, but need help defending them and their sovereignty against our common enemies.

In Libya, I will support the Libyan people’s efforts to forge a lasting government that represents all of them, and I will vigorously pursue the terrorists who attacked our consulate in Benghazi and killed Americans. 

In Egypt, I will use our influence—including clear conditions on our aid—to urge the new government to represent all Egyptians, to build democratic institutions, and to maintain its peace treaty with Israel. And we must persuade our friends and allies to place similar stipulations on their aid.

In Syria, I will work with our partners to identify and organize those members of the opposition who share our values and ensure they obtain the arms they need to defeat Assad’s tanks, helicopters, and fighter jets. Iran is sending arms to Assad because they know his downfall would be a strategic defeat for them.  We should be working no less vigorously with our international partners to support the many Syrians who would deliver that defeat to Iran—rather than sitting on the sidelines.  It is essential that we develop influence with those forces in Syria that will one day lead a country that sits at the heart of the Middle East.

And in Afghanistan, I will pursue a real and successful transition to Afghan security forces by the end of 2014.  President Obama would have you believe that anyone who disagrees with his decisions in Afghanistan is arguing for endless war. But the route to more war – and to potential attacks here at home – is a politically timed retreat that abandons the Afghan people to the same extremists who ravaged their country and used it to launch the attacks of 9/11.  I will evaluate conditions on the ground and weigh the best advice of our military commanders. And I will affirm that my duty is not to my political prospects, but to the security of the nation.

Finally, I will recommit America to the goal of a democratic, prosperous Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with the Jewish state of Israel.  On this vital issue, the President has failed, and what should be a negotiation process has devolved into a series of heated disputes at the United Nations. In this old conflict, as in every challenge we face in the Middle East, only a new President will bring the chance to begin anew. 

There is a longing for American leadership in the Middle East—and it is not unique to that region.  It is broadly felt by America’s friends and allies in other parts of the world as well— in Europe, where Putin’s Russia casts a long shadow over young democracies, and where our oldest allies have been told we are “pivoting” away from them … in Asia and across the Pacific, where China’s recent assertiveness is sending chills through the region … and here in our own hemisphere, where our neighbors in Latin America want to resist the failed ideology of Hugo Chavez and the Castro brothers and deepen ties with the United States on trade, energy, and security.  But in all of these places, just as in the Middle East, the question is asked: “Where does America stand?”

I know many Americans are asking a different question: “Why us?” I know many Americans are asking whether our country today—with our ailing economy, and our massive debt, and after 11 years at war—is still capable of leading.

I believe that if America does not lead, others will—others who do not share our interests and our values—and the world will grow darker, for our friends and for us.  America’s security and the cause of freedom cannot afford four more years like the last four years.  I am running for President because I believe the leader of the free world has a duty, to our citizens, and to our friends everywhere, to use America’s great influence—wisely, with solemnity and without false pride, but also firmly and actively—to shape events in ways that secure our interests, further our values, prevent conflict, and make the world better—not perfect, but better.

Our friends and allies across the globe do not want less American leadership.  They want more—more of our moral support, more of our security cooperation, more of our trade, and more of our assistance in building free societies and thriving economies.  So many people across the world still look to America as the best hope of humankind.  So many people still have faith in America.  We must show them that we still have faith in ourselves—that we have the will and the wisdom to revive our stagnant economy, to roll back our unsustainable debt, to reform our government, to reverse the catastrophic cuts now threatening our national defense, to renew the sources of our great power, and to lead the course of human events. 

Sir Winston Churchill once said of George Marshall: “He … always fought victoriously against defeatism, discouragement, and disillusion.” That is the role our friends want America to play again.  And it is the role we must play.

The 21st century can and must be an American century. It began with terror, war, and economic calamity. It is our duty to steer it onto the path of freedom, peace, and prosperity.

The torch America carries is one of decency and hope. It is not America’s torch alone. But it is America’s duty – and honor – to hold it high enough that all the world can see its light.

Thank you, God bless you, and God bless the United States of America.“
 
 
What do you like or not like among Mitt Romney’s remarks?  What, if anything, is missing?  How does this compare and contrast to Barack Obama?
 
 
This article is also published with permission at NoQuarterUSA.
 
 
Matthew Weaver is president/CEO of Project Weavers, which offers project management training and PMP exam prep courses.

When voters picked Barack Obama in 2008 he had zero experience. Barack Obama had never worked a real job, didn’t build a business (today he says individuals don’t build things anyway), and never had to hire, pay, promote, or fire anyone. He was simply a junior U.S. senator from Illinois, a past state senator who didn’t take his role seriously and voted present more than 100 times instead of making a decision on controversial legislation).

Barack Obama’s claim to fame was a speech in 2004, two autobiographies, and leveraging his relationships with convicted terrorists (one who reportedly wrote at least one of his two autobiographies), crooked slumlords (at least one now convicted and jailed), racist and hate-filled preachers (purportedly bought off with a lavish retirement package, including a brand-new mansion in an elite, predominantly white neighborhood), and a party and media establishment that facilitated his racist, misogynistic, rude, and self-centered behaviors. Have we ever had a candidate or president that said “I” so many times?

By comparison, Mitt Romney comes to the campaign with a career of business success built on his own hard work. He’s credited with directly hiring or putting into motion businesses that eventually hired over 100,000 people. Not many people in America, or around the world for that matter, can make such a claim.

Mitt Romney earned his success. Furthermore, he also comes with matching success as a public servant where he served as governor of Massachusetts and also led the 2002 Winter Olympics. Overall, especially compared to Barack Obama, there is not a hint of self-promotion, corruption, racism, hate, rudeness, misogynism, or self-centered behavior in Mitt Romney.

Today, though, we have much more to go on.  We’ve got Barack Obama’s record as president.  An horrific record:

• Failed to keep promises.
   
• Built up historic debt that now nearly matches or exceeds all of our previous presidents combined.
   
• Signed off on and promoted government investment into companies that failed at a cost of billions of dollars in taxpayer funds.
   
• Put millions of people out of work, which he now hides by removing people from the available pool of workers.
   
• Oversaw historic levels of home foreclosures, personal bankruptcies, and business failures.
   
• Blames everyone but himself for the failures of his administration.
   

So, how can anyone pick Barack Obama over Mitt Romney?!  While there may have been some novelty in voting for Barack Obama over John McCain, the failed track record Obama now owns cannot be ignored.  If it was your business, would you hire Obama?  Why would anyone do different when casting a vote for president?
 
 
This article is also published by permission at NoQuarterUSA.
 
 
Matthew Weaver is president/CEO of Project Weavers, which offers project management training and PMP exam prep courses.

OF PARTICULAR NOTE: I am certain that this video was released by The Daily Caller to coincide with the first debate tomorrow. The Daily Caller also gave an early copy to Hannity’s show. Special Report with Bret Baier will feature clips and Baier’s “All-Star Panel,” including Charles Krauthammer, will discuss the tape’s contents as well as its impact on tonight’s debate.  Will Mitt Romney bring up the video?  Will Jim Lehrer do his job as a journalist and ask Barack Obama about the revelatory tape? The debate co-hosts, Megyn Kelly and Bret Baier, will discuss these and more questions before, and after, the debate as will other hosts including Bill Hemmer. Additionally, the All-Star Panel will return for its reactions to the entire debate as well as the inclusion or exclusion of discussion of the Wright tape.

“

DAILY CALLER: ‘For nearly 40 minutes, using an accent he never adopts in public, Obama describes a racist, zero-sum society, in which the white majority profits by exploiting black America’…—Drudgereport

Now, tonight, new video buried in 2008 comes out puts to the lies Obama’s claims of innocence regarding Reverend Wright.  In fact, if the video is as described, it truly pairs Reverend Wright and Obama as brothers in arms.

Back in 2008 I wrote several times about Obama’s relationship with Reverend Wright.  Twenty years of friendship and twenty years of sitting in Reverend Wright’s hate– and racist-filled church. Obama said, I did not know, I did not hear, and I did not see.  He eventually threw Reverend Wright under the bus and his campaign and supporter paid Reverend Wright off with convenient trip to Africa and a new home upon return.  The media whitewashed Obama’s ties, like others with terrorists, and gave him a pass.

Ah, now we get 40 minutes video of Obama in his own words that confirms everything we were told was not true in 2008.

Would Americans have voted differently if they had seen this side of Obama?

Here is what I wrote here and at NoQuarterUSA in 2008:

Back to the “I didn’t know, didn’t hear, and didn’t see” mantra that exemplifies Obama’s campaign season. It is simply unbelievable. Like I said, we’ve heard it all before from him on a number of issues. There are two major examples that highlight his dupicity (sic): Reverend Wright and domestic terrorist William Ayers:

Reverend Jeremiah Wright.

• Barack Obama described Reverend Wright as his spiritual guide, mentor, and friend.
   
• Barack sat in Reverend Wright’s church pews for over 20 years..
   
• Reverend Wright married Barack and Michelle Obama. He also baptized their two daughters.
   
• Together Barack Obama and Reverend Wright helped their mutual friend, Minister Louis Farrakhan, organize his 1995 Million Man March.
   
• Obama directed tens of thousands of dollars to his church from organizations he directed.
   
• When details of Trinity United Church of Christ and Reverend Wright came out, Obama lied and claimed he had not heard anything controversial from his pastor friend or from his church.
   
• Obama said he did not know his church and pastor promoted Marxist-oriented Black Liberation Theology.
   
• Obama said he did not know his church and reverend promoted the view that the United States was a white racist nation and that the white church was the Antichrist.
   
• Obama said he did not know that his church and pastor repeatedly praised their mutual friend, Minister Farrakhan.
   
• Obama said he did not know his pastor and church blamed the U.S. as the source of the AIDS epidemic, nor that they claimed its goal is to wipe out minorities.
   
• Obama said he did not know his pastor and church blamed the U.S. for 9/11.
   
• Obama said he did not know that his friend and pastor damned America from the pulpit of Obama’s church.
   
• After all of these claims, after 20 years of sitting in the pew, Obama abandoned his friend and church for the political expediency of his presidential campaign. He’s since admitted he may have heard some controversial things but refuses to discuss it further.
   

THE FULL DAILY CALLER VIDEO:

Tucker Carlson, featured at Memeorandum.
 
 
Will any of this make a difference?  Will Americans listen now?
 
 
Matthew Weaver is president/CEO of Project Weavers, which offers project management training and PMP exam prep courses.

 
 
This article is also published at NoQuarterUSA, where Matthew Weaver also writes.

“

The Obama campaign is now advertising “the last Dinner with Barack.” In an email sent to supporters this afternoon seeking donations, Obama for America writes:

Daniel –

President Obama is looking forward to meeting three supporters — maybe even you?

Want to meet the President? This is the last Dinner with Barack of this campaign. You could be there. Enter today.

If you can picture yourself there, then you better hurry up! This is the last Dinner with Barack of this campaign, and there’s not much time left.

Donate $5 or whatever you can, and you’ll be automatically entered for a chance to sit down for dinner with the President:

https://donate.barackobama.com/Dinner

Good luck!

Obama for America

P.S. — If that doesn’t sound good enough, we’ll even fly you out — with a friend! How do you like that?

The email’s subject line reads: “Fly for free to the last Dinner with Barack.“

 
If this is the end, heck, even I’d donate five dollars!
 
 
Yes, how much would it be worth to you to see Obama depart the White House?

 
 
Matthew Weaver is president/CEO of Project Weavers, which offers project management training and PMP exam prep courses.

Okay, what is really in the report?  Is it a white wash?  Is the report a start?  How complete is it?  Does it clear Attorney General Holder?  Does it answer questions about Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry’s death?  Does it address who else in the United States have been injured or killed by these guns?  Does it address where these guns are now at?  Does it address what Barack Obama knew and when?  Does it address the tens of thousands of documents Congress has asked for and Obama and Holder refuse to turn over? 

Will Attorney General Holder now answer his contempt of Congress charge?

Initial media observations on the content:

• Issa: Fast and Furious IG report step toward restoring faith–Associated Press
• Official to testify on ‘Fast and Furious’ report, which slaps 14 at Justice, ATF–CNN
• Guns Inquiry Urges Action Against 14 in Justice Dept.–New York Times
• Inspector General’s ‘Fast And Furious’ Report Clears Attorney General Holder–Think Progress
• “I have reviewed the Office of the Inspector General’s report on Operation Fast and Furious and the key conclusions are consistent with what I, and other Justice Department officials, have said for many months now”–Attorney General Eric Holder

 

 
Personally I do not have time to read all 515 pages now, probably most people do not.  Here is everyone’s opportunity to crowd source the document.  Please download and read the document, or portions of it.  Share your observations and findings here in this comment thread.  When quoting a page, please include the page number.  I’ll update the article, here, with these observations and quotes from the comment thread.

Reader Observations and Findings

Matthew Weaver is president/CEO of Project Weavers, which offers project management training and PMP exam prep courses.