In comments at cleveland these people. They are not watching rachel and state university, vice they are not watching john president ial candidate paul ryan criticized federal anti kennedy. Independence and moderates. It was written the other day poverty programs and argue for a strategy encouraging private about the way the narrative charity. This is a halfhour. Changes. Basically, political porters take a look at the polls. Hello, colorado. [cheers and applause] obama gets out there and says romnesia. If you perceive obama as willing thank you so much. Look at this. Wow. [applause] thank you. Thank you so much. Cut winning, that is great. [applause] if you perceive obama as was in, that is embarrassing. Does it color the news they get . So warm. Wow. [applause] wow. [laughter] it does depend. Getting the news by watching something on saturday night live, which we use as a great arbiter. Thank you very much for that warm welcome. A lot of folks who are very passive, and i agree with i want to thank my friend whose charlie, you are wonderful family has been so good to me over the years. Thank you, jimmy, for that great introduction. People but no one here is normal. We spend how many minutes talking about the possibility of [applause] a popular and electoral vote. I would love to pull people around america how they have i also want to thank everyone actually tick how much they here at Cleveland State university for your hospitality. Thank you very much. Have actually thought about [applause] that. That show, for many people, does give them an image of that. The image that was created was i especially want to thank president berkman for making crafted of mitt romney, both on this happen. We appreciate your hospitality. Comedy shows and on traditional media, and by the ads, that mitt romney was staff but also a [applause] wheres bob . Over there. None of this would be possible and none of us would be here super rich guy who does not today without these really know what it is like to extraordinary work of the center for neighborhood enterprise. Be an average person. That is what you hear in the we have been friends for many years. Focus group, peter asks, what [applause] would mitt romney be like as a neighbor. We are here in partnership on they said things like, i am sure he would be nice and pleasant. Behalf of an idea. I do not think i would be good enough to invite to be no matter who your parents are, invited to his house. I would be embarrassed to bring no matter where you come from, the casserole over. Who would they most likely you should have the idea in america the opportunity to want to have to be invited to a rise cannot escape poverty, and backyard cookout. Achieve whatever your godgiven . Talent and hard work enable you you know who it is. To achieve. [laughter] in so many ways, our nations history has been a struggle to bring opportunity into life. Quayle also love bill clinton our nation was founded on the and joe biden to come by. They would love bill clinton creed that all men are created and joe biden to come by. Equal, that we all possess charlie is right on about why equal rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This race is not over. The door did open after those of course, the quality and debates. There were a lot of people getting a second look at what opportunity has not always been they see from mitt romney. A fact of life in our country. But the question this goes it is something we have had to constantly fight for. Back to the earlier point it is a cause that continues to this day. Charlie made about defining yourself what are the closing even though some many barriers arguments mitt romney is making to equality have fallen, too for them . For many, he is saying things many old inequities persist. Are not getting better, or they too many children, especially are not getting much better but africanamerican and hispanic i do not know if i would give obama much credit. Children, are sent into if i were to switch horses, what mediocre schools and are expected to perform with excellence. Would i get from mitt romney . They still have not answered they make up 38 of the that question. Nations overall students, but one of the things we have they are 69 of the students talked about is which mitt romney . Identified as lowest performing. The guy who came by our office thats unacceptable. Running for the u. S. Senate in we owe every child the chance to succeed in life in this 1994 was really bright, an country. [applause] analytical mind. He was more of the problems are solver. He was a management consultant. He thought he could do a better job. He was fairly nonideological. In the words of abraham lincoln, we owe them an unfettered start in the chance if i had to put him on a scale of a football field, i would of life. Put among the 35 or 40 yard line upward mobility is the central on the right side, but nowhere promise of life in america. Near the reds on. That was the guy then. Right now, the american engines that was the guy who started to of the upward mobility are not run for president in 2007. Working like they should. Somewhere during the 2008 mitt romney and i are running campaign, he realized it was not because we believe americans working and he had to go hard are better off in a dynamic right. For the last four years, he has Free Enterprise based economy that fosters Economic Growth, been running as far to the right as he possibly could. When you had that fox news opportunity come and upward debate back in september of last mobility is of a government directed stance that creates year when he said, if you were dependency. Offered a budget deal, 101, [applause] would you go . Not one of the eight republican candidates raised their hands. The thing about it is, that is one hail of a deal one hell you know theres something wrong in our country when 40 of of a deal. Children born to parents in the he really did not hit us back until not even until the can lowest fifth of earners never know anything better. At the convention. It was the first debate. It was a different romney. The question before us today people have to sort out for demands a serious answer. Themselves which is it. How do we get the engines of opera mobility turned back on this is closer to 1. 0. So that no one is left out of the promise of america . That mitt romney could win a to answer that, we have to take general election but could not a hard look at the approach the win a nomination. Government has been taking for the other mitt romney could win a nomination, although it was a the last five decades and ask struggle, but could not possibly yourself if its working. The approach has been to spend win an election. Lots of money on antipoverty you describe mitt romney doing a lot of things that you, looking at it professionally, to programs. Not think it is necessarily the money behind this approach ideal behavior. Having a terrible summer, a is that a nation should measure terrible september, the 47 . Compassion by the size of the government and how much it after all that, the president , spends. The problem is, starting in the with all the advantages, was 1960s, this topdown approach only up four points. Created a debilitating culture had one bad night. What does that say about the of dependency wrecking president . Go back six months ago and communities. You look at the economy, and this was so obvious to everyone say, recumbent president s do not by the 1990s that when a major Welfare Program was reformed, get reelected with the economies like this. The fact that romney was behind the law was passed by a Republican Congress and signed by a democratic president. With a lousy economy was really instead of seeing increases in hunger and poverty, we saw quite remarkable. Welfare enrollment drop i think you also had, starting radically as millions of in august and september, a time citizens gained new lives of where the stock market is near a independence. Fiveyear high. Child poverty rates fell and we Consumer Confidence started shooting up. Saw unemployment for single mothers rise. Housing market finally starting to shine some light. Fewer welfare checks going out Consumer Confidence jumped up. Meant more money for states to spend on child care. We started seeing in the polls welfare reform worked because it encouraged the best in right direction moving up and long track moving down. The economy would lead toward in people. All, when lean toward an it appealed to their desire to shape their own destiny and advance in life. It made strides in getting the obama win. Government out of the business of fostering dependency. It was less of a liability. Heres the problem. 47 , you could look at the polls the welfare reform mindset has not been applied with equal vigor across the spectrum of our antipoverty programs. And see what they that happened. In most of these programs, day that happened. Especially recently, we still try to measure compassion by a lot of looking through the how much of the government data. It said it was noncollege spends, not by how many people we help escape from poverty. Educated white women that took a after that 47 just last year, total spending came in to more than 1 trillion. Remarked. That was a group that was holding out. They are a problem for the how much of that is practical . President. For that amount of money, you noncollege educated white men is a nofly zone for the could give every pore american a check for 22,000. President. The women did not really like obama, but they were not instead, we spend all of that comfortable with romney. Money attempting to fight the 47 really hurt. Poverty through government after the debate bell, programs and what do we have to show for it . Today, 46 Million People are living in poverty. The president have these that is one in six americans. Advantages in the campaign, and its the highest poverty rate serious. In a generation. Two things i think are working against him. During the last four years, the the economy. The other is this is number of People Living on food stamps has gone up 15 million. Especially true from the suburban women here in virginia, medicaid is reaching a breaking point. One in four American Students columbus, ohio if he was fails to obtain a highschool going to change washington, that diploma. People voted for this guy, i in our major cities, half of remember talking to people out in the exurbs of virginia who our kids dont graduate. Half. Said, i do not know, i cannot in this war on poverty, poverty believe i voted for a democrat. Is winning. But i really believe he is going we deserve better. We deserve a clear choice for a to change the way this is. Brighter future. Not completely. What is the alternative approach that romney and i are offering . It is the frustration that he said he was going to go and make to hear some tell it, we think things better and it is 100 everyone should just fend for times worse. Themselves. Congress is much more polarized. That is just a false argument. That is setup to avoid a maybe the economy is improving. Genuine debate. Things are getting a little the truth is mitt romney and i better. Believe in true compassion and why are the next four years going to be any different than upward mobility. We are offering a vision based the previous four years . How are you going to work with on real reforms to lift people the congress you seem to have completely dismissed . Out of poverty. Look. Im a republican. The question was asked, if obama our party does a good job to is reelected, what percentage speaking to the part of the of you want to see major American Dream that involves taking what you are passionate changes, minor changes, or no change at all during the next about and making a successful living. Part of what makes america four years . Great is americans look out for 62 said major changes. This is a group of people out one another through communities. There, take away the partisans on either side, who very we have a vision of making the community stronger, but we do reluctantly will pick the next not always do a good job of leader of the free world. This is not out of passion or laying out that vision. Thinking things will change. We want to change that. It is the least bad option. We understand the importance of the thing that disappointed , all three of us community from experience. I come from a town that has been hit as hard as any. A lot of guys i grew up with and worked in the gm plant and have unusual vantage points they lost their jobs when the plant closed. Watching so closely here, but watching the president s acceptance speech, the debates, what happened next is the same i kept waiting to hear him say, thing that happens in communities around the country every day. I have some regrets about how i our term pull together. Churches, charities, friends handled things. If reelected, i would like to do and neighbors were all there. In textbooks, they call this some things differently. Civil society. In my experience, i know it as this president has virtually no the town i grew up in. Relationship with congress. When political ran a piece back in may that pointed out the we not only understand the president had not at a single importance of community but he conversation in person or on the lived it. Form with the chairmen on the hes a guy who, at the height of a successful business, he took the time to serve as a phone with the chairman, not a pastor for 14 years counseling people in the innercity boston single neighborhoods. He is a man who could have easily contented himself with class would george w. Bush be giving donations to these different . Causes, but everyone who knows or Ronald Reagan . Would george w. Him well will tell you that he has always given his time and attention to those around him who are hurting. He is the type of person you bush be different . Run into around communities. Or Ronald Reagan . I had heard the chairman say here in cleveland and all he had been to the family quarters under both bushes. Around america. Americans are a compassionate people there is a consensus about our fundamental go all around the hill and asked obligations to societys most members of congress how often vulnerable. You have any kind of interaction those obligations are not what at all with the president. We are debating in politics. You would find it is shockingly most times, the real debate is small. About whether they are best met by private groups or the Ronald Reagan came to town. Government, by voluntary action he did not know a soul when he or more taxes and corrosive got to washington. He had the personal skills and mandates from washington. The desire to build the short of it is that there relationships. Has to be a balance, allowing government to act for the common good while leaving groups you mentioned waiting for the free to do the work that only they can do. President to say, i made some mistakes. There is a vast middle ground in the first debate, he said between the government and the something about how he is not a individual. Perfect president. Our families and neighborhoods, the groups we join, places of right. He did not finish the worship, this is where we lead statement. Our lives. What they want to hear is not this is where we live our lives. So much, i really messed up on they help make us a self the economy. [laughter] governing people. It is, i came to washington and earlier, we talked with some of i wanted change. I thought i could do this. The people who define civil it is really hard. I need to do a better job of it. Society to make it work. Dr. Mitchell where is she . I think people are willing to listen to that. She has been ministering to he also has to believe that and say that to the people on the hill, both on the republican and people in the inner city for democratic side. Things are going to change decades. Because they have to. And reverend peterson whose we cannot go through another project has helped exoffenders four years of a paralyzed gain and maintain and washington. Employment. That is what, for all the people [applause] in denver and virginia listened to, when the economy is better, where is brian . They are not giving the president much credit because when he felt called to open a they think he failed on that measure. A quick related question, if people are reluctant to embrace the president for a second term because of gridlock in washington, are they also homeless shelter, he did just reluctant to embrace their not volunteer his time. Incumbent senators and representatives at this moment . No, that has not translated. He and his wife move their family, a baby and two young ones into the shelter and lived the whole system is broken. Do not let democrats, they do there for seven years. [applause] not like democrats, they do not like republicans, they think the system is broken. He and his volunteers provide the great irony is in 2006, clean clothes, though that democrats got in control of the would have been a lot. House in large part because they he did not just give kids a defeated a bunch of moderate safe place to come in off the streets. Republicans. Republicans gained control in he gave himself. 2010 by knocking out almost all of the moderate democrats. He did not show people in need the right path. Voters did believe they were he walked it with them. Making change. They want to throw these bombs not just as their guide but as a out. Friend. This good man, and others like him, they are witnesses. The needy people who have in their desire to create a encountered them feel it message of change, they created presents greater than just one a more polarized place. Compassionate soul. What is at work here is the i also get frustrated when you spirit of the lord. Have the Campaign Committee theres no end to the good that chair people of each side saying it can inspire. The government cannot replace congress is so terrible. It is because you beat all the that. People you could have worked [applause] should we have the chance to with. You targeted them and painted them with a broad brush, this is just x there is no silver bullet. Serve, i want you to know this. If i could wave a magic wand and mitt romney and i share your cause and we will seek your do two things redistricting reform so we do not do all these counsel. Customized districts for we will remember your republicans and democrats. Hospitality today and it will when you do that, you get far be returned. Less far ;ef democratict the transforming of your example will conform our approach to Public Policy. District left democratic [applause] when the question is how best districts and far righ republict to help lowincome families and district. Open up primaries california dusted mouth both. We see more competition in california than in the previous reached opportunity, we will not three decades combined, just in defer to the washington knows one year. It may not be the perfect best crow