At one point, Republican Candidate Mitt Romney told President Obama to "take your campaign of hate back to Chicago"
The podcast of the Mitt Romney speech can be heard here....
Crowds estimated by Chillicothe Police Officer Bud Lytle at 5,400 people, roared their approval as Mitt Romney came out firing in his rhetoric against President Barack Obama.
A few dozen protesters were kept a block away from the rally, but could be heard chanting and shouting during Romney's speech. At least one of the protesters was cited for disorderly conduct.
The Republican presidential hopeful said "America deserves better", and later was critical of the president's "attacks".
Speaking to the crowd, Romney said- "In 2008, Candidate Obama said, “if you don't have any fresh ideas, then you use stale tactics to scare voters.” He said, “if you don't have a record to run on, then you paint your opponent as someone people should run from.” And that, he told us, is how, “You make a big election about small things.”
"That was Candidate Obama describing the strategy that is the now the heart of his campaign. His campaign and his surrogates have made wild and reckless accusations that disgrace the office of the Presidency. Another outrageous charge came a few hours ago in Virginia. And the White House sinks a little bit lower".
"This is what an angry and desperate Presidency looks like. President Obama knows better, promised better and America deserves better."
"Over the last four years, this President has pushed Republicans and Democrats as far apart as they can go. And now he and his allies are pushing us all even further apart by dividing us into groups. He demonizes some. He panders to others. His campaign strategy is to smash America apart and then cobble together 51 percent of the pieces".
"If an American president wins that way, we all lose. But he won’t win that way. America is one Nation under God. American history has been a story of the many becoming one - uniting to preserve liberty, uniting to build the greatest economy in the world, uniting to save the world from unspeakable darkness. Everywhere I go in America there are monuments that list those who have given their lives. There is no mention of their race, their party affiliation or what they did for a living. They lived and died under a single flag fighting for a single purpose. They pledged allegiance to the UNITED States of America. So, Mr. President, take your campaign of division and anger and hate back to Chicago and let us get about rebuilding and reuniting America".
Romney also asked voters to remember five things:
1.) America needs energy independence
2.) Give workers skills to succeed through education, and get the union bosses out of decision making for schools
3.) Trade must work in America's favor and not let China control the advantage
4.) Cut spending and balance the federal budget
5.) Champion small business instead of punishing small business owners through higher taxes and regulation.
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