Mitt Romney and Iran

Have a look at Mitt Romney's latest press release. Romney has sent a letter to prominent New York elected officials, including New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli and Senators Hillary Clinton and Chuck Schumer.

Romney is calling for any state pension funds to stop investing in Iran, in an effort to isolate the country as it pursues nuclear weapons.

Boston, MA – Today, Governor Mitt Romney released a letter sent to New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli urging that he pursue "a policy of strategic disinvestment from companies linked to the Iranian regime."

Letters urging support for this policy were also sent to New York Governor Eliot Spitzer and United States Senators Hillary Clinton and Chuck Schumer.

In his letter, Governor Romney wrote:

"With your new responsibilities overseeing one of America's largest pension funds, you have a unique opportunity to lead an effort to isolate Iran as it pursues nuclear armament. I request that you immediately launch a policy of strategic disinvestment from companies linked to the Iranian regime. Screening pension investments and divesting from companies providing financial support to the Iranian regime or linked to Iran's weapons programs and terrorist activities could have a powerful impact. New investments should be scrutinized as long as Iran's regime continues its current, dangerous course."

Governor Romney believes that for the United States, there are few more urgent priorities than standing up to the Iranian government's dangerous actions. Eliminating financial support for this regime is a critical first step and will support future efforts.

Today's letters build on the five-point strategy to prevent a nuclear Iran that Governor Romney laid out earlier this year at the annual Herzliya Conference in Israel. As part of that strategy, Governor Romney called for further economic isolation of Iran by pursuing, in part, pension fund divestment. In January 2007, Governor Romney also helped arrange a meeting between former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Massachusetts State Treasurer Timothy P. Cahill to discuss divestment of pension funds.

Mitt Romney Launches New Ad

MITT ROMNEY - STRONG. NEW. LEADERSHIP

Mitt Romney has produced a new ad which is expected to be broadcast on television in key states starting tomorrow. Although the states haven't been announced yet, they are anticipated to include Iowa, South Carolina, Michigan and New Hampshire.

Mitt Romney on ABC's This Week

Mitt Romney will today feature on ABC's This Week with George Stephanopoulos. This week will be covering most of the major Presidential candidates during the year. Last week they followed Mike Huckabee.

"This Week goes on the trail for an EXCLUSIVE interview with Republican front-runner and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and his wife, Ann Romney. It is their first Sunday interview since jumping into the presidential race. With his wife at his side, Romney faces tough questions about his religious beliefs and his political convictions. What does he say to evangelical Christians and others who are worried about a Mormon president? And, how does he respond to the charge that his new positions on abortion, gay rights and other issues are conversions of convenience?"

Boston Fundraiser Nets Romney $1million

Mitt Romney continued his successful fundraising on Thursday night, raising over $1 million at the Waterfront Convention Centre in Boston.

Hundreds of supporters turned up at the fundraiser which completed a three day tour after Romney announced his decision to seek the Presidency in Michigan on Tuesday. Romney has also been campaigning in Iowa.

This successful event adds to the $6.5 million Romney raised on one day in early January.

It is rumored that Romney will be spending a lot of time between now and March 31 boosting his campaign finances. The money may be used to buy Mitt Romney some advertising, to boost his recognition outside of Massachusetts.

Romney Still Supports Troop Surge

Mitt Romney appeared last night on The O'Reilly Factor with Bill O'Reilly. He has again made it clear that he supports the President's decision to send more troops to Iraq. But he is quite keen to bring the troops home as soon as it is possible, without jeopardising the region.

ROMNEY: Well, as long as there's a pathway to a successful resolution in Iraq, meaning a stable central government even with some sub states that are strong, that's a pathway we have to pursue. And the president and al-Maliki from Iraq have said that they believe that there is a course of being successful which would include providing security for the citizens of Iraq and allowing the country to rebuild itself.

And that that's going to require an extra 20,000 or 25,000 personnel. My view is that's something we ought to try as long as there's a pathway that looks like it's reasonably probable of being successful. If it's not working, and we'll know within a few months, then we can take a different course.

But simply turning around and walking away could lead to the kinds of terrible outcomes that could ultimately require even more troops coming in and more casualties. Our interest here is all the same. Get our boys and our women home as soon as we possibly can. But don't do it in such a way that we cause the kind of event that would require us to have to come back.

O'REILLY: All right. Now, so you are saying that a few more months and if we don't see improvement then we have to redeploy the troops?

ROMNEY: Well, at that point we'll look at what other plans are available. But right now the right course is to provide security to the Iraqi citizens.

Transcript of Romney's interview here.

Romney on ABC This Week

Mitt Romney will appear this Sunday on ABC's This Week with George Stephanopoulos.

The show is being promoted as "On the Trail" where Romney will talk about his Faith, his future and his fight for the White House.

Romney Makes it Official

Mitt Romney this morning announced that he will be seeking the Republican nomination for President of the United States.

Romney's announcement was made in Michigan, the state in which he grew up, and where his father was Governor.

Mitt Romney is consistently the third favorite in the polls, behind Rudy Giuliani and John McCain. But Romney has more appeal to social conservatives than the leaders, and does have a good capacity for fundraising.

Romney also has a good record as Governor of Massachusetts and CEO of the Salt Lake Winter Olympics.

"I do not believe Washington can be transformed by someone who has never tried doing such a thing before, in any setting, by someone who has never even managed a corner store, let alone the largest enterprise in the world.

"Throughout my life, I have pursued innovation and transformation. It has taught me the vital lessons that come only from experience, from failures and successes, from the private, public and voluntary sectors, from small and large enterprise, from leading a state, from being in the arena, not just talking about it. Talk is easy, talk is cheap. It is doing that is hard. And it is only in doing that hope and dreams come to life.

"This Christmas, Ann and I gathered my five sons and five daughters-in-law to ask them whether I should run for President.

"We talked about the special time this is in the history of America - the challenges and the opportunities. We talked about the qualities that are needed in our leaders. They were unanimous. They know our hearts. They know our values. They know my experience innovating and transforming, in business, in the Olympics, and in Massachusetts. And they know we love this country.

"And so, with them behind us, with the fine people of Michigan before us, and with my sweetheart beside me, I declare my intention to run for President of the United States.
"It has been said that a person is defined by what he loves and by what he believes and by what he dreams.

"I love America and I believe in the people of America."

For the full transcript of Romney's speech, head to his website.

Watch Mitt Romney Announce Live

Mitt Romney will be formally announcing tomorrow morning that he will be a candidate for President of the United States. (Tuesday, 9am EST)

The announcement which will take place in Romney's home state of Michigan, will be streamed live via his website.

To watch, go to www.mittromney.com

Mitt Romney in Michigan

Mitt Romney yesterday gave a speech to over 3000 party activists at the GOP convention in his former home state of Michigan.

Romney spoke about bringing Republican principles back to Michigan, and also again ran through his opposition to abortion and same sex marriage.

Romney went on last night to Missouri, and gave a speech to the Lincoln Days Conference.

Mitt Romney will head back to Michigan on Tuesday, where he will formally announce that he will be a candidate for President.

Romney Speaks on Tax

Mitt Romney gave a speech Wednesday to the Detroit Economic Club. He spoke primarily about the following:

Making the Bush Tax Cuts permanent
Reforming the Tax Code
Tax Free Savings
Fiscal Discipline
Regulatory Relief
National Tort Reform
Fuel Efficiency

Check Romney out here talking on CNBC about the Bush Tax Cuts.

Romney Will Announce Tuesday

Former Governor of Massachusetts, Mitt Romney, will officially declare next Tuesday that he will be a candidate for the Republican nomination for President of the United States, according to sources close to Romney.

Romney will head back to his home state of Michigan to make the announcement. Its the same state that Romney's father, former Governor of Michigan announced his bid for the 1968 nomination.

He is due to give a speech at the Henry Ford Museum, with a tour in the following days of key early primary states.

Whip Team for Mitt Romney

Mitt Romney today announced his Congressional Whip team, to be led by Representative Jim McCrey. The 22 Members of the House of Representatives met at the Capitol Hill Club today to show their support for Romney.

The team will provide support to Romney in helping with his outreach efforts to the House.

The team is as follows:

Rep. Jim McCrery (R-LA) - House Congressional Liaison
Rep. Dave Camp (R-MI) - House Co-Congressional Liaison
Rep. Howard "Buck" McKeon (R-CA) - House Co-Congressional Liaison
Former Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL)
Rep. Bill Shuster (R-PA)
Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-KY)
Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite (R-FL)
Rep. Hal Rogers (R-KY)
Rep. Joe Knollenberg (R-MI)
Rep. John Campbell (R-CA)
Rep. John Duncan (R-TN)
Rep. John Linder (R-GA)
Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)
Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL)
Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID)
Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-MI)
Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-GA)
Rep. Ralph Regula (R-OH)
Rep. Rodney Alexander (R-LA)
Rep. Ron Lewis (R-KY)
Rep. Tom Feeney (R-FL)
Rep. Tom Price (R-GA)

Mitt Romney Secures Kentucky Support

Mitt Romney was in Kentucky yesterday, addressing over 1500 people at the Annual Lincoln Day Dinner in Louisville.

Romney's speech included an attack on Hillary Clinton for her call to engage Iran, like was done with the Soviet Union during the Cold War.

Romney disagreed strongly, saying this was a major mistake. "Advocating engagement displays a troubling timidity toward a terrible threat. The right strategy is not engagement, but economic and diplomatic isolation," Romney said.

Romney also continued his campaign of picking up supporters - he has secured the endorsements of 3 Kentucky Congressmen, Ron Lewis, Harold Rogers and Ed Whitfield.

Romney Appoints Adviser on Life Issues

Mitt Romney has continued his push to secure the conservative vote of the GOP by appointing a senior campaigner for right to life groups in America.

James Bopp Jr, who is also a member of the Republican National Committee will become Romney's Special Adviser on Life Issues.

Bopp said that Romney's record on fundamental life issues is one that is "..not just words but action" and he is proud to be a Romney supporter.