USA: Mitt Romney, a leading Republican candidate in Iowa, targets U.S. President Barack Obama on economic issues, as Iowa residents make their decisions on caucus day

Record ID: 346452

  • Title: USA: Mitt Romney, a leading Republican candidate in Iowa, targets U.S. President Barack Obama on economic issues, as Iowa residents make their decisions on caucus day
  • Date: 4th January 2012
  • Summary: DES MOINES, IOWA, UNITED STATES (JANUARY 3, 2011) (REUTERS) FORMER MASSACHUSETTS GOVERNOR MITT ROMNEY, REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT WALKING ON STAGE AND GREETING SUPPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) FORMER MASSACHUSETTS GOVERNOR MITT ROMNEY, REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT, SAYING: "He went on the Today Show, shortly after being inaugurated, and said that if he's not able to turn around the economy in three years, he'd be looking at a one-term proposition. I'm here to collect. He's out." ROMNEY SPEAKING TO SUPPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) FORMER MASSACHUSETTS GOVERNOR MITT ROMNEY, REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT, SAYING: "I'm going to take all the programs that we have, and look at how much money is associated with each one, and ask this question: Is this program so critical to America that it makes sense to borrow money from China to pay for it? And if a program doesn't pass that test, I'm going to kill it. Now, first on my list is Obamacare. We're going to get rid of that day one." ROMNEY SPEAKING TO SUPPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) FORMER MASSACHUSETTS GOVERNOR MITT ROMNEY, REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT, SAYING: "I'm just not going to keep borrowing and borrowing, and putting American in more and more peril. Recognize that if we stay on the track we're on, this nation is going to hit a Greek-like wall, an Italy-like wall, and there's no one big enough to bail us out. And that will happen, most likely, during this president's next term - the next four years, or perhaps four years after that. This is unthinkable as a course for America, and we have to change course." ROMNEY SPEAKING TO SUPPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) FORMER MASSACHUSETTS GOVERNOR MITT ROMNEY, REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT, SAYING: "The President said he wants to fundamentally transform America. I don't want to transform America. I want to restore the principles that made America. This is the America we love. I'm going to make sure we take those principles to the White House, and get America working again. Thanks you guys - great to be with you. Thank you!" VARIOUS ROMNEY SHAKING HANDS WITH SUPPORTERS
  • Embargoed: 19th January 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa, Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAH4RYRLJ3KKE3U56ASVFBNQJB
  • Story Text: Iowa Republicans cast the first votes of the 2012 White House campaign on Tuesday (January 3) with Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum and Ron Paul leading in a high-stakes battle to win the party's kick-off nominating contest.
    Romney, speaking with supporters Tuesday morning, targeted U.S. President Obama - not his Republican rivals. Debt, jobs, and the economy were his focus. The former Massachusetts governor said he would cut government spending if he were to become president.
    "I'm going to take all the programs that we have, and look at how much money is associated with each one, and ask this question: Is this program so critical to America that it makes sense to borrow money from China to pay for it? And if a program doesn't pass that test, I'm going to kill it. Now, first on my list is Obamacare. We're going to get rid of that day one," Romney said.
    Romney said that U.S. spending was putting the country in jeopardy of having the same types of economic problems countries in Europe are currently experiencing.
    "I'm just not going to keep borrowing and borrowing, and putting American in more and more peril. Recognize that if we stay on the track we're on, this nation is going to hit a Greek-like wall, an Italy-like wall, and there's no one big enough to bail us out. And that will happen, most likely, during this president's next term - the next four years, or perhaps four years after that. This is unthinkable as a course for America, and we have to change course," Romney said.
    The Iowa caucuses will take place on January 3, the first of the state-by-state contests to choose a party presidential nominee.
    The mid-western state is famed for having an outsized influence on the contest for the White House.
    Since 1976, there have been seven contested caucuses in the Republican Party. Of those contests, three winners have become the party's nominee.
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