Mitt Romney

thank you __PUNCT__ bishop grave __PUNCT__ for your gener introduct __PUNCT__

thank also to presid ben jealou and chairman roslyn brock for the opportun to be here thi morn __PUNCT__ and for your hospit __PUNCT__

it is an honor to address you __PUNCT__

i appreci the chanc to speak first __PUNCT__ even befor vice_presid biden get hi turn tomorrow __PUNCT__

i just hope the obama_campaign won't think you plai favorit __PUNCT__

you all know someth of my background __PUNCT__ and mayb you wonder how ani republican ever becom governor of massachusett in the first place __PUNCT__

well __PUNCT__ in a state with __NUM__ percent republican registr __PUNCT__ you don't get there by just talk to republican __PUNCT__

we have to make our case to everi voter __PUNCT__

we don't count anybodi out __PUNCT__ and we sure don't make a habit of presum anyon support __PUNCT__

support is ask for and earn __PUNCT__ and that why i here todai __PUNCT__

with __NUM__ percent of african __PUNCT__ american_vote for democrat __PUNCT__ some of you mai wonder why a republican would bother to campaign in the african_american american_commun __PUNCT__ and to address the naacp __PUNCT__

of cours __PUNCT__ on reason is that i hope to repres all american __PUNCT__ of everi race __PUNCT__ creed or sexual_orient __PUNCT__ from the poorest to the richest and everyon in between __PUNCT__

but there is anoth reason __PUNCT__ i believ that if you understood who i truli am in my heart __PUNCT__ and if it were possibl to fulli commun what i believ is in the real __PUNCT__ endur best interest of african_american american_famili __PUNCT__ you would vote for me for presid __PUNCT__

i want you to know that if i did not believ that my polici and my leadership would help famili of color __PUNCT__ and famili of ani color __PUNCT__ more than the polici and leadership of presid_obama __PUNCT__ i would not be run for presid __PUNCT__

the opposit charg that i and peopl in my parti ar run for offic to help the rich __PUNCT__

nonsens __PUNCT__

the rich will do just fine whether i am elect or not __PUNCT__

the presid want to make thi a campaign about blame the rich __PUNCT__

i want to make thi a campaign about help the middl_class __PUNCT__

i am run for presid becaus i know that my polici and vision will help hundr of million of middl class_american of all race __PUNCT__ will lift peopl from poverti __PUNCT__ and will help prevent peopl from becom poor __PUNCT__

my campaign is about help the peopl who need help __PUNCT__

the cours the presid ha set ha not done that __PUNCT__ and will not do that __PUNCT__

my cours will __PUNCT__

when presid_obama obama_call to congratul me on becom the presumpt republican_nomine __PUNCT__ he said that he __PUNCT__ look forward to an import and healthi debat about america_futur __PUNCT__ to date __PUNCT__ i afraid that hi campaign ha taken a differ cours than that __PUNCT__

but __PUNCT__ in campaign at their best __PUNCT__ voter can expect a clear choic __PUNCT__ and candid can expect a fair hear __PUNCT__ onli more so from a vener organ like thi on __PUNCT__

so __PUNCT__ it is that healthi debat about the cours of the nation that i want to discuss with you todai __PUNCT__

if someon had told us in the 1950 or 1960 that a black citizen would serv as the forti __PUNCT__ fourth presid __PUNCT__ we would have been proud and mani would have been surpris __PUNCT__

pictur that dai __PUNCT__ we might have assum that the american_presid would be the veri last door of opportun to be open __PUNCT__

befor that came to pass __PUNCT__ everi other barrier on the path to equal_opportun would sure have come down __PUNCT__

of cours __PUNCT__ it hasn't happen quit that wai __PUNCT__

mani barrier remain __PUNCT__

old inequ persist __PUNCT__

in some wai __PUNCT__ the challeng ar even more complic than befor __PUNCT__

and across america __PUNCT__ and even within your own rank __PUNCT__ there ar seriou __PUNCT__ honest debat about the wai forward __PUNCT__

if equal opportun in america were an accomplish fact __PUNCT__ then a chronic bad economi would be equal bad for everyon __PUNCT__

instead __PUNCT__ it wors for african_american in almost everi wai __PUNCT__

the unemploy_rate __PUNCT__ the durat of unemploy __PUNCT__ averag_incom __PUNCT__ and median famili wealth ar all wors for the black_commun __PUNCT__

in __DATE__ __PUNCT__ while the overal unemploy_rate remain stuck at __NUM__ percent __PUNCT__ the unemploy rate for african_american actual went up __PUNCT__ from __NUM__ percent to __NUM__ percent __PUNCT__

american of everi background ar ask when thi economi will final recov __PUNCT__ and you __PUNCT__ in particular __PUNCT__ ar entitl to an answer __PUNCT__

if equal_opportun in america were an accomplish fact __PUNCT__ black_famili could send their son and daughter to public_school that truli offer the hope of a better life __PUNCT__

instead __PUNCT__ for gener __PUNCT__ the african __PUNCT__ american_commun ha been wait and wait for that promis to be kept __PUNCT__

todai __PUNCT__ black_children ar __NUM__ percent of student nationwid __PUNCT__ but thei ar __NUM__ percent of the student in our worst __PUNCT__ perform school __PUNCT__

our societi send them into mediocr school and expect them to perform with excel __PUNCT__ and that is not fair __PUNCT__

frederick_douglass observ that __PUNCT__ it is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men __PUNCT__ yet __PUNCT__ instead of prepar these children for life __PUNCT__ too mani school set them up for failur __PUNCT__

everyon in thi room know that we ow them better than that __PUNCT__

the path of inequ often lead to lost opportun __PUNCT__

colleg __PUNCT__ graduat_school __PUNCT__ and first job should be mileston mark the passag from childhood to adulthood __PUNCT__

but for too mani disadvantag young_peopl __PUNCT__ these goal seem unattain __PUNCT__ and their live take a tragic turn __PUNCT__

mani live in neighborhood fill with violenc and fear __PUNCT__ and empti of opportun __PUNCT__

their impati for real chang is understand __PUNCT__

thei ar entitl to feel that life in america should be better than thi __PUNCT__

thei ar told even now to wait for improv in our economi and in our school __PUNCT__ but it seem to me that these american have wait long enough __PUNCT__

the point is that when decad of the same promis keep produc the same failur __PUNCT__ then it reason to rethink our approach __PUNCT__ and consid a new plan __PUNCT__

i hope that togeth we can set a new direct in feder_polici __PUNCT__ start where mani of our problem do __PUNCT__ with the famili __PUNCT__

a studi from the brook_institut ha shown that for those who graduat from high_school __PUNCT__ get a full __PUNCT__ time_job __PUNCT__ and wait until __NUM__ befor thei marri and then have their first child __PUNCT__ the probabl of be poor is two percent __PUNCT__

and if those factor ar absent __PUNCT__ the probabl of be poor is __NUM__ percent __PUNCT__

here at the naacp __PUNCT__ you understand the deep and last differ the famili make __PUNCT__

your former execut_director __PUNCT__ dr __PUNCT__ benjamin hook __PUNCT__ had it exactli right __PUNCT__

the famili __PUNCT__ he said __PUNCT__ remain the bulwark and the mainstai of the black_commun __PUNCT__

that great truth must not be overlook __PUNCT__

ani polici that lift up and honor the famili is go to be good for the countri __PUNCT__ and that must be our goal __PUNCT__

as presid __PUNCT__ i will promot strong_famili __PUNCT__ and i will defend tradit_marriag __PUNCT__

as you mai have heard from my oppon __PUNCT__ i am also a believ in the free __PUNCT__ enterpris_system __PUNCT__

i believ it can bring chang where so mani well __PUNCT__ mean govern_program have fail __PUNCT__

i never heard anyon look around an impoverish neighborhood and sai __PUNCT__ you know __PUNCT__ there too much free_enterpris around here __PUNCT__

too mani shop __PUNCT__ too mani job __PUNCT__ too mani peopl_put put_monei in the bank __PUNCT__

what you hear __PUNCT__ of cours __PUNCT__ is how do we bring in job __PUNCT__ how do we make_good __PUNCT__ honest employ want to move in and stai __PUNCT__ and with the shape thi economi is in __PUNCT__ we ask that more than ever __PUNCT__

free_enterpris is still the greatest forc for upward_mobil __PUNCT__ econom_secur __PUNCT__ and the expans of the middl_class __PUNCT__

we have seen in recent_year what it like to have less free_enterpris __PUNCT__

as presid __PUNCT__ i will show the good_thing that can happen when we have more __PUNCT__ more busi_activ __PUNCT__ more job __PUNCT__ more opportun __PUNCT__ more paycheck __PUNCT__ more save_account __PUNCT__

on dai on __PUNCT__ i will begin turn thi economi around with a plan for the middl_class __PUNCT__

and i don't mean just those who ar middl class now __PUNCT__ i also mean those who have wait so long for their chanc to join the middl class __PUNCT__

i know what it will take to put_peopl back to work __PUNCT__ to bring more job and better wage __PUNCT__

my job plan is base on __NUM___year of success in busi __PUNCT__

it ha five kei step __PUNCT__

first __PUNCT__ i will take full advantag of our energi_resourc __PUNCT__ and i will approv the keyston pipelin from canada __PUNCT__

low_cost __PUNCT__ plenti coal __PUNCT__ natur_ga __PUNCT__ oil __PUNCT__ and renew will bring over a million manufactur_job job_back to the unit_state __PUNCT__

second __PUNCT__ i will open up new market for american product __PUNCT__

we ar the most product major economi in the world __PUNCT__ so trade mean good_job for american __PUNCT__

but trade must be free and fair __PUNCT__ so i clamp down on cheater like china and make sure that thei final plai by the rule __PUNCT__

third __PUNCT__ i will reduc govern_spend __PUNCT__

our high_level of debt slow gdp_growth and that mean fewer job __PUNCT__

if our goal is job __PUNCT__ we must __PUNCT__ must stop spend over a trillion_dollar more than we earn __PUNCT__

to do thi __PUNCT__ i will elimin expens non __PUNCT__ essenti program like obamacar __PUNCT__ and i will work to reform and save medicar and social_secur __PUNCT__ in part by mean __PUNCT__ test their benefit __PUNCT__

fourth __PUNCT__ i will focu on nurtur and develop the skill_worker our economi so desper need and the futur demand __PUNCT__

thi is the human_capit with which tomorrow bright futur will be built __PUNCT__

too mani home and too mani school ar fail to provid our children with the skill and educ that ar essenti for anyth other than a minimum __PUNCT__ wage_job __PUNCT__

and final and perhap most importantli __PUNCT__ i will restor econom_freedom __PUNCT__

thi nation_economi run on freedom __PUNCT__ on opportun __PUNCT__ on entrepreneur __PUNCT__ on dreamer who innov and build busi __PUNCT__

these entrepreneur ar be crush by high taxat __PUNCT__ burdensom regul __PUNCT__ hostil regul __PUNCT__ excess healthcar_cost __PUNCT__ and destruct labor polici __PUNCT__

i will work to make_america the best place in the world for innov and entrepreneur and busi small and larg __PUNCT__

do these five thing __PUNCT__ open up energi __PUNCT__ expand trade __PUNCT__ cut the growth of govern __PUNCT__ focu on better educ tomorrow worker todai __PUNCT__ and restor econom_freedom __PUNCT__ and job will come back to america __PUNCT__ and wage will rise again __PUNCT__

the presid will sai he will do those thing __PUNCT__ but he will not __PUNCT__ he cannot __PUNCT__ and hi record of the last four year prove it __PUNCT__

if i am presid __PUNCT__ job on for me will be creat_job __PUNCT__

i have no hidden_agenda __PUNCT__

if you want a presid who will make_thing better in the african_american american_commun __PUNCT__ you ar look at him __PUNCT__

final __PUNCT__ i will address the institution inequ in our educ_system __PUNCT__

and i know someth about thi from my time as governor __PUNCT__

in the year befor i took offic our state leader had come togeth to pass bipartisan measur that were make a differ __PUNCT__

in read and in math __PUNCT__ our student were alreadi among the best in the nation __PUNCT__ and dure my term __PUNCT__ thei took over the top spot __PUNCT__

those result reveal what good_teacher can do if the system will onli let them __PUNCT__

the problem wa __PUNCT__ thi success wasn't share __PUNCT__

a signific achiev_gap between student of differ race remain __PUNCT__

so we set out to close it __PUNCT__

i urg faster intervent in fail school __PUNCT__ and the fund to go along with it __PUNCT__

i promot math and scienc excel in school __PUNCT__ and propos pai bonus to our best teacher __PUNCT__

i refus to weaken test standard __PUNCT__ and instead rais them __PUNCT__

to graduat from high_school __PUNCT__ student had to pass an exam in math and english __PUNCT__ i ad a scienc requir as well __PUNCT__

and i put in place a merit scholarship for those student who excel __PUNCT__ the top___NUM___percent of student in each high_school were award a john and abigail adam scholarship __PUNCT__ which meant four year tuition __PUNCT__ free at ani massachusett public_institut of higher learn __PUNCT__

when i wa governor __PUNCT__ not onli did test_score improv __PUNCT__ we also narrow the achiev_gap __PUNCT__

the teacher_union were not happi with a number of these reform __PUNCT__

thei especi did not like our emphasi on choic through charter_school __PUNCT__ particularli for our inner citi kid __PUNCT__

accordingli __PUNCT__ the legislatur pass a moratorium on ani new charter school __PUNCT__

as you know __PUNCT__ in boston __PUNCT__ in harlem __PUNCT__ in lo_angel __PUNCT__ and all across the countri __PUNCT__ charter_school ar give children a chanc __PUNCT__ children that otherwis could be lock in fail school __PUNCT__

i wa inspir just a few week_ago by the student in on of kenni gambl charter_school in philadelphia __PUNCT__

right here in houston is anoth success_stori __PUNCT__ the knowledg is power program __PUNCT__ which ha set the standard __PUNCT__ thank to the groundbreak work of the late harriet ball __PUNCT__

these charter_school ar do a lot more than close the achiev_gap __PUNCT__

thei ar bring hope and opportun to place where for year there ha been none __PUNCT__

charter_school ar so success that almost everi politician can find someth good to sai about them __PUNCT__

but __PUNCT__ as we saw in massachusett __PUNCT__ true reform requir more than talk __PUNCT__

as governor __PUNCT__ i veto the bill block charter school __PUNCT__

but our legislatur wa __NUM__ percent democrat __PUNCT__ and my veto could have been easili over __PUNCT__ ridden __PUNCT__

so i join with the black legisl caucu __PUNCT__ and their vote help preserv my veto __PUNCT__ which meant that new charter school __PUNCT__ includ some in urban neighborhood __PUNCT__ would be open __PUNCT__

when it come to educ_reform __PUNCT__ candid cannot have it both wai __PUNCT__ talk up educ reform __PUNCT__ while indulg the same group that ar block reform __PUNCT__

you can be the voic of disadvantag public __PUNCT__ school_student __PUNCT__ or you can be the protector of special_interest like the teacher_union __PUNCT__ but you can't be both __PUNCT__

i have made my choic __PUNCT__ as presid __PUNCT__ i will be a champion of real educ_reform in america __PUNCT__ and i won't let ani special_interest get in the wai __PUNCT__

i will give the parent of everi low __PUNCT__ incom and special need student the chanc to choos where their child goe to school __PUNCT__

for the first time in histori __PUNCT__ feder educ fund will be link to a student __PUNCT__ so that parent can send their child to ani public or charter_school __PUNCT__ or to a privat_school __PUNCT__ where permit __PUNCT__

and i will make that a true choic by ensur there ar good option avail to all __PUNCT__

should i be elect_presid __PUNCT__ i lead as i did when i wa governor __PUNCT__

i am pleas todai to be join todai by reverend jeffrei brown __PUNCT__ who wa a member of my kitchen cabinet in massachusett that help guid my polici and action that affect the african_american american_commun __PUNCT__

i will look for support wherev there is good will and share convict __PUNCT__

i will work with you to help our children attend better school and help our economi creat good_job with better wage __PUNCT__

i can't promis that you and i will agre on everi issu __PUNCT__

but i do promis that your hospit to me todai will be return __PUNCT__

we will know on anoth __PUNCT__ and work to common_purpos __PUNCT__

i will seek your counsel __PUNCT__

and if i am elect_presid __PUNCT__ and you invit me to next year convent __PUNCT__ i would count it as a privileg __PUNCT__ and my answer will be ye __PUNCT__

the republican_parti record __PUNCT__ by the measur you rightli appli __PUNCT__ is not perfect __PUNCT__

ani parti that claim a perfect record doesn't know histori the wai you know it __PUNCT__

yet alwai __PUNCT__ in both parti __PUNCT__ there have been men and women of integr __PUNCT__ decenc __PUNCT__ and humil who call injustic by it name __PUNCT__

for everi on of us a particular person come to mind __PUNCT__ someon who set a standard of conduct and made us better by their exampl __PUNCT__

for me __PUNCT__ that man is my father __PUNCT__ georg_romnei __PUNCT__

it wasn't just that my dad help write the civil right provis for the michigan constitut __PUNCT__ though he did __PUNCT__

it wasn't just that he help creat michigan first civil right commiss __PUNCT__ or that as governor he march for civil right in detroit __PUNCT__ though he did those thing __PUNCT__ too __PUNCT__

more than these public act __PUNCT__ it wa the kind of man he wa __PUNCT__ and the wai he dealt with everi person __PUNCT__ black or white __PUNCT__

he wa a man of the fairest instinct __PUNCT__ and a man of faith who knew that everi person wa a child of god __PUNCT__

i grate to him for so mani thing __PUNCT__ and abov all for the knowledg of god __PUNCT__ whose wai ar not alwai our wai __PUNCT__ but whose justic is certain and whose merci endur forev __PUNCT__

everi good caus on thi earth reli in the end on a plan bigger than our __PUNCT__

__PUNCT__ without depend on god __PUNCT__ as dr __PUNCT__ king said __PUNCT__ our effort turn to ash and our sunris into darkest night __PUNCT__

unless hi spirit pervad our live __PUNCT__ we find onli what g __PUNCT__ k __PUNCT__ chesterton call __PUNCT__ cure that don't cure __PUNCT__ bless that don't bless __PUNCT__ and solut that don't solv __PUNCT__

of all that you bring to the work of todai civil right caus __PUNCT__ no advantag count for more than thi abid confid in the name abov everi name __PUNCT__

against cruelti __PUNCT__ arrog __PUNCT__ and all the foolish of man __PUNCT__ thi spirit ha carri the naacp to mani victori __PUNCT__

more still ar up ahead __PUNCT__ and with each on we will be a better nation __PUNCT__

thank you __PUNCT__ and god_bless you all __PUNCT__