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Romney Stops in Georgia, Serves Up Pancakes

On the Sunday before Super Tuesday, Mitt Romney stopped at a Snellville, Ga., high school for a bit of campaigning and breakfast.

 

It's not every day that a presidential candidate stops by a Snellville, Ga., high school, and serves pancakes while he's there.

But, that was Mitt Romney on the Sunday before a critically important Super Tuesday, when 76 Georgia delegates will be up for grabs.

In a last-minute effort to secure a win, Romney's campaign announced Saturday that they were hosting a pancake brunch at Brookwood High School the following day. One campaign volunteer said about 1,500 people signed up.

However, closer to 2,000 people showed up, according to the fire marshal, and some 500 people were forced to stand outside in the cold. No pancakes for them, but speakers were set up so they could hear what was going on inside.

Romney, along with his wife, Ann, and other political supporters such as Georgia Attorney General Sam Olens, spoke before a highly energetic crowd. At times, supporters chanted, "Mitt! Mitt! Mitt! Mitt!"

"It's been such a thrill for us to go across the country," Romney said as he began his speech on Sunday. "I didn't imagine I'd be doing what I'm doing. This was not what we expected in our life."

Still, Romney said that opportunities afforded him the chance to steer the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah; to become governor of Massachusetts that same year, and now the chance to run for president.

"I'm concerned about the country, and one thing I know: We've got to get Barack Obama out of the White House," he added.

A year or so ago, when the Romney family were deciding whether to jump into the race, Ann Romney said it did take a little convincing on her part when her husband wasn't so sure.

"I just said, 'Talk to the hand. I'm not going to hear it. I'm not going to hear it,'" she recalled, "'because, guess what? You're the one that knows how to fix it. You're the only one that can fix it, and you have no option. You're going to run.'"

Supporters in Gwinnett County seemed to agree. Young and old alike, some of them racing directly over from church, came to hear Romney. 

Jeannie Posner, 49, was one of the lucky ones to secure a spot right up in front. The Sandy Springs bridal store owner came with her son, Nathan, to support their favorite candidate. 

"As a business owner and as someone who has a child who's looking for the future of the country, I'm looking for Mitt to make the changes we need," she said. "We need to put Americans back to work, and that's what it's all about. And, I think Mitt truly understands that it is about the economy.

"And, yes, we are going to have to come up with some way of making health care affordable, 'cause as a business owner, it's not. But, mandating what they've done with Obamacare is not the answer."

For Claudia Liliana Escamilla, 44, Romney represents iron-clad work ethic and solid family values -- things she remembers from home in El Salvador. Super Tuesday will be the first time she is able to vote in America, and so far, Romney has her vote.

"It's exciting," said the Lawrenceville resident, who came with her husband and daughter. "I like him."

Her husband, Efrain, said Romney is the confident leader that America needs. His plan for the country -- which includes reducing taxes and government spending while increasing trade and energy production -- is a "much better" program for getting out of America's problems, he said.

"I consider it a steadier hand," he said. "A hand that's not going to necessarily rock the boat, but will affect change. Right now, there are things that are tenuous, and too much radical change is just as much of a problem as no change at all, in my mind."

In addition, Romney has a business background that resonates with his own. Over the years, the Escamillas said their family has had to work hard to make the American dream a reality.

"We are disconnected," Escamilla added."Our politicians no longer understand really the plights of everybody here. They're isolated. They live in this cocoon in Washington, and they don't really understand what it takes for someone like me to succeed, and what other people go through."

Just like the Escamillas, Suwanee residents Michelle and Mark Baumgart brought their three children to Romney's pancake party. Michelle home-schools her children, and coming to Romney's Georgia stop turned out to be the perfect social studies lesson.

They all left feeling enthused.

Her son, Preston, 11, even got to shake Romney's hand and received an autograph on his campaign poster. He likes Romney for president and Ron Paul for vice president.

A plate full of pancakes, his brother, 13-year-old Carter chimed in and said, quite simply, "He seems like a respectable guy."

Related Topics: Mitt Romney, Mitt Romney in Georgia, and Super Tuesday

Mike Beaudreau

8:29 pm on Sunday, March 4, 2012

Thanks for your coverage of this awesome event today Joy. I know it made for a long day and appreciate you being there to highlight our great community school and of course Governor Romney's visit.

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Joy L. Woodson

9:40 pm on Sunday, March 4, 2012

Thanks Commissioner! It was good to see you. You're always so nice when I see you.

John

10:00 pm on Sunday, March 4, 2012

2000 People? Very funny! Ya gotta love the spin.

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Vote Smart

10:57 pm on Sunday, March 4, 2012

A vote for Newt is a vote for Obama.

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Tammy Osier

6:14 am on Monday, March 5, 2012

Romney is for returning the power to the states. That's what Romneycare was all about. He governed a very liberal state, but gave them what they wanted. That type of coverage on a national level is unconstitutional- government can't have that much power. He's the only one talking about states rights. Go Romney. Paul would be good except for his foreign policy ideas. We have too much at stake to experiment with that. We've already had on the job training with one president. Need a Governor, not a Senator. My opinion.

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Eleana Lovett

9:28 am on Monday, March 5, 2012

you people are ABSOLUTELY crazy!!!!!!!!!!

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lee kellogg

12:37 pm on Monday, March 5, 2012

Geez, you had the ear of the nominee and all you can post is that he had a job? Does anybody know what he did? Oh, yeah, the company fired a lot of people and reduced employment everywhere it went, but what did he do? Did he recommend firing women so he wouldn't have to cover contraception in their health care policy? What was his job title and description? Did he have an office? Did his secretary pay a higher tax rate than he did? Did she, and it had to have been a she, didn't it, he wouldn't work for a woman, have a Cayman Island tax shelter? If this is listed in the news section, why is it so fawning? Does he think all women that have used contraception that was paid for by their health care plans are sluts?

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John

3:45 pm on Monday, March 5, 2012

Are health plans free? Under ObamaCare and I suppose in the same breath Romenycare it would be free to certain people. The truth is, nothing is free. Someone has to pay for the free stuff any group of people get. Romney States rights? LOL. The only candidate not directly connected to the Balied Out Banks that has always talked about States rights is Ron Paul. Romney supports the NDAA. All of us lose our right to due process of law under that McCain. Obama tragedy. Romney is not consisent on anything. Santorum wants to rule yoru private sex life and Newt is unethical former Speaker of the House, insider, 2X adulterer.
The only Principled Consistent Candidate running is Paul. This whole Iran is going to attack us is WMD/Terrorist War Mongering all over again. Bush BS. Did any of you learn a lesson? I for one have had enough of Dead and Maimed Soldiers due to Middle East mess. Chicken Hawks!

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Tammy Osier

10:07 pm on Monday, March 5, 2012

Another thought on Romney- I don't vote for presidents based on social issues. I vote for them based on what they will be- 'commander in chief". He has a good understanding of China and the issues with them and will handle them as a businessman would. Right now, they tax the devil out of us, but we don't tax what they send here. He probably would, thus bringing revenue in from other countries (rather than tax his own people to death). That's just one example. I like his knowlege on foreign policy and the fact that he has actually been the governor of a state, rather than a senator and lawyer. Right now China is overtaking us as a superpower and we simply can't lose that for our country.
@Lee - ALL companies, from the beginning of time restructure people in large businesses and some are laid off, but many simply work from a different angle. The spin is that those doing the spinning know that the average person knows little about business and they use that to make him look bad. Obviously, it worked.

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lee kellogg

12:33 am on Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Tammy, he looks bad because nobody knows what he did for the great living he has had. Your China meandering doesn't change the fact that his company makes money firing people, not expanding business. You don't know what his job was, do you? If you measure what he would do, with what Obama has done, you'd vote for the moderate. If only Ron Paul weren't stone freaking crazy. Or, on the other hand, if somebody would impeach Obama for this latest, kill Americans without trial by jury, then there would be a difference. Romney has never had a real life, never will, and doesn't know anything at all about business.

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John

1:22 am on Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Lee tell me how Paul is stone freaking crazy. I see the exact opposite. He's the only one that talks common sense. Tammy. I cant believe you say Romney has foreign policy knowledge. Based on what you have said so far about Romney I'm not gonna go any further. There is nothing totally wrong with Capitalism working. Which is basically what Mitt did at Bain. Aggressive yes, but capitalism still. Its the bailing out the banks that he supports. They now support his campaign. The tragedy that occurred in 08 and 09 by interfering with the Capitalist system by the Govt Bailouts of overleveraged Banks and Mismanaged Auto Industry is horrific. Romney supports NDAA. That alone should disqualify him. But you prob have no idea what that is even about.

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lee kellogg

8:15 am on Tuesday, March 6, 2012

There are some great things about Ron Paul: reduce the size of the military and return control to civilians, and rational foreign policy. The problems are huge though: return education, taxation, and spending decisions to the states; that's unconstitutional and if you pay close attention you will find states are more wasteful and far more corrupt than the federal government usually is, see Georgia for example; elimination of the Federal Reserve; it does it's job more often than not and needs not to be controlled by politicians (not perfectly); and the obvious problem he has with never being able to finish a sentence he begins, given his age, is at the least bothersome. I might vote for him anyway. He'd never get congress to go along with any of his policies, but it would be entertaining.

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David Brown

8:37 am on Tuesday, March 6, 2012

I will be voting for President Obama's re-election in November. I cannot vote for Mitt Romney, but I have the utmost respect for his 43-year marriage and his being a good father to his children. The average marriage in America now lasts just 7-1/2 years. President Obama and Mitt Romney, like myself, have been married just once.

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RL

9:10 am on Tuesday, March 6, 2012

So David, you must enjoy the state dictating your life.
You must enjoy a corrupt Justice Dept.
You probably think a dictate from the imperial federal government to buy health insurance is great.
You must love the idea of reducing our defense capabilities while expanding the welfare moocher class.
You must be tickled by the redistribution of wealth. The less fortunate did not make bad decisions, they were just unlucky.
It will be great when our military is policing within our borders. Carry your papers!
Another vote for Obama is another vote for complete control of your life by the state..
Why are people so afraid of freedom and responsibility?

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John

9:45 pm on Wednesday, March 7, 2012

We are the most powerful Military Nation on Earth. We spend hundred times more on Defense Spending than the nearest super power China or Russia. Who are we being threatened by? Iran is no threat to us. If you think it is, I need to hear hard proof.
Does GA have a Dept of Education? Florida? N.C.? S.C.? the rest of the states? Yes. Why do we need another level on top of the States Dept of Education?
Taxation- Do you realize it's been 100 years since the Fed Tax has been implemented. It only suppose to be temp. It was less than 2% rate when it started.
You know where the majority of your taxes go now? To pay the interest on the $15.5+Trillion dollar debt.
Federal Reserve- Do you have any idea who runs the the private corporation named Federal Reserve? Its the Mega Banks. Each Fed Res Gov. has a very close relation to them. Who makes up the phony money when we need it? Fed does. Who does it lend it out to at .001% interest? The Mega banks. Who did we bail out when these banks over leveraged themselves? The gov. did.
I love it when people don't do their research about things and recklessly comment about them. Welcome to Ron Pauls Education.
As far as the way he talks. If you had 89 secs to speak in a 2 hour debate you would have to get in as much as you could too. Have you ever listened to him be interviewed other than a debate? You might learn a thing or 5. Google- Fiat Money, Blow Back, NDAA

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lee kellogg

11:26 pm on Wednesday, March 7, 2012

There's your Ron Paul character. A good durn rant that make sense for 1 sentence and then, off into the abyss. He has lots of time to talk, he gets interviewed, not as much as the super panderers, but plenty, Blitzer, Stewart, etc., and like you, he can't hold his water. Check your meds buba. Ga. does have a DOE bilbo. And it's historically more corrupt than the big federal one. One more thing, anonymous posters are cowards. The Fed bails out banks because if they fail in a crisis, a depression results. It's an ugly truth, not the best of all possible worlds, but true it is.

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John

11:17 am on Thursday, March 8, 2012

Its not my fault you can only concentrate on one sentence of complex subject at a time. They have meds for that. Now lets learn about things before you expose your limited knowledge on them. So you say it good to have double the DOE corruption? LoL. The Fed IS the banks my friend. If you, my friend, over leverage your assets against liabilities, you know where you end up? Bankruptcy. Where do the Billionaire bankers end up? With Trillions in taxpayer bailouts, all the while they keep their Millions in bonus. Corporations are people my friend. What a joke!

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lee kellogg

12:22 pm on Thursday, March 8, 2012

Tri Lateral Commission steal your name?

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