As the 2012 Republican National Convention finally got underway on Tuesday, the chair of the RNC Reince Priebus and RNC Co-chair Sharon Day reaffirmed the GOP’s desire to win the election in November, stating it was an election not just about the party or the election, but about our country. The pair threw out generic, red meat phrases about the election such as “It’s not just a victory for the Republican Party, it’s a victory for America” and “This is the most important election in our lifetime.”
But they also used the opportunity to slam president Obama, highlighting high unemployment, the national debt and shrinking wages in his first term, declaring “We’ve seen what Obama and Biden offer – it looks nothing like hope or change,” Priebus said amidst applause. “Give them another term and we’ll just get four more years of failure.”
“We embrace success and we want everyone to be successful – it is a country in turmoil,” Priebus said, presumably alluding to President Obama’s small business gaffe a few weeks ago when he said that small business owners owe their success, in part, to the federal government.
Priebus also predictably propped up the Romney-Ryan ticket as the winning strategy for America, stating, “But with Mitt Romeny’s experience and Paul Ryan’s expertise, we can expect great things from a Romney-Ryan administration.”
Priebus closed his opening remarks by invoking the big tent rhetoric of the GOP, inviting those who share the Republican vision to join the party. “We invite all Americans who believe their children deserve a better future to join us… I want to welcome you to our convention and to the beginning of a better future.”
Sharon Day also took shots at the president, telling the crowd that it is imperative to defeat a president whose actions are a threat to the liberty of Americans.
But her harshest words were not reserved just for the top dog, as she also set her sights on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV). “The Danger for America is already here – it’s in the form of the Democratic leaders in Washington,” Day said. “We have a Democratic Senate leader who refuses to meet his moral obligation to pass a budget for our government.”
Day then zoomed out, and took aim at all of the top Democratic leaders in the United States. “We know the problem, America – their names are Obama, Biden, Pelosi and Holder.”
She then closed her comments by reinstating the importance of the coming election in November. “It is our duty as citizen activists of this great Republican Party to fight, to restore the values of our founding fathers,” Day said. “This fight is not just about an election and it’s not about our party – our fight is about our country and we cannot lose this battle.”
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