Mr. Romney is a nice bunch of people. But in preparing for this debate, I had a difficult time knowing which one I was going to be talking to. The Mitt who's pro-choice, or the Mitt who's anti-abortion? The Mitt who was for the auto bailout in Detroit, or the one who said let 'em go bankrupt? The one who... Well, to keep it simple, I'll try to talk to all of you.
There is a difference between buying something and building it. Ask the people who get their hands dirty, the construction workers who lay the foundations, or the Mom and Pop who've gotten up early every day for 30 years to make sure the shelves are stocked before they open the doors for you and me. There is hard work involved, but more than that, there is pride and there is love in that work. There is a sense of accomplishment, of leaving something better behind for your children. That is what it means to build it.
You might swoop on in and buy it, slap on a fresh coat of paint and sell it for a profit, but you didn't build it. They did. Because while money is important, there is much more to being an American than just money. There is pride. There is sacrifice. There is the hard work for a higher purpose. Americans are about making it better, not just making it pay off.
Mr. Romney is very good at asking people for money. He is very skillful at getting others to take on the risks while he stands to profit handsomely whatever the outcome.
He did it at Bain, where he asked investors for money. He asked them to take on the risk of new ventures. And when Bain was in trouble he asked the Federal Government for money to get the company back on its feet. He did it in Utah, asking the US Government to provide billions in aid to put on a great show. He did it in Massachusetts, asking the Federal Government for money to help the state run its programs. And he's done it again with his campaign, asking millionaires and billionaires to give him money so he can run for office. They give him their money and they take on the risk. So I guess the buck really does stop with you, Mr. Romney.
And here's the thing: As President of these United States, I take on the risk. I don't outsource it. Every day I make decisions that are about more than profit and loss, they are about people's hearts and lives. Their children and their parents' lives. Their friends and their families. I work to ensure their safety and protect their dreams.
That means giving them a fair shot at building something for themselves, because that will benefit all of us, rich and poor. That means making sure they have a roof over their head, food on the table and medicine if they get sick. Because we are Americans. We are builders, we are believers, we are dreamers. And only when each and every one of us is making it, making our lives better, achieving our dreams, only then can I look out over the majestic Rocky mountains and golden prairies of this great land and proclaim with pride: We Built That.
