We have got to stop worrying about being loved and start worrying about being respected. And that's exactly how I'll lead our country.
I'm a conservative, pro-life governor in a state where it is really tough to be both. A state like New Jersey, with lots of Democrats, but still we cut taxes, we balanced budgets. We fought the teacher's union.
I don't disagree with ending Congress' retirement program. I'm a governor; I don't have a retirement program in my state, and I don't disagree with that.
Social Security is meant to be - to make sure that no one who's worked hard and played by the rules and paid into the system grows old in poverty in America.
I was appointed United States attorney on September 10, 2001. And I spent the next seven years of my career fighting terrorism and putting terrorists in jail.
We have a lot of work to do in New Jersey, but I am darn proud we've brought our state back.
We vetoed five income tax increases during my time as governor. We cut business taxes $2.3 billion, and we cut regulation by one-third of what my predecessor put in place.
If anybody ran a business like that they would be out of business quickly, and Barack Obama's leadership is driving this business, the United States of America, toward a fiscal cliff.
I don't think there's anybody in America who thinks my personality is best suited to being Number Two.
You're saying 'will it become politically unpopular to have the position I'm having.' If it does, so be it.
I don't compromise my principles for politics.
I think Gingrich has embarrassed the party over time. Whether he'll do it again in the future, I don't know. But Gov. Romney never has.
Sometimes, when you see the newspaper and you read something I said, you say, 'Oh, I can't believe he said that.'
If I missed my moment, I missed my moment. I mean, I wasn't pining to be president of the United States.
If you're sick, take your sick day. If you don't take your sick day, know what your reward is? You weren't sick - that was the reward.
Here's what I know about political campaigns: no matter what you map out at the beginning, it's always different at the end.
I'm so tired of talking about Warren Buffett.
The people of New Jersey stepped up. They shared in the sacrifice. You know what else they did? They rewarded politicians who lead instead of politicians who pandered.
But our leaders of today have decided it's more important to be popular, to say and do what's easy, and say yes rather than to say no, when no is what is required.
Well, let me tell you, after three years of Obama, we are hopeless and changeless, and we need Mitt Romney to bring us back, to bring America back.
Insisting that we must tax and take and demonize those who have already achieved the American Dream. That may turn out to be a good re-election strategy for President Obama, but is a demoralizing message for America.
The argument for getting our own house in order is not an argument for turning our back on the world. We cannot and should not do that.
I think America needs lots of tough people. Not just me. I think America needs to get tougher, all of us.
I'm making this decision based on whether I believe in my heart that I'm ready to be president of the United States and that I want to be president of the United States right now.
Someone has to stay on the line and say, no, we can do this by cutting spending and reducing the size of government. That's what I was committed to doing.
And on this you have my pledge - unlike in the past, when you stood up and did what was right, this governor will not pull the rug out from underneath you - I will sign strong reform bills.
You know, at some point there has to be parity. There has to be parity between what is happening in the real world, and what is happening in the public sector world.
I can guarantee you this, that more pension and benefit reforms which I will consider arbitration reform to be one of them, are things that when they come to my desk, they will be signed.
You just have to stand and grit your teeth and know your poll numbers are going to go down - and mine have - but you gotta grit through it because the alternative is unacceptable.
Higher taxes is the road to ruin. We must and we will shrink our government, and that means making some tough choices, tightening our belts.
