31st Annual Statemen's Dinner
Mitt Romney on the strength of America
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| Governor Mitt Romeny speaks at the Tennessee Republican Party’s 31st Annual Statemen's Dinner. (Photo: Courtesy Aaron Broder) |
June 3, 2007
I recently had the opportunity to attend the Tennessee Republican Party’s 31st Annual Statemen's Dinner. This is an annual fund-raising event that the GOP holds to raise funds by selling $280 plates. Each year, the GOP honors nine Tennessee Statesmen at the dinner.
This year's keynote speaker was former Massachusetts Governor and current presidential hopeful, Mitt Romney. In his speech, Romney talked about the strength of America.
“The source of our strength is the American people," said Romney. "They always have been and they always will be.”
Romney addressed two other sources of strength in his talk—strong military and strong households. According to Romney, the military needs to be provided with sufficient materials to protect themselves. The four walls of the American home must be kept safe.
The theme of America's strength was reinforced by personal anecdotes Romney told throughout his address.
His observations had positive reactions from the audience.
“I think it was excellent," Katheryne Cowan, one of the attendees, said of Romney’s speech. "He was well spoken and well-organized.”
While Romney was the keynote speaker at the dinner, much of the evening's buzz was about former Senator Fred Thompson’s recent announcement that he was considering running for President. After the dinner, I asked a few of the attendees what they thought of Thompson's announcement.
“That’s not at all surprising,” said Drew Daniel. “I’m behind him. I’ve seen more and more people get behind him as the weeks go by. It wasn’t so much if he would announce it, it was a matter of when.”
Scholastic Kid Reporters are on the campaign trail. Keep up with the latest election news in this special report.
Aaron Broder is a member of the Scholastic Kids Press Corps.
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