Thaindian News

Washington, Aug 31 (IANS) A 100,000 red, white and blue balloons dropped from the ceiling in a rain of confetti as Mitt Romney accepted the Republican nomination to challenge President Barack Obama with a promise to restore America’s greatness.

Dressed in a dark blue black suit with a blazing Republican red tie, Romney, 65, strode on the stage at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida, Thursday with a promise to deliver what Obama had failed to do after wresting the White House with a campaign of “hope and change”.

While his own patriotism caused him to hope Obama would succeed, “his promises gave way to disappointment and division,” said the former Massachusetts governor in a near hour long speech amid repeated applause from the party delegates.

“If you felt that excitement when you voted for Barack Obama, shouldn’t you feel that way now that he’s President Obama?” Romney said. “You know there’s something wrong with the kind of job he’s done as president when the best feeling you had was the day you voted for him.”

In the speech marking the culmination of his five year quest for the Republican nomination, Romney evoked themes and imagery of party icon former President Ronald Reagan in describing a future of opportunity and promise for America.

The prime-time, nationally televised address concluded the convention that sought to galvanise the conservative Republican base behind Romney and frame the upcoming election as a referendum on Obama’s presidency.

Protesters briefly interrupted Romney early in the speech, with one shouting “people over profits” in reference to the multimillionaire former businessman’s career in private equity. The crowd shouted “USA, USA” to drown them out, and one was removed after a brief scuffle.

Romney’s acceptance speech came after a lineup of supportive speakers, including Hollywood legend Clint Eastwood, upbeat music and glossy videos had warmed up the crowd for the start of the final phase of what appears to be one of the closest races for the White House.

His Running mate Paul Ryan, 42, was the star of the convention Wednesday when he accepted the party’s nomination as vice president saying that time is running out to solve the nation’s fiscal problems, but they could do it.

Romney chose Ryan, the conservative House Budget Committee chairman from Wisconsin, in the hope of gaining support on the political right and appeal to moderates and independents seeking solutions for the America’s economic woes, analysts said.

(Arun Kumar can be contacted at arun.kumar@ians.in)