Romney addresses NAA/ASNE luncheon

Amanda Knowles — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 14:47:00 GMT

By Sarah Hogue

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, speaking in the same room a day after President Barack Obama, criticized Obama and his remarks, and emphasized what he would bring to the Oval Office.

After winning primaries in Maryland, the District of Columbia and Wisconsin on Tuesday, Romney celebrated the victories and responded to Obama's Tuesday address at The Associated Press Luncheon.

>> Watch archived video of Gov. Romney's speech

Romney charged that Obama doesn't say what he means and that all candidates must be candid and honest.

"What the public doesn't know won't hurt him," said Romney, referring to his perception of Obama's campaign strategy of hiding his actual views from voters.

Romney criticized Obama's views on Medicare, his economic stimulus package, the size of the national debt and the president's support of now bankrupt "green" companies such as Solyndra. Romney said the debt under Obama is almost equivalent to that accrued by all presidents before him combined.

Romney discussed his business successes and talked about his home life, assuring the audience that these make him a viable candidate for the presidency.

In the question-and-answer period after the address, which was moderated by outgoing ASNE President Ken Paulson, Romney was asked whether he would support a bill proposed by Sen. John McCain, D-Ariz., when McCain was a presidential candidate. The measure would have allowed journalists to maintain confidentiality of their sources. Romney said he had never heard of the bill and would not respond until he heard pros and cons from both sides.

About 725 people attended the luncheon set for 1,100. Each ticket purchased for the two conferences, which have run concurrently in presidential election years, included tickets to both luncheons.

>> RELATED CONTENT: Obama addresses Associated Press Annual Luncheon

Sarah Hogue is a student at the University of Maryland. She is one of several local university journalism students reporting live from ASNE 2012 in Washington, D.C.

ASNE Convention 2012 : obama, mediaXchange, romney

Romney addresses NAA/ASNE luncheon