Mitt Romney vows to restore America's promise

Tampa (Florida), Aug 31: Republican White House hopeful

on Friday pledged to create jobs and fix the economy as he asked American voters to put the "disappointment" of the last four years behind and join him in restoring the promise of America. Accepting the Republican Party presidential nomination, the former Massachusetts governor attacked President

, saying he has failed to deliver his promise.

"America has been patient. Americans have supported this president (Obama) in good faith. But today, the time has come to turn the page. Today the time has come for us to put the disappointments of the last four years behind us. To put aside the divisiveness and the recriminations," Romney said after he accepted the presidential nomination.

In a high-stakes speech Romney said, "I accept your nomination for President of the United States of America. I do so with humility, deeply moved by the trust you have placed in me."

"It is a great honour. It is an even greater responsibility," he said amidst cheer and applause from thousands of fellow Republicans inside the Tampa Convention Center. Romney's speech, which launches a two-month dash to the Nov 6 election, was seen by tens of millions of television viewers. He said now is the time to restore the Promise of America.

"Many Americans have given up on this president but they haven't ever thought about giving up. Not on themselves. Not on each other. And not on America," he said. "What is needed in our country today is not complicated or profound. It doesn't take a special government commission to tell us what America needs," he said.

Romney said Obama's policies has crushed the middle class. He said his experience as a business executive is the cure for the ailing economy and promised to create 12 million jobs.

"Today more Americans wake up in poverty than ever before. Nearly one out of six Americans is living in poverty. Look around you. These are not strangers. These are our brothers and sisters, our fellow Americans," Romney said. He said Americans wanted to believe in Obama but had suffered from his failures of leadership.

"His policies have not helped create jobs, they have depressed them. And this I can tell you about where President Obama would take America: His plan to raise taxes on small business won't add jobs, it will eliminate them; His assault on coal and gas and oil will send energy and manufacturing jobs to China; His trillion dollar cuts to our military will eliminate hundreds of thousands of jobs, and also put our security at greater risk," Romney said.

"To the majority of Americans who now believe that the future will not be better than the past, I can guarantee you this: If Barack Obama is re-elected, you will be right," said the Republican presidential candidate. "I am running for president to help create a better future. A future where everyone who wants a job can find one. Where no senior fears for the security of their retirement. An America where every parent knows that their child will get an education that leads them to a good job and a bright horizon," he said.

"Unlike the President, I have a plan to create 12 million new jobs. It has 5 steps," he said giving his vision of tackling the problem of unemployment in the country. The Republican presidential nominee promised to enter into new trade agreements with countries as part of his five-steps to achieve the ambitious goal of creating 12 million new jobs.

PTI