Mitt Romney jokes National Review “wrote a pretty good article” about him when the magazine endorsed his presidential candidacy and featured him as its cover story.
Speaking on Fox News’ “Fox and Friends” program, Romney said “Having the mouthpiece for conservatism that William Buckley put together endorse you is good news.”
The former Massachusetts governor notes the conservative magazine wrote that he could bring together all three parts of the conservative coalition that are required for Republicans to win the White House. “They are social conservatives, economic conservatives, and foreign-policy conservatives.
“My philosophy is to bring together all of these elements of our party and to make sure that we maintain the conservative principles that allowed this nation, I believe, to become very strong over these last couple of decades.”
When asked about the parallels National Review drew between him and Ronald Reagan, Romney, beaming ear-to-ear declared, “Any parallel like that, I must admit, I like.
“Anybody feels that they’re a pale comparison to Ronald Reagan, but he did something that our country desperately needs today. That is to remind people of the optimistic core of the country and remind us of our values, of our family orientation, of our belief in a purpose greater than ourselves in life.
“At the same time he said, ‘I’m gonna grow this economy; I’m gonna cut taxes; we’re going to take off and out-compete the Russians;’ and then he built the strong military, so strong that they couldn’t keep up. Those policies of strengthening America and relying upon conservative principles are what I believe America needs today.”
Romney’s interview on “Fox and Friends” came the morning after the final Republican debate before the Iowa caucuses, during which he pleaded with voters to reduce the size of the government. “Let the programs that don't work go. Don't lobby for them forever," he said.
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