Romney Finishes California Visit
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney had a busy visit to Los Angeles on Tuesday, making appearances on "The Tonight Show," fundraisers in Irvine and Century City and protests throughout the day.
Romney began his day in the Southland with a fundraiser in Stockton. Later in the day 400 – 500 supporters attended a fundraising luncheon at a home in a gated-community in Irvine, where for $2,500 the donor could have his or her picture taken with Romney.
“It was an extremely successful and sold-out event,” said Republican Party of Orange County Chairman Scott Baugh, “It exceeded all of our expectations.”
However, Romney wasn’t welcomed with the same enthusiasm everywhere.”Dreamers,” or young undocumented people and others supporting the Dream Act staged protests along most stops of Romney’s California tour. Protesters in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco and Irvine rallied over Romney’s promised veto of this legislation, which would give permanent residence to illegal immigrants who arrived in the country as minors, lived in the United States for at least five years prior to the bill's enactment, graduated from high school and completed two years at a four-year college or in the military.
The rallies were meant to “send a message that undocumented youth do have a voice in this electoral year – the Latino vote,” the group said in a statement.
Romney’s two-day visit to California began Monday with a speech in San Diego criticizing President Obama's national health care law.
"An extra trillion dollars in spending, we were told it would be an extra trillion, now we're told by the (Congress Budget Office) it's more like $2 trillion," Romney said at NuVasive, which focuses on spinal care devices. "And then they said it would cut the cost of health insurance--in fact, it has increased the cost of health insurance."
According to Romney, companies like NuVasive are important because they sell products around the world and keep the nation competitive economically, but he says their progress is threatened by the culture of the nation's capital.
"What's happened today in Washington is an attack on free enterprise, and attack on economic freedom unlike anything we've ever seen before," said Romney.
The GOP candidate has been criticized by his opponents for enacting similar health coverage legislation in his state of Massachusetts, but Romney says it was a solution for a state problem, not a national one.
Romney was again met by protesters in San Diego after his speech. Groups included Women Occupy San Diego, "Teachers for Obama" and the “Dreamers.”
Romney finished off his divisive California visit with an appearance on “The Tonight Show” with Jay Leno. The TV host tweeted a thought-provoking highlight of the interview, “#HealthCare: @Mitt Romney tells Jay he will give all 50 states a waiver on his first day in office.” Romney also shared his stances on issues such as pornography and Russia, as well as his opinions of other candidates such as Rick Santorum.
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