Mitt Romney won primaries in CT, PA, RI, DE and NY Tuesday. He delivered a victory speech in Manchester, NH, that stirred echoes of Ronald Reagan in 1980.
Peppering his speech with such terms as “destiny” and appealing to traditional American notions of hard work and sacrifice, Romney steered clear of any political issue except the stuttering economy and the enduring pain of strapped Americans.
At one point, he paid homage to the campaign slogans of both Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton in their bids to defeat an incumbent president during economic turmoil.
“Is it easier to make ends meet? Is it easier to sell your home or buy a new one?” he said, as the crowd cheered “NO!”
“Have you saved what you needed for retirement? Are you making more AT your job? Do you have a better chance to get a better job? Are you paying less at the pump?”
“It’s still about the economy,” Romney added, bluntly. “And we’re not stupid.”
Romney sounded another line that’s sure to make its way into speeches as he gets closer to officially capturing the GOP nomination this summer: “A better America begins tonight.”
Newt Gingrich had staked the future of his campaign on Delaware and the 17 delegates on offer there. That’s 17 delegates out of the 209 that were up for grabs in Tuesday’s primaries. He finished a distant second to Romney there.
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