(Photo: Getty)

Earlier today, President Barack Obama took the oath of office in front of a crowd of hundreds of thousands of individuals and the full attention of the country's media. And, while touting the importance of the American democracy, Mr. Obama also used the occasion to promote some of his policy goals for next four years.

"We will respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that the failure to do so would betray our children and future generations," Mr. Obama said, for example, according to his prepared remarks. "Some may still deny the overwhelming judgment of science, but none can avoid the devastating impact of raging fires, and crippling drought, and more powerful storms. The path towards sustainable energy sources will be long and sometimes difficult. But America cannot resist this transition; we must lead it. We cannot cede to other nations the technology that will power new jobs and new industries – we must claim its promise. That is how we will maintain our economic vitality and our national treasure – our forests and waterways; our croplands and snowcapped peaks. That is how we will preserve our planet, commanded to our care by God."

In the speech, Mr. Obama also argued for short lines on Election Day, equal pay for women and retaining more foreign students after they graduate. And although he didn't directly address the latest hot-button issue--gun control--the President did bring up the recent massacre at Newtown, Connecticut, and said the nation must keep its children safe.

In addition to his policy advocacies, Mr. Obama discussed the government philosophy he believes is needed to achieve these goals, and said individuals alone cannot accomplish what "collective action" can.

"But we have always understood that when times change, so must we; that fidelity to our founding principles requires new responses to new challenges; that preserving our individual freedoms ultimately requires collective action," Mr. Obama said. "For the American people can no more meet the demands of today’s world by acting alone than American soldiers could have met the forces of fascism or communism with muskets and militias. No single person can train all the math and science teachers we’ll need to equip our children for the future, or build the roads and networks and research labs that will bring new jobs and businesses to our shores."

View Mr. Obama's full remarks below:

Vice President Biden, Mr. Chief Justice, Members of the United States Congress, distinguished guests, and fellow citizens:

Each time we gather to inaugurate a president, we bear witness to the enduring strength of our Constitution. We affirm the promise of our democracy. We recall that what binds this nation together is not the colors of our skin or the tenets of our faith or the origins of our names. What makes us exceptional – what makes us American – is our allegiance to an idea, articulated in a declaration made more than two centuries ago:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Today we continue a never-ending journey, to bridge the meaning of those words with the realities of our time. For history tells us that while these truths may be self-evident, they have never been self-executing; that while freedom is a gift from God, it must be secured by His people here on Earth. The patriots of 1776 did not fight to replace the tyranny of a king with the privileges of a few or the rule of a mob. They gave to us a Republic, a government of, and by, and for the people, entrusting each generation to keep safe our founding creed.

For more than two hundred years, we have.

Through blood drawn by lash and blood drawn by sword, we learned that no union founded on the principles of liberty and equality could survive half-slave and half-free. We made ourselves anew, and vowed to move forward together.

Together, we determined that a modern economy requires railroads and highways to speed travel and commerce; schools and colleges to train our workers.

Together, we discovered that a free market only thrives when there are rules to ensure competition and fair play.

Together, we resolved that a great nation must care for the vulnerable, and protect its people from life’s worst hazards and misfortune.

Through it all, we have never relinquished our skepticism of central authority, nor have we succumbed to the fiction that all society’s ills can be cured through government alone. Our celebration of initiative and enterprise; our insistence on hard work and personal responsibility, are constants in our character.

But we have always understood that when times change, so must we; that fidelity to our founding principles requires new responses to new challenges; that preserving our individual freedoms ultimately requires collective action. For the American people can no more meet the demands of today’s world by acting alone than American soldiers could have met the forces of fascism or communism with muskets and militias. No single person can train all the math and science teachers we’ll need to equip our children for the future, or build the roads and networks and research labs that will bring new jobs and businesses to our shores. Now, more than ever, we must do these things together, as one nation, and one people.

This generation of Americans has been tested by crises that steeled our resolve and proved our resilience. A decade of war is now ending. An economic recovery has begun. America’s possibilities are limitless, for we possess all the qualities that this world without boundaries demands: youth and drive; diversity and openness; an endless capacity for risk and a gift for reinvention. My fellow Americans, we are made for this moment, and we will seize it – so long as we seize it together.

For we, the people, understand that our country cannot succeed when a shrinking few do very well and a growing many barely make it. We believe that America’s prosperity must rest upon the broad shoulders of a rising middle class. We know that America thrives when every person can find independence and pride in their work; when the wages of honest labor liberate families from the brink of hardship. We are true to our creed when a little girl born into the bleakest poverty knows that she has the same chance to succeed as anybody else, because she is an American, she is free, and she is equal, not just in the eyes of God but also in our own.

We understand that outworn programs are inadequate to the needs of our time. We must harness new ideas and technology to remake our government, revamp our tax code, reform our schools, and empower our citizens with the skills they need to work harder, learn more, and reach higher. But while the means will change, our purpose endures: a nation that rewards the effort and determination of every single American. That is what this moment requires. That is what will give real meaning to our creed.

We, the people, still believe that every citizen deserves a basic measure of security and dignity. We must make the hard choices to reduce the cost of health care and the size of our deficit. But we reject the belief that America must choose between caring for the generation that built this country and investing in the generation that will build its future. For we remember the lessons of our past, when twilight years were spent in poverty, and parents of a child with a disability had nowhere to turn. We do not believe that in this country, freedom is reserved for the lucky, or happiness for the few. We recognize that no matter how responsibly we live our lives, any one of us, at any time, may face a job loss, or a sudden illness, or a home swept away in a terrible storm. The commitments we make to each other – through Medicare, and Medicaid, and Social Security – these things do not sap our initiative; they strengthen us. They do not make us a nation of takers; they free us to take the risks that make this country great.

We, the people, still believe that our obligations as Americans are not just to ourselves, but to all posterity. We will respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that the failure to do so would betray our children and future generations. Some may still deny the overwhelming judgment of science, but none can avoid the devastating impact of raging fires, and crippling drought, and more powerful storms. The path towards sustainable energy sources will be long and sometimes difficult. But America cannot resist this transition; we must lead it. We cannot cede to other nations the technology that will power new jobs and new industries – we must claim its promise. That is how we will maintain our economic vitality and our national treasure – our forests and waterways; our croplands and snowcapped peaks. That is how we will preserve our planet, commanded to our care by God. That’s what will lend meaning to the creed our fathers once declared.

We, the people, still believe that enduring security and lasting peace do not require perpetual war. Our brave men and women in uniform, tempered by the flames of battle, are unmatched in skill and courage. Our citizens, seared by the memory of those we have lost, know too well the price that is paid for liberty. The knowledge of their sacrifice will keep us forever vigilant against those who would do us harm. But we are also heirs to those who won the peace and not just the war, who turned sworn enemies into the surest of friends, and we must carry those lessons into this time as well.

We will defend our people and uphold our values through strength of arms and rule of law. We will show the courage to try and resolve our differences with other nations peacefully – not because we are naïve about the dangers we face, but because engagement can more durably lift suspicion and fear. America will remain the anchor of strong alliances in every corner of the globe; and we will renew those institutions that extend our capacity to manage crisis abroad, for no one has a greater stake in a peaceful world than its most powerful nation. We will support democracy from Asia to Africa; from the Americas to the Middle East, because our interests and our conscience compel us to act on behalf of those who long for freedom. And we must be a source of hope to the poor, the sick, the marginalized, the victims of prejudice – not out of mere charity, but because peace in our time requires the constant advance of those principles that our common creed describes: tolerance and opportunity; human dignity and justice.

We, the people, declare today that the most evident of truths – that all of us are created equal – is the star that guides us still; just as it guided our forebears through Seneca Falls, and Selma, and Stonewall; just as it guided all those men and women, sung and unsung, who left footprints along this great Mall, to hear a preacher say that we cannot walk alone; to hear a King proclaim that our individual freedom is inextricably bound to the freedom of every soul on Earth.

It is now our generation’s task to carry on what those pioneers began. For our journey is not complete until our wives, our mothers, and daughters can earn a living equal to their efforts. Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law – for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well. Our journey is not complete until no citizen is forced to wait for hours to exercise the right to vote. Our journey is not complete until we find a better way to welcome the striving, hopeful immigrants who still see America as a land of opportunity; until bright young students and engineers are enlisted in our workforce rather than expelled from our country. Our journey is not complete until all our children, from the streets of Detroit to the hills of Appalachia to the quiet lanes of Newtown, know that they are cared for, and cherished, and always safe from harm.

That is our generation’s task – to make these words, these rights, these values – of Life, and Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness – real for every American. Being true to our founding documents does not require us to agree on every contour of life; it does not mean we will all define liberty in exactly the same way, or follow the same precise path to happiness. Progress does not compel us to settle centuries-long debates about the role of government for all time – but it does require us to act in our time.

For now decisions are upon us, and we cannot afford delay. We cannot mistake absolutism for principle, or substitute spectacle for politics, or treat name-calling as reasoned debate. We must act, knowing that our work will be imperfect. We must act, knowing that today’s victories will be only partial, and that it will be up to those who stand here in four years, and forty years, and four hundred years hence to advance the timeless spirit once conferred to us in a spare Philadelphia hall.

My fellow Americans, the oath I have sworn before you today, like the one recited by others who serve in this Capitol, was an oath to God and country, not party or faction – and we must faithfully execute that pledge during the duration of our service. But the words I spoke today are not so different from the oath that is taken each time a soldier signs up for duty, or an immigrant realizes her dream. My oath is not so different from the pledge we all make to the flag that waves above and that fills our hearts with pride.

They are the words of citizens, and they represent our greatest hope.

You and I, as citizens, have the power to set this country’s course.

You and I, as citizens, have the obligation to shape the debates of our time – not only with the votes we cast, but with the voices we lift in defense of our most ancient values and enduring ideals.

Let each of us now embrace, with solemn duty and awesome joy, what is our lasting birthright. With common effort and common purpose, with passion and dedication, let us answer the call of history, and carry into an uncertain future that precious light of freedom.

Thank you, God Bless you, and may He forever bless these United States of America.

(photo: Getty)

One of the most hotly anticipated elements of Governor Andrew Cuomo's annual State of the State address today was his plan to enact "sweeping" gun control reforms in New York. In his speech, the governor outlined a seven-point gun control plan focused on "high-capacity assault rifles" that he promised would be one of the "toughest" in the nation and lead similar laws to spread beyond New York.

"Gun violence has been on a rampage as we know firsthand and as we know painfully," said the governor. "We must stop the madness, my friends. In one word, it's just 'enough.' It has been enough. We need a gun policy in this state that is reasonable, that is balanced, that is measured."

The governor continued by saying his gun control proposals are not about "taking away people's guns."

As he has in the past, the governor tried to boost his credibility on the issue by emphasizing the fact he is a gun owner.

"We respect hunters and sportsmen. This is not taking away peoples' guns," Mr. Cuomo said. "I own a gun. I own a Remington shotgun. I've hunted, I've shot. That's not what this is about. It's about ending the unnecessary risk of high-capacity assault rifles. That's what this is about."

To that end, the governor outlined the items on his seven-point gun plan.

"Number one: Enact the toughest assault weapon ban in the nation, period!" he shouted, before ticking off his other new gun control proposals. "Number two, close the private sale loophole by requiring federal background checks. Number three, ban high-capacity magazines. Number four, enact tougher penalties for illegal gun use, guns in school grounds and violent gangs. Number five, keep guns from people who are mentally ill. Number six, ban direct internet sales of ammunition in New York. Number seven, create a state [National Instant Criminal Background Check System] check on all ammunition purchases."

He left the stage to deafening applause from the assembled lawmakers.

Update (11:10 p.m.): NRA President David Keene responded to Governor Cuomo's gun control proposals in a podcast interview late this evening.

(Photo: ABC)

Mitt Romney, unsuccessful in his second quest for the White House in four years, took a gracious exit in his concession speech tonight.

"I have just called President Obama to congratulate him on his victory. His supporters and his campaign all deserve congratulations," Mr. Romney said to begin his address. "This is a time of great challenge for America and I pray the president will be successful in guiding our nation."

The brief concession speech contained the occasional frustrated shout from audience members, but overall most of the crowd reaction consisted of clapping and cheering for the applause lines, such as when Mr. Romney gave shout-outs to his wife, his running mate and America.

"The nation as you know is at a critical point. At a time like this, we can't risk partisan bickering and political posturing. Our leaders have to reach across the aisle to do the people's work," Mr. Romney continued. "I believe in America. I believe in the people of America. And I ran for office because I'm concerned about America. This election is over. But our principles endure. I believe the principles upon which this nation was founded are the only sure guide to a resurgent economy and a new greatness. Like so many of you, Paul and I have left everything on the field. We have given our all to this campaign. I so wish I had been able to fulfill your hopes to lead the country in a different direction, but the nation chose another leader, and so Anne and I join you to earnestly pray for him, and for this great nation."

As he walked off the stage, Mr. Romney exclaimed, "Thank you and God bless America! You guys are the best! Thank you!"

(Photo: Getty)

As President Barack Obama prepares to give one of the most important speeches left in his political career at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, his reelection campaign has released excerpts of the address he's delivering later tonight.

And step aside all of the other modern presidential election contests, Mr. Obama unsurprisingly plans to announce that this election will be the most important one yet.

“But when all is said and done – when you pick up that ballot to vote – you will face the clearest choice of any time in a generation. Over the next few years, big decisions will be made in Washington, on jobs and the economy; taxes and deficits; energy and education; war and peace – decisions that will have a huge impact on our lives and our children’s lives for decades to come," Mr. Obama says in his prepared remarks.

Other quotes are set to include:

• “On every issue, the choice you face won’t be just between two candidates or two parties."
• “It will be a choice between two different paths for America."
• “A choice between two fundamentally different visions for the future."
• “I won’t pretend the path I’m offering is quick or easy. I never have. You didn’t elect me to tell you what you wanted to hear. You elected me to tell you the truth. And the truth is, it will take more than a few years for us to solve challenges that have built up over decades. It will require common effort, shared responsibility, and the kind of bold, persistent experimentation that Franklin Roosevelt pursued during the only crisis worse than this one. And by the way – those of us who carry on his party’s legacy should remember that not every problem can be remedied with another government program or dictate from Washington."
• “But know this, America: Our problems can be solved. Our challenges can be met. The path we offer may be harder, but it leads to a better place. And I’m asking you to choose that future. I’m asking you to rally around a set of goals for your country – goals in manufacturing, energy, education, national security, and the deficit; a real, achievable plan that will lead to new jobs, more opportunity, and rebuild this economy on a stronger foundation. That’s what we can do in the next four years, and that’s why I’m running for a second term as President of the United States.”

_

Mr. Obama's campaign also claims that the President will outline his plans for his second term, the press release stating, "Tonight President Obama will ask the country to rally around a set of goals on manufacturing, energy, education, national security, and the deficit – a real, achievable plan that will create jobs, expand opportunity, and ensure an economy built to last."

Here are the stated goals:

Manufacturing

• Create one million new manufacturing jobs by the end of 2016
• Double exports by the end of 2014

Energy

• Cut net oil imports in half by 2020
• Support 600,000 natural gas jobs by the end of the decade

Education

• Cut the growth of college tuition in half over the next 10 years
• Recruit 100,000 math and science teachers over the next 10 year
• Train two million workers for real jobs at community colleges

National Security

• Invest in the economy with the money we’re no longer spending on war

Deficit

• Reduce the deficit by more than $4 trillion over the next decade

(Photo: Getty)

Earlier today, Governor Andrew Cuomo took a rare foray outside of the Empire State to pay his partisan dues at the Democratic National Convention. His speech, which he oddly did not deliver in the convention hall itself despite Mr. Cuomo's status as a large-state governor with astronomical approval ratings, indeed let his Democratic flag fly, blasting the Republican Party, Paul Ryan and the whole nine yards.

Both the local and national media, which have taken a strong interest in Mr. Cuomo as a top-tier contender for the White House after President Barack Obama leaves in 2016, understandably tended to frame his speech today in those terms. You can view a healthy sampling of the reviews below:

BuzzFeed: "Andrew Cuomo Acts Like A Candidate In Charlotte"

The typically careful governor of New York gives a rare partisan address to delegates. Now everyone thinks he's running for president.

Gannett: "Cuomo Takes National Stage To Knock Republicans in Washington"

Despite no major speaking role at the Democratic National Convention, Cuomo is viewed as a potential presidential candidate in 2016 and gave his address Thursday to a packed house added significance and national interest.

The New York Times: "After Avoiding Spotlight in Charlotte, Cuomo Delivers Rousing Convention-Style Speech"

In his sole public appearance at a national Democratic gathering in which he simultaneously avoided and stoked national attention, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Thursday delivered a convention-style speech filled with tart-tongued denunciations of Republican economic policies as well as praise for New York as a progressive ideal for the country.

The governor, speaking at a breakfast sponsored by the New York State Democratic Committee, offered an unmistakable argument for his leadership as a new model of how Democrats can govern — on taxes, education and same-sex marriage — and struck many as presenting a preview of the case for his running for president in 2016.

Capital Tonight: "In Rare Partisan Speech, Cuomo Condemns National GOP"

The governor has kept a relatively low profile as rumors swirl that he is considering a run for president in 2016.

Cuomo is not speaking at the convention and has not appeared on TV as a major surrogate for the president.

But the governor’s surrogacy seemed to begin publicly today with fiery language for the president.

Capital New York: "In a small setting, Cuomo delivers a big Democratic address"

At the New York delegation breakfast in Charlotte this morning, Governor Andrew Cuomo delivered the kind of full-throated, unapologetically partisan defense of Barack Obama that he's largely avoided since becoming governor two years ago.

“Let’s thank President Barack Obama for what he’s done for our state!" said Cuomo, in his introduction.

Cuomo's one-day-only appearance at the convention, along with his studious avoidance of anything overtly related to 2016, made his address at the delegation breakfast a bit of a special occasion. The result almost had the feel of a keynote speech, even though it was delivered shortly before noon, far from the convention floor. And it seemed designed in part to be a response to the idea that he's kept a careful distance from the Obama re-election campaign.

Associated Press: "Cuomo: White House race a 'gut check' for nation"

Cuomo has downplayed any interest in a possible 2016 White House bid but his rousing address before hundreds of New York Democratic activists was unlikely to tamp down the speculation.

His speech, interrupted multiple times by applause, included a sweeping rebuke of the budget plan offered by GOP running mate Paul Ryan, a firm defense of President Barack Obama's policies and an outline of his agenda in Albany. With a partisan tone, Cuomo painted Republicans as instrumental in pushing policies that led to the economic decline.

Politico: "Cuomo makes his DNC debut"

It was an unusually partisan address for Cuomo, who almost never gives speeches like this as governor and who has worked hard to avoid partisan attacks in his own state as his approval ratings have consistently been in the high 60 percent range. Despite the questions about his future and 2016, he is holding almost no public events — and in a mark of his status as he tries to avoid engaging, there was very little national media at the event, held many miles from downtown Charlotte.

...

And his voice got louder as he went on, practically shouting at points as he talked about Obama's efforts on issues important to the middle class, which he said parallel what he is doing in New York. He also got in a reference to the gay marriage bill that passed in his state last year, his signature achievement and one that his supporters believe will set him apart on the national stage.

Staten Island Advance: "Cuomo speech electrifies New York Democrats, amps up 2016 buzz"

But Staten Islanders at the event wished that Cuomo had given his remarks in the convention hall instead, with one saying that it sounded like a "prelude" to a 2016 Cuomo White House bid.

Speaking to delegates in a highly anticipated address, Cuomo, already being mentioned as a potential 2016 contender, defended how President Barack Obama had handled the economy.

 New York Daily News: "DNC 2012: Cuomo 2016, Previewed?"

Following his speech, charged-up New York Democrats called the speech a good preview of what a potential Cuomo 2016 presidential run might look like.

“He sounded like a candidate to me today, but there’s a lot between 2016 and today, ” said Rep. Eliot Engel (D-Bronx).

“Of course it was,” said one state lawmaker. “Did you see all the balloons and the bunting and the sound system?”

(Photo: Getty)

Move aside Paul Ryan, it looks like even the most widely-praised of speeches can be called out a few times.

To wit, Matt Apuzzo, the Pulitzer Prize-winning Associated Press reporter, took a thorough look at former President Bill Clinton's fiery address last night and said certain segments were "wishful thinking at best" and "either cherry-picked facts or mischaracterized" the Republican position. The wire service even brought up Mr. Clinton's Monica Lewinsky scandal and compared that to him calling out Mitt Romney's campaign for its own lack of honesty.

Here is a sampling of the AP's arguments:

CLINTON: "When times are tough, constant conflict may be good politics but in the real world, cooperation works better. ...Unfortunately, the faction that now dominates the Republican Party doesn't see it that way. They think government is the enemy and compromise is weakness. One of the main reasons America should re-elect President Obama is that he is still committed to cooperation."
THE FACTS: From Clinton's speech, voters would have no idea that the inflexibility of both parties is to blame for much of the gridlock.

CLINTON: "For the last two years, health care spending has grown under 4 percent, for the first time in 50 years. So, are we all better off because President Obama fought for it and passed it? You bet we are."
THE FACTS: That's wishful thinking at best. The nation's total health care tab has been growing at historically low rates, but most experts attribute that to continued uncertainty over the economy, not to Obama's health care law.

CLINTON: "I know many Americans are still angry and frustrated with the economy. ... I experienced the same thing in 1994 and early 1995. Our policies were working but most people didn't feel it yet. By 1996, the economy was roaring, halfway through the longest peacetime expansion in American history."
THE FACTS: Clinton is counting on voters to recall the 1990s wistfully and to cast a vote for Obama in hopes of replicating those days in a second term. But Clinton leaves out the abrupt downward turn the economy took near the end of his own second term and the role his policies played in the setting the stage for the historic financial meltdown of 2008.

(Photo: Getty)

CHARLOTTE, NC -- Rumored drama and tension between former President Bill Clinton and the Obama administration has long been an object of fascination among the country's political chattering classes, so much so that Mr. Clinton's speech at the Democratic National Convention tonight was widely hyped as a potential obstacle for the Obama campaign. However, despite reports the Obama campaign didn't see the text of Mr. Clinton's remarks and feared he might wander off message, the DNC distributed advance copies of Mr. Clinton's speech and, though he made many ad libs, Mr. Clinton effusively praised the President and aggressively attacked Mitt Romney's positions on healthcare, debt reduction and job creation.

Early on in his speech, Mr. Clinton directly addressed the source of reports of his strained relationship with Mr. Obama--fallout from the 2008 Democratic primary between Mr. Obama and his wife, Hillary Clinton. Mr. Clinton dismissed the idea there was any lingering ill will from that race by pointing out President Obama appointed Ms. Clinton and several of her supporters to positions in his administration.

"President Obama appointed several members of his cabinet, even though they supported Hillary in the primary," he said to thunderous applause from the audience. "Heck, he even appointed Hillary!"

Shortly before Mr. Clinton's speech, the White House confirmed President Obama would join him on stage following his remarks. In his speech, Mr. Clinton praised the President as "a man who's cool on the outside but who burns for America on the inside" and has a proven record of bipartisanship and "constructive cooperation." He contrasted this with what he described as Republicans' "hate" for President Obama and the Democrats.

Mr. Clinton continued by blasting the argument the Republicans' put forth at their convention in Tampa that President Obama hasn't improved the nation's economic situation fast enough following the financial crisis. Though he admitted the economy hasn't fully recovered, Mr. Clinton said there was no question the country is better off than when President Obama took office and the economy was in "free fall."

Along with his praise of his successor, Mr. Clinton blasted the policies of Mr. Romney and his running mate, Paul Ryan, as being based on faulty "arithmetic" and attacks on the President.

"We simply cannout afford to give the reins of government to someone who will double down on trickle down," Mr. Clinton said of the Republican candidate. "President Obama's plan cuts the debt, honors our values and brightens the future for our families and our nation."

In closing, Mr. Clinton told the audience, "You must vote and you must re-elect President Barack Obama."

Once Mr. Clinton finished his speech, he embraced and left the stage with Mr. Obama himself.

The DNC delegates from each state then formally announced their support for President Obama and officially nominated him as the Democratic party's candidate in the presidential race. President Obama will make a speech of his own at the Democratic National Convention tomorrow evening.

(Photo: Facebook)

CHARLOTTE, NC -- In his speech tonight at the Democratic National Convention, New York Senator Chuck Schumer discussed why he believes "Mitt Romney's plans would make things worse" for the economy.

He began by reminiscing about his family--and their attachment to roach spray.

"I stand here tonight as a proud son of the great state of New York! I'm also a proud product of the middle class," Mr. Schumer said in a prepared copy of his remarks distributed by the convention staff. "My father, Abe, was a small businessman. For 32 years, he ran an exterminating company. That may explain why our family always associated the smell of roach spray with love."

He went on to explain that his upbringing helped him understand President Barack Obama's characterization of the current election as a "make-or-break moment for the middle class."

"Mitt Romney's plans would make things worse. We've tried trickle-down tax cuts for the wealthy and 'anything goes' for big corporations," said Mr. Schumer. "We tried it under a president who billed himself as a 'compassionate conservative.' It didn't work. Now we have Mitt Romney, calling himself a 'severe conservative.'"

Mr. Schumer cited several specific elements of Mr. Romney's economic plan that he believes would have a damaging effect on the economy including; "tax cuts to millionaires," and privatizing Medicare and social security.

"When Mitt Romney says he wants to reform the tax code, hold on to your wallets. We know Mitt Romney never met a tax haven he didn't like. But his new favorite tax haven is actually not the Cayman Islands—its Paul Ryan's budget," he continued. "Under this plan, Mitt Romney's own taxes would drop to almost zero. But for the middle class, it's a rip-off."

Mr. Schumer speculated Mr. Romney supports these policies out of "his own narrow self-interest."

"Mitt Romney's only bottom line is the one at the end of his own bank statement. The problem is that he confuses his own narrow self-interest and that of people like him—with the national interest. He thinks as long as we do right by the Mitt Romneys of the world, America will be just fine," he said.

While Mr. Schumer accused Mr. Romney of putting the needs of the rich ahead of the middle class, he said President Obama "has different priorities."

"He knows America does best when the middle class succeeds, not just those at the top. On foreign policy, President Obama has kept our nation safe from terrorism and restored our standing in the world. When it comes to one of our closest allies—Israel—President Obama has been resolute," Mr. Schumer said of the President.

The senator closed his speech by announcing, "To those like Mitt Romney who want to take us backwards, let's send a strong message in November: as we say in Brooklyn, "Fuhgeddaboutit."

Read Mr. Schumer's full remarks as prepared for delivery below.

I stand here tonight as a proud son of the great state of New York! I'm also a proud product of the middle class. My father, Abe, was a small businessman. For 32 years, he ran an exterminating company. That may explain why our family always associated the smell of roach spray with love.

But dad's job brought stress. On Sunday nights, I'd lay in bed and hear him pacing the floor, restless about returning to work Monday morning. But what drove him were his big hopes for his kids' futures. He believed if you worked hard and played by the rules, you could pass a better life on to your children.

Today, families like the one I grew up in still believe in that American dream. But as President Obama says, it's a make-or-break moment for the middle class.

Mitt Romney's plans would make things worse. We've tried trickle-down tax cuts for the wealthy and "anything goes" for big corporations. We tried it under a president who billed himself as a "compassionate conservative." It didn't work. Now we have Mitt Romney, calling himself a "severe conservative."

The last Republican president gave huge tax cuts to millionaires that exploded our deficits. Mitt Romney not only wants to make those tax cuts permanent, he wants to add more tax breaks for the wealthy that would make our deficit even bigger.

The last Republican president tried to privatize Social Security. The Romney-Ryan ticket says, "Why stop with Social Security when you can privatize Medicare, too?" The last Republican president gave us an ultra-conservative Supreme Court. Mitt Romney would move the Court even further right, putting landmark decisions like Roe v. Wade at risk. Some say Romney would repeat the past. I disagree—he'd be worse.

Take taxes. When Mitt Romney says he wants to reform the tax code, hold on to your wallets. We know Mitt Romney never met a tax haven he didn't like. But his new favorite tax haven is actually not the Cayman Islands—its Paul Ryan's budget. Under this plan, Mitt Romney's own taxes would drop to almost zero. But for the middle class, it's a rip-off. Families with children whose household income is less than $200,000 would see their taxes go up $2,000, on average. That's not trickle down. That's a dirty trick.

Mitt Romney's only bottom line is the one at the end of his own bank statement. The problem is that he confuses his own narrow, self-interest—and that of people like him—with the national interest. He thinks as long as we do right by the Mitt Romneys of the world, America will be just fine.

We can't afford a president with so narrow a perspective. We certainly want those at the top to do well, but if you base your entire presidency and your entire economic platform on helping them do even better, you're missing what makes the economy tick. Because not everyone has been as fortunate as Mitt Romney, you cannot base your whole approach on a life experience as rarified as his. If your focus is only on those like Mitt Romney, it's not going to help the economy or do enough for the middle class. There are many reasons why Mitt Romney should not become president, but perhaps the most important of all is the narrowness of his experience, perspective and vision.

Barack Obama has different priorities. He knows America does best when the middle class succeeds, not just those at the top. On foreign policy, President Obama has kept our nation safe from terrorism and restored our standing in the world. When it comes to one of our closest allies—Israel—President Obama has been resolute. The two biggest threats to Israel are the threat of Iranian nuclear weapons and the launching of Hezbollah rockets. No president in history has done more to confront these threats. This president has imposed the toughest sanctions ever on Iran, and provided record amounts of security aid to Israel.

Republicans always try to paint Democrats as weak on defense. This time, they can't. After all, Mitt Romney's idea of an overseas accomplishment is sending U.S. jobs there.

Barack Obama knows that to create an economy built to last, we need to focus on middle-class families. Families who stay up on Sunday nights pacing the floor, like my dad did, while their children, tucked in bed, dream big dreams. Families who aren't sure what Monday morning will bring, but who believe our nation's best days are still ahead. President Obama hasn't stopped fighting for those families. Now we need to fight for him.

To those like Mitt Romney who want to take us backwards, let's send a strong message in November: as we say in Brooklyn, "Fuhgeddaboutit."

(Photo: Getty)

Last night, First Lady Michelle Obama gave a speech that received some raving reviews, and Staten Island Republican Rep. Michael Grimm wants everyone to know that he also approved of the speech. Thus, late last night, he released a relatively long statement giving the speech itself high marks but also pivoting to a more critical point in each paragraph.

"No one can deny that the First Lady delivered an excellent heartfelt speech and delivered for the Democratic party. I myself was extremely pleased to hear that Mrs. Obama’s experience as the First Lady has enhanced her pride in and understanding of the greatest most exceptional nation in the world," he began, for example, before switching to a backhanded compliment. "She has come a long way from her statement after the 2008 election that for the first time in her life she was proud to be American."

Mr. Grimm was of course referencing Ms. Obama's famous gaffe during the 2008 campaign where she said, “For the first time in my adult lifetime, I’m really proud of my country." Conservatives, including John McCain's campaign at the time, heavily criticized the statement.

Overall, the congressman was fairly effusive at points, saying the speech "resonated" with him and calling it "very well prepared and delivered perfectly." However, he stressed again and again that Mr. Obama's record doesn't match his wife's rhetoric.

View the entire review below:

"No one can deny that the First Lady delivered an excellent heartfelt speech and delivered for the Democratic party. I myself was extremely pleased to hear that Mrs. Obama’s experience as the First Lady has enhanced her pride in and understanding of the greatest most exceptional nation in the world. She has come a long way from her statement after the 2008 election that for the first time in her life she was proud to be American.

"I was also pleased to hear that both she and the President knew what it was like to struggle and that they worked hard and lived within their means to realize their success. However, the policies over the past four years are completely at odds with those values. The President and the Democratic Party have been demonizing success, dividing Americans by pitting the rich against the poor and certainly not living within the country’s means.

"Her message of sacrifice resonated with me, but I have seen and heard a very different message coming out of the White House, where an ever growing government is the answer to every problem and less and less focus on individual responsibility. The First Lady said that the presidency reveals who you are and I agree: it has revealed that President Obama believes in borrowing and taxing to a point that we are jeopardizing our children’s future. The rusty car the President used to drive showed a responsible frugal person sacrificing to get ahead but that is hardly the method he has prescribed for the current tough times.

"I applaud the First Lady for trusting that her husband will do what he says regardless how difficult the task and I’m sure in their personal lives he has done so but candidate Obama promised to cut the deficit in half which he obviously failed to do. Had the President even reduced the deficit I think one could argue that he did his best to keep his word, but numbers don’t lie and he has only increased the deficits for four years in a row and worst of all won’t even take responsibility for it.

"So even though I thought that the speech was very well prepared and delivered perfectly, I wish that the Barack Obama that was described was actually the President I have come to know. The idea that he will work with anyone who wants to move America in the right direction, even Republicans, is simply not the President I saw when he was lambasting Paul Ryan and his budget or the many times he has blamed a broken Congress for his failed policies."

Senator Avella (Photo: Facebook)

Queens State Senator Tony Avella, often known to speak his mind, wrote a letter to the editor of his local Patch publication highly critical of the "new fad we are witnessing is the multitude of 'State of the State' and 'State of the City' addresses."

"I am writing to voice my disdain with what I see as a new fad being used as a self-promotional tool amongst politicians who, quite often, are seeking higher office throughout this city and state," Mr. Avella began, explaining while he has "no problem with the governor, mayors and heads of municipalities" giving addresses, he is concerned with City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, Comptroller John Liu, and the various Borough Presidents all needing to give speeches of their own.

(He didn't even mention some of the "State of the District" speeches by some elected officials.)

"It is ridiculous and a complete waste of time and money to set up these events that often seem like campaign speeches without the banners and adoring supporters," he added.

Mr. Avella finished his letter calling for an end to these speeches.

"The shameless self-promotion and grandstanding needs to end. Our city and state face great challenges that deserve our undivided attention," he said. "All these self aggrandizing speeches really only serve to beg the question that with all of these great ideas and accomplishments by these politicians, why do we still face such serious problems?"

View the full letter.