Jeb Bush to Obama: stop blaming my brother for “your failed economic policies”

TAMPA -- Former Florida governor Jeb Bush used his prime-time spotlight at the Republican National Convention Thursday to pass a symbolic torch to his party’s nominees, defend his brother, and urge the nation to rededicate its promise of an equal education for all.

But before he began his prepared remarks, he said he had to get something off his chest — the defense of his brother, former President George W. Bush.

“He is a man of integrity, courage and honor and during incredibly challenging times, he kept us safe,’’ he said to loud applause. “So Mr. President [Obama], Mr. President, it is about time to stop blaming your predecessor for your failed economic policies. . . . In the fourth year of your presidency, a real leader would accept responsibility for his actions, and you haven’t done it.”

Bush spent most of his 15-minute speech focused on the need to reform education, an issue he has devoted himself to since retiring as governor in 2007. Working through the Foundation for Excellence in Education, he has pushed for expanding school choice and classroom accountability.

“If we want to continue to be the greatest nation on the planet, we must give our kids what we promise them: an equal opportunity,’’ he said. “That starts in the classroom. It starts in our communities. It starts where you live.”

He interspersed his remarks about education with introductions of teacher Sean Duffy from Del Valle High School in Texas and Frantz Placide, a 2006 graduate of Archbishop Curley Notre Dame in Miami, who had received an opportunities scholarship.

“There are many reasons to believe America’s future is bright, but also reasons to worry,’’ said Bush, noting that the United States ranked 17th in science and 25th in math among the world’s 34 most advanced nations.

He pointed to other education reform-minded governors, gave a shout-out to Gov. Rick Scott, and said that through their efforts “more students are reading on grade level, passing rigorous college prep courses and graduating from high school.”

“Gov. Romney gets it,’’ Bush said. “He believes parents — regardless of zip code or income — should be able to send their child to the school that fits them best. That has set him against some entrenched interests. There are many people who say they support strong schools but draw the line at school choice.”

He admonished school choice opponents: “I have a simple message for these masters of delay and deferral: Choose,’’ he said. “You can either help the politically powerful unions. Or you can help the kids.”

Bush has repeatedly scolded the party officials and warned they could lose the Hispanic vote for a generation. He urged them to shift from the punitive approach to immigration to one that welcomes diversity and legal immigration. At Bush’s urging, the campaign used the convention to shift course, inviting Hispanic leaders and governor to give prime time speeches and showcasing U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio.

Although the platform committee included a hard-line immigration plank that calls for mandatory E-verify programs, an end to so-called sanctuary cities and in-state tuition for illegal immigrants at public universities, the convention speakers steered clear from the tough rhetoric.

On Thursday, Bush said the Romney campaign had listened. “I’m pleased with the convention and the understanding of the Romney campaign that tone does matter,’’ he told The Miami Herald.

Bush’s appearance also cemented his role as elder statesman and marked a new chapter as a Romney surrogate.

The former governor was also the sole of voice of the Bush family to appear on stage. Neither his brother, the former president, or his father, former president George H.W. Bush, attended the convention. They opted instead to be featured in a video shown to the crowd on Tuesday night.

"My dad can’t walk. He’s 88,’’ Bush told The Herald. "My brother is smart enough. He could be a target of the Obama hit machine, so he’s keeping a low profile."

Jeb Bush’s sons, George P. and Jeb Bush Jr., were in attendance throughout the week, either serving as surrogates for Romney or advocating for stronger Hispanic outreach.

Bush acknowledged he spent the week significantly raising his national profile, appearing on more network, newspaper and cable interviews than the media-reticent celebrity has ever done.

“I was asked by the Romney campaign and I accepted more press interaction than I normally do,’’ Bush said Thursday. “I want them to win.”

But, he added, “after tonight, I’m going back into the bat cave.”

Romney tells voters to move on from Obama disappointment

Taking center stage to accept the Republican presidential nomination, Romney will pledge to rebuild the U.S. economy and create millions of jobs after Obama's 2008 election promises "gave way to disappointment and division."

Often accused of being cold and formal, Romney is focusing his campaign argument on the need to jump-start the economy but the Republican convention in Tampa, Florida, heard from friends and relatives who painted a picture of a humane, compassionate man.

Emotional testimonials about Romney's work as a Mormon leader made convention delegates in the Tampa Bay Times Forum cry. One couple talked of how Romney befriended and comforted their dying teenage son. A woman, Pam Finlayson, recalled how he prayed with her in hospital when her premature baby daughter was close to death.

Romney's acceptance speech, which launches a two-month dash to the November 6 election, will be seen later Thursday by a television audience in the tens of millions and give some voters their first extended look at the former Massachusetts governor.

It could be a defining moment for Romney, who has struggled to win over conservatives and connect with independent voters in a campaign against Obama that has been dominated by the sluggish economy and lingering high unemployment.

"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. What America needs is jobs. Lots of jobs," Romney will say, according to excerpts of his speech released by the campaign.

Romney, who says his experience as a business executive is the cure for the ailing economy, drew a sharp comparison between the promise of Obama's election in 2008 and the results of the last four years.

"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," he said. "Now is the time to restore the promise of America."

Democrats alternately portray Romney, 65, as a heartless corporate raider, wealthy elitist, tax evader and policy flip-flopper who should not be trusted with the keys to the White House.

'GREAT AMERICAN SUCCESS STORY'

To counter that image, Romney's speech included biographical passages describing his parents and family and defending his work at Bain Capital, the private equity company that critics have accused of raiding companies and cutting jobs.

"That business we started with 10 people has now grown into a great American success story. Some of the companies we helped start are names you know," he said, naming Staples and Sports Authority.

Romney and Obama have been running close in polls ahead of the November 6 election, but the convention so far has given Romney a boost. The latest Reuters/Ipsos online poll showed him moving into a narrow lead over Obama -- 44 percent to 42 percent among likely voters. The Republican had entered the week trailing Obama by four percentage points.

Such convention-related boosts are typically short-lived, and with Obama set to headline the Democratic convention next week in Charlotte, North Carolina, the incumbent could quickly rebound.

Obama still has the advantage over Romney in likability, an important trait that may mask other problems Obama has in persuading voters to give him four more years as a weak economy continues to dog the country.

Movie star Clint Eastwood will bring a touch of Hollywood glamour to the convention, appearing as a surprise, last-minute speaker to warm up the crowd for Romney, a Republican official said. Romney's speech will start at around 10:15 p.m. (0215 GMT).

Leaving little to chance at the carefully stage-managed event, organizers extended the podium outward and lowered it closer to the audience, seeking to create more intimacy for Romney's address within the cavernous hockey arena.

Dropping in on the convention hall, Romney stood at the podium while workers adjusted teleprompters to his preferred height and a convention organizer took him through his paces.

"This is the biggest speech of his political career, and I have no doubt that he will deliver the best speech of his political career," senior campaign adviser Eric Fehrnstrom told reporters.

Romney's nomination culminates a long journey. After failing to win the Republican race in 2008, he plotted a return to the political arena. This year he was tested time and again by a series of conservative alternatives from Newt Gingrich to Rick Santorum in a long and bitter primary campaign.

He outlasted all of them, helped by huge spending on negative ads by "Super PACs" that support him, but is still struggling to win over many Republicans unsure of his conservative credentials.

NFL: Replacement refs will start regular season

The labor dispute between the NFL and its game officials is poised to spill over into the regular season. In a memo to its teams Wednesday, the league said it intends to open the season next week with replacement officials working the games.

Whether the NFL is convinced that a compromise cannot be reached by next week or whether the memo was part of a bargaining strategy was not clear, but the language from both sides was firm.

“In light of the current state of negotiations, we will have replacement crews on the field when the regular season begins,” Ray Anderson, the league’s executive vice president of football operations, wrote in the memo, a copy of which was obtained by The Washington Post and other media organizations. “The replacements have undergone extensive training and evaluation, and have shown steady improvement during the preseason.

“We will continue the training with each crew, and they will work as much of the regular season as necessary. The replacement officials are dedicated and enthusiastic, have worked very hard to improve, and have persevered despite the attacks on their qualifications and performance. We are all grateful for their service to the NFL.”

The referees association issued a written statement in which it said it was “not surprised” by the league’s plans.

The referees’ statement also said: “This is consistent with the NFL’s negotiating strategy which has been ‘take it or leave it’ and lock them out. It now appears the NFL is willing to forego any attempt to reach a deal in the last seven . . . days before opening night.

“It is unfortunate because the Referees want to get back on the field. Our members have been engaged in extensive preparations and are ready to go. If the NFL is serious about negotiating, we are ready, but we can’t negotiate with ourselves.”

Replacement officials have worked the preseason games while members of the NFL Referees Association have been locked out by the league.

The NFL regular season begins Wednesday night with the New York Giants playing host to the Dallas Cowboys in a nationally televised game. The Washington Redskins open the season Sept. 9 at New Orleans.

The league, which said in its memo that “no discussions are currently scheduled,” has defended the work of the replacement officials during the preseason even as the quality of the officiating has been sharply criticized by some players, the NFL Players Association and many media observers.

Redskins linebacker Lorenzo Alexander said earlier this week that he likens the work of the replacement officials to the play of NFL rookies adjusting to the pro game.

“When you have a group of rookies doing a job, they’re obviously going to make mistakes,” Alexander said. “They’re going to continue to get better. . . . When you have rookies that are playing on our football team, they have to get caught up to speed. They make mistakes. But they have veterans to lean on. The only thing with these guys, they don’t have any veteran officials to kind of ask, ‘How do I call this? What do I look at? What’s the best position to be in?’ So they’re kind of learning on their own, learning by mistakes.”

Former NFL wide receiver Cris Collinsworth, now an NFL analyst for NBC, said on a conference call with reporters Wednesday: “My concern is the referees, the replacement refs, get too cautious. In other words, the easiest way for them to disappear is to keep the flag in their pocket. I think even the players are starting to get a little sense of that right now, maybe they can push the envelope just a little bit more than what they’ve done in the past. If that’s the case, maybe we get games that are a little more aggressive than what we’d see otherwise.”

Anderson’s memo to the NFL teams said there is “a considerable gap” in the negotiations between the league and the referees association on economic issues, including pay and pension. There also are differences on non-economic issues, Anderson wrote, that include proposals by the league to increase the number of officials and make some officials full-time employees.

Samsung Updates Galaxy Note Phablet

Ignoring the wailing of pundits who complained that the Galaxy Note phablet with its 5.3" HD screen was too big, Samsung instead chose to listen to the purchasing power of its customers, who have snapped up over 10 million units of the giant phone-tablet hybrid in the year since its introduction.

On Wednesday Samsung announced the Galaxy Note II, which increases the screen size to 5.5", adds a quad-core CPU, the Android 4.1 (a.k.a. Jelly Bean) operating system, a battery more than 20% larger, and an improved S Pen, all in a package that is only slightly larger than its predecessor and weighs just two additional grams. The announcement also claims 4G LTE which, if released in the U.S. in this configuration, would be Samsung's first quad-core phone here. (The U.S. version of the Galaxy S3 uses a dual-core Qualcomm SOC, not the quad-core Exynos SOC found in the international phone, in order to provide support for 4G LTE).

Walking through the differences between the two devices we can start with same 2GB of RAM, and a 1.6-GHz quad-core CPU instead of the 1.4-GHz CPU in the original. As for the case, it's overall roughly the same size--151.1 x 80.5 x 9.4mm vs. 146.85 x 82.95 x 9.65mm--but sports a metal back plate as opposed to the original plastic one. Placement of the ports on the phone has been changed slightly, and the battery has been upped to 3100 mAh from 2500 mAh. The .2-inch larger screen is still Super AMOLED but the resolution actually has been reduced slightly from 1280 x 800 to 1280 x 720 (which is the pixel resolution of 720p HD).

A 64GB version has been added to the lineup along with the previous 16GB and 32GB models, but here in the U.S. we never saw the 32GB unit. The cameras are still 2-megapixel (MP) front and 8MP rear and the new device has the same photo software that was introduced with the S III. In appearance, the new Note looks a lot like a giant S III, just like the original Note looked like a giant Galaxy S II. It has the same wide home button--and likely will get the two soft buttons that grace the U.S. S III, too--and gently curving lines.

But for dedicated Galaxy Note users, the most compelling feature might be the changes made to the S Pen. Not only is the pen larger and more tactile, making it easier to use, but the applications and integration with the pen have been significantly improved. For example, the act of removing the pen from its compartment will launch your favorite S Pen application. The apps also claim to be much more multitasking aware. The S Note app--now called Pop-up Note--will run as a pop-up resizable window over other applications. Samsung first introduced these Android improvements recently in the Galaxy Note 10.1 full-size tablet.

The new Air View feature allows information to be previewed when the pen is hovered over an app such as email or the image gallery, making that functionality much more useful than just having a cursor appear on the screen as it does in the original Note. And for the forgetful among us, the phone will pop up an alert to tell you if you've walked away and left the stylus behind.

This is the first phone announcement since the Apple court victory over Samsung, and it doesn't seem that the legal side is slowing down the technical innovations at Samsung. Samsung has stated that the international version of the phone will be available in October, so expect to see the U.S. version around the end of 2012. It's rumored the 3G model will start at around $800.