TAMPA — Mitt Romney accept the Republican presidential nomination tonight with a simple task — making the American people comfortable with the idea of him as president and his party in power.
According to prepared excerpts of his speech, Romney will attempt to combat the charges that he is "extreme," and "severely conservative" in advance of next week's Democratic convention.
"Why should women have any less say than men, about the great decisions facing our nation?” Romney quotes his mother as saying, noting several of the women who spoke before him at the convention.
"As Governor of Massachusetts, I chose a woman Lt. Governor, a woman chief of staff, half of my cabinet and senior officials were women, and in business, I mentored and supported great women leaders who went on to run great companies," Romney will add.
Romney will also reject the notion that he was rooting for President Barack Obama's failure — a charge frequently leveled at the GOP congress.
"I wish President Obama had succeeded because I want America to succeed," Romney is set to say. "But his promises gave way to disappointment and division."
Always his most natural when discussing his family, Romney will speak of being loved and loving his children and grandchildren — a break from the robotic demeanor Democrats often charge him with having.
"My mom and dad gave their kids the greatest gift of all – the gift of unconditional love. They cared deeply about who we would BE, and much less about what we would DO."
Unconditional love is a gift that Ann and I have tried to pass on to our sons and now to our grandchildren. All the laws and legislation in the world will never heal this world like the loving hearts and arms of mothers and fathers. If every child could drift to sleep feeling wrapped in the love of their family – and God’s love– this world would be a far more gentle and better place.
Romney's comments on Bain Capital are also designed to disarm Democratic attacks by branding himself as someone who took a risk to help other companies succeed.
As one Republican operative told BuzzFeed of the entire GOP convention, “The message is ‘we’re not Barack Obama and we’re not crazy,'" meant to establish Romney as a credible alternative to the president.