MOUNT VERNON — Ariel Corp. was hailed as an American success story and provided the backdrop for Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s Wednesday morning town meeting in Mount Vernon. Surrounded by party faithful, civic and business leaders, several hundred Ariel employees and local and national media, the former Massachusetts governor used his latest appearance in battleground Ohio to hammer home the five-point plan he says will re-energize the economy.
The candidate had ample partisan support, and Congressman Bob Gibbs and U.S. Sen. Rob Portman warmed up the crowd while Romney toured Ariel’s facilities. Portman introduced Ariel CEO Karen Buchwald-Wright, who in turn brought New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Gov. Romney on stage. Portman has served as Romney’s “sparring partner” during presidential debate preparation, and he homed in on the economy in his remarks.
“We cannot afford more of the same,” Portman said, citing record deficits and debt, a reduced workforce and Democratic proposals he said would impact a million small businesses and cost 700,000 jobs. “We are desperate for change. We followed Greece into democracy, let’s not follow it into bankruptcy.”
In her remarks, Buchwald-Wright said the company founded by her parents Jim and Maureen Buchwald “is a great example of American entrepreneurial spirit with a workforce second to none. When people ask if we consider outsourcing, I tell them I don’t think we could duplicate the quality and integrity of our product in another country.”
She also addressed the idea that by utilizing American assets, as a country, we can be prosperous and self-sufficient.
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