ROMNEY:  Hello!  What a welcome.

（APPLAUSE）

Thank you.  And thank you, Luce.

I cannot wait to see what we are going to all do together.

This is going to be so exciting!

（APPLAUSE）

Just so you all know, the hurricane has hit landfall and I

think we should take this moment and recognize that fellow

Americans are in its path and just hope and pray that all remain

safe and no life is lost and no property is lost.  So we should

all be thankful for this great country and grateful for our

first responders and all that keep us safe in this wonderful

country.

（APPLAUSE）

Well, I want to talk to you tonight not about politics and

not about party.  And while there are many important issues that

we will hear discussed in this convention and throughout this

campaign tonight, I want to talk to you from my heart about our

hearts.

（APPLAUSE）

I want to talk about not what divides us, but what holds us

together as an American family.  I want to talk to you tonight

about that one great thing that unites us, that one great thing

that brings us our greatest joy when times are good and the

deepest solace in our dark hours.