The RNC grand finale: Marco Rubio, Mitt Romney

That pretty much sums up how I feel about it, anyway. It’s Day Three of the Republican National Convention, and in one corner, we’ve got the lamestream media, no doubt already gearing up with a smashing selection of prepared narratives ready to launch the moment Mitt Romney issues his final “God Bless America”; in the other, the man of the hour himself. Will his big moment be enough to start convincing undecided American voters that he’s their guy? Time shall tell. We managed to snap of a few pics of him doing his run-through in the Tampa Bay Times Forum earlier this afternoon:

Introducing Mitt Romney is Sen. Marco Rubio, Republican from Florida, well known for his easy free-market brilliance and his uber-charismatic, highly persuasive speeches, not to mention his appeal to Hispanic voters. Here’s an excerpt from his prepared remarks, via the Weekly Standard:

As a boy, I would sit on our porch and listen to his stories about history, politics and baseball while he puffed on one of his three daily Padron cigars.

I don’t recall everything we talked about, but the one thing I remember, is the one thing he wanted me to never forget. The dreams he had when he was young became impossible to achieve.

But because I was an American, there was no limit to how far I could go.

For those of us who were born and raised in this country, it’s easy to forget how special America is. But my grandfather understood how different America is from the rest of world.

Tonight, you’ll hear from another man who understands what makes America exceptional.

Mitt Romney knows America’s prosperity didn’t happen because our government simply spent more. It happened because our people used their own money to open a business.

And when they succeed, they hire more people, who then invest or spend their money in the economy, helping others start a business and create jobs.

Mitt Romney’s success in business is well known. But he’s more than that.

Other, earlier speakers will include the much-anticipated “mystery speaker,” as well as Rep. Connie Mack, Newt and Callista Gingrich, Craig Romney, a delegation of Olympians to tout Mitt Romney’s successes turning around the Utah Olympics Games, and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, who’s planning to discuss the demerits of President Obama’s never-ceasing “blame Bush” strategy:

“Almost every day I hear the current incumbent feeling compelled to push down the past to make himself look better. When I was growing up, we were spanked when that happened,” Bush said Thursday morning on “Fox and Friends.” …

Because of Obama’s recent attacks on the former Republican president, Bush said he felt “compelled” to drive home the point that his brother is a “person of courage and integrity.”

“I’m going to start off with just a recognition that my brother is a person of courage and integrity and honor, and we need people like that in public life and I love him dearly,” Bush said. “I’m biased about this.”

Here’s the livestream, for your viewing pleasure. Aaaaaaaaaaare youuuuuuuuuu reaaaaaaaadddyyyyyyy?!

• Cruz: No, “I don’t trust the Republicans” with the debt ceiling
• Rubio: Obama “doesn’t have clean hands” in IRS scandal
• Rubio: These are the kinds of scandals you see in the third world

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