Mitt Romney criticized President Obama’s health-care law and his handling of the economy during a speech before the NAACP National Convention in Texas on Wednesday, and argued that a Romney administration would better serve African-American voters.
“If you want a president who will make things better in the African-American community, you are looking at him,” Romney said. “You take a look.”
The crowd booed when Romney criticized Obama for not doing enough to get unemployment down.
“I know the President will say he’s going to do those things, but he has not, he will not, he cannot, and his last four years in the White House proves it, definitively,” Romney said.
The loudest boos of the speech came from the NAACP activists when Romney spoke of his desire to see “Obamacare” repealed.
“If our goal is jobs, we have to stop spending over a trillion dollars more than we take in every year,” he said. “And to do that, I’m going to eliminate every non-essential expensive program I can find. That includes Obamacare.”
After pausing while the crowd yelled “no,” Romney broke from his prepared remarks to argue the law keeps employers from hiring new people. (RELATED: NAACP leaders criticize Romney marriage stance despite activists’ applause)
“I say again, if our priority is jobs, and that’s my priority, that’s something I’d change.”
Romney, who complimented the organ music being played at the convention before his address, also received applause at times throughout the speech. He notably drew applause for saying he’d protect traditional marriage.
“I can’t promise that you and I will agree on every issue,” he said. “But I do promise that your hospitality to me today will be returned.”