Johnson’s campaign posted this photo on Twitter of the banner behind the podium where he announced his candidacy for president earlier today.
Former N.M. Gov. Gary Johnson formally entered the 2012 presidential race today, saying “America is better than this” and he “can help fix it.”
“America needs a ‘President Veto’ right now – someone who will say ‘no’ to insane spending and stop the madness that has become Washington,” Johnson said in announcing his candidacy. “That’s why I am here today to announce that I’m running for president of the United States.”
Johnson, a libertarian-leaning Republican, made his announcement in the all-important primary state of New Hampshire, where he’ll spend the next three days kicking off his campaign.
The former governor joins a crowded but wide-open GOP primary field in which no frontrunner has emerged. Johnson promised a lot this morning on Twitter.
“I had a Mr Smith moment as Governor of NM, and believe I can do it as President of the USA,” he tweeted. “I love retail politics and I wont be out worked in New Hampshire.”
Johnson, in a prepared statement, called himself a “fix-it man.” Before he was governor, he said, he started a “one-man fix-it business” that grew into “an American dream with more than a thousand employees.”
“My formula for success was simple. I showed up on time, did what I said I’d do, and knew what I was doing,” Johnson said. “I did the same thing as governor, exactly. … Saying no to waste, corruption and political games is easier than you think. During my two terms I vetoed 750 pieces of bad, unnecessary and wasteful legislation, and used the line-item veto to save millions of dollars.”
“I was called ‘Governor Veto,’ and accepted that nickname proudly,” he said.
Time for ‘one of our own’
Johnson said it’s time to “put one of our own in the White House.” In addition to taking shots at President Barack Obama, a Democrat, he had criticism for the other GOP presidential candidates.
“I look at the rest of the field running for president, and that song by The Who comes to mind,” he said. “Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss. You know the one. We ‘Won’t Get Fooled Again.’ What’s the definition of insanity? It is to keep doing the same thing over and over, and expecting a different outcome.”
On Twitter, Johnson talked about getting the nation’s finances in order, saying America needs “to fix the fiscal mess. The writing of a financial collapse is on the wall. Balance the federal budget tomorrow.” He talked about smaller government, “more liberty and personal freedom.”
He also talked about ending the nation’s wars.
“We should get out of Iraq and Afghanistan tomorrow,” he tweeted. “Libya? Opposed to US military involvement.”