NPR "All Things Considered" - Transcript

Interview

MR. SIEGEL: Mitt Romney joins us from his campaign bus near Charleston, South Carolina.

Welcome to the program.

MR. ROMNEY: Good to be with you, Robert.

MR. SIEGEL: You have contrasted your optimism about American manufacturing jobs -- and particularly auto industry jobs in Michigan -- with the Washington-style pessimism, you said I assume, of Senator McCain. Can you deliver on the promise to work to transform the U.S. auto industry and save auto jobs?

MR. ROMNEY: Well, first I'd tell you that the pessimism is far more widespread than any one individual. I think there's a general perspective in this country that we just can't compete with China, that we just can't compete with Korea, that manufacturing here is going to go away, and that perhaps other jobs will go away as well, and I reject that idea.

I think the transformation and change, which you're seeing in technology, suggests that if we lead that change, that we may be able to develop products of the future that can rekindle the kind of strength that we've seen in these industries before.

MR. SIEGEL: But what does the president of the United States do in that regard, as opposed to the presidents of GM or Ford, let's say?

MR. ROMNEY: Well, you know, as a nation we invest very substantially in basic science. And we do that in the space program and we talk about how we spin out products that come from the space program. We invest in the basic science of health care, and that of course leads to products for the health care industry -- and defense as well. In all three areas we invest and we lead the world.

But we're going to have to start investing in energy technologies, fuel technologies, materials science -- some basic areas that'll help rid us of our dependence on foreign oil. And that offers the opportunity for technology sharing that may well lead to great products for the home and for the, if you will, for the garage.

MR. SIEGEL: But in Detroit, you spoke of increasing R&D from $4 billion to $20 billion, I assume, for the auto industry. It seemed to be what you were saying.

MR. ROMNEY: No, actually, you need to read the article. It speaks carefully. It speaks of taking our investments in -- our federal investments in energy, materials science, automotive technology and fuel technology from $4 billion a year, which it is today, rising over time to $20 billion a year. That's the kind of technology investment I believe is going to be necessary -- akin to the Manhattan Project or the Apollo Project -- to be investing in technologies related to reducing our use of energy.

MR. SIEGEL: Where does the extra $16 billion come from?

MR. ROMNEY: Well, we're going to be dramatically reducing the amount of the money that's been going into discretionary nonmilitary funds. That's something which I've said I'd cap at inflation less 1 percent.

MR. SIEGEL: Just to clarify there, though: Nondefense discretionary spending is only about a fifth of the federal budget. Can you imagine programs in your mind that could be done away with or radically cut, just off the bat, to pay for new projects without raising taxes?

MR. ROMNEY: Yes. Actually, the 10-year forecast of holding that level at inflation less 1 percent is approximately $300 billion. So not only is there plenty of money to fund the increase from $4 billion to $20 billion that I'm speaking about, there's a great deal more funds to do other things as well.

Look at the kinds of programs we have: We have 40 different job training programs in America administered by different agencies and departments -- in many cases with extraordinary bureaucracy and duplication. I would slim these down to a very small number. I also would make it more likely that we just give an account to people who are laid off and let them use this account to pay for community college, or perhaps even to use as an on-the-job training program for people who actually find real work at a real employer. So there are numerous ways for us to become more efficient in the way we spend our money.

And then, of course, we have to go after the big one; and the big one is entitlements. And we right now are seeing entitlements gobbling up a larger and larger portion of our federal spending and it's time for us not just to talk about that and to say it's a problem, but actually to propose solutions, and I've done that.

MR. SIEGEL: You're going to contest South Carolina seriously and win a big share of the vote there? MR. ROMNEY: Well, we're going to do better than people expect there -- at least I sure hope so. I think Senator McCain has been putting a lot of time and money into the state. And I believe it's a must-win state for him.

So we're here to campaign, get our share of some delegates and keep on going. We've got a lot of states ahead of us. There've been four states so far: I've won two; I've come in second in the other two. No one's come close to me in terms of the total number of Republican votes I've received or the total number of delegates I've got. So if I can keep this up, that'll be good news.

MR. SIEGEL: Well, it's a must-win state for McCain -- South Carolina. Are there any must-win states for you down the road?

MR. ROMNEY: Yeah, I think Michigan came as close as any --

MR. SIEGEL: No, I mean future -- future primaries is what I mean.

MR. ROMNEY: You know, I don't think anyone would suggest that there's a particularly must-win state for me going forward, but of course that could change. But at this stage, on the heels of victories both in Wyoming and Michigan and with the lead in delegates, I think I'm given a bit of a rest here. But I'm going to keep on working hard and hope to do well here in South Carolina -- and of course in Nevada as well.

MR. SIEGEL: Governor Romney, thanks a lot for talking with us.

MR. ROMNEY: Thank you, Robert.

MR. SIEGEL: That's Mitt Romney, former Massachusetts governor, the winner of the Michigan Republican Primary speaking to us from the "Mitt Mobile" in South Carolina.

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