Mitt Romney Talks Health Care With NBC NEWS' Ron Allen

Republican presidential nominee and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney spoke with NBC's Ron Mott in Toledo, OH shortly before a campaign rally there. A full transcript is below; view video of Allen's NBC NIGHTLY NEWS report here. 

RON ALLEN:
I've heard you say often that polls go up and down, but lately there are some polls that are very down here in Ohio -- as much as ten points. And since that video tape of-- about the 47 percent, is that video, and the message there, still a problem for your campaign?

MITT ROMNEY:
Actually the national polls, Rasmussen and Gallup have it a tied race. States have numbers that are better or worse than others. I don't-- I don't worry about the polls. I worry about making sure that my message gets through to the American people and the best chance for that to happen will probably be through debates, as well as the ads that we each run over the coming-- over the coming weeks. What's going to be a very intensive time, and I'm absolutely convinced that the American people do not want four more years of the last four years, and that's why I'll win.

RON ALLEN:
But one thing you seem to have trouble convincing people of is that you are the person who cares about middle class people, people who are struggling -- they don't see in your background, in your comments the kind of empathy, sympathy, understanding that could really solve their problems?

MITT ROMNEY:
You know, I think people had the chance, who watched our Republican convention, to see the lives that I've had the chance to touch during my life, to understand that as I served as a pastor of a congregation with people of all different backgrounds and economic circumstances that I care very deeply about the American people, and people of different socio-economic circumstances. And I think throughout this campaign as well, we've talked about my record in Massachusetts, don't forget -- I got everybody in my state insured. 100 percent of the kids in our state have health insurance. I don't think there's anything that shows more empathy and care about the people of this country than that kind of record.

RON ALLEN:
And, lastly if I could, today's all about the economy. We all know how important Ohio is. Here the economy is improving. Even the governor made that comment earlier today. So, is your message about the economy a tougher sell here where things are improving, clearly?

MITT ROMNEY:
Well, as the governor said today, Ohio is making good progress but it's facing a heavy headwind coming from Washington, and the president's promise to raise taxes on small business, his promise to increase massive regulations, through the pages that are coming out, through Dodd Frank, as well as policies that relate to energy here -- basically saying no to coal. All of these policies will make it very difficult for Ohio to rebuild the kind of economic strength that the people in this state want.

RON ALLEN:
Can you win without winning Ohio?

MITT ROMNEY:
I'm going to win Ohio. I'm going to become the next president, in part because I'm going to have support of people in Ohio who understand we have to have coal, natural gas, wind solar, oil. We have to have manufacturing come back. I have proven that I have the capacity to get an economy going. The president has proven he does not have that skill.

Transcript courtesy of NBC NEWS

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