Almost forty-five years after my parents first became Americans, I stand before you and them tonight as the proud governor of the state of South Carolina.

All of the men have been very respectful of me. And that's what I want. They don't have to like you. But as long as they respect you, that's really important. When I speak, I'm listened to. And when I try to move the ball, I do.

Ann Romney makes all women proud by the way she has conducted her life as a strong woman of faith, as a mother, as a wife and as a true patriot.

I think the media's a little frightened of women.

I assume I'm being taped everywhere, so I never worry about that.

I was never that kid that wanted to be in politics. What happened was, I graduated with a degree in accounting. I came back home to the family business. I saw how hard it was to make a ­dollar, and how easy it was for the government to take it. And my mom said, "Quit complaining about it. Do something about it."

Do things that are uncomfortable to do. I say that because women tend to step back from things that they don't know about. And the second, most important, one is, push through the fear.