Quinn Bashes Romney in Speech to DNC

In his speech to the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday evening, Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn took the opportunity to accuse Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney of lying in his campaign.

Quinn attacked Romney's record as governor of Massachusetts, saying the Republican candidate promised his state more jobs, less debt and smaller government, but left his term with the opposite results.

Quinn spent a substantial part of his speech rallying the crowd by praising Barack Obama's work on reforming welfare as an Illinois state senator. Quinn also mentioned a Chrysler plant in Belvidere, Ill., a story he has frequently mentioned at news conferences around the state. Quinn said the plant employeed 200 people in 2009, but President Obama saved the auto industry and that same plant now employes more than 4,000 people.

"From day one, President Obama has told you where he stands, what he believes and what he is doing to make our middle class strong again," Quinn told the DNC.

Quinn ended his convention speech with a phrase he has repeated countless times at news events and speeches he's delivered around Illinois, saying, "Together let's make the will of the people the law of the land."

After he spoke, Quinn told reporters backstage he was thinking, “Don’t make a mistake,” during his speech, he said. “I spoke from the heart. I’ve known Barack Obama a long time and I thought it was important to set the record straight.”

Quinn also said those at the Democratic National Convention gave him a lot of freedom in putting a draft of his speech together.

“They made a few suggestions, but it was pretty much our speech,” he said. “I had to wear my glasses because I can’t see the teleprompter without it.”