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Charles Dharapak / AP
Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is seen with Policy Director Lanhee Chen on their campaign plane as it flies to Salt Lake City, Utah, Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2012.
Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2012 | 10:03 a.m.
WASHINGTON — Mitt Romney sought to get his campaign back on track Tuesday after the revelation of a video in which he said nearly half of Americans "believe they are victims," are dependent on the government and bound to vote for President Barack Obama. The Obama campaign worked to spread the quotes to any voters who hadn't already heard them.
Obama himself headed for New York for an appearance on David Letterman's TV couch and a fundraiser with Beyoncé and Jay-Z.
Romney planned no apology but was expected to respond to questions about the video by reinforcing the reaction he delivered Monday night: that Obama favors "a government-centered society" with people dependent on public support.
Obama's campaign, seeing an opportunity to build on its earlier efforts to cast the Republican as out of touch with average Americans, emailed a fundraising appeal to supporters and posted a video online asking voters to watch Romney's comments and respond.
"I actually felt sick to my stomach," one woman says in the web video.
Another woman says, "That's not somebody who I'm thinking, 'Oh, I want him as my president.'"
Romney advisers concede the video came at a bad time — seven weeks before Election Day and with early voting beginning in two dozen states by this weekend. They acknowledge the remarks may dominate news coverage for days but dispute the notion that Romney's comments could fundamentally change the election.
The unscripted moment was reminiscent of the 2008 campaign, when Obama was caught telling the wealthy wing of his party at a private fundraiser in San Francisco that some residents of depressed rural areas get bitter and "cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them."
In the Romney video, recorded at a Florida fundraiser in May, the candidate says 47 percent of Americans don't pay taxes and believe they are entitled to extensive government support. "My job is not to worry about those people," he said.
After the video posted late Monday afternoon on Mother Jones magazine's website, Romney told reporters that while his comments were "not elegantly stated," he stood by his remarks.
"Those who are reliant on government are not as attracted to my message of slimming down the size of government," Romney said in Costa Mesa, Calif., doubling down on his statement.
Romney running mate Paul Ryan focused on the limited-government argument while campaigning in New Hampshire, without mentioning the video. He mistakenly called it the "Ryan-Romney plan" for a stronger middle class before correcting himself and promising the two would put Americans back to work rather than encourage dependency on government.
A pro-Obama super political action committee quickly pushed up the air date for a new television advertisement in response to the video.
The ad, from Priorities USA Action, was previously shown online and never mentions the Romney video because it was produced before it became public. But the super PAC says it believes the ad's message serves as a counter to the Republican nominee's words and bought time to begin airing it as early as Tuesday on stations in Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Ohio, Virginia and Wisconsin.
"Doesn't Mitt Romney understand we can't rebuild America by tearing down the middle class?" the narrator says. The group also is likely to start running new ads using Romney's words from the fundraising video.
Obama was told about the video Monday afternoon by staff traveling with him on a campaign trip to Ohio. White House Press Secretary Jay Carney declined to say whether Obama had watched the video or to characterize the president's reaction to Romney's remarks.
"Setting aside what Gov. Romney thinks, I can tell you that the president certainly doesn't think that men and women on Social Security are irresponsible or victims, that students are irresponsible or are victims," Carney said.
The president has not publicly commented on the video, but could do so Tuesday when he tapes an interview with David Letterman and delivers remarks at a fundraiser at the Waldorf Astoria hotel. After that, Obama was set to collect nearly $4 million at a $40,000-a-ticket fundraiser at a Manhattan nightclub with husband and wife musicians Jay-Z and Beyonce.
Romney had no public appearances scheduled Tuesday and planned to raise money in Salt Lake City and in Dallas with former first lady Laura Bush at the Bushes' Texas home.
Looking to change the subject, Romney's campaign rolled out a new television ad featuring a mother and infant, aimed at cutting into Obama's advantage with female voters. It argued that Obama's economic policies would make women's lives harder.
In the video, Romney said 47 percent of Americans pay no income tax. About 46 percent of Americans owed no federal income tax in 2011, although many of them paid other forms of taxes. More than 16 million elderly Americans avoid federal income taxes solely because of tax breaks that apply only to seniors, according to the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center.
In the clip released by Mother Jones, Romney also is asked about the "Palestinian problem." He gives a rambling response, then says "the Palestinians have no interest whatsoever in establishing peace" and "the pathway to peace is almost unthinkable to accomplish."
Associated Press writers Ken Thomas in Los Angeles, Holly Ramer in Dover, N.H., and Charles Babington, Julie Pace and Philip Elliott in Washington contributed to this report.
Mitt Romney is not fit to be president. He has no morals. Romney is a disaster on foreign relations. Mitt's tax give away for the rich will increase the debt by one trillion dollars. Aside from failing to pay his own taxes, he keeps money in the Caymen Islands. What kind of example is he setting? Mormons want to divide us. America deserves better.
Again Romney only represents his church and the top 1%. The rest our victims. Who would trust a man that ties his dog to the roof of the car?
First let me say, I think Romney believes most of what he says. He comes across sincere because he is. But the poor fellow just doesn't have a clue. He, like most of his peers, learned to patronize the less fortunate in the cradle. Now its a habit of belief and rhetoric. I'm reminded of an interview, a while back, of a BP exec who said (naively, I believe), "We always take care of and are mindful of the 'little people'."
Sigh........
Some side views on this Romney tape:
The wealthy donation people in the video chowing down don t look that excited with the talk from Romney, they hardly look at him, it s like he s just a Vegas lounge lizard making background entertainment noise.
And the waiters serving them made me think of the waiters preparing to attack scene in "Fight Club," but i think that s just me.
Mitt Romney comments honest comments. That is the way Mitt Romney feel about 47 percent of Americans. This is why the election is a clear chance. Clear differences in the message of Mitt Romney and President Obama.
President wins in November by 6 to 8 points.
The best thing Obama has going is the fact Romney keeps giving speeches.
I can just see the video equipment security sweeps at all future fundraising venues for Romney. Will it be the duty of the Secret Service, or campaign staff? One on the government payroll dole, and the other paid for by campaign supporters.
The topper may be the release of several years of tax returns hacked from Romney's accountants files, if in fact they were. The Secret Service and FBI are on the case.
Could this be the October surprise to beat all October surprises? Or is it a hoax? Never an end to the entertainment factor.
From the dog on the car roof, to his foreign policy trip fiasco, to his incredible premature politicization of a critical life-threatening diplomatic crisis, to his horrendous and insulting fundraiser dinner remarks, to his secret tax returns, to his havoc reaping European style austerity policies, to his predisposition for war, both hot and cold wars. No apologies! What a mess!
here is another guy who did not like the idea of majority rule:
So it is only natural that when the capable intelligences of a nation, which are always in a minority, are regarded only as of the same value as all the rest, then genius, capacity, the value of personality are slowly subjected to the majority and this process is then falsely named the rule of the people. For this is not rule of the people, but in reality the rule of stupidity, of mediocrity, of half-heartedness, of cowardice, of weakness, and of inadequacy....
Thus democracy will in practice lead to the destruction of a people's true values.
http://www.hitler.org/speeches/01-27-32....
That is the most fluid that I've ever heard Romney speak, which shows how sincerely he believes what he's saying.
The irony is, his dad was a welfare recipient.
http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-se... See 4:29 of the video.
The Federal Government is running radio ads promoting EBT cards. Success is based on more recipients. This is what it's come to.
Rusty57:
And WHERE did you here these ads? And do you know what an EBT card is? If in fact you understood the whole commercial, which I doubt because of "selective hearing", this means the Fed Gov't is pushing people to go on food stamps....like it is easy to do and everyone should do it.
Because you are extremely biased, please provide the whole copy of this commercial or where it can be heard. Don't post things out of context. Maybe Carmine can do your dirty work; he's good at providing things.
I just read that 1-2 minutes are missing from that tape. But somehow whatever is on that 1-2 minutes is not going to change the sincerity in the words Romney said. He believed in what he was saying and another sentence or two is not going to change that.
Kind of interesting all the teabaggers are avoiding this thread like a turd in a punchbowl.
Rumours abound that the citizens united money is being diverted to Senate races and the Romney campaign is out of cash.
Romney lost Novembers election in September.
Yep he didn't even make it to October. Be funny when the DNC starts running their ads using this video.
The most Ironic part is people like Romney HATE Government. So the question is, why are they running to be IN it? Well the answer is pretty easy, personal gain. Once you get that straight nothing they do is any mystery at all. Sadly we have a bunch of naive racists around who fall for this money making spam scam.
It would not surprise me in the least if in a few years when Romney writes a book about this he reveals the whole exercise was based around a BET he had with some other Scum Capitalist.
In politics, you can get into a lot of trouble if you're caught telling a lie. There's only one thing worse: getting caught telling the truth.
Middle-class used to support running of government. They are now finding themselves on the receiving end of federal transfers. That and an aging population who probably won't find work until their 'retirement'. Better off all going on some sort of disability. It's the new american character.
Most seniors have lost the battle to maintain their health and cannot replace their youthful vitality. They are dependent on Social Security and food stamps to keep from starving and freezing. Obama will make sure the checks keep coming, and will provide more food stamps to pay for groceries. Romney does not like people with grey hair and wrinkles, they nauseate him. He would rather build luxury condos for the wealthy than nursing homes for the sick and dying. The costs of medical supplies for the elderly will double under Romney's no-care health plan. Seniors! Please prolong your precious lives and vote Obama on November 6th, you are entitled to a bit of loving care.
Who has Romney made enemies with is the past 8 months?
Single women
Hispanics
Blacks
Middle class
Poverty class
and recently:
Retired people
Disabled people
Unemployed people
Retired veterans.
There are more but the list has grown so much I can't remember them all.
Billionaires are going to be on the list as soon as the election is over.
He's a gaffe or 3 away from losing the house too.
chowching: How big is Obumma's stash anyway? However the election turns out, he won't have to worry about the economy anymore.
I can add a few:
Single women
Hispanics
Blacks
Middle class
Poverty class
and recently:
Retired people
Disabled people
Unemployed people
Retired veterans.
Also
Gay men
Lesbians
Muslims
Atheists
Teachers
Many republicans who are running for re-election are now running away from Romney. Paul Ryan has no place to go. He could lose 2 elections in November. I saw tha turtle guy from Kentucky just walk away from the microphone. He didn't even dis Obama.
I knew the list was bigger Nick.Even some republicans are on it now. Mitts wife and kids still like him though.
I was expecting some "unwise political comments" later in the year and at the debates. I also expeted VP Biden to be one of the first but it looks as if he will have to wait to say something foolish in an election year. Jeff does make a good observation about the lack of comments.
Castle:
I sort of mentioned it on another thread and it was avoided there except for one tepid comment, then the pro-Romney moderator deleted the posts as off topic.
The big mouth teabaggers have been silenced for at least a day.
If Obumma gets re-elected the Sun will report that he inherited a bad economy and Jeff will parrot it on other threads.
As is appeared on SNL. Obama's secret weapon, Mittens Romney. He's a disaster!!!
<<Kind of interesting all the teabaggers are avoiding this thread like a turd in a punchbowl>>
Maybe most of them realized they are part of that "47%". If any of them are collecting Social Security and on Medicare - they are part of that "47%".
Ah Rusty - the only brave one of his ilk to have the courage to post. Not much is said but at least he has the cajones to do it.
Karl Rove is going to take out Mitt after Todd Akin suffers his "accident".
Fox News is making a big deal of it after hearing the missing 2 minutes of tape. It defends Israel but the 47% is still on Mitt's hit list.
To Det_Munch and others, and I won't call you ilk, At least Romney spoke up for what he truly believes. I do realize that you and others that believe like you don't have a taste for someone actually telling you all the truth of what is happening. Romney will take the President to task in the debates. His showing will either win him the elction or lose it. Oh and by the way the 53% of the population still may not have made a choice yet but most likely lean towards Romney. On the VP debate, Biden will be humiliated. Of course with that guy, I don't that that is possible. He's still with that biker chick from last week.
Poor, poor Mittens...
He's such a BAD liar.
"I care about EVERYBODY!"
"Look, I even got a terrible spray tan today so I could look 'darker' when I appeared on Univision; you know, so I could look more like 'those people'...you know, my Dad was a Mexican!"
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/20...