Romney sticks by 'victims' comments, but calls them 'off the cuff'

Fox News ^ | 9-18-12

[kingattax]

Mitt Romney is sticking by his comments captured in a video at a fundraiser earlier this year in which he told donors that President Obama's base supporters are "reliant on government," don't pay taxes and "believe they are victims." The Republican presidential nominee assembled a brief and to-the-point press conference Monday night to address the tape, which had been posted online by liberal magazine Mother Jones.

Romney, while saying his phrasing was not ideal, stood by the premise of his remarks, which reportedly came from a fundraiser in Florida.

[yorkiemom]

I am single with a very nice job making close to %50,000 and get both a federal and state refund. How does that make me lacking in personal responsibility ?

Getting a refund is not the same thing as not paying taxes unless your refund is larger than what you originally paid in.

I can understand that you don't want to be lumped in with the 47% - however, it is likely true that the majority of those taking from the system will be voting Democrat. Otherwise, the free handouts may not continue for them.

[JustSayNoToNannies]

“My job is not to worry about those people,” he said. “I’ll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives.”

Reagan never would have said that - he was relentlessly positive and believed in everyone ... which is why the "class warfare" charge never stuck to him.

[fatnotlazy]

If Obama wins, we will have more than another four years of him. He is laying the groundwork for establishing a dictatorship.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like Obama has any real competition.

[plain talk]

Sorry social security has been around for a long time and no one will be getting rid of it. No one. Taking a social security check is not same thing as taking a welfare check because those people paid into it. Doesn’t matter. This is off the subject

This was the dem plan - to get romney on the defensive and get conservatives squabbling over nothing. All of this is a planned distraction away from the marxist and his failures.

[Colonel Kangaroo]

This statement was totally opposite from Reagan’s positive message of opportunity for all. Reagan showed us how to win, but I’m afraid Romney has shown how conservatives lose.

[Colonel Kangaroo]

This statement was totally opposite from Reagan’s positive message of opportunity for all. Reagan showed us how to win, but I’m afraid Romney has shown how conservatives lose.

[JustSayNoToNannies]

“My job is not to worry about those people,” he said. “I’ll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives.”

Compare and contrast:

"Let us work to build a nation that is free of racism, full of opportunity, and determined to loosen the creative energies of every person of every race, of every station, to make a better life."
Ronald Reagan
Remarks in Denver, Colorado, at the Annual Convention of the NAACP, June 29, 1981

"How can we love our country and not love our countrymen; and loving them, reach out a hand when they fall, heal them when they’re sick, and provide opportunity to make them self-sufficient so they will be equal in fact and not just in theory?"
Ronald Reagan
Inaugural Address
West Front of the U.S. Capitol, January 20, 1981

[CharlesWayneCT]

I like that whenever something comes up, Romney calls a press conference and deals with it. IF the media wasn’t so biased, they’d actually start reporting about how Romney is open and up-front with the people through the media, while Obama won’t answer any questions.

But they won’t.

[Peter Libra]

Your post #45.

Reagan showed us how to win, but I'm afraid Romney has shown how conservatives lose.

I agree, that in this day and age when the so-called gaffe can absolutely derail ANY public figure, the Governor has made one. If persons were to step back and think it through, they could perhaps not be stampeded by the corrupt media.

Too bad Mitt Romney does not seem to have any working class adviser's, or if he does, they did not educate him. He could have separated the actual figures and called it say 20 percent free loaders. These people chuckle and laugh as they party on. They think the lower paid working class are fools and dupes. What may be not understood is the absolute inertia and slough that seeps in, when there is NO obligation to society.

To then finally drag one`s self to get out there and do it for a low income, is what keeps many from becoming at least self supporting.

Excuse the ramble, but I do know where it is at, being working class myself and in 40 odd years of working, had collectively two years on unemployment.

[dschapin]

Romney is worlds better than Obama and we need every conservative to vote this election. If you care about your kids future then don’t let Obama win re-election. This isn’t an ordinary election - America’s future is at stake and I don’t wan’t my child growing up in an America that has ceased to be free.

[TurboZamboni]

CBO: The wealthly pay 70 percent of taxes
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2905175/posts

41 Obama White House aides owe the IRS $831,000 in back taxes — and they’re not alone
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2010/09/congress-taxes-irs.html

EVERYONE should have skin in the game, even The One’s lackeys.

[StAnDeliver]

"The only thing wrong was the 47% figure. Had he said 30 or 40 there really is no issue. Just jettison the percentage and say damn straight."

Wrong, noob. The percentage is precisely what made the statement. The facts are damning, and shaming. Some nebulous utterance without that draw-the-line-in-the-sand 47% can-go-to-hell would have been worthless. If you had listened to him in the tape and then heard him double down in the press conference last night, you'd know that.

[MrDem]

Drudge just displayed a YouTube link for this video of Obama:

Obama In 1998: “I Actually Believe In Redistribution”

Touche!@ “The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated!” - Mitt Romney

[JediJones]

Didn’t sound like that to me. It sounded like he was specifically talking about people who believe they are entitled to free health care, free food, free housing, etc. whether they work and pay taxes or not. He was limiting it to Obama voters so that wouldn’t include people who work, don’t pay taxes, but also aren’t trying to live off the state.

[Graewoulf]

BTTT!

[devolve]

-

Jay Carney - like Bill Ayers -

He is well known to be a vicious little bisexual creep in the Beltway/media cult

He picked up a “beard” as Ayers and Obama did.....

-

[Andrei Bulba]

Not only did I watch both the tape and the news conference, funny thing is I’m the noob and you chose to frame your argument as best as possible for Obama.

Prediction from a noob: Romney will gain from this.

[xzins]

Don’t vote for Romney, because he is not even incrementally better than 0bama!

You have free will and will vote for whomever you choose. So will I, kingattax, and everyone else in this country who is eligible and willing to vote. (And some who are not eligible.)

But the victor's victory is under the control of God.

“Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever;
wisdom and power are his.
v 21 He changes times and seasons;
he deposes kings and raises up others

[StAnDeliver]

"How does that make me lacking in personal responsibility ?"

It makes you lacking in personal economics. Take some more exemptions so the govt doesn't hold your money for a year.

As to the rest of your assertions, RV $0-50 is much higher than non-RV...

US Citizen	2010 Census
Not in Labor Force / Reported Voted	32.8M
Not in Labor Force / Did Not Vote	26.7M
Any Disability / Reported Voted	11.0M
Any Disability / Did Not Vote	11.3M
Avg. Family Inc 18+ / $0-50,000 / RV	31.8M
Avg. Family Inc 18+ / $0-50,000 / not RV	13.5M