Posted on 09/17/2012 5:01:13 PM PDT by Sub-Driver
Romney: 47 percent depend on government, will vote for Obama By Justin Sink - 09/17/12 06:16 PM ET
Mitt Romney, in candid remarks at a fundraising dinner caught in an undercover video, dismissed "47 percent" of Americans as "dependent upon government."
"There are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the president no matter what," Romney is shown saying. "All right, there are 47 percent who are with him, who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe the government has a responsibility to care for them, who believe that they are entitled to healthcare, to food, to housing, to you name it."
The GOP presidential nominee goes on to say his "job is is not to worry about those people. I'll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives."
The video, uncovered by Mother Jones, is from a fundraising dinner earlier this summer. The magazine has said it is withholding the date and location of the fundraiser for the source who provided the video. The magazine posted only small, individual clips, and not Romney's remarks in their entirety.
The Obama campaign seized on Romney remarks in a statement emailed to reporters Monday night.
"It's shocking that a candidate for President of the United States would go behind closed doors and declare to a group of wealthy donors that half the American people view themselves as ‘victims,’ entitled to handouts, and are unwilling to take ‘personal responsibility’ for their lives," said Obama campaign manager Jim Messina. "It’s hard to serve as president for all Americans when you’ve disdainfully written off half the nation.”
Later Thursday afternoon, the Romney campaign issued a statement downplaying the remarks.
"Mitt Romney wants to help all Americans struggling in the Obama economy," said Romney communications director Gail Gitcho. "As the governor has made clear all year, he is concerned about the growing number of people who are dependent on the federal government, including the record number of people who are on food stamps, nearly one in six Americans in poverty, and the 23 million Americans who are struggling to find work. Mitt Romney's plan creates 12 million new jobs in four years, grows the economy and moves Americans off of government dependency and into jobs."
But the video threatens to derail what had been an orchestrated reboot of Romney's presidential campaign, which came under fire last weekend from Republican allies frustrated by the nominee's strategy. Reports emerged of infighting and bickering among top Romney advisers, and some campaign allies said Romney needed to refocus his efforts on bringing out the base after failing to rally independent and swing voters.
In a conference call earlier Monday with reporters, campaign aides pledged that Romney would provide more specifics on his policies and programs on the campaign stump.
"We think voters now, from what we see in data and other research, are looking for — OK, if we're going to make this change, how is it going to make my life better, how are things going to improve?" said Romney adviser Ed Gillespie on a conference call with reporters. "We know that they know he has a plan, which is a good thing, but we also know they would like to know a little bit more about the specifics, and we're going to meet the demand."
To aid in that effort, the campaign released two new ads on Monday detailing Romney's five-point economic plan and criticizing Obama's record. Romney also made a major push for Hispanic voters Monday, speaking at the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in Los Angeles and granting interviews to Univision and Telemundo.
But that push could be partially undermined by another of the covert clips, where Romney candidly discusses some of the problems encountered by his campaign, including trouble attracting female and Hispanic voters.
Romney jokes of his father, who was born in Mexico: "Had he been born of Mexican parents, I'd have a better shot of winning this."
Later in the fundraising video, Romney admits that Republicans are having a difficult time attracting Hispanic voters — and there could be severe repercussions for the party.
"We are having a much harder time with Hispanic voters, and if the Hispanic voting bloc becomes as committed to the Democrats as the African-American voting block has in the past, why, we're in trouble as a party and, I think, as a nation," Romney said.
Romney also told donors the campaign was using his wife, Ann, "sparingly ... so that people don't get tired of her."
And he admits that the president remains popular with many voters, which makes attacking him difficult.
"But when you say, 'Are you disappointed that his policies haven't worked?' they say yes," Romney said. "And because they voted for him, they don't want to be told that they were wrong, that he's a bad guy, that he did bad things, that he's corrupt. Those people that we have to get, they want to believe they did the right thing, but he just wasn't up to the task."
Fortunately those 47% are likely crammed together in major cities that will go to him anyway, so they are lost regardless.
This is why we're a representative republic!
Sure- Count all TSA workers, county, state and federal employees, welfare recipients, those on disability, illegals, public school teachers, administrators, assistants, principals, supervisors of assorted types, school bus drivers, gardeners, cleaning crew, SEIU types, and of course its 47% Obama. How else can anyone justify why one with Obama’s record, a domestic and foreign policy agenda up in smoke and reduced in ashes, would not be behind by 10-15 points against any serious challenger. Add to this the tribal vote of Blacks, Hispanics, and liberal Jews, NARAL, the LGBT crowd, academics, and the trial lawyers association, and it puts Obama over the top. Anyone surprised that Obama will be re-elected and our nation will be over the cliff. Pray this would not happen but prepare for Third World status.
Well, I am glad to see that he sees what is going on.
Good for you Mitt.
Bizzarro Planet alert. Are we really going down into the hole where everything sensible is denigrated?
This guy is so stupid and out of touch.
The people that collect social security are the most republican age group in America, and what are the military retirees, lefties?
When John Engler was governor of Michigan I saw a lot of people who had lived on welfare for years go to work. Some of it had to do with serious welfare cuts but the economy was much better then and there were jobs for them to go to.
Then there are other issues like the way we have so debased and ridiculed labor plus the everyone must go to college propaganda.
And there are another 5% who are conservatives but swore on their mother’s grave that they’d never vote for Romney.
So Mr. Romney:
WHAT do you plan to do about that 47%?
Because that number is pretty accurate, and it is growing.
“M O R O N...there goes his half a$$ed campaign down the drain...what f_ _ king arrogant idiot spends millions of his own money only to sabotage himself with a macacca moment tailor made for the starving masses!!!!”
By saying something conservatives have been saying for years?
Have fun at the DU.
Man, it is almost like the media and the Obamugabe campaign are working together, isn’t it?!???
Kind of like, oh, I don’t know.....THE SOVIET UNION?!
GOT PRAVDA?
Not to worry, we also have those “bitter, small town voters who cling to their guns or religion” and living somewhere in PA who will also pull the lever for Obama. How else to explain why PA always votes Obama and Democratic.
You should check out the Telegraph blogs, they think this is the end. lol.
“This guy is so stupid and out of touch.
The people that collect social security are the most republican age group in America, and what are the military retirees, lefties?”
And at what point did basic literacy fail you where you read him saying that?
How else to explain why PA always votes Obama and Democratic.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
1/3 of those who vote have been dead for over 60 years.
Are they Obama voters?
Yep - the Obama leg humpers will only energize the other 53% of us.
LLS
It's easy to ridicule when in many cases welfare pays more than labor jobs and labor jobs pay very well.
I've managed for years and labored for years and presently am a laborer by choice and I make as much as I did when managing and that is nonunion.
What makes you think he's referring to social security and military types?
The Ryan appointment alone belies that judgment.
Yeah, well, that number seems low to me...
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