Live Thread: Romney to Speak to Press Tonight About '47% Video' Comments

Monday, September 17, 2012 | Kristinn

[kristinn]

Political reporters on Twitter are saying they are standing by for a Romney media availability on the video released today by Mother Jones of Romney at a May fundraiser speaking frankly of his thoughts on Obama's base voters and their entitlement mentality, aka the 47% who pay no federal income taxes.

The media and GOP-E have jumped ugly on Romney tonight.

Steve Holland, Reuters: Romney at press avail to respond to video says his comments weren't "elegantly stated," and "could have said it in a more effective way."

[Miss Didi]

When is Romney going to learn that the media is 100% for Obama. He is not going to win this battle. He can not give them any ammunition.

Au contraire. Mitt just got free TV coverage again. The drive-bys continue to sound like angry dogs and Mitt gets his message out to America looking very presidential in a suit and tie with American flags behind him. So Barry makes an ad stating--Mitt Romney thinks half of the country dependent on govt. should take some responsibility for their lives and get off the couch to find work! Frank and Betty sitting in their living room will shout--so do we! :)

[Mr Rogers]

If you think Romney doesn’t understand taxes, you are an idiot. He’s an extremely successful businessman, largely by financing risky businesses. And what are YOU?

If you want to vote for the Entitlement State, switch to the Democrats. We cannot compete with them by promising entitlements for everyone...

[muawiyah]

not really ~ i paid my way ~ in fact my contributions from my pay to the retirement fund work out so that when i pass on i will probably be nearly 100 years short of having gotten all my money back.

I doubt your retirement cost/benefit ratio is anything like that ~

[cripplecreek]

Unfortunately people better get used to videos like that one. How quickly people forget that unscripted Mitt would make Joe Biden proud.

[stickywillie]

This is important. If Mitt can successfully pivot this to economic ideology, he can present a choice to the American people that we will win......right you are. this is just a big ol’ Wisconsin. and point to where it’s already working

[ForAmerica]

Why??????? He said nothing wrong. Who in the HELL is advising this guy?

McCain's, they want Romney to throw the election too!

[muawiyah]

Prove it smart guy ~ seems to me he would have known the number he's using arose out of a discussion of a single tax ~ the federal personal income tax and nothing other than that!

Tell me why he misspoke so readily.

[nicmarlo]

Yeah, I know, you don’t want to alienate a potential voter. But I know he’s not talking about people down on their luck and need help, or those disabled and require help.

He’s talking about the people who could and should work but feel they’re entitled to using the system to stay perpetually on food stamps and handouts. They’re leeches.

[freepertoo]

Cripplecreek, you’re being cranky. :-D

[Miss Didi]

And the media will ignore the economy, the middle east, Israel, and focus like a laser on that old video clip.

They can't ignore 27--count them--countries now protesting and shouting "death to America" while burning our flag.

[tapatio]

.Something was different IMO.

It was his teeth.They were very bright.

[sgtyork]

Yep. He’s talking about President Foodstamps and his dependents - in all senses of the word.

[freepertoo]

Gene Kelly teeth.

[dragnet2]

I don't that was the posters point.

The point was many people work, but don't earn enough to pay fed taxes. I imagine they are part of what he considered part of that 47%.

No?

[muawiyah]

What am I ~ hmmm ~ difficult question. Let me ask you this, ever work on something where your efforts could result in $1 billion more, or $1 billion less than otherwise ~ with your absence?

If you haven't then go away.

[narses]

...in fact my contributions from my pay to the retirement fund work out so that when i pass on i will probably be nearly 100 years short of having gotten all my money back.

Sounds like you was taken advantage of, and yet you still seem to always be defending government. Odd.

[Kansas58]

Huh?
Romney did not advocate raising taxes on anyone.

Romney is making he honest case that the bill payers and tax payers are who he wants to represent, not the takers.

[freepertoo]

No. He’s talking about people who don’t make a decent living because they choose not to. I know several people in that category.

[Vasilli22]

“A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship. The average age of the world's greatest civilizations has been 200 years.” ― Alexis de Tocqueville

[TonyInOhio]

Plus, he broke Twitter tonight, too. Broke it into little bits - the foaming at the mouth crowd just crushed it.

It seems to me that Romney is pretty quick on his feet; I'm not worried about Unscripted Mitt at all. Actually, I'd prefer that at this point, because less his advisers control his message, the better.