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Romney On 47 Percent: ‘I Said Something That’s Just Completely Wrong’ (updated)
Romney On 47 Percent: ‘I Said Something That’s Just Completely Wrong’
Mitt Romney's secretly taped comment about "47 percent" of Americans never made an appearance in last night's presidential debate. But on Sean Hannity's show on Fox tonight, Mitt Romney was asked what his response would have been had the debate moderator Jim Lehrer, or President Obama, confronted the candidate about the tape.
Here's his answer, portions of which likely would have been prepared ahead of the debate:
In a press conference shortly after the tape was released by Mother Jones, Romney took a different position. He then said that while his comments were "not elegantly stated" and "off the cuff," they were still "a message which I'm going to carry and continue to carry, which is look, the president's approach is attractive to people who are not paying taxes because my discussion about lowering taxes isn't as attractive to them."
http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/romney-on-47-percent-i-said-something-thats
Mitt Romney's secretly taped comment about "47 percent" of Americans never made an appearance in last night's presidential debate. But on Sean Hannity's show on Fox tonight, Mitt Romney was asked what his response would have been had the debate moderator Jim Lehrer, or President Obama, confronted the candidate about the tape.
Here's his answer, portions of which likely would have been prepared ahead of the debate:
"Well, clearly in a campaign with hundreds if not thousands of question and answer sessions, now and then you're going to say something that doesn't come out right. In this case I said something that's just completely wrong. And I absolutely believe however that my life has shown that I care about the 100 percent and that has been demonstarted throughout my life. This whole campaign is about the 100 percent. When I become president it'll be about helping the 100 percent."
In a press conference shortly after the tape was released by Mother Jones, Romney took a different position. He then said that while his comments were "not elegantly stated" and "off the cuff," they were still "a message which I'm going to carry and continue to carry, which is look, the president's approach is attractive to people who are not paying taxes because my discussion about lowering taxes isn't as attractive to them."
http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/romney-on-47-percent-i-said-something-thats
<...>
The latest WSJ/NBC poll read respondents his comments and found 45 percent felt more negatively towards Romney afterwards versus only 23 percent who felt more positive about him. Even worse, the 12 percent slice of voters NBC defines as “up for grabs” had the strongest reaction. Just 10 percent approved of the remarks versus a whopping 49 percent who said the comments diminished their opinion of Romney.
- more -
http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/10/polls-show-romneys-47-percent-moment-breaking-through-you-didnt-build-that-fizzling.php
The latest WSJ/NBC poll read respondents his comments and found 45 percent felt more negatively towards Romney afterwards versus only 23 percent who felt more positive about him. Even worse, the 12 percent slice of voters NBC defines as “up for grabs” had the strongest reaction. Just 10 percent approved of the remarks versus a whopping 49 percent who said the comments diminished their opinion of Romney.
- more -
http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/10/polls-show-romneys-47-percent-moment-breaking-through-you-didnt-build-that-fizzling.php
47% layabouts? 30% lazy bums? Who's right about Americans? Mitt Romney or Paul Ryan?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021454102
DNC hits Etch-A-Sketch on 47 percent comment: Mitt Romney: Those People
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021421930
Mary Matalin refers to half of the American people as "parasites"
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021372981
Mitt Romney: I was right
by Jed Lewison
<...>
Romney said that his remarks were "not elegantly stated," but added that he won't back down from them. "It’s a message which I’m going to carry and continue to carry," he said.
I don't know if there's anything else he could have said in his response, but let's be clear: Romney's position is as false as it is heartless. He's not just disparaging and writing off half of Americans, he's accusing them of paying "no taxes." That's just not true.
The reality is that most of Mitt's alleged moochers actually do pay federal taxes (see below for details), and virtually all of those who don't still pay state and local taxes. Moreover, many of the people he accuses of being moochers are actually part of his coalition—most of the people who pay neither federal income nor payroll tax are elderly voters, who represent Romney's strongest age demographic. And in 2011, 7,000 millionaires paid no income tax. Surely, Romney could squeeze a few votes from that group.
What this comes down to is that Mitt Romney said something that was not only demonstrably untrue, not only wildly offensive, but also made no sense as political analysis. It was the worst of conservatism jam-packed into a 60 second soundbite: an insulting argument completely disconnected from reality that wouldn't even achieve the stated goals of conservatism were it allowed to prevail. And presented with the opportunity to divorce himself from his statement, Romney decided it would be better to double down than to admit he was wrong. It was simultaneously ignorant, obnoxious, and counterproductive. And Romney's response: no apology.
* [font color="black" size="2" face="face"]The fact is that more than 80 percent of Americans pay federal taxes. 46.4 percent don't pay federal income taxes, but 61 percent of those people do pay federal payroll taxes. Those who don't pay payroll taxes are primarily elderly retirees, many of whom support Romney. Also in that group: the poor and disabled.[/font]
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/09/18/1133265/-Mitt-Romney-I-was-right
by Jed Lewison
<...>
Romney said that his remarks were "not elegantly stated," but added that he won't back down from them. "It’s a message which I’m going to carry and continue to carry," he said.
I don't know if there's anything else he could have said in his response, but let's be clear: Romney's position is as false as it is heartless. He's not just disparaging and writing off half of Americans, he's accusing them of paying "no taxes." That's just not true.
The reality is that most of Mitt's alleged moochers actually do pay federal taxes (see below for details), and virtually all of those who don't still pay state and local taxes. Moreover, many of the people he accuses of being moochers are actually part of his coalition—most of the people who pay neither federal income nor payroll tax are elderly voters, who represent Romney's strongest age demographic. And in 2011, 7,000 millionaires paid no income tax. Surely, Romney could squeeze a few votes from that group.
What this comes down to is that Mitt Romney said something that was not only demonstrably untrue, not only wildly offensive, but also made no sense as political analysis. It was the worst of conservatism jam-packed into a 60 second soundbite: an insulting argument completely disconnected from reality that wouldn't even achieve the stated goals of conservatism were it allowed to prevail. And presented with the opportunity to divorce himself from his statement, Romney decided it would be better to double down than to admit he was wrong. It was simultaneously ignorant, obnoxious, and counterproductive. And Romney's response: no apology.
* [font color="black" size="2" face="face"]The fact is that more than 80 percent of Americans pay federal taxes. 46.4 percent don't pay federal income taxes, but 61 percent of those people do pay federal payroll taxes. Those who don't pay payroll taxes are primarily elderly retirees, many of whom support Romney. Also in that group: the poor and disabled.[/font]
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/09/18/1133265/-Mitt-Romney-I-was-right
Updated to add:
h/t Cha
26 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
Or maybe Mitt and his evil twin Willard?
One person couldn't contain all these diametrically opposed views.
