Romney would be ok if he had said 28.6%

[Enrique]

The problem with "47%" is that it is clear that it includes white people. Otherwise the comment would be perfectly fine. Us libs might object, but the media would yawn and the GOP, rather than distance themselves, would embrace the comment with gusto.

This is one area where people like Newt and Rick Santorum are more savvy than Mitt, they know all about what I'm talking about.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_the_United_States#Race_and_ethnicity

Black or African American 12.6%
Hispanic or Latino 16.0%

[el_bryanto]

1. Ummmm - not exactly

Or the implication here is that most of white America and specifically Moderate America is racist, or at least only really cares about their own (white) race. I don't think that necessarily follows. I think a lot of those in the middle might well be offended if he had made it specifically about black and Hispanic people. Also - there are Hispanics and Blacks in the middle and upper class so you would have to trim them out.

As for his own base, well that would have made it more palatable to them; but they are largely fine with the comment as it is.

Bryant

[Enrique]

4. Gingrich and Santorum get away with it

we made a fuss about their comments, the MSNBC shows made a fuss, but it was nothing like the reaction Mitt got, from everyone. David Gregory for example lecturing his surrogate, all the republicans spanking Mitt, etc.

Forget the idea that "most of white America is racist", I didn't say anything like that. I am just comparing the results of sneaky race politics vs. Mitt's clumsy class warfare.

[el_bryanto]

6. I think Mitt got slapped down more because he is supposed to be a "safe" republican

Gingrich and Santorum didn't actually get away with their comments - neither of them is the nominee. It was seen - correctly - that they would not be palatable to the majority of Americans.

Bryant

[renie408]

5. You are kidding...right?

You really think most of white America or even Moderate America isn't racist?

Maybe my viewpoint is skewed because of where I live, but racism is alive and well in both parties and all up and down the socioeconomic scale as far as I can tell. It is much MORE alive and well in the GOP, but I know plenty of racist Dems.

And I can also tell you that the OP is dead on. There are plenty of white people who resented that remark because it lumped them in with 'welfare recipients', aka blacks.

[ProSense]

2. WTF? n/t

[Frances]

3. Every American owes Romney big time

Romney made clear that he (and his rich Republican friends) disrespect working class white people just as much as blacks and HIspanics.

In the past Republicans have won the votes of blue collar whites by reassuring these people that they are "better" than blacks.

Reagan did this with his welfare queen comments. Jesse Helms did it with his ad implying that a white man did not get a job because of affirmative action.

And so on.

[Enrique]

7. see, Paul Ryan knows how to do it right

"Seventy percent of Americans want the American dream. They believe in the American idea. Only 30 percent want their welfare state," Ryan said. "Before too long, we could become a society where the net majority of Americans are takers, not makers."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_the_United_States#Race_and_ethnicity

White or European American 223,553,265 72.4 %
Black or African American 12.6%
Hispanic or Latino 16.0%