Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney didn’t say THAT but he did have words for those 47% of American voters who support President Obama (via Talking Points Memo):
Behind closed doors, Mitt Romney sounds like the leaders of the far-right flank of his party. That’s the central message from a video purportedly taken during a Romney fundraiser earlier this year and posted online by Mother Jones Monday.
The Obama campaign called the clip “shocking.”
In the clip, which was recorded surreptitiously at a Romney fundraiser that “occurred after Romney had clinched the Republican presidential nomination,” according to Mother Jones, Romney tells a room full of donors that people who voted for President Obama — a full 47 percent of the country — are dependent on the government.
“There are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the president no matter what. 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 health care, to food, to housing, to you-name-it,” Romney said, according to the Mother Jones transcript. “That that’s an entitlement. And the government should give it to them. And they will vote for this president no matter what … These are people who pay no income tax.”
And the proverbial icing on the cake, especially to Team Obama, Democrats, and Liberals:
“[M]y job is is not to worry about those people. I’ll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives.”
I appreciate Mitt Romney’s honest feelings. In the videos that TPM posted via Mother Jones, there’s a certain resoluteness in his tone that indicates that he’s speaking straight from the heart. But Mitt Romney has a huge problem with this: he’s essentially saying to a large part of the American electorate that he’s kicking them to the curb and being done with it. See in certain positions, it doesn’t matter if they don’t agree with you or don’t like you (or you don’t agree with them and don’t like them). And you may just want to kick them to the curb and be done with it. BUT in those certain positions or roles, you still are responsible for them. You represent them. So his words can easily be turned into a “Romney does not care nor want to hear and represent you”. He’s put into words what some feel about him. He’s given Team Obama meat redder than Obama’s “you didn’t build that” line.
Tough times ahead for Team Romney.
Much love to Taylor Marsh’s take on this for the motivation.
* UPDATE *
I listened to the video and audio excerpts a third time. And then headed on over to Hot Air to read Allahpundit’s take. Interesting point he made:
…but my hunch is that Ben Domenech’s right in believing that no one really thinks they’re part of the 47 percent. Everyone thinks they’re a “maker,” not a “taker,” due to whatever little tax they pay, so when Mitt lays into freeloaders, even people who pay no income tax think he’s talking about someone else. It’s sort of the flip side of senior citizens saying that America needs small government while telling politicians “Hands off my Medicare.”
I get that. But Ol’ Mitt comes off looking like the dispassionate CEO that looks at his employees as units that can be shuffled around. That 47%? Screw ’em since they all getting handouts (even the ones very rich ones – Hollywood liberals anyone?). Handouts from a government YOU want to be the Executive of. Many people are focusing on the 47% and the government entitlement portions of the audio and video. As I mentioned before, it’s his statement that the 47% can essentially call it a four years since he doesn’t care for them will stick in some minds much longer than he wants. Even if you feel that way, you don’t want to say it sometimes.
I’m not complex. Don’t have time for all that. And all that complex stuff bad for the stomach. Just color me simple and plain with a twist.