AP
Romney on his “47 percent” comments: “I was completely wrong”
In an interview Thursday night with Fox News, Romney was asked what he would have said had the “47 percent” comments come up during his debate the night before with President Barack Obama.
Romney responded that sometimes in campaigning something doesn’t come out right and that, quote, “In this case, I said something that’s just completely wrong.”
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Wow. Way to cave.
Night Owl on October 5, 2012 at 8:03 AM
cripe….why??????????
should have embraced it….
cmsinaz on October 5, 2012 at 8:04 AM
He must be feeling really confident.
Go RBNY on October 5, 2012 at 8:04 AM
Methinks the 47% doth protest too much.
rhombus on October 5, 2012 at 8:04 AM
He’s feeling more and more comfortable showing his liberal side (which is the majority of what he is).
Nothing to lose in that – the GOP Ayatollahs have done a good job keeping the conservative slaves in line so that they march like zombies to the polls in November to vote for a guy who is completely contrary to their stated conservative doctrine.
HondaV65 on October 5, 2012 at 8:05 AM
Cut Barky off at the knees on another attack line.
Bishop on October 5, 2012 at 8:07 AM
His original remark, while (mostly) accurate, wasn’t a very politically astute thing to say in public. The correct thing to do is say you want to help 100% of the people (as Romney says here)…and once elected, begin working to get as many of the 47% off the public dole as possible – which really is in their best interest, whether they know it or not.
DRayRaven on October 5, 2012 at 8:08 AM
This apology deflates Obama’s attacks and demagoguery on Romney for this comment. That’s all. The O Team doesn’t have much and Romney is taking away one of their life lines.
conservative pilgrim on October 5, 2012 at 8:08 AM
Its a non-denial-denial. Being President of the “100%” doesnt mean that the far spred dependency wont be an electoral advantage for the Democrats.
Valkyriepundit on October 5, 2012 at 8:09 AM
can he come back with ‘you didn’t build that’?
cmsinaz on October 5, 2012 at 8:09 AM
He’s right, he was completely wrong. A large chunk of that 47% is rich, white, dumb, and guilty. And a large chunk of the people on the take know they’re being held back, not helped.
HitNRun on October 5, 2012 at 8:10 AM
YEP
gophergirl on October 5, 2012 at 8:10 AM
they’ll keep hammering him with it…
cmsinaz on October 5, 2012 at 8:10 AM
Hope he is not trying to win “Obamaphone” lady’s vote.
Jabberwock on October 5, 2012 at 8:10 AM
Yeah, because Gary Johnson is such a realistic alternative, and failing that, another four years of Obama would be so much better than Romney.
Romney won the nomination. He was never my guy either, but I got over it. Defeating Obama is Job One.
DRayRaven on October 5, 2012 at 8:10 AM
This comment will not gain him any of the 47%. And it will likely lose some of the indies/undecideds because it shows weakness. Way to build on that debate momentum. You said it – own it.
DOOF on October 5, 2012 at 8:11 AM
Nope It will only bring out “flip-flop” catcalls.
Jabberwock on October 5, 2012 at 8:12 AM
That’s my take, too.
Fallon on October 5, 2012 at 8:12 AM
Because free markets, lowing taxes and private enterprise is so not conservative /
gophergirl on October 5, 2012 at 8:14 AM
God golly, he just needed to apologize for calling them victims and make clear he’s not referring to military or retirees.
Zaggs on October 5, 2012 at 8:17 AM
I can’t wait to hear you making excuses for his liberal tendencies after he’s elected President and expands the government like Bush did.
HondaV65 on October 5, 2012 at 8:17 AM
Well – he was wrong. He conflated several different groups of people – the elderly, unemployed and the real moochers.
The response should be: “I was wrong, many of the 47% that don’t pay federal income tax are unemployed or underemployed and want a good job and Obama has failed these people and I will enable the economy to get roaring again to provide these people with opportunity. The democrat party does breed dependency in people and there are some voters I won’t convince to vote for me because they look to government to take care of them. But the 47% number was wrong and I look forward to representing the interests of all Americans.”
gwelf on October 5, 2012 at 8:18 AM
LOL – he’s never done those things.
WillardCare – Socialism … have fun with it.
HondaV65 on October 5, 2012 at 8:18 AM
So true. They’re on auto-pilot with their 2-3 tired talking points. Obama invaded my FB newsfeed yesterday with a sponsored ad. It went something like this:
“Well, we know one thing from last night’s debate–Romney doesn’t have a plan for this country.” And then listed Obama’s rehashed policy proposals that he couldn’t seem to remember at the debate. lol
conservative pilgrim on October 5, 2012 at 8:18 AM
Much to your dismay, I won’t be making any excuses. But I’d rather be dealing with liberalism-lite than full blown Marxism.
conservative pilgrim on October 5, 2012 at 8:21 AM
LULZ
Notorious GOP on October 5, 2012 at 8:21 AM
From the right? They never really went away. (see HondaV65)
From the left? See the thread from yesterday about Bark’s restrategerizing in regards to Rombo, that’s exactly what they plan to do against Rombo so no loss there anyway.
Bishop on October 5, 2012 at 8:22 AM
Don’t know if he’s saying he’s wrong on the numbers (fact checkers did a ‘technical’ debunking of the stat) or wrong morally…either way, it takes a strong man to admit a ‘wrong’ (has Obama ever expressed contrition for past controversial statements?). Don’t think so.
The 47% card needed to be cut off at the knees–too easily demagogued by the Left. It has been toxic to his campaign, giving Obama momentum.
Maybe when Romney has the bulk of the media establishment hanging from his crotch he could get away with insulting Americans with impunity.
Good move. He had this keyed up for the debate, anyway. Obama just never brought it up.
RepubChica on October 5, 2012 at 8:24 AM
Being humble and apologizing is an endearing quality, unlike the Blamer-in-Chief. Just preemptive move prior to the next debate and do not forget the last Rass poll showed 64% of Americans actually agreeing with his synopsis, so little impact IMHO.
hillsoftx on October 5, 2012 at 8:26 AM
Tomorrow’s QOTD:
Romney: I really think that President Obama’s poor performance in the debate had something to do with the altitude in Denver.
Clink on October 5, 2012 at 8:27 AM
He was completely wrong.
Although 47% sounds good and represents those with a minimal stake in paying for government, it’s probably only 43% that are completely a lost cause.
So, see, totally wrong.
makattak on October 5, 2012 at 8:28 AM
*Not* saying Romney insulted Americans with his actual statement–but the media distortion and framing of his statement as reported is insulting.
RepubChica on October 5, 2012 at 8:29 AM
So the question is, would apologizing during the debate have been a boost? Because clearly he, like everyone else, expected it to come up.
YYZ on October 5, 2012 at 8:29 AM
Obama didn’t bring it up because he knows the entire quote was taken out of context. Romney was saying that campaigning on tax cuts to people who don’t pay income taxes is futile. That’s all he was saying. The Left (and people here, evidently) think he was talking about something else.
So, if Obama brought it up, Romney would have corrected him, and the Leftist talking point would have been ethered, right then and there. Obama and his handlers knew that so they didn’t bring it up.
visions on October 5, 2012 at 8:31 AM
Romney should have said he made a mistake in overgeneralizing and that his comment applies to some of that percentage. It doesn’t apply to those who are truly in need or who really can’t take of themselves, and it doesn’t apply to veterans and retirees. But it does apply to those who are content to a exist on a mediocre existence of a patchwork quilt of government benefits for years on end–like the ones who’ll benefit from Obama’s elimination of the work requirement for welfare.
BuckeyeSam on October 5, 2012 at 8:32 AM
Yep this is his first step to correcting his comment. He still feels that way about Obama supporters.
He mistakenly conflated Obama supporters with beneficiaries of government programs like medicare, social security and for those who may be struggling but who still believe in working hard to overcome and are still socially conservative and hard working.
Just as he did at the debate, Romney is going to start to provide bulleted explanations and clarifications.
nitzsche on October 5, 2012 at 8:34 AM
Agree.
I think Obama plans to be mediocre at the debates then go full Alinsky in the days following. A risky, passive aggressive approach, for sure, but he is betting to get more milage from mocking Romney as a follow-up, than Romney gets by winning the debates.
Obama knows he cannot win on policy or performance and therefore has only “Rules for Radicals” to run on.
Certainly does not bode well for the political discourse in this country.
Jabberwock on October 5, 2012 at 8:38 AM
Exactly. Obama didn’t want to give Mitt a chance to clear that up and take away the Dem’s #1 talking point. I’m guessing Romney will walk it back a few times before the next debate, to completely neutralize it.
Priscilla on October 5, 2012 at 8:42 AM
You think Obama planned to be that bad at the debate?
I don’t know about that….
Priscilla on October 5, 2012 at 8:44 AM
It was the only thing left in Obama’s arsenal. Now he’s got nothing. heh.
ctmom on October 5, 2012 at 8:58 AM
A lot of those 47% who don’t pay taxes are working poor or are seniors on fixed incomes, so yes he was perhaps right that those who don’t work and have never worked will support Obama, but he was wrong to lump the former in with the latter.
Basilsbest on October 5, 2012 at 8:58 AM
See what he’s doing here? HE’S SELLING YOU GUYS OUT!
Bait you in to voting for him by talking your talk, then dramatically run towards the center again to pick up centrist votes by condemning what he said earlier that bought your vote.
Mitt realizes the far right hates him, so he talks “your talk” about moochers and parasites and big bad poor people scamming the system so he can get your vote and get you to forget about the fact you hated him in the primaries. Then he sells you out, knowing your vote is tied up, so he can flip-flop toward the center again.
Feel used yet? LOL.
cornfedbubba on October 5, 2012 at 9:12 AM
Appreciate your concern.
How are you feeling about your vote for Barky considering how many promises he’s stone-cold broken right in your face.
Feel used yet? ROFL
Bishop on October 5, 2012 at 9:19 AM
He was wrong. If everyone who didn’t pay any income taxes for whatever reason voted for Obama, Romney would lose in a landslide. This isn’t the hill to die on people.
Fezzik on October 5, 2012 at 9:20 AM
THink Supreme Court, please.
NJ Red on October 5, 2012 at 9:29 AM
Roberts.
Has no experience in picking conservative judges, but does have experience picking progressive liberal activist extremist judges.
His views are progressive, so he likely will find highly qualified judges that appear somewhat acceptable, but the reasoning behind their judgements might be progressive.
Kind of like the way to interpret the pursuit of happiness is that Americans take care of each other, like a communist country, from each to each. Along with support for medicare, social security and part d.
So, Supreme Court? Expect more undermining of conservatism there, under the guise of being Republican. Brand name quality? Look to the Democrat party.
At least he said one good thing for me. The debt is a moral issue. At least he gets that, or I hope he does.
astonerii on October 5, 2012 at 9:58 AM
No I don’t. But I don’t think he thought Romney would come out that strong. Only a modest miscalculation.
Obama is an Alinsky-ite. And one of the main tenets of that bunch is to ridicule the opponents stregnth. Relentlessly.
Therefore, rope-a-dope the debate ( one night timeframe) and then mock via the campaign trail for a week or two.
Which do YOU think will be in the press more ?
Jabberwock on October 5, 2012 at 10:06 AM
It’s so funny watching so many of you who told him to take that message everywhere say…well, yeah, he was wrong.
Some of you are something else
Can.I.be.in.the.middle on October 5, 2012 at 10:08 AM
Nope.
Yup.
So?
True.
Trolls.
Mr. Arkadin on October 5, 2012 at 10:17 AM
Agreed. (Doesn’t make me less annoyed over the apology tho)
lucyvanpelt on October 5, 2012 at 10:33 AM
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