Romney demonstrates his election-throwing skills

Wolfstrike

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Romney: Not focused on poor, they have safety net

By KASIE HUNT
Associated Press


AP Photo/Ben Garvin


Tony Winton reports that Mitt Romney is talking about the future of his campaign -- but he won't focus on poverty.

AP Radio's Bryant Thomas reports Mitt Romney gets some extra staff members starting today.


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EAGAN, Minn. (AP) -- Republican presidential front-runner Mitt Romney, confident after his Florida primary victory, ended up inviting criticism Wednesday when he said he's "not concerned about the very poor" because they have an "ample safety net."

Democrats and Republicans alike - including opponent Newt Gingrich - pounced and the GOP front-runner quickly sought to explain his remarks.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no," Romney told reporters on his campaign plane when asked about the comments. "No, no, no. You've got to take the whole sentence, all right, it's mostly the same." He said his remark was consistent with his theme throughout the race, adding: "My energy is going to be devoted to helping middle-income people."

Despite that explanation, Romney's comments quickly became an immediate distraction from his message that he's more conservative than Gingrich and from the double-digit thumping the former House speaker sustained in Florida. His campaign worked behind the scenes to provide context for the comment.

Gingrich raised Romney's remark at his first event since losing the Florida primary. He read Romney's quotes aloud and they were met with boos from the crowd at a brewery in Reno, Nev.

"I am fed up with politicians in either party dividing Americans against each other," Gingrich said. "I am running to be the president of all the American people and I am concerned about all the American people."

As the day began, Romney told CNN from Florida: "I'm not concerned about the very poor. We have a safety net there. If it needs repair, I'll fix it. I'm not concerned about the very rich. They're doing just fine. I'm concerned about the very heart of America, the 90-95 percent of Americans who right now are struggling."

"You can focus on the very poor, that's not my focus," he said.

President Barack Obama's re-election campaign was quick to criticize.

"So much for `we're all in this together,'" tweeted Obama campaign manager Jim Messina.

Some conservative pundits also labeled it a gaffe and said it was evidence Romney wasn't prepared to run against Obama.

"The issue here is not that Romney is right or wrong, but that he is handing choice sound bites to the Democrats to make him as unlikeable as he made Newt Gingrich," said Erick Erickson on the conservative RedState blog. And Jonah Goldberg at the conservative National Review Online said of Romney: "Every time he seems to get into his groove and pull away he says things that make people think he doesn't know how to play the game."

With criticism mounting, Romney flew to Minnesota and addressed a rally before heading to Nevada. He also boasted in flight about his "huge" Florida victory.

Gay rights protesters in Minnesota threw glitter at Romney before he took the stage, making him the latest candidate to be "glittered" by activists opposed to his position on gay rights. Romney, who opposes gay marriage, put a positive spin on the sparkle in his hair.

"This is confetti! We just won Florida," he said as he took the stage.

Romney, whose central challenge is winning over skeptical conservatives, told reporters on the plane that the fact that he performed strongly among conservatives in Florida made sense because he's more conservative than Gingrich.

"I'm not saying he's not conservative. I'm just saying he's not the pure conservative he would have people believe, and I think folks in Florida saw through that," Romney said. His campaign also started airing a radio ad in Colorado on Wednesday that says "conservatives across America are supporting Mitt Romney."

But Romney immediately was forced to clarify his comments about the poor.

Asked whether his words might strike some as odd, Romney said: "We will hear from the Democrat party the plight of the poor and there's no question, it's not good being poor, and we have a safety net to help those that are very poor." Romney added that he's more worried about the unemployed, people living on Social Security and those struggling to send their kids to college.

"We have a very ample safety net and we can talk about whether it needs to be strengthened or whether there are holes in it. But we have food stamps, we have Medicaid, we have housing vouchers, we have programs to help the poor," Romney said. "But the middle-income Americans, they're the folks that are really struggling right now."

Romney has broached the subject of the poor repeatedly on the campaign trail but until Wednesday had been more careful in his choice of words.

"I worry about the very poor and I want to make sure that our safety net is there," Romney said in New Hampshire in December, says the middle class are "the people I'm really concerned about right now."

Wednesday wasn't the first time that Romney, who made millions working in private equity, has been accused of insensitivity on matters of wealth. He once said "I like being able to fire people" when talking about having the ability to choose service providers. He also has declared that he knew what it was like to worry about being "pink-slipped" out of a job.

At a Las Vegas rally later Wednesday, Romney criticized the Obama administration's decision to announce that U.S. and other international forces in Afghanistan plan to end their combat role in 2013 and continue a training and advisory role with Afghan forces through the next year. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta laid out the administration position to reporters while traveling to a NATO defense ministers meeting in Brussels.

Romney said that announcing a withdrawal date aids America's enemies. "He announced that so the Taliban hears that, the Pakistanis hear it," Romney said, referring to Panetta's comments.

Romney went on to criticize Obama. "His naivete is putting in jeopardy the United States of America and our commitments to freedom," Romney said. "He is wrong."

-------------------------------------------------------------





look forward to more blunders from Mitt 'take-a-dive' Romney.


the quote they played on TV was "i don't care about the rich or the poor, i'm here for the middle class"
i think the media pulled a quote switch-a-roo
 
As if anyone who takes offense to what Romney said isn't already a predetermined Obama vote anyways.
 
And btw, strengthening America's middle class is the best possible thing you could do for the income mobility of the lower class.
 
"I like to fire people"

"I am not concerned about the poor"

"My tax rate is 13%"

"Let them eat cake"

Okay, I made that one up. That was Marie Antoinette.

This guy is right out of central casting for out of touch rich people.

cf796d6e38a5df66a12a2ac70f7cfc62.jpg
 
Last edited:
Romney: Not focused on poor, they have safety net

By KASIE HUNT
Associated Press


AP Photo/Ben Garvin


Tony Winton reports that Mitt Romney is talking about the future of his campaign -- but he won't focus on poverty.

AP Radio's Bryant Thomas reports Mitt Romney gets some extra staff members starting today.


Latest News
Romney: Not focused on poor, they have safety net
Romney supports automatic hikes in minimum wage

Rapper K'Naan upset Mitt Romney used his song

Romney turns to killer instinct to win Florida

Officials: Romney to get Secret Service protection






EAGAN, Minn. (AP) -- Republican presidential front-runner Mitt Romney, confident after his Florida primary victory, ended up inviting criticism Wednesday when he said he's "not concerned about the very poor" because they have an "ample safety net."

Democrats and Republicans alike - including opponent Newt Gingrich - pounced and the GOP front-runner quickly sought to explain his remarks.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no," Romney told reporters on his campaign plane when asked about the comments. "No, no, no. You've got to take the whole sentence, all right, it's mostly the same." He said his remark was consistent with his theme throughout the race, adding: "My energy is going to be devoted to helping middle-income people."

Despite that explanation, Romney's comments quickly became an immediate distraction from his message that he's more conservative than Gingrich and from the double-digit thumping the former House speaker sustained in Florida. His campaign worked behind the scenes to provide context for the comment.

Gingrich raised Romney's remark at his first event since losing the Florida primary. He read Romney's quotes aloud and they were met with boos from the crowd at a brewery in Reno, Nev.

"I am fed up with politicians in either party dividing Americans against each other," Gingrich said. "I am running to be the president of all the American people and I am concerned about all the American people."

As the day began, Romney told CNN from Florida: "I'm not concerned about the very poor. We have a safety net there. If it needs repair, I'll fix it. I'm not concerned about the very rich. They're doing just fine. I'm concerned about the very heart of America, the 90-95 percent of Americans who right now are struggling."

"You can focus on the very poor, that's not my focus," he said.

President Barack Obama's re-election campaign was quick to criticize.

"So much for `we're all in this together,'" tweeted Obama campaign manager Jim Messina.

Some conservative pundits also labeled it a gaffe and said it was evidence Romney wasn't prepared to run against Obama.

"The issue here is not that Romney is right or wrong, but that he is handing choice sound bites to the Democrats to make him as unlikeable as he made Newt Gingrich," said Erick Erickson on the conservative RedState blog. And Jonah Goldberg at the conservative National Review Online said of Romney: "Every time he seems to get into his groove and pull away he says things that make people think he doesn't know how to play the game."

With criticism mounting, Romney flew to Minnesota and addressed a rally before heading to Nevada. He also boasted in flight about his "huge" Florida victory.

Gay rights protesters in Minnesota threw glitter at Romney before he took the stage, making him the latest candidate to be "glittered" by activists opposed to his position on gay rights. Romney, who opposes gay marriage, put a positive spin on the sparkle in his hair.

"This is confetti! We just won Florida," he said as he took the stage.

Romney, whose central challenge is winning over skeptical conservatives, told reporters on the plane that the fact that he performed strongly among conservatives in Florida made sense because he's more conservative than Gingrich.

"I'm not saying he's not conservative. I'm just saying he's not the pure conservative he would have people believe, and I think folks in Florida saw through that," Romney said. His campaign also started airing a radio ad in Colorado on Wednesday that says "conservatives across America are supporting Mitt Romney."

But Romney immediately was forced to clarify his comments about the poor.

Asked whether his words might strike some as odd, Romney said: "We will hear from the Democrat party the plight of the poor and there's no question, it's not good being poor, and we have a safety net to help those that are very poor." Romney added that he's more worried about the unemployed, people living on Social Security and those struggling to send their kids to college.

"We have a very ample safety net and we can talk about whether it needs to be strengthened or whether there are holes in it. But we have food stamps, we have Medicaid, we have housing vouchers, we have programs to help the poor," Romney said. "But the middle-income Americans, they're the folks that are really struggling right now."

Romney has broached the subject of the poor repeatedly on the campaign trail but until Wednesday had been more careful in his choice of words.

"I worry about the very poor and I want to make sure that our safety net is there," Romney said in New Hampshire in December, says the middle class are "the people I'm really concerned about right now."

Wednesday wasn't the first time that Romney, who made millions working in private equity, has been accused of insensitivity on matters of wealth. He once said "I like being able to fire people" when talking about having the ability to choose service providers. He also has declared that he knew what it was like to worry about being "pink-slipped" out of a job.

At a Las Vegas rally later Wednesday, Romney criticized the Obama administration's decision to announce that U.S. and other international forces in Afghanistan plan to end their combat role in 2013 and continue a training and advisory role with Afghan forces through the next year. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta laid out the administration position to reporters while traveling to a NATO defense ministers meeting in Brussels.

Romney said that announcing a withdrawal date aids America's enemies. "He announced that so the Taliban hears that, the Pakistanis hear it," Romney said, referring to Panetta's comments.

Romney went on to criticize Obama. "His naivete is putting in jeopardy the United States of America and our commitments to freedom," Romney said. "He is wrong."

-------------------------------------------------------------





look forward to more blunders from Mitt 'take-a-dive' Romney.


the quote they played on TV was "i don't care about the rich or the poor, i'm here for the middle class"
i think the media pulled a quote switch-a-roo
The guy is nothing more than a RW tool and fool.

When he goes up against Obama...he's TOAST!
 
Uncle Ferd says Mitt wooin' dem rich widow-womens...
:tongue:
G.O.P. Donors Showing Thirst to Oust Obama in November
January 31, 2012 Rich Patrons Are Major Source of Romney’s Cash
Close to 60 corporations and wealthy individuals gave checks of $100,000 or more to a “super PAC” supporting Mitt Romney in the months leading up to the Iowa caucuses, according to documents released on Tuesday, underwriting a $17 million blitz of advertising that has swamped his Republican rivals in the early primary states. The filings to the Federal Election Commission, the first detailed look at a crucial source of support for Mr. Romney, showed his ability to win substantial backing from a small number of his party’s most influential and wealthy patrons, each contributing to the super PAC far more than the $2,500 check each could legally write to his campaign.

All told, the group, Restore Our Future, raised about $18 million from just 200 donors in the second half of 2011. Millions of dollars came from financial industry executives, including Mr. Romney’s former colleagues at Bain Capital, who contributed a total of $750,000; senior executives at Goldman Sachs, who contributed $385,000; and some of the most prominent and politically active Republicans in the hedge fund world, three of whom gave $1 million each: Robert Mercer of Renaissance Technologies; Paul Singer of Elliott Management, and Julian Robertson of Tiger Management.

Harlan Crow, the Texas construction magnate, gave $300,000 personally and through his company. William Koch, whose brothers Charles and David are among the country’s most prominent backers of conservative causes, gave $1 million personally or through Oxbow Carbon, the energy company he founded. Members of the Walton family, founders of the Walmart chain, gave over $200,000, while Bob Perry — a wealthy home builder who has long been the top patron of Mr. Romney’s erstwhile rival, Gov. Rick Perry of Texas — chipped in $500,000 in early December. But as Mr. Romney sailed to an overwhelming victory in Florida’s primary on Tuesday night, fund-raising documents filed by President Obama showed the kind of financial juggernaut he will face if he becomes his party’s nominee: Mr. Obama reported raising a total of $140 million in 2011, far eclipsing the $57 million Mr. Romney raised for his campaign for the year.

The figures underscored the deep divide between how each party’s presidential contenders are financing their early bids for the White House: Mr. Obama exploiting the well-oiled machinery of an incumbent with a powerful grass-roots apparatus and hundreds of “bundlers” gathering checks of up to $2,500 per person from friends and associates, and his Republican opponents relying far more heavily on independent groups empowered by court decisions that have made it easier for wealthy individuals and corporations to spend unlimited amounts of money to intervene directly in election contests.

MORE

See also:

Romney wins big among Hispanics in Florida primary
Wednesday, February 1, 2012 : Hard-line immigration stance didn’t hurt him in Sunshine State
Mitt Romney took a hard-line position on immigration into the Florida primary Tuesday and emerged victorious, signaling that his stance isn’t costing him yet, though it could still be a problem if he’s the GOP’s presidential nominee in November. Mr. Romney won overwhelmingly among Hispanics in Florida, collecting 54 percent of their votes, according to exit polling conducted for the Associated Press and the major television networks. That’s even better than he did among non-Hispanic voters. Newt Gingrich trailed well behind with 14 percent of the Hispanic vote.

Both Mr. Gingrich and immigrant-rights groups attacked Mr. Romney in Florida, arguing his rhetoric on immigration crossed the line. Mr. Gingrich ran an ad calling Mr. Romney “anti-immigrant” — drawing a stern rebuke from the GOP’s senior Hispanic lawmaker, Sen. Marco Rubio, who said the charge was out-of-bounds. “We need to push back very strongly against this idea that unless you agree with the left’s specific ideas about immigration, somehow you’re anti-immigrant. I mean, that’s ridiculous,” Mr. Rubio said earlier this week on The Washington Times-affiliated “America’s Morning News” program. “Just because I don’t agree with some radical left-wing plan to deal with immigration doesn’t make someone anti-immigrant.” Mr. Rubio called for a thoughtful discussion on a middle-ground solution to the issue.

Mr. Romney has called for illegal immigrants to be given a time to get their affairs in order and then be sent home, where they could join the regular lines to enter legally, but would not be ahead of those who have been waiting properly. The only exception he makes is for illegal immigrant youths and young adults who are prepared to serve in the U.S. military, whom he would give a quick path to citizenship. But he has stated forcefully that he would veto the Dream Act, which President Obama backs, and which would give illegal immigrant children and young adults a path to citizenship if they take college classes.

Some illegal immigrants who could benefit from the Dream Act have dogged Mr. Romney at events over the last month, heckling him from afar or, when they can get close enough, confronting him. “I’m undocumented — I’m wondering why aren’t you supporting my dream,” one woman asked him at an event in New York. Mr. Romney’s showing in Florida among Hispanics in the primary showed that those already inclined to vote for Republicans will likely be able to get behind Mr. Romney. But still to be seen is whether his stance will hurt him with the broader Hispanic population.

MORE

Related:

Women abandoning Gingrich driving force for victory
 
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As if anyone who takes offense to what Romney said isn't already a predetermined Obama vote anyways.


i'm not voing for Romney or Obama.

i vote pro-America, Ron Paul.

I cast my primary vote for Paul yesterday, which partly explains why I can't understand how anyone who hasn't already decided on Obama could honestly fault Romney for what he said here. As a Ron Paul supporter, I believe I'd be a hypocrite if I rationalized an attack on Romney over this. I have some serious problems with Romney's platform but his failure to pander to America's "very poor" -- as if the inadequacy of our social safety net is a valid issue -- is certainly not one of them.
 
And btw, strengthening America's middle class is the best possible thing you could do for the income mobility of the lower class.

ROmney has spent most of his career demolishing the middle class.

He destroyed middle class jobs at AmPad, GS Steel, DDi Instruments, by moving jobs overseas and busting up unions.

He's replaced them with "McJobs" at places like Staples and Dominos Pizza that have no benefits, and lousy wages.

And the ironic thing about it is, those are the kind of things that make more big government popular.

If the working poor at Staples are requiring Food Stamps and school lunches to put feed their kids, Section 8 Vouchers to put a roof over their heads, an EIC to make up for what their employers don't pay them and Medicaid to see a doctor when they get sick, and all they have to do get more of it is vote for Democrats.

People making middle class wages are more inclined to vote Republican. They've got something to lose when the government comes to pay for all this waste.

Unfortunately, Romney and his "Profits Uber Alles" mentality is pushing a lot more people across that line.
 
"I like to fire people"

"I am not concerned about the poor"

"My tax rate is 13%"

"Let them eat cake"

Okay, I made that one up. That was Marie Antoinette.

This guy is right out of central casting for out of touch rich people.

cf796d6e38a5df66a12a2ac70f7cfc62.jpg



A security wanding is part of your anti-Romney dossier?

You're a crackpot.
 
Mebbe he wanna be the next FDR or LBJ...
:eusa_eh:
Romney actually wants to help 'poor people,' and the right isn't happy
February 2, 2012 - Conservative pundits are ripping Mitt Romney over his stated willingness to fix the safety net for poor people who are 'falling through the cracks.' Why didn't he renounce dependency on government? they ask.
It isn’t just the left that’s attacking Mitt Romney for saying he’s “not concerned about the very poor.” The right is also in high dudgeon – and not just because Mr. Romney made it easy (again) for his detractors to portray him as an out-of-touch rich guy. From talk-radio host Rush Limbaugh to The Wall Street Journal editorial page, conservative pundits are coming down hard on the Republican presidential front-runner over the second part of Romney’s point: that the poor have a safety net, “and if there are people that are falling through the cracks, I want to fix that.”

A gasping Mr. Limbaugh could barely contain himself. “The safety net is one of the biggest cultural problems we’ve got!” Limbaugh said. “We had better be worried about it just like we had better get angry over Obamacare. Obamacare is worth getting mad about. Mitt said that it wasn’t. This biz, ‘I’m not concerned about the very poor. We have a safety net there’? Right, the safety net is contributing to the destruction of their humanity and their futures!" The Journal was more measured, but just as negative. “There's a half-century of creative conservative thinking on antipoverty transfer programs, and it's too bad Mr. Romney didn't mention some of it,” the paper editorialized. “One note to strike is about growing dependency on government and its corrosive effect on human dignity.”

Refundable tax credits, Medicaid, unemployment insurance, food stamps, and other programs for the poor are almost 50 percent more generous to individuals than they were in 2007, the editorial stated. But Romney hasn’t exactly been trying to make it up to conservatives. In fact, in remarks to reporters on his campaign plane Wednesday, he reaffirmed his longstanding support for automatic increases to the federal minimum wage to keep up with inflation – a position that conflicts with Republican orthodoxy. Romney’s real point, he said throughout the day, has been to show concern for the middle class. “I’m concerned about the very heart of America, the 90 to 95 percent of Americans who right now are struggling,” he said in his original remarks to CNN. “I’ll continue to take that message across the nation."

Democrats, of course, are gleeful over the “poor” gaffe. The Democratic National Committee whipped up a quick Web ad and put out a statement decrying “a shallow attempt to show concern for the middle class.” “His policy proposals make clear that he also isn’t very concerned about the middle class,” said the DNC, arguing that Romney’s tax plan provides only a modest tax cut for the middle class and a big one for the wealthy. Newt Gingrich, fresh off his drubbing by Romney in the Florida primary Tuesday, seized on Romney’s gift and ran with it. At an event in Nevada Wednesday, the former speaker said he was "fed up with politicians in either party dividing Americans against each other. I am running to be the president of all of the American people, and I am concerned about all of the American people."

Source
 
"I like to fire people"

"I am not concerned about the poor"

"My tax rate is 13%"

"Let them eat cake"

Okay, I made that one up. That was Marie Antoinette.

This guy is right out of central casting for out of touch rich people.

cf796d6e38a5df66a12a2ac70f7cfc62.jpg


A security wanding is part of your anti-Romney dossier?

You're a crackpot.

So that guy was making sure Mitt Romney wasn't a terrorist, and he's not a flunky shining Mitt's shoes? Really?

Gee, is this some kind of new TSA program, where they make sure you are comfortable? Because I don't recall the TSA being so nice to me last time I flew.
 
"I like to fire people"

"I am not concerned about the poor"

"My tax rate is 13%"

"Let them eat cake"

Okay, I made that one up. That was Marie Antoinette.

This guy is right out of central casting for out of touch rich people.

cf796d6e38a5df66a12a2ac70f7cfc62.jpg


A security wanding is part of your anti-Romney dossier?

You're a crackpot.

So that guy was making sure Mitt Romney wasn't a terrorist, and he's not a flunky shining Mitt's shoes? Really?

Gee, is this some kind of new TSA program, where they make sure you are comfortable? Because I don't recall the TSA being so nice to me last time I flew.


How did they treat you in 2008 when this picture was taken?
 
A security wanding is part of your anti-Romney dossier?

You're a crackpot.

So that guy was making sure Mitt Romney wasn't a terrorist, and he's not a flunky shining Mitt's shoes? Really?

Gee, is this some kind of new TSA program, where they make sure you are comfortable? Because I don't recall the TSA being so nice to me last time I flew.


How did they treat you in 2008 when this picture was taken?

The didn't break out a nice chair for me to sit down on while they checked my shoes. (2008 was the last time I flew anywhere, as a matter of fact.

They made me take off my shoes, put all my stuff in a bin when they x-rayed it.
 
"I am fed up with politicians in either party dividing Americans against each other," Gingrich said. "I am running to be the president of all the American people and I am concerned about all the American people."

If Gingrich were truly concerned about the American people, he’d stop running for president.

Otherwise, the democratic strategy is to let Romney be Romney.
 

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