(CNN) - Aboard his campaign charter plane Wednesday, Mitt Romney sought to clarify a remark he made earlier in the day on CNN about not being "concerned about the very poor" saying his words were being taken out of context.
Talking to CNN's Soledad O'Brien, Romney - perhaps ineloquently - explained his campaign's focus on the middle class, stating that there are programs to help the poor and the rich are doing well on their own.
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"I'm not concerned about the very poor," Romney said. "There's a safety net there, and 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 heart of America, the 95% of Americans who are right now struggling."
Responding to reporters' questions during the press availability on his plane, Romney made sure to put the quote in the correct context.
"No, no, no, no," Romney said. "You've got to take the whole sentence, all right, as opposed to saying, and then change it just a little bit, because then it sounds very different. I've said throughout the campaign my focus, my concern, my energy is gonna be devoted to helping middle income people, all right? We have a safety net for the poor in, and if there are holes in it, I will work to repair that. And if there are people that are falling through the cracks I want to fix that."
Romney explained further, saying his campaign has always been about helping the middle class.
"Wealthy people are doing fine," Romney said. "But my focus in the campaign is on middle income people. Of course I'm concerned about all Americans - poor, wealthy, middle class, but the focus of my effort will be on middle income families who I think have been most hurt by the Obama economy."
Romney conceded there were holes in the safety net for poor Americans, and acknowledged it was the government's responsibility to help find the systems' deficiencies.
"I'm sure there are places where people fall between the cracks," Romney said. "And finding those places is one of the things that is the responsibility of government. We do have a very ample safety net in America, with Medicaid, housing vouchers, food stamps, earned income tax credit. We have a number of ways of helping the poor. And yet my focus and the area that I think is the greatest challenge that the country faces right now is not, is not to focus our effort on how we help the poor as much as to focus our effort on how to help the middle class in America, and get more people in the middle class and get people out of being poor and becoming middle income."
Romney has made the point on the trail over the past several months that his campaign is focused on helping middle class Americans find jobs rather than helping poor Americans who he says already have plenty of help. Romney hadn't gone as far as saying he was "not concerned" about the poor.
Campaigning in South Carolina ahead of the state's primary, Romney actually said he was concerned about the poor, before reiterating that his campaign wasn't focused on wealthy people.
"I'm concerned about the poor in this country," Romney said on January 13. "We have to make sure the safety net is strong and able to help those who cannot help themselves. I'm not terribly worried about the wealthiest in our society. They're doing just fine. I'm concerned about the vast middle class in our nation, the 90% or 95% of Americans who are having tough times."
Rivals, both Democratic and Republican, have long attempted to paint Romney as out-of-touch, given his wealth and career as a private equity executive. Romney has responded by saying he won't apologize for his success, pointing out his experience in the private sector taught him about job creation.
CNN's Rachel Streitfeld contributed to this report.
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The words came out of your mouth Romney. Own it. He has a excuse for EVERYTHING. I question his so called management skills that he brags about.
Mr. Flip Flopper, you said exactly what you meant. You don't give a rat's patootie about poor people. Not to worry, though because you won't be POTUS.
OBAMA/BIDEN 2012
How anybody can vote for this spineless, double talking, worm is beyond me. All this man cares about is money and what he can buy with it. I'll bet he can't even spell conviction. His words will continue to bury him even further. Come November, the election won't be close. Obama will bury him for good.
The problem is .....it is Romney and the rest of the republican party that is trying as hard as they can to undermine that very safety net....
If they were so concerned they would not demonize people who are on food stamps and they would without any hesitation continue the unemployment insurance until unemployment picks up! Context doesn't matter....actions do!!!
if anybody knows about taking "words out of context" it should be Mitt Romney. Most of his ads attacking Obama are due to taking words out of context and he seems to have no problem with it then.
We all knew, he didn't care about the poor way before he even said it...He surely cares about the 1%.
What do you expect? This is the same guy who made fortune shutting down business and outsourcing factories to low cost cuntries including Mexico and China!!
Would this be the safety net that the GOP always wants to cut or do away with?
Yes... The words came out of his mouth, but you HAVE to take them in context. If he says the words "I hate people who are murderers", are you going to jump on him for saying "I hate people"? Are you then going to call him a hateful man who hate all people? Take stuff in context. This is ridiculous.
I think Romney is right on here. There are many programs already in place to help the very poor, and by and large their situation hasn't changed all that much over the years. It is the middle class, middle income Americans that have been hit hard by the economic down turn and are in need of the most "help" from government – that is to say a government that will create a good economic environment. One that promotes job creation and sound footing for the American currency. Things Obama has failed on, and things that Romney could really be successful at.
I'll worry about Willard being quoted in context when FOXPAC worries about the president being quoted in context.
Good luck Willard, I hope you get the nomination because there is no way the evangelical TEA nuts would ever vote for you because of your chosen religion.
Those are the people you are counting on to help and they hate you.
Obama 2012
Warren 2016
"No, no, no, no," Romney said. "You've got to take the whole sentence, all right, as opposed to saying, ....."
-------------
After being so proud and smug over the hatchet job *his* campaign did to an Obama speech where he quoted John McCain, Romney has the gall to say something like this? Be fair when you quote me? He's joking, right? He's smiling again, so he must be joking. I just know he doesn't think that we are all fools. Yet, he does have the "sucker!" smile on his face again.
Flip-FLOP!!!! LOL
Win Big, Gash BIG!
This is a awesome reality show in the making!
Watched the clip. Romney once again speaks without thinking. Then when clarifies says he is not concerned about the poor because they have a safety net and if the net needs fixing they will look at it. Heads up Romney! The net is broken and your party the GOP wants to further tear it apart. So in essence you have no idea about the safety net. Then you go on to say "your campaign" is about the middle class. Not you Romney the person but "your campaign." Of course that is what "your campaign" says. Your actions though prove very very different. Born with a silver spoon in your mouth you have zero idea what it is like to be poor, middle class, or even rich because you are and have always been uber rich. Romney claims to be Christian but he is like Nicodemus...wants to follow Christ but when Christ tells Nicodemus to give up all his wealth, give it to the poor, and follow HIM, Nicodemus cannot. Romney is the same. If Romney is the GOP nominee I will vote Obama.
Too bad no one really paid attention to what he said after that though. Not that I care one bit about Romney (and I sure don't have any intentions on voting for him either), but this sure seems like a case where the reporters are focusing on only part of a sentence, instead of all of it.
If you have to explain your statements and clairify them, you lost it. You need to have neat short sentances. I truly don't think that Romney understands the social safety nets. If he wants to fix them, then he needs to live on them for a week (or month) with no access to anything that he has currently.
"We have programs to help the poor".
The last time I checked, the republicans were wanting to cut those programs to help the poor. And we have charities so overwhelmed with demand....that there isn't enough to go around. So please, tell me again, how we are helping the poor. And why your not concern???
That's because this jerk doesn't care one iota for us in the lower ranks...He is only for the rich...you see his SCOTUS approved undisclosed financing...don't tell me it's from us little people, because us little people will never give money, or vote for a disconnected person like him!
Just one more thing...I hope Obama runs with this!
He clarified it and it makes sense. He's used to defending his words since the Gingrich and Obama campaigns are trying to destroy the only hope America has.
I would hate to be his press secretary.
I have to give Romney this one. I listened to his speech and it is being taken out of context. He did say that if the poor's safety net has holes, he would fix it.
Typical Repub – repeating what some fox media celebrity told him through the TV.
"Corporations are people my friend" "I enjoy firing people" "I'm not that concerned about the very poor"
The trouble with campaigning is that you have to speak frequently. And sooner or later, you are going to stray from the carefully prepared script that a consulting firm put together for you. It is in these moments that we get a sense of the real person behind the candidate.
A\ wise man once told me to "put your mouth in park and your brain in drive." You should follow that teaching Willard. You're not even a 1%er. You're worst!!! You're a 0.0006%er. You've never worked a hard day in your life.
This man is not fit to be president, plain and simple. I'm not voting this year, I wil not give this flip-flopper, two-faced, out of touch person my vote or anyone else who doesn't deserve it. It's so said that this is all we have on this side to pick from...
The whole sentence states Mr. 1% does not care for the very poor or the very rich.
How can that be "taken out of context"?
Just a window onto how the 1% feel about the rest of us.
Romney is disgrace and he was born in Mexico which is a poor country.President Obama going to win by landslide.
Poor people come out strong and vote for president Obama who cares about our country.
Hrm, interesting. Whatever happened to "blessed are the poor" or the "what you do unto the least of them"? I suppose it's possible that the Book of Mormon doesn't have an equivalent. I wouldn't know, haven't read it. I always preferred fantasy to science fiction.
You hear that wealthy people. You're doing just fine. Now pay your fair share of taxes. Don't give me cr@p about the sum total the rich pay to a pool of taxes, I'm talking about a fair %age RATE! I get sick of that stupid cop out about the rich paying the majority. They should be paying majority, they have most of the money, duh! Now where was I? Wow! The poor have a safety net. Oh, I thought that was socialism. Duh on me. "I'll fix that" doesn't fly, Mitt. Your consituents hate poor people. You go trying to "fix that" and they'll turn on you using the most hateful wing. The Tea Party. Romney's whole campain is a series of "I can fix my last comment" and people let him get away with post facto damage control. Duh!!
Willard, we are not suffering from the President's policies. We're suffering from greedy people like you who like to hide their taxes in off shore accounts. We're suffering because while the price of everything is going up, our paychecks are not. We're suffering because your party(GOBP) would rather give tax breaks to people who don't need them nor did they ask for them. If you're about helping the middle class Willard, ten why would you repeal the Affordable Care Act -aka- Obamacare when there are so many middle class families benefiting from it right now? You are not the right persn for the job. Kick rocks!!!
OBAMA/BIDEN 2012
ELIZABETH WARREN 2012 & BEYOND
but let's clarify further....the programs that take of them are in jeopardy of being CUT under a Romney or any other of the terrible GOP alternatives! so, you DO NOT CARE ABOUT THE POOR!
There it is he said he doesn't care about the poor at all. He does not deserve to be our president. He doesnt mean what he said about the rich because he is rich. Believe him people he really doesn't care about them, the poor I mean. OBAMA cares he can save this nation. The good thing is Obama knows the poor need the help Romney doesn't and he doesn't even care. 4 more years!!!
Gee, I think this happened with an Agricultural agent, Hmmmmm....drop your comic books and read, the one word , authoritarian Shall we work on the Democratic ads.
I am a waitress in my mid twenties... so I have to rely on tips to pay my car note, phone bill, and rent. Not on welfare or foodstamps and im very proud of that...I am taxed out the @SS because of people like you...I don't see a check because of my 2.13 an hour. So am I considered poor or middle class...how r u to determine who is which..I make my ends meet barely but I don't have my hand out like clearly the majority of america does according to you...by the way I have a degree in biology...what r ur plans on making college graduates find a job...I haven't heard your take on this issue!!!
I would love to hear in what context he thinks that statement would be acceptable.
I have to say, this is pretty irrelevant. For me, there is only 1 statement Rom-money can make that will cause me to pay attention to him:
"My fellow Americans, George W. Bush and the Republicans in Congress crashed our economy and started 2 unnecessary wars. He and Dick Cheney should be indicted for war crimes."
Until they get Bush behind them, there is no future in front of them. To deal with the problems of the Republican Party, they have to deal with the Bush legacy, because America will never forget.
What a shame Mittens, you will spend tens of millions of dollars and still will never be president.
He meant what he said and can't take it back because he said programs like food stamps help the poor yet he called President Obama a "Food Stamp President" just like Gingrich.
You can bet the Democrats will come back and it will be his worst nightmare maybe he will stop flip-flopping.
Listen well Republicans to who you are voting for and what he believes! Mitt wants to give tax breaks to the already wealthy and remove the frayed strands from the safety net. Under Mitt's plan the middle class will be the poor. He and Rep. Ryan can then make sure that there is no net to catch anyone. If you earn $57,000 a DAY you don't need a net. And Paul Ryan is putting in time now so he can cash out on K Street after the voters in his hometown realize he's doing them in for his own advancement.
The only way to bring back the middle class is to put them back to work. Obama is killing jobs with higher regulations and higher taxes! companies are going to leave! The only way to get people to get people working is to reduce regulations and cut taxes and make our country more business friendly. Those are the facts people.
Nothing wrong with Romney's statement. It's sad the media thinks this is news.
"Corporations are People too"
"I'm not concerned about the very poor"
"I like firing people"
These are all statements made by Mitt Romney.
Let us pray.
Dear God, PLEASE LET NEWT OR MITT WIN! either one of these guys would be a cake walk for Obama.
Listen – I am in no way a fan of Romney, and am for the most part a Democrat. But, listen more for what he means rather than what he said. He's right, the rich are doing fine and the poorest of us have a slough of programs and incentives directed at them. The middle class is largely ignored in the political spectrum, despite its vast majority.
Think about it, it's easy to see that Republican policies impact the wealthy, and Democrats by and large focus on the poor. Who represents the middle class? Tax policy provides most credits/deducsion for lower income individuals, but most of these phase out for middle income folks. Grants and student aid are directed at the poor, lower middle income families don't qualify for grants. These are a couple examples of how the middle class is screwed by the system. We have "enough" money to pay for things on our own, but not enough to pay for these things and now worry.
Whomever convinces the middle class that they are on their side in this election will win. Period.
I would rather have the safety net his son's have.A 100 million dollar trust fund.
But, but, but Mittens, it is the GOP that wants people to starve, or they would not be calling President Obama the "food stamp" President and again the GOP wants to cut aid to the "welfare queens" and their kids.
So, now do you can understand why we already know you and the GOP "are not concerned with the very poor"?
Just another inconvenient truth the 1%er has voiced.
@Cody Fire
Are you kidding me? Romney is Hope? Romney is hope. Where's the little sarcasm sign, right?
No, Obama is hope. You and the rest just need to get out of his way.
Only problem is that the Repubs are trying to get rid of the programs that help the very poor. I wonder if Romney even knows what programs exist that help the poor? Looks like he's walking in his dad's footsteps when it comes to trying to get his message across. Didn't work too well for his dad either!
I'd be more convinced of Mitt Romney's credentials as a "job creator" if he had entrepreneurial experience to point to, rather than time as a money manager. There are plenty of money managers, many of whom are probably still looking for work after the blood-letting on Wall Street.
He said it out loud...even taken in context it dosent sound good. We really need to look and hear just what is really being said but where their truth really lies. The desperation for a title, the truth is the President is to be a position of service...service and with this mindset, really who are men like him (don't even like saying his name he or the other one) or the other one are willing ... willing to serve.
Obama is killing jobs with higher regulations and higher taxes! companies are going to leave! The only way to get people to get people working is to reduce regulations and cut taxes and make our country more business friendly.
--------
FACT: 400,000 jobs lost per month during the final days of the Bush administration.
FACT: 3.2 million jobs created since Obama took office.
Maybe you should actually do some real research instead of parroting RNC talking points... but then, that would require having a brain.
Romney does not need to worry about amending his millionaire statements; because every single Republican who voted for him thus far, and who intends to vote for him in the general election is already a millionaire. There isn’t a single Republican voter out there, who tosses out terms like ‘socialism’ as they walk to their mailbox to pick up their food stamps and welfare check that was signed by a Democrat….
The problem with the GOP and Romneys is that they are the party for a few Americans ( millionaires)
They will be toxic to ordinary Americans
The context is that Romney is a schmuck.
I understood what he meant, and honestly I think it's the best thing that has come out of his mouth in MONTHS! The poor do have plenty of support. We need to support the middle class to prevent more people from joining the ranks of the poor. That should be the first priority for this country.
It doesn't help that the media takes his words out of context
Tell that to the folks that push their shopping carts full of meager scraps past my window every day you filthy rich, arrogant jerk.
LOL! I luv MItt Romney, At least he is honest, he is coming out and telling americans i love the rich the banks and the corporation. These are his people everybody else including the poor are irrelevant.
He is speakng from the heart and he is being very truthfull. So Mitt I love you man Keep Talking!!! For all of you that say OBAMA is the worst president ever! You now have a choice VOTE MITT ROMNEY. THE MAN OF THE PEOPLE! LOL!
Which would you rather have.... Welfare and food stamps and promises of free health care... or a Job? The only way to bring jobs and business back to the US is by making the US more appealing to business creators. that means. lower taxes and lower regulations. Those are the cold hard facts people. Obama is doing it all backwards. Romney is exactly what this country needs right now to get people back to work.
The whole GOP platform is about attacking the poor. What else is to be made of the argument that half the population doesn't pay income tax, and thus we need to get more tax dollars out of the poorest Americans rather than the richest? Obviously that's an "anti-poor" policy. Could some poor Republican please articulate for me why you're gonna vote for Romney? And don't just say it's cause he's 100% white vs. 50% white.
The Republicans have a long, long history of not caring about the poor, the elderly, the sick, children, etc., Why does Mitt not own up to his comment? You can spin it, Mitt, but we know that the GOP as a whole if given power in all three branches of the government would have children working as janitors (like Newt suggests), our Elderly begging on the streets, the numbers of poor would double or triple, etc. There is no compassion for the poor, the sick, the elderly, children in the GOP agenda. That's the TRUTH!
Mittens never stops flip-flopping.
Mitt are you kidding me? YOU put up a commercial that said that Obama said "If we keep talking about the economy we'll lose" and yet it was McCains camp? Are you kidding me......Now I know you want to be President, I know you will say anything the current audience wants to hear example One day: We should let the foreclosure process take it’s course, let investors buy up the properties and then the people can RENT THEM?”
You come to Florida and sit down with people with this same issue and you tell them, “We need to help these folks stay in their homes”………so STOP IT All you do is lie
Problem here is you said what you really think and then you realize it might upset people
I think your motto should be “LET THEM EAT CAKE>>>>WHAT’S THE PROBLEM
Disgusting……
Sorry, Slick Mitt, your clarification is unconvincing. You don't give a dam about the poor, just say it. If you did, you'd be able to pin point where there are flaws in our public policy. You haven't given the thought the time of day. Why would you? You can't relate.
joAmerican
The only way to bring back the middle class is to put them back to work. Obama is killing jobs with higher regulations and higher taxes! companies are going to leave! The only way to get people to get people working is to reduce regulations and cut taxes and make our country more business friendly. Those are the facts people
-------------
sorry "Jo" but the drivel you spouted here "Obama is killing jobs w/ regulations and higher taxes" is proven to be nothing but a big lie perpetrated by the riighties and their rich donors and corporate fat-cats. in case you haven't been awake for the past 30+ years, "trickle-down economics" does NOT work and a conservative group has debunked the "regulations kills jobs" baloney. Try again
Even though I understand what he is saying, he sure has a way of saying things that are going to hurt him when he comes in front of Obama. Everyone is scared of losing their home and losing their job, the safety net will be full of holes if it comes under more pressure. Though he is right we need to focus on strengthening the middle class, his demeanor and comments give the impression that he doesn't really care.
No problem, the poor can always eat cake.
How can you tell Mittens is done talking?
Both sides of his mouth stop moving.
I’m no fan of Romney; the man is a corporate shill. However this is a pretty weak attack on him. I see no issue with his comment. The far lefties are as bad as the far righties. They are latching on to this because they have little else.
>Moderate independent.
He acknowledged there are holes in the net. Doesn't that mean he SHOULD be concerned for the very poor? Hello! Republicans, if this is the best you can muster, get ready for another four years of Obama! That's right. I said it! Obama in 2012.
No way to spin this; His remarks showed how callous he is towards the poor.
FactCheck, you must live in a very happy world.
If you believe that, I've got some 'dry' land in the everglades for sale.
There are so many issues with Mitt I don't have enough room to name them. The one thing that I am concerned about is Mitt's broken record talk about how he cares about America. If he cared, why did he do nothing on his own with his many millions to help the economy back 4 years ago? If he has the job creating skills and can build companies up to be sucessful, why didn't he? You don't have to be president to do those things.
He has all the money he and his family will ever need. His sons have never worked a day in their pampered lives, and he hasn't really either–he was attending meetings with lawyers, etc. and came up with ways to disect compaies and sell them off–forget about the people who lost their jobs in the name of "responsible downsizing'. He is only in this for the power. His father was never president, and like John McCain, still has something to prove to him.
The presidency is for someone who deserves to be president, it is not for someone who covets it for the fame and glory. Mitt would buckle in a second if he was put under pressure the way President Obama is currently under pressure on how to handle Iran. He could not handle a national emergency or international incident at all. He stupidly said he would bomb them (bomb, bomb, bomb Iran). Let him run for governor in any of the states where he owns large houses–he is not fit to be president.
President Obama 2012. We need intelligence, not a narcissitic plutocrat.
Open mouth...insert foot.
Obama...2012
Romney fails to realize the transition from middle class to very poor can be brutally swift these days. What plans does he have to repair this safety net? If he's following the GOP party line he'll want to remove it.
Romney took Obama's words out of context when Obama was imitating John McCain. Now he wants the media to not take his own words out of context.
"We have a safety net for the poor in, and if there are holes in it, I will work to repair that. And if there are people that are falling through the cracks I want to fix that."
I can hear the conversation now (with an apology to Charles Dickens):
"Are there no prisons?"
"Plenty of prisons..."
"And the Union workhouses." demanded Mittens. "Are they still in operation?"
"Both very busy, sir..."
"Those who are badly off must go there."
"Many can't go there; and many would rather die."
"If they would rather die," said Mittens, "they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population."
The republicans do not care what their candidates say, heck 38% of them just want someone to beat Obama. It definitely is not Romney. Romney is the puppet and Newt is the attack dog. Romney is not sincere about anything that concerns the American people and will not get my vote period!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He meant 'poor company's' .. you know the ones only making 1-100M
@ Debbie, you are spot on.
Typical GOP first you do the damage and then you apologize for it with a smirk on your face. Romney said exactly what he meant, just didn't think of the consequences. He will make sure that the holes in the safety get bigger and bigger if he would be elected, that if is equal to no way.
There is only one way to ensure dignity, vision, compassion and intelligence in the White House for the next four years:
Obama!
Richie Rich just showed his true colors. What a selfish, greedy and vile man. Of course, he doesn't care about the poor–he's a despicable corporate robot disguised as a human being.
ooops! there goes the poor vote, as long as they have photos IDs that is. Freudian slip perhaps 'ol Mitty.
To bad the media does not grab hold of obama's screwed up remarks and leave him out to dry. But he is a Democrat so they never will.
I certainly understand the importance of context. But does anyone remember Romney's use of the Obama statement about not wanting to talk about the economy? Well after that, Romney gets no free passes on things being taken out of context. Live by the sword Mitt......
Defending this "Man of God"...saying his words were taken out of context are ridiculous. So now are we saying what we really feel, OUT LOUD, and then saying it was taken for the wrong meaning. I can't read minds but I can hear want your mind says through your mouth.
And my, "Man of God" statement......feel free to take it out of context.
Would this be like Mr. Obama telling us we were in the "summer of recovey"? Or that he guessed there were no "shovel ready jobs" after all.
People see and hear what they want to see and hear. Then there is the disconnect between what was actually seen/heard and what the condidate actually believes. In the end, Mitt looks the part and will win the nomination. The who knows? It sad that there are really probably some great potential leaders in our country who would never even think to run because of the personal toll a career in politics takes. Imagine if someone with a mind like Steve Jobs ran the country? Will never happen though. Sad.
Romney is completely out of touch. He can't even relate to the middle class. The poor might as well be space aliens to him.
Ironic, since he's so good at creating chain stores with minimum-wage jobs.
Funny that the libs and dirty sanchezes (my pet name for the OCW people) are jumping all over his comment and clarification but forget the promises the Chosen One made once he was actually elected and hasn't stepped up to or has ignored. Statements like he would close down Gitmo in his first year (still open with no plan to close) and he was the person to fix the economy (still broken and now he has nothing but excuses and blame). Where is the outrage for his actual broken promises.
And no, I am not a Republican. Independent – thank you very much.
Romney is a spineless lizard..just like Obama and all the rest. They are all criminals. We have absolutely no choice come this next election. Vote for an illegal with no US birth certificate, or vote for the other idiot...whoever that will be. Good bye good ol USA!
Defend him if you want, conservatives, but this Freudian Slip is, as he himself said about Gingrich yesterday in a different "context", "painfully revealing".
Speaking of "context", is the media going to call him out on how one of his ads quoted Obama out of context in a similarly ticky-tacky, unfair manner?
Probably more concerned about MAKING everybody else poor...
I've never heard a word out of Romney's mouth to indicate he is for the middle class. We don't buy it.
Corporations are people Poor people are not.
This man has no sympathy for the poor, I hope the democrats run with it. . The dirt he plastered on Gingrich should tell people this man is no good. Grant it Gingrich is equally mouthy and would like to drown Obama in his filthy pot .
This man is a complete fraud. This cold man has shown his true colors. I still don't see why he wants to be president. He is a complete fraud.
In a preview of Romneys next speech, there seems to be some division in the camp. Romney starts by saying "Bring me your tired, your poor: and I will cut their support and send their jobs overseas". Writers assert that he should just lead the crowd in a chant of "four more year, four more years".
Fraud, Fraud!! PHONEY PHONEY BOLONY!
Mittens is always "Clarifying" what he said. What a joke and pathetic frontrunner for the GOP!!!
wow!!!!! i love this man!!! its pure comedy
Mitt ... the gift to the Democratic party that keeps on giving lol. Give this out-of-touch zillionaire enough rope and he will hang himself. The coldest, lacking any core principles, flip flopper ever.
No need to take his words out of context. Just watch his mind race as he tries to appear sincere. If he gets the nomination, there is no doubt he'll provide abundant soundbites for the opposition. His Freudian slips will be endless. I think any average American could beat him in an open debate.
PEOPLE don't be so dumb to not hear a whole sentence. What he said absolutely needs context, and I agree with what he said, the middle class is what suffers the worst in this country and there is a safety net for the poor and you know what I am so sick of people feeling that they are entitled to everything, the poor live off the middle class and the rich, and 9 times out of 10 they are poor for the chioces they made in their lives. Leave it to CNN to try and spin it this way. I mean who do you guys think you are fooling? Do you think that we are all uneducated and dumb? Not me.
I beleive Romney is correct. If middle class becomes poor because of no jobs high taxes and so on..., then the programs for the poors will vanish. Think, really think, who pays for all the programs that the poor class is benefiting? Yes– It is from the money the middle class is providing.
Wow…NEVER thought in a MILLION years I would say this, but the guy is actually right. Clearly anybody who focuses on the “not concerned about the very poor” part is taking that out of context. I would never vote for the guy—I’m an independent “middle of the road” kind of guy…fiscally conservative, but socially liberal… but come on, enough with the foolishness already. This is just playing to the ignorant, too lazy to read and comprehend crowd…from BOTH sides.
"They have a safety net." This man's condescension knows no boundaries. Reminds me of Marie Antoinette and her immortal words, "Let them eat cake."
Hey, didn't they chop her head off for saying that? Maybe SHE was taken out of context, too!
Wow, he sounds like a democrat!!! What's up with that!
Romney obviously loves the poor and homeless; look at how many folks he has helped become such. Romney asserts that there are the poor and homeless in every society and can be used to walk on while crossing mud puddles.
@nunya
President Obama said alot of things in his campaign and has done a great job on living up to some of those promises...he cares for America as a whole not 1% of it...but I see how some people can take his statements...broadcast his supposed failures and ignore his many accomplishments and brush them under the rug....you better believe in his next term those so called broken promises will be mended when he gets the people he deserves in Congress to help instead of hender.
And he says that he is against socialism! What is this if not socialism? Taxing the rich for money and giving it to poor in name of safety nets is the biggest form of socialism. How is he different from Obama. he is no tmoderate even. He i sjust plain old liberal in guise of a republican. How many times he flippedflopped his own party? After all, he is a politician who cares for his own skin.
Strange, I'm in that middle class he's talking about and I haven't been hurt by the "Obama Economy". I was hurt more during the Bush economy when my house fell 35% in value and the stock market was bottoming out...
This clown has taken so many of Obama's words out of context that it isn't even funny and now he is talking about someone taking his words out of context. Just like he is attacking Newt for attacking him, when all he has done is attack and ran very negative ads. This guy is the biggest flip flopper I have seen and he is so desperate for the nomination, he would commission his people to physically kill someone if he had to in order to win. It is very sad to watch this guy in action and think he has a chance of becoming president, but if Newt has anything to do with it, he won't be and I don't even like Newt, but hope he crushes Romney like a used soda can!
While I have no use for Romney or his policies, I have to give him a pass on his wording. It sure looks to be taking it completely out of context. That being said, I don't think he actually gives a flip about the poor or the middle class. He only cares about his rich buddies and making sure corporations do well so his portfolio can continue to grow.
I really hope that those of you who are "values voters" or "anti-abortion voters" realize that the GOP don't care about those things. They use them to suck you in to vote for them. The rest of their patform is counter to all things humane.
(He is) 'taking the poor our of the context' of elections. This whole thing is about Wall Street, not about Main Street, for Romney. He is neither Conservative, nor a moderate. He is a Businessman being sent by Wall Street to dafeguard their interests from politicians. Look at the Super PACs supporting him and his friends from Wall Street contributing to his election coffers.
What a pathetic lot of GOP candidates! And still there is the evangelical-conservative base supporting them, which is even more pathetic.
By the Romney campaign's own criteria, his comments are fair game.
OOPS! This time Romnie stepped in it.
Yes, it does need more context...to wit:
Extremely rich white blowhard opportunist flip-flopping political panderer corporate robot wh-re is completely out of touch with reality and the daily struggles and experience of average middle class families and occassionally lets fly with Freudian slips that reveal how he really feels about the vast majority of the populace over whom he seeks rulership, which he views as the unwashed paeon serf masses.
Romney's problem is his inability to understand that many of his cherished "middle class" have sunk into the "very poor class". The safety net has been effectively dismantled since Reagan's times. Romney does not have a concept of "poor", his world view is based in his wealthy upbringing and corporate success. Thus, his interests are not connected to the true America, which is experienced by millions in this country.
The poor have no bread? Let them eat cake!
That safety net for the poor you refer to, Mr. Romney, is under attack from your very own Republican party. The ones whose votes you are desperately seeking. How do we know you won't flip-flop again and throw the poor under the bus, too?
King Romney want his " subjects" to call him Sire. Do you really think this man understands the average American? He by definition lives in a different world. I doubt that he even talk to many people who are poor or even middle class. I just don't trust a person who is a " calibrated weather vane". He is a panderer that will change his position to fit the moment. That is not what I desire in a LEADER. He lives in the Billionaires club and has no understanding of reality. He should be forced to take a polygraph, then release the last 12 years of his tax returns( like his father). After all what is he hiding?. Because of the Citizens United fiasco passed by the Supreme Court this play right into the hands of the Billionaire's Club. Before long they will own a lot more than 40% of the wealth and we stood by and watched them screw us. Shame on all of us.
Romney don't even know what a shovel is for, this guy will make a great president, NOT!!
Mr. Rommney: please define for us who you consider "middle class". Is it the 100k to 300K range???
Romney's not focused on the poor? He's focused on the "middle class" the "other 95%??? I'm sure that the fellow he blew off on camera who asked him what he offered the 99% would be interested in that! Look it up, I'm sure it's available on CNN. He very nastily told the fellow that "America's right and you're wrong, my friend!" REALL? The 99% are "wrong" and I guess they're not Americans either, eh? Anyone who votes for this clueless idiot is doing it out of sheer racism against Obama, unless they are in Romney's elite tax and income group. Ritchie Rich has NOTHING to offer either the poor OR the rapidly shrinking middle class. I'm sure the poor would love to know that they have nothing to worry about since they have "an adequate safety net." Why doesn't he go undercover for JUST ONE DAY as a poor white male, and see just how adequate that safety net is. What a boob.
Liberals obviously do not understand how businesses work.
ok picture this...you have your own cookie selling business. You have several employees and want to expand further ...but obama will soon be forcing you to pay for health care for all those employees. Every employee you hire will mean more costs. plus obama wants to raise taxes on you which will leave you with less money to survive let alone expand. Inflation is causing all of your ingredients to go up in cost. You can not raise the price of your cookies because it will scare off customers. so you will have to either a. move your company to mexico to save in labor costs or b. start laying people off. or c. close shop. That is the way business works. If you want more jobs you have to make the country more hospitable for business owners by lower costs and regulations. It is simple economics people.
Mittens the Twit knows nothing at all about the poor. He would put them on top of the car just like his dog.
There are so many inconsistencies when you try to understand his stance with respect to everything else he has claimed he wants to do. While there is a 'safety net' he actually has problems with a lot of that net and wants to remove it. He also wants less government but wherever it pleases him with his voter base he wants his government to do something about it. He says the rich are fine and can take care of themselves but wants their taxes to be lowered. He has his poor and rich government all mixed up. I am not sure of his management skills now when looking at his comments.
@ anotherGDlefty
I'll worry about Willard being quoted in context when FOXPAC worries about the president being quoted in context.
Good luck Willard, I hope you get the nomination because there is no way the evangelical TEA nuts would ever vote for you because of your chosen religion.
Those are the people you are counting on to help and they hate you.
Sadly, I would love to think that-but it is becoming MORE AND MORE apparent there are "those" in society who would vote for ANYONE to get "this" president out of office. Make no mistake-when the time comes-and it will-they will ALL gather together in the name of Jesus (unbelievable as that is) and vote AGAINST our president. We MUST be ready to stand up AGAINST them and their hatred.
I guess the poor do not vote. I guess the poor enjoy living with the "safety net". I guess the poor don' count.
Poor Mittens he should stick to singing off key patriotic songs better chace of not sticking foot in mouth
The way the Republicans gutted the programs for the poor, there aren't just holes; it's freakin' sieve. And I have no confidence whatsoever that any Republican will do anything to fix it.
I'm not voting for Romney – and I have lots of empathy for the unions, the poor, etc. But fair is fair. Romney's comment was A-OK.
That said, all candidates need to focus on struggling homeowners.
This does not sound consistent with Romney's 'anti-entitlement' campaign platforms
"In the same way by cutting welfare spending dramatically, I don’t think we hurt the poor." -Romney, NY Times, 12/25/11
Maybe he meant "blah" people not "poor" people ?
Mitt give it up. you have no idea about the "context" of your words.
|Foodstamps make you rich
Welfare provides lavish living
Unemployment benefits make you no want to work
Your "unemployed" too
Miit put this in context. you llve on welfare/foodstamps for one month (the equivelent for your state)
"Which would you rather have.... Welfare and food stamps and promises of free health care... or a Job?"
Mmmmmmmm...false dichtomoy tastes like chicken....mmmm nom nom nom....
As one that identifies as a social democrat, meaning I don't identify with the democratic party, I like romney when he was a liberal republican, from what I see he diverted from the norm and did some good for his state as well as not bowing to useless ideology of the rest of his party, and for a republican that takes some gut. Why he ever thought he had to change to appease such a small fraction of republicans is beyond me, he was the perfect candidate to try divert the republican party's direction, no he's no more than a lying panderer. Regardless of you "context" you are out of touch, the poor as well as the rest of the country need better social services, not to be demonized as lazy and good for nothings. Just save us the circus and let the democrats and progressives do what they promised the people, we are tired of your useless and archaic ideology.
We got the right message, Mitt.
After all, he was referring to those making less than $375,000/year which isn't much money.
Right Mitt?
.
So strange, but I find myself really liking his awkward honesty. Should I feel bad for agreeing with him?
OOPS!! Romney can't even think in terms of the middle class, yet alone the poor. He is what he is. -A wealthy out of touch bored man who wants the spotlight his father had. Just like W.
Get ready for more of these. Perhaps America's most successful chameleon. He is so clueless, he doesn't even know the many ways his words do damage. He'll have to have people picking up the pieces everyplace he goes. Stop throwing your trash on America, Republicans.
When you see Mitt in a “crowd”, you can see the disgust and his face says: You stupid suckers, cheering me, good that I will never have to see you again when I am in the WH or in my country club. My buddies and I will have a good laugh looking at the show. And you people will never get in my gated community – perhaps to clean the house or mow the lawn – in that case you can even be illegals as long as nobody knows and you are real cheap!
President Obama 2012!
Good old 1% Mittens. Who would expect anything else? This guy is so elitist and entitled that it blows my mind. He'll never be president, and he sure doesn't deserve to be.
I don't think he should be worried about the "holes" in the poors' safety net. He should be more concerned with the fact that the net never springs them back up to where they aught to be.
There are nearly 50 million people in the US living in poverty and perhaps $5million making $250K+. Romney says he wants to concentrate on the 95% of Americans who dhe says are strugling. ie 295 million people. There is something significantly wrong with this guy's arithmetic. Somebody check the books at his businesses
He's concerned enough about the wealthy to want to give them and himself huge tax breaks. He paid 13.9%. With his proposals, he would pay even less.
I think most people have missed the point. Mitt Romney is not being criticized for his words at all. It is understood, without question, that he wants to focus on the middle class for legitimate reasons. Romney feels the poor in this country have adequate protecitons already in place. He's not slamming or ignoring the poor.
The point is that Mitt Romney has taken his opponents words grossly out of context. Using then Sen. Obama quoting Sen. McCain from the 2008 general election was terribly misleading, and Mitt Romney was proud of it. At the time, Romney had said that that was the point. Now Romney's words offer up a softball to anyone
So we have a rich guy, supported by other rich guys, telling middle class Americans falling into poverty and the porr already there, that their problems aren't something he's concerned about. Really.... REALLY? This is the same guy who's been telling the middle class that we should be blaming the poor for being poor, and that somehow all our economic problems are the fault of the poor. This man is totally clueless, unethical and without much doubt, a closet racist. Why would anyone support a man running for US President who is completely and unabashedly antithetical to all things American?
Joamerica, let me tell you how businesses REALLY work: supply and demand. The more you cut jobs, benefits, and wages, the less purchasing power the American people have. Conversely, the better the consumer does, the more they have to spend at your business. It's really simple. Not only that, but you'd be surprised to learn that in the 1950s, about 40% of wage earners were in unions, and most people had medical benefits. And these Americans bought things that were made in America for Americans. And they were loyal to their employers. The better the American people do, the better businesses will do. Taxes have absolutely nothing to do with it. Get a clue, okay?
Mitt keeps making promises he can't keep or won't keep if elected. In his speech last night he said he would make the USA the most powerful country in the world...it already is. He now says he will fix the safety net...like we believe that. He will say ANYTHING to get elected. He has no moral courage for pretending to be moral. He has taken word smithing to a new level. His tax proposal is all about the rich..yet he is now for the middle class. I can't wait until he has to debate the President face to face.
mr. romney, i read your entire "speech". i understand what you said and i back you 100%.
Holes in the safety net? "We'll patch those up [wink wink]...by making rich people like me so excessively rich that we suddenly don't want to hold onto all our riches with a death grip...don't worry, promise it'll work this time!!!"
Holes in the tax code? "I'm sorry...what holes? Oh, THOSE holes? Those don't need patching. Excuse me for a moment. Yes, Ms. Secretary, can you get my accountant in the Caymans on the phone please?"
YEP, Republican's this is all you have.... I've said it and I've heard it repeated before – but a LOT more lately.... The average U.S. Citizen isn't rich enough to vote for Republicans – they don't care about the poor and Mitt sure as hell cares NOTHING for the middle class – unless it is to bamboozle them into thinking he is working for them.... The man is a shallow, well groomed puppet for the corporate profiteers. The people who have made water, dirt and even air (read REDD, REDD+, carbon markets, carbon trading) into commodities to trade and make profits from. The Earth and all the resources here aren't commodities they are or should be free to all – the commons, nothing more common than water, and air.... You people over there with the tin foil hats, sippin' the pretty purple drink – you think the world is upside down now and that you are immune from the raping and pillaging of our earth? Think again, you will soon be just another road block on the path to hell.
"There's a safety net there, and 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 heart of America, the 95% of Americans who are right now struggling."
What complete and utter crap! I'd trust any of the things Mitt Romney says about as much as I'd trust Newt to not be a hypocrite.
"So strange, but I find myself really liking his awkward honesty. Should I feel bad for agreeing with him?"
Nope. What you should feel bad about is believing he's being honest.
I'm becoming less and less concerned about the very poor all the time. I think perhaps it's time to help people who are willing to pitch in with a little of their OWN effort, not the people who always seem to come up with poorly articulated reasons not to try harder. (Like, "The man is keeping me down, bro.")
Wow Mittens had a moment of truth there while gloating about your Fl win huh. Since more Americans are falling from the middle class to the poor category, where exactly are the safety nets of which you speak. Republicans don't like unemployment, food stamps , Social Security, medicare. So much for being a uniter huh Mitt, Thanks Florida for proping up this empty suit.
HAH... so taking words out of context is bad when it happens to Romney, but the same taken from Obama serve as campaign talking points by Romney against Obama. It's OK if you're a Republican.
Here's a comment, and the context is bright and clear. I'll vote for Mitt. when hell freezes over.
Mitten knows that his repug buddies have nearly ceased the poor ability to vote
Republicans + Corporations are people= Greed. On a much more serious note, they expect Romney to win the nomination but when they already know that he cannot connect with the people. They will also love to see a Newt VS the President, when they also know, he can only connect with the tea baggers, haters and the moooooners..lol...Rick, what can I say about the former senator, Nothing at all...I don't know why, he is still in the race..Paul, my man...Keep preaching, we already know you are not running for president.
JoAmerican @ 1:30pm -
Actually, the facts are that taxes are at their lowest in 50 years, and companies are doing the best they have done in recent memory. Another fact is that you are clearly a Fox News watching idiot.
Romney is so far from reality that he will never be able to relate to the middle class or anyone else except the bery rich.
who knows what he said! I couldn't tell listening to it the first time. he tries so hard to be everything to everybody, no one really knows what he really thinks. and all the stuttering when he's nervous just makes it worse. this guy will never be able to make a decision in crunch time.
okay Dems...you all have Joe Biden...should we use every thing he says against him? Enough said!
Romney was speaking (for those of us who can understand) about the Welfare system and food stamps and Medicaid that the states have IF you are among "the poor". I am middle class and have no children...I don't get Earned Income Credits...I don't get anything for my "hope and change vote" 4 years ago...
I am independant and I am going to the other side this time (unless Hillary jumps in)!
In the meantime...drop all the phoney shock and listen to what is being said, you might learn something about Obama!!!
What is your position du jour, Mittens?
Mitt says he does not care about the poor, then flip-flops and says he does. He is a danger to everything and everyone with whom he comes in contact. His concern, like the entire GOP, is the BIG businesses...the so-called "job creators" who create nothing despite multi-billion dollar quarterly earnings. Thank goodness, President Obama will whip him in November and Romney's mindless statements will mean nothing
I always thought that "businessmen" had good communication skills. What were they teaching at Harvard B School when Willard was there?
When someone tells you who they are, believe them.
What an elitist hypocrite! His party's trademarked policy is "We care only for the greedy, not the needy." His GOBP deathcult has been on the rampage to destroy the safety net. Rmoney himself has endorsed the Ryan plan, which would shred the safety net. If he makes these statements, without retracting his endorsement of Ryan's plan, or without calling out his own party for their mean-spirited attacks on the poor, then Rmoney the Elitist Robot is a liar and a hypocrite. Which we knew before, anyway.
I pretty much agree with the conservatives on this one. His words are being taken 'way out of context here. I also think he's lying when he says he'll address problems in the social safety net. Just about every economic position he has favored would make the net weaker and the holes bigger. He's also right about the importance of the middle class to the economy, but again, everything he has proposed would make things worse for them.
Wealthy people are doing fine," Romney said. "But my focus in the campaign is on middle income people.
--------
Then why is he cutting taxes for the wealthy and cutting programs that help the poor and middle class?
Geez, looking back, Kanye West got off easy when he said that George Bush doesn't care about black people.
This is the real Mitt Romney. I can imagine his staff having a hissy fit when he let these off the cuff remarks about the poor slip through his lips. The problem with the mouth is that it discloses what's in your heart when the brain takes the brakes off of it.
So, is this man now trying to create "class warfare" by separating the middle class from the poor?
Can you say Flip Flop?
Mitt, I challenge you to live on the average monthly food stamp allotment for a whole 30 days. I challenge you to retain your dignity as you use Medicaid to pay for your doctor appts. I challenge you to walk in the shoes of the voting poor who don't necessarily want handouts but just want to survive day to day. Don't access your bank accounts. Don't use your petty cash. Live the life of another before you judge.
He is completely out of touch with reality. If 95% of Americans are middle class, and the rich are about 5%, I guess he's right, we don't have a poor class so we shouldn't be concerned about them.
The Republicans just can not help themselves. As hard as they try, they eventually put their foot in their mouths, and say what they really feel.
Mitt is soundind like a "white Obama".
Let's be honest: This remark was totally taken out of context. I will vote again for President Obama in November, but, of all the comments Mr. Romney has said or will say, this one is a poor excuse for trying to find fault with someone.
A guy who's campaigning and would be the richest president in history might want to watch his words concerning the poor a bit more carefully.
Does Romney think there are holes in the safety net? Either he doesn't know (really?) or he's simply not telling us that he thinks the poor are doing just fine and don't need any more help because the safety net of government hand-outs is not only enough – maybe there's too much of it and it needs to be cut.
Gosh Mr. Romney, you say the poor have a "safety net", that "safety net" is a combinations of all the things you plan to cut as President, medicare, medicaid, social security, etc......in order to NOT raise taxes for the millionaire club, plus. So much for your so called "safety net. No you do plan to concentrate on the poor. Your first 100% accurate and honest answer this political season!!!!!!
for all of you saying this was taken out of context and to "get over it", even the full statement and explanation is still ridiculous !!!! he context is just as bad as his original statement!!!!!
In South Carolina, Romney replied, when asked what he would do for the 99% of us who are not rich, that the questioner was trying to divide America. Now, he is for the 95% (or is it 84%?) who are in the middle class, but he is not worried about the poor. He now, after SC, claims that he is for the 99% minus the 15% who are poor. He may be slow, he may make major mistakes, but he slowly tries to recapture major sections of the population after he tells us where he really stands. Soon, he will probably claim he is for the poor. As he did when he was asked why he took the Obama quotation without the prelude of, "As John McCain said," he will probably ssy lying about whom he will help is good for the gander, and he will do it with a smile. Does anyone believe him? He lies glibly once he is told what a mistake he has made in tellling his latest truth.
You know, Mittens, the very poor also vote...just not for you.
The Poor have sucky lobbyists!!!!!
i pray Richie rich gets the nomination.
Romney will be President – because he is a businessman and that's exactly what America needs and the people know it.
Whether this is taken out of context or not, this is what Romney means: By not focusing on the poor due to their safety nets that are getting squeezed, he is implying that his plan is not to alleviate poverty in America but to but to keep "The Poor , poor and the rich rich" what he dosent realize is that the middle class is the poor.As a President, his focus should be on all americans, rich, middle class and the poor. The american dream is realised when the poor gets to the middle class and the middle class gets to be rich.I dont have a JD or harvard degree but I can campaign better than this guy. He has poor communication and people skills
this man is on mars, the media flashed an image of mitt doing laundry, yeah right, the gop is about exclusion, and love the 99% that think themselves as gop material, and vote republican
democrats are obviously scared to death of mitt romney,he is the perfect candidate to beat obama.because he will run strong in virginia,north caolina,and florida,not to mention ohio,and michigan.because the truth of the matter is obama is in over his head and people do not despise the rich but they secretly envy and desire to follow them,look at trump.bill gates .sports athletes.and entertainers.all having huge followers.liberals are desparately trying to find something to hold him back but it wont work......he will win the election because the rich always get what they want,even Jesus says the poor you have with you always.
That's right...you've got to put the quote in it's correct context. As someone else mentioned, kind of like when he ran the ad where Pres. Obama said "If we keep talking about the economy, we'll lose..." using only half his sentence.
They are trying to coach him up on what programs actually exist for the poor – he is so out of touch with the common man. Quick, someone ask him how much a gallon of milk costs. I bet his anwer would be comical.
What is wrong with what he said? He is right. Free housing, free medical care, free college, food stamps, have as many babies as you want, it's paid for.
I'm miiddle class. I'm suffering in this economy. No govt. help for me.
This is what I heard come out of Romney's mouth (paraphrased)..." I'm not concerned with the very poor because they already have a safety net".....nothing taken out of context there, is it?? I heard that he isn't concerned about the very poor, and then I heard the reason why he isn't concerned about the very poor. Not out of context, right?
Here's the deal, though....the Republicans in Congress, driven by the TP followers of their spiritual leader, Grover Norquist, and backed financially by the 1%'ers lead by the Koch Brothers, are dead set on the total elimination of the very safety nets that Romney spoke about. Am I to understand from his statement earlier that Romney will buck his own party and not only keep the safety net in place, but shore it up so that people don't fall through the cracks??
I don't think so!!
if ANYBODY should know about taking words out of context, it's Mitt Romney. Isn't he the one that said "what's good for the goose" when he did it to Obama a few months back?
Mitt: Middle class I need your vote and once in office he'll tell you to bend over for the rich.
What is wrong with what he said? He is right. Free housing, free medical care, free college, food stamps, have as many babies as you want, it's paid for.
I'm miiddle class. I'm suffering in this economy. No govt. help for me.
Loren – Hillary’s platform was pretty similar to that of the President. So, we would pretty much be in the same place that we are had she been elected President – that is albeit slowly recovering from the Republican/Bush 8 year disaster.
Anyone that makes less money than Romney is the "very poor".
And Mitt will be the nominee, of the one percent, and that's all.
The scary thing about this is this man makes this statement with full knowledge of the highly charged environment of haves against have nots secondary to the OWS movement. His lack of concern for those less fortunate than he will drive this country to rioting in the streets even more than already exists.
What a non-issue. If you read his original quote, it makes perfect sense. The middle class IS where the focus should be. Not that I think that is Mitt's real focus. Or any politician for that matter.
I watched CNN. I could not beleive Romney said that. He shows his true colors. God saves us if he becomes President.
The Romney plan: Let the middle class become poor. Then they will all have a safety net and the rich can live happily ever after, with a little help from their friends of course.
LOL at anyone who thinks Mitt Romney gives a rats ass about middle class Americans.
Romney's comment today regarding the poor is really making me crazy! I want someone to point out the fact that the 2010 Census had these facts to report:
nearly 1 in 2 — have fallen into poverty or are scraping by on earnings that classify them as low income.
So, according to Romney 90-95% of people are middle class. What do we classify as middle class these days?
Barbara Cooke
I'm not concerned about the very poor....I am more concerned on how to hide my wealth and not to pay taxes on it.....
Don't worry Mitt; We get it that you don't care for us. No amount of spin will take away that remark.
How do you know when Romney is lying?
His lips move.
Liberals, please go away. Move out of America if you hate it so much
FACTS!!!: Obama and his interest groups spent $36,990,591 in Florida for the 2008 election. McCain and his interest groups spent $17,133,501 (Less than half the amount of Obama) in Florida for the 2008 election. Obama got 4,282,074 votes. McCain got 4,045,624 votes. Obama spent over TWICE as much as McCain, and visited Florida more than McCain, and he only got 236,450 more votes than McCain. This is exactly why Obama and the liberals are scared out of their minds right now. Obama will NOT be able to spend twice as much as Romney in FL. Obama has to run on his pathetic record this time around. And last but not least, Romney is a far better candidate than McCain was. Romney 2012!
I really don't understand why he is running for president. Gingrich is for the power, Paul for his ideals but what is Romney running for?
Somebody please ask Willard (MITT'S real name) on camera – just how much does a gallon of milk cost? How much does a pound of hamburger cost? Just a rough idea would work. Willard has absolutely NO CLUE because he has been living high on the hog for years and years. He doesn't care how much it costs to live because he isn't worried about it. Then he wants the American taxpayer to hire him to run our country? Get real Willard. Ain't gonna happen.
This guy is an idiot. If the american people can`t see that then they deserve what they get. This guy has one god MONEY and to hell with the people of this country.
lower taxes and lower regulations doesn't bring jobs back to America. It is a myth! I wished my fellow Republicans would smarten up and look at facts instead of believing half truths but those in the clown car.
If you think that small government and corporate tax cuts are the way you are going to grow the economy, then Michigan’s unemployment rate should be the lowest in the country. Michigan whom Romney is from has cut more than any state in the nation by far! There are also less government employees than any state in the country and their corporate tax burden dropped the greatest of any state in the country and yet Michigan by all accounts has also suffered tremedous loss in their economy! Jennifer Granholm while a Democrat is a great governor but she couldn't help a lot of business closing shop and moving overseas.
As bad as Michigan is today, it could have been a lot worst! If Obama has led GM and it's subsidiaries die like many Republicans wanted, the state of Michigan would be even worst off than it is today!!!
Basically the Republican policies for job creation while sound good on paper and maybe good for rhetorics DOES NOT work in real life America.
Don't be patronising, joAmerican, of course people prefer a job over food stamps, but if people can't get health insurance, what do you think will happen to what little savings they ahve if they need to go to the ER? Your scenario about the small business is a repeat scenario that has been played over and over for 2 decades: what has the GOP done to change that, besides introduce the universal mandate that Newt championed and Mitt put into law in MA? States with solid social safety nets and regressive taxation have fared better than states that don't in this economy, with the exception of MI, a state that Mitt would rather have seen die economically than help. Mitt does not lead, he panders and patronises, and I don't want a Mormon aristocrat telling me he knows what is best for me and my family when he has no personal experience with economic hardship.
Ooops again. President Obama will landslide this goon.
Blah, Blah, Blah, out-of-touch. No win in general election for your M.R.
I watched this exchange between Soledad Obrian and Mitt Romney. Mitt said that he was not too concerned about the poor because they already have a safety net around them and if it has holes he would fix those holes. Poor, little ignorant Soledad only heard the first part about"I am not too concerned about the poor" and immediately grilled him about his lack of concern for the poor. He very forceably reminded her about the rest of the sentence. I told my wife that we could expect Soledad Obrian and CNN to spread that little snipet taken quite dishonestly,entirely out of context to be spread to every liberal activist reporter in America and sure enough within hours it is being spread around to every unscrupulous liberal in america.
Romney is a liar and I see no difference between him or Obama.... He had time to read his speech before he said it.... Don't try to back peddle now ....
He is correct. The lower middle class has to work but because they work don't qualify for the benefits that people who won't work get. The lower middle class struggles to pay rent, while the people who won't work live in a $300,000 HUD condo.
That's how it's done in New Orleans
I heard Romney say this last night. It WAS taken out of context. The media are always doing that, picking a few words out of a paragraph that, if said alone, sounds controversial. The fact is, he did NOT say that he "didn't care about the poor" and that was that, but rather, in the context of several other phrases within a paragraph, which sounds perfectly logical, sane, and not mean at all. The poor DO have safety nets to help them (that other Republicans want to take away, but not Romney), and the rich don't need help. The middle class...like most of us here, I would imagine...are the ones that DO need a voice most of all. We are the ones losing our jobs, our homes, our sanity. And we have nearly nothing to fall back on, unlike the very poor.
"It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
You'll find it in Matthew, Mr. Romney.
Oh yeah -- sleeping in those cars and under those bridges rates 5 stars, I guess.
Safety net for the poor? Is that why you rightwing conservatives call President Obama a food stamp President? For passing a stimulus bill to rescue middle class and poor Americans stymied by the economic crisis your Republican Party created? Mitt Romney, never mind because will never be POTUS!
be careful Romney, liberal media will take letters from different words to make you look like an enemy of humanity.
Wow, did anyone here listen to his speech? I see the left wing media is doing it again. Taking part of a line out of the speech and telling everyone that's all he said. Oh and yes I know not many people listened because 99% of the comments here were directed to a few words in a line of a line speech that if taken ONLY by themselves come out wrong, but if added to the rest of the line come out correct and fine. So for those of you who did not listen to the speech but only to the libs that picked a few words out here is the entire line...how about you listen this time:
"I'm not concerned about the very poor," Romney said. "There's a safety net there, and 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 heart of America, the 95% of Americans who are right now struggling."
Now I'l pause so you can read it a few times and then I'll explain the issue here.....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Okay that's enough time. Look at the quote...yes the words I do not care were used, but read the ENTIRE quite, he's not focused on the poor or the rich because the poor already have programs to help and the rich do not need help...it's the middle-class that needs the most help and rightly that's where he's focused. So before you all jump on the standard lib tactic of mis-quoting and mis-printing, how about you admit 99% of you only repeat what your lib friends tell you and ignore the pacts.
Mitt Romney is correct. Middle class is the hardest hit. Half of the country does not pay taxes. Time for middle class to get some break.
Only the Truly Brain Dead of the Walking Brain Dead Republican Circus would EVEN try to defend the words of this CLOWN as he tries to back pedal his way out of what he said and meant but now tries to cover up for. He ONLY stated the EXACT feelings of the WAlking Brain Dead Republican Circus but what the Circus tries to cover up. After all if they told their real feelings the Circus would be afraid of losing all the support of the truly Walking Brain Dead Poor who are now BRAINWASHED into doing the bidding of the Haves and the Have Mores at their own expense. But then this is why the first principle of the Circus is NO Brains Allowed!
of course, stephen, and FOX has never practiced gotcha journalism? Please, if Romney is that clumsey with the media after spending almost 6 years running for the presidency, he is either incompetant, arrogant, or both. He served that one up to the media, which is doing their job.
Man, people just jump at everything Romney says. It makes perfect sense, what he wants to do. He wants to focus on the middle class, which represents the majority of the people. He has probably given more to charities than any other person running for office. To say he doesn't care about the poor is a gross misinterpretation of what he said.
Sorry Romney, but I heard the entire quote straight from your mouth and it still left me bewildered that you would say that. Even with the explanation of safety nets and if there were holes in that safety net you would fix it to say what he did about the poor was just completely idiotic (for one thing in case he is not aware of it, a lot of the former middle class have now become poor – and no – its not thanks to President Obama, but thanks to his predecessor and all the obstruction Governor Romney's colleagues on the right side of the aisle in Washington have sought and succeeded in doing).
What Mitt Romney meant is he's not worried about non white poor Americans simply because the poor white trailor tra*sh are going to vote for him just like they did in the midterm elections to give the GOP the edge in the House so they can set up more roadblocks for the Obama administration. It doesn't matter how much these white folkes are struggling, their bigotry and hate always dictate how they vote and to which candidate they support.
What State will Romney sell first?
Democrats have a real knack for being led by the nose by very dishonest liberal activist reporters. No liberal posting here has actually read the article or listened to the interview. Soledad Obrian and CNN have very dishonestly and unethically spread this lie that is taken completely out of context. And Obrian had the gall to make the comment that she is always fair! She is always prejudiced!
he is right...F' the poor....the middle class is the one who is struggling...
"I'm not concerned about the very poor," Romney said.
--------------
Tells you everything you need to know about Mitt Romney.
Have you ever noticed how many times Romney says just exactly what he meant then has to back track because once he says his mind, which is very small, he realizes he told too much so tries to rush back in and pretend he didn't say what he did but he meant something else other than what he said? Only one of the Clowns of the Walking Brain Dead Republican Circus could ever believe that the rest of America is as brain dead as the Republican Circus, and then you see all the wannabe clowns gathering around trying to defend the ruling Fool Clown, Romney. How Pathetic are the Republican Circus anymore.
Out of touch. This from a guy who ran a company who took peoples' pensions froze them, used them as collateral to make himself millions in the risky leverage deals he and his cohorts made millions and millions of dollars off the unfortunate ones who lost their livelihood. Jon Stewart has a mocking piece of Romney that is very telling.
In Willard's World the "very rich" are those doing better than he is, the "heart of America" are those, like him, that pay %15 tax rates, and the "very poor" are everyone else. we know EXACTLY what you meant to say Willard, please be man enough to admit it.
@FactCheck
Obama is killing jobs with higher regulations and higher taxes? First of all, this administration is yet to impose taxed on anyone and furthermore, if higher taxes and regulations kill jobs, then how did we end up with the current economic crisis under the GWB/GOP economic policies?
Lived in Mass. when he was Governor there. The honeymoon ended shortly after he was elected. He spent his first two years cutting state income distrbutions to cities and towns. As a result, property taxes everywhere went up. Then he spent the second two of his 4 years out of state campaigning for President. At the end of his term, his approval ratings were lower than GWB. His anointed successor, Kerry Healey, got thumped in the election – she lost in every county.
If snake oil is your thing, then Mitt is your man.
TR
"It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
You'll find it in Matthew, Mr. Romney.
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Or the White House..
You know.. Obama was a millionaire before he became president.. but you wouldn't even know it..
Romney is a mega millionaire.. and he makes sure he lets everyone know it as much as he can... even when he is trying not to do it.. again and again..
I watched Romney's interview and it was clear that was a wink to the Tea Party. It was a a not-so-subtle "You know who I mean. Don't vote for Gingrich and I'll have your backs against the people you don't want in your neighborhoods."
@joAmerican: lowering taxes does not create jobs. lowering regulations does not create jobs. DEMAND creates jobs. If you own a restaurant and you have 20 customers a day and one server who easily handles them and one cook who easily cooks for them, and you get a reduction in taxes, how is that going to encourage you to hire another waitress and/or another cook? WORD: IT'S NOT! The ONLY way you will create jobs (i.e., hire anyone) is if you get more customers. Lowering your taxes just makes you richer. Removing regulations, such as ensuring you serve meat that's actually been cooked properly, is not going to cause you to hire a single person.
And if you want to suggest that lower taxes and reduced regulations encourages businesses to "in source" jobs because of the more attractive business environment, then you know nothing about business. ALL that does is create higher profits for the shareholders. Businesses who outsource do it because of labor costs, not taxes and regulations. That's a fabrication created by those catering to the rich.
Simple axiom: DEMAND creates JOBS. Period.
This is like shooting fish in a barrel, Obama running against the Walking Brain Dead Republican Circus, he cannot do anything wrong, all he has to do is sit back and wait for the latest Clown of the Walking Brain Dead Republican Circus to walk forward and open his mouth and insert his foot. God this Circus has to be the best Circus ever. They may not be able to find one in the midst of the brain dead who could even be dog catcher but the Palin disease has turned into an epidemic in the Walking Brain Dead Republican Circus, they all have Hoof in the mouth disease ROFLMFAO @ these Clowns!
marcia
Romney is a spineless lizard..just like Obama and all the rest. They are all criminals. We have absolutely no choice come this next election. Vote for an illegal with no US birth certificate, or vote for the other idiot...whoever that will be. Good bye good ol USA!
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Newflash for ya, there, Marcia, Hawaii is our 50th state. Might want to brush up on your geography.
Get the middle class on their feet again and spending, and that will in time help the poor find jobs. Romney just understands the economy better than most, he has my vote.
Wow......he is THISCLOSE to uttering...."Let them EAT cake"..........
I read the whole statement and STILL WANT VOTE FOR THAT IDIOT!! I live in MIchigan and he'll never take this state.. It belongs to OBAMA!!!!! He's dishonest already hiding money all over the place and he deserves to be President now.. LOL!!!
SOME OF YOU PEOPLE CRACK ME UP.. REALLY FUNNY!! OBAMA/BIDEN 2012
Mitt Romney: A guy who thinks $350,000 made from speaking fees is pocket change, "not very much", and for whom a $10,000 bet is just a casual bar bet over a trivial subject. Sure, he understands the everyday struggles of Americans.
Romney is correct in one sense: the middle class are the key when you discuss the economy. What the middle class is most concerned about is ending up needing to use the social safety net. Romney's proposals so far have not been geared towards allaying the fears of the middle class, but granting so-called " job creaters" a wish list of deregulation priorities. De-regulation and a lack of enforcement is what led this to hit the middle class so hard in the first place: why would we even think to going back to a mindset that extolls turning your back on your business responsibilities as a virtue? Its an abdication of responsibility that flies in the face of everything this country has ever stood for, and Mitt keeps showing how little he understands about this country.
Mitt Romney: A guy who thinks $350,000 made from speaking fees is pocket change, "not very much", and for whom a $10,000 bet is just a casual bar bet over a trivial subject. Sure, he understands the everyday struggles of Americans.
@joAmerican
If more Americans are on food stamps today and out of a job its because of the failed, ineffective and misguided economic policies of the GOP. And that is the failed, ineffective and misguided economic policies that Mitt Romney proudly adheres to and continues to support even today. You rightwing idiots!
Politics and muck-raking journalism at its best! Didnt' care for him before this statement, don't care for him now....
Mitt wrote a NY Times op-ed recommending that GM, the great maker of the middle class, go belly up. That's his truth. And to JoAmerican - USA tax rates have been incredibly low for years. Why aren't the "job creators" taking advantage of that and investing in America by creating jobs? My theory: because they will do anything to thwart Obama, including harm the nation and its citizens. It's practically treason.
Nice try Vinney47SLC, but the logic is flawed and our own Republican actions do not support your interpretation of what Romney meant. The problem is no one knows what Romney means not even Romney. Things are to get wierder and crazier with Romney as we approach the general election.
The middle class of ten/15/twenty years ago is today's poor. How can a family of four live on 50K a year and still be called middle class, catering to the needs of the real poor and the very rich through taxes for welfare and corporate welfare?
Mitt is clueless.
Notice DC has become a sewer.... and all the rats are scrambling to get there !!!!!!!
"I'm concerned about the heart of America, the 95% of Americans who are right now struggling.""
15% of Americans live below the poverty line. Look it up. Way to understate the problem, Mittens...yet another bang up job from Captain Can't-Relate.
No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.
I understand perfectly what he is saying. However, you have to understand the logical thought progression. The poor do have safety nets. How long and how much they should have those safety nets is a totally different discussion. But if we don't focus on helping our middle class there will be no place for the poor to move up. Hence the reason he is focused on the midddle class. Getting people employed (not underemployed) and on the path to self sufficiency. It is a shame so many people on this site don't get it.
Given that Massachesetts was 47th in the country in creating new jobs when Romney was governor, it's unclear to me how he is going to help the economy produce jobs anyway. His comments about the poor are just indicative of a lack of connection with the 99%.
Finally Truth reveals Roomeny..I know that a person with 250 Million won't understand the plight of poor..The same people who picks ur grabage, cut ur lawn and because the same people who has to live pay check to paycheck..Ya a perosn like u won't understand that...Good Luck with ur Presidency..AMERICANS will become world's DUMPEST if we elect YOU as our President...
In case there was any doubt please be assured that Romney really doesn't care about the poor.
If you want to see how really rich the 1% can get just vote Republican.
Mitt Romney makes my skin crawl - underneath the veneer there is a elitist robot devoid of any honest compassion for " your tired, your poor, your huddled masses"
Now Gingrich will have to call Mr. Romney as the best food stamp president because Romney is going to mend the safety net !!!!
This clown is not fit to run a grocery store.
Essentially, he said that he doesn't care about the very poor because they don't vote. The rich make up such a small amount and they will vote for republicans anyway. But, the people I need to appeal to is the "middle class" in America and I will help them because they represent such a high number of people.
With all due respect, Mr. Romney, you had the perfect opportunity to focus on helping those in the middle class during your tenure as Governor of our Commonwealth, and you didn't! Although it was one of your many unfullfilled campaign promises!
Hopefully soon we will have Elizabeth Warren fighting for us in the Senate, a true defender of the middle "class"!
You could learn a few things from her, if you didn't have so much to lose!!
How can anyone believe a word this man says? He is clinical...needs help big time...there is a term for people who cannot get the 'truth' out....Romney is pathetic...
I have never seen the Republican party in as worse shape as it is this year. C'mon - Romney is their nominee?? He will lose to Obama and the party will be swept out of the house and senate. They will lose to Hillary in 2016, and her 2nd term as well, all because they decided to pick "Richy-Rich" as their candidate, lol!
Prediction: USA will be in the hands of Democrats until at least 2024. By then the Republican Party will no longer exist.
Hey dummies who only read headlines, Romney added, If it (the safety met) needs repair, I will fix it.
"it's unclear to me how he is going to help the economy produce jobs anyway."
Weren't you listening when the GOP/Teatrolls told you? The answer is simple: MAGIC! Making the rich even richer magically creates jobs, dontcha know?
He isn't concerned because the GOP has been making sure that they can put as many obstacles in their way when it comes to voting as they can. Not caring is common with the GOP.
Romney is right on the money. This country is built on free market capitalism with a safety net for the poor. Idiot Libs on the comment stream are outraged because Romney does not want a cradle to grave welfare state.....the kind that's bankrupting Europe now.
Romney ought to stop talking about classes altogether and focus on the limited government that provides equal opportunity for all to move to higher wealth brackets. And the fact that trillion dollar deficits will be racked up by this president every year he has been in office.....this and his enviro-extremism concerning pipeline XL are continued drags on the economy.
Contrast this with our socialist prez who just stokes class envy of the rich and bashes business constantly. The gal named Peggy who was thrilled voting for Obama because she would get help with her mortgage and gas payments will get what she wants until the entire system crashes under it's own debt.
If Flipper is so concerned bout the poor and middle class, why does his tax plan favor the wealthy?
What was it Mittens said in one of the debates? "I'm consistent"...or some such thing? Yeah. Everytime he opens his mouth he has to come back to the table three or four times to put "into context" what he meant to say. Getting to be a real drag for him. No wonder it's taken him 6 years of continual campaigning to get as far as he has.
just another republican that would like the poor -working poor low wages and all the food stamps you can carry–and the middle class who,s jobs have been sent over seas to just go away–if you want to great more poor vote republican
I don't cut politicians much slack, and I'm not fond of Mitt Romney, but he deserves a break on this one. In context, his comment is COMPLETELY rational and reasonable (based of course on how it is presented at cnn.com, yahoo.com, foxnews.com, and on the AP).
Romney is a dismissive fool & w/ any luck will come nowhere near the White House.
How anyone who is not part of the 1% can even think this man who be a good leader for this country needs to think. He does not have a clue about main street Americans' sturuggles are. I can't wait to see how Jon Stewart assesses this. This man is scarier than Newt to me and that's quite an accomplishment, Mitt.
Interesting how the rightists love to make excuses for Romoney and his continual blurting of awkward and foolish statements. But at the same time always attack the President by hearing things he doesn't say.
For example the rightists always claim “the President promised them that un-employment wouldn't get above 8%” – which is a blatant lie. The President never promised anything, only a GOP would be dumb enough to promise something they have no control over.
Like Romoney declaring that "Iran would never get the bomb if I am President", and of course we will never know because he will never be President. If anyone needs a teleprompter it’s Romoney, … & Gingeritch, Cain, Satanorum, Palin, Chuckabee, …….pretty much all of the GOPers.
Even in context I'm a bit concerned... I mean, shouldn't the POTUS be concerned about ALL Americans? Rich, poor and everything in between? I think this is a deep divide between Romney and Obama. It's great for Romney to say that he's concerned about the Middle Class, but to say that he's not concerned about the rich means he won't touch them (ie. won't consider raising their taxes?) and not being concerned about the poor means he'd probably be open to cutting programs that help them. Nope, don't like.
I think Romney is the most "taken out of context" candidate in Presidential politics history! He will say whatever he has to to win the nomination. He will never be President. He's so out of touch he really doesn't realize how much America really can't stand him. The only time you can stomach Mittens is when he's on stage with the other Three Stooges.
"Aboard his campaign charter plane Wednesday, Mitt Romney sought to..."
CNN's inclusion of that adjective no doubt meant to highlight the the elitism of a man who charters aeroplanes.
New flash: When a group of people are travelling together, it's frequently cheaper to charter a plane than to buy a whole bunch of tickets.
I've read the full comment in its entirety, and it still doesn't come off good for him.
He may be a smart guy who did well in his own life, but he seems to be completely out of touch with the vast majority of the country. I don't think he has any idea what sort of struggles the middle class is actually facing, and definitely no concept of what it means to be "very poor".
Can you afford to make a casual $10,000 bet? No? Then you are poor and on your own, as per Mitt.
Hey Mr Romney,,,,The goal is to get the poor moved into the Middle class...
And your lack of concern, explaines why you so against government programs that is aimed at protecting and aiding the poor....nuff said!
Figures coming from a man who is the 1%.
Most of the comments postedon here are made by people that hear what they want to hear and they hate romney where he does this or whether he does that. Good luck with the brainwashing, it's obviously being somewhat effective.
I did see the interview, stephen. What I saw was a clumsy answer from Romney. If I were a registered Republican, I would be very worried that my frontrunner ( who has been running for the job for almost 6 years)keeps serving up gaffes on an hourly basis that can be taken out of context, exactly as Romney took Obama's words out of context from 2008 when he created a very misleading ad. Its Election Year coverage, get over it.
When you listen to Romney, I get the impression that he wants to be President just for the sake of being President, I don't get the feeling that doing the job is that important to him. He just say anything with no conviction whatsoever. At least, with Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul and Rick Santorum, you get a feeling that these guys truly believe in what they say. Mitt Romney just go whichever way the wind blows. The man has NO SUBSTANCE whatsoever....NONE....ZERO. He is like an inflatible doll. Just filled with air. He is truly an empty perspn.
Those of us who live in Massachusetts knew him well and are not surprised. He tried to privatize all kinds of services to the mentally ill and developmentally disabled and those poor people suffered for it. Many of the holes in the safety net were made by people like Mitt. The wealthy are doing just fine thanks to W's tax cuts for the rich. And the only concern he has for the middle class is to try to con them into voting for him.
When you listen to Romney, I get the impression that he wants to be President just for the sake of being President, I don't get the feeling that doing the job is that important to him. He just say anything with no conviction whatsoever. At least, with Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul and Rick Santorum, you get a feeling that these guys truly believe in what they say. Mitt Romney just go whichever way the wind blows. The man has NO SUBSTANCE whatsoever....NONE....ZERO. He is like an inflatible doll. Just filled with air. He is truly an empty perspn.
Give me a break! Can't Romney or any other Republican ever take responsibility for anything? He said it. There was no "out of context" and Romney is just trying weasel out of a remark he made that shows how he really feels.
By the way, he seems to have no problem taking others' words out of context when it meets his purposes. He's just acting like the spoiled, petulant brat that he really is.
safety net for the poor? I hope Romney doesn't think that's similar to the $100 million trust fund safety net that he has set up for his poor unemployed sons.
Context??? When has that every been done in politics. It have never been a courtesy given to the current president. Case in point – you guys LOVE that "clinging to guns and religion" comment, but NEVER mention he concluded that statement with the words "and I respect those frustrations." Welcome to the big time Mitt. Keep talking, you're a walking campaign commercial.
Ivan
Most of the comments postedon here are made by people that hear what they want to hear and they hate Obama (romney) where he does this or whether he does that. Good luck with the brainwashing, it's obviously being somewhat effective.
February 1, 2012 04:29 pm at 4:29 pm |
Sorry Mitt, CA told one other Rep where she should go when she tried to "buy" the Gov seat. I am sure the real "American People" will do the same to you.
When I think of the good all that money could have done for the middle class and poor, it makes me sick to look at these two liers.
Well Gingrich will cut food stamps so who is the better evil. lol
The "very poor" of today, were middle income a year or two ago. It doesn't take very long to deplete your savings when you loose your job. Not many can say that they have two or three years of income stored up. So, who is the very poor by his standard? Is he talking about those that have very low paying jobs... but employed nontheless? I don't think so. I think the "unemployed" is who he listed as those he wants to focus on. Well, when you are unemployed and not earning a salary, you drop out of class distinctions. Isn't class based on income? To me, the unemployed who have depleted their savings "are" the very poor.
Oh Sure ! " Taken out of context ". Not one thing this man says can be trusted because he will just lie about it 5 mins. later. I really don't understand the American people who would vote for a man like this.
Romney = foot in mouth disease.
There are lot of so-called middle class who were making a lot of good money, who are now at the food pantry and could be considered "poor." Are they not going to be helped? Does he not care about them?
The number of "words taken out of context" that Mitt has had so far in this campaign is really quite disturbing since he's been running for 6 years. One would think he should know exactly what his positions are on any given subject and be able to communicate those in a very coherent manner. So, given the fact that he's been campaigning for years and still has all these "slip ups", why in the world would we want this guy as our President and Commander in Chief? Can you imagine what would come out of his mouth when talking to other leaders!
"Whomever convinces the middle class that they are on their side in this election will win. Period."
Chuck, the problem is that a lot of the middle class have lost their good paying jobs and are now the Poor. Don't you read the news?
@Lulu0826 you hit the nail on the head, I have said this about him from the start!! Romney has nothing else to do, I mean the dude has money and don't need to work at all. He did the Governor role and now he just want the job of President just to have another notch in his belt to say i did it. He is nothing but a Bush junior in the waiting. I guarantee if this guy win the national election(which he won't but if he did) this Country is DONE!! I mean to say some crap like that and you suppose to be a Mormon, a Christian I think not!!!. PLEASE send this idiot home!!
Moaning about context now? From the guy whose party claims Obama says Americans are lazy and that the US is not a christian country? That sort of context Mitt?
These guys need to watch what comes out of their mouths! You'd think they'd learn by now...I cannot even imagine President Obama saying such a stupid thing.
Come on folks! Stop hating on this guy!
You know what he meant if you read the context.
right right right – you never mean what you say and you never meant to say you liking firing people and you did not have anything to do with the awful ad against Newt ( although I could not care less) I bet you are unaware of the wall street biggies who are buying you – is it really true that ignorance is bless
Message to the folks on this article: read the whole thing
If he is so concerned about middle class Americans why is it not reflected in his tax plan? From what I've read from a number of different sources there are lots of tax cuts that only higher income folks could take advantage of and there is the possibility that the poor and lower end middle class could be paying more taxes (considerably more) and it would make the national debt grow even more.
What a pity, Mitt just alienated all 5 working class people who were going to vote for him. Oh well, they probably would have come to their senses sooner or later.
I don’t have anything against Romney, and do think it’s unfair to take one bad sentence and make an issue out of it. But it’s still hard not to get the sense that he’s out of touch. Having $250 million puts you in a different world, and the fact is that his policies disproportionately benefit the superrich. His main thing seems to be deregulating financial markets, which just so happens to be a big gift to his Wall Street buddies (the same guys who caused the big crisis). What does Romney really have to offer the middle class, let alone the poor? It's all just worthless campaign slogans.
Trying to make sense out of Mitt Romney is impossible. He has said so many inane, hypocritical, and just plain stupid remarks that you can only draw one conclusion: it must be pretty easy to be a vulture capitalist.
There was no "gaffe" here. The airhead Soledad O'Brien simply took Romney's full statement totally out of context. She is a relic of CNN's past and should be treated as such.
If he cares so much about the middle class, why does his tax plan make the rich richer and increase the load on everyone else? So they can "create jobs"? There are two kinds of jobs these guys create: minimum wage jobs and Chinese jobs.
When he was running for Governor of Massachusetts, Mr. Romney, made many of the same promises that he is now making to the people of the United States.
He left the task of actually fulfilling those promises to our current Governor Deval Patrick, a Democrat, who delivered where Romney failed.
Governor Romney left office with a 21% approval rating and did so much harm to the Republican party in Massachusetts, not even prominent GOPer's from the Commonwealth seek to endorse him.
Didn’t Romney also declare that “Somebody who’s fallen from the middle class to poverty, in my opinion is still middle class.” He has no idea what it’s like to be “middle class” and live paycheck to paycheck and be so deeply in debt you’re actually “poor” … Both the poor and the middle class share the same safety net but one is more deserving of immediate relief ? What is he going to do – strengthen the safety net to relieve debilitating levels of personal indebtedness ? How is that even going to begin to work in practice ?
How do you even define the middle class? People use that term all the time, but it’s never clear what they mean by that. It isn’t only about the very poor but where the working poor and middle class are also worried they are one disaster away from heading. The comment doesn’t make sense on any level. He supports the safety nets and will fix them, not reform them, but just patch them up a little. The safety nets are not working. They are not helping people transition out of poverty to become productive and prosperous individuals.
Romney, showing complete and utter lack of concern for "context", took a remark President Oabama said quoting McCain OUT OF CONTEXT, RAN IT IN AN AD, AND REFUSED TO PULL THE AD.
Sorry, Mittens, suck it up, boy. You have NO ROOM to complain.
The comment is shameful
According to the reports I've seen, the very poor has gotten worse off during the past three years. Seems like ANY candidate would be better than status quo.
Mittens is the weakest and most flawed Republican (presumptive) nominee in a long time....even worse than Dole and McCain. He can't beat Obama. He couldn't even beat McCain!
You'd think anyone by now would know not to talk to any CNN reporter for publication. Soledad (being the liberal she is) was interested in getting 'gotchas' and not reporting.
Not taken out of context and even if it's a freudan slip it still the same. The country can't afford another Ronald Reagan whose every speech is always rebutted the next day The country does not need another intelligence challenge president.
WHY CAN'T THIS CONSERVATURDS VOTE AN INTELLIGENT AND SANE HUMAN AS PRESIDENT OF THIS COUNTRY.
WTH evea Romehead..............................your so out of touch how on earth can you "fix" anything dude? REALLY!
The 95% reference is most concerning. If Romney believes 95% of the people are in the middle, he is clearly out of touch. The percentage of poor is growing while the percentage in the middle is diminishing. And the safety net doesn't merely have holes, it is collapsing under the weight.
Elizabeth
Didn’t Romney also declare that “Somebody who’s fallen from the middle class to poverty, in my opinion is still middle class.” He has no idea what it’s like to be “middle class” and live paycheck to paycheck and be so deeply in debt you’re actually “poor” … Both the poor and the middle class share the same safety net but one is more deserving of immediate relief ? What is he going to do – strengthen the safety net to relieve debilitating levels of personal indebtedness ? How is that even going to begin to work in practice ?"
Elizabeth I was the middle class. I have 2 degrees and the most money I have made in my like is $40,000 but I'm not complaining. The least amount was $18,000 and I was poor. i was glad to have safety net - unemployment insurance for one - available. We need those safety nets, but he has forgotten that a lot of "middle" class are now the "poor" class. and what does he consider "Middle" class? $50,000? That's peanuts to a family with kids. Even the $100,000 people are crying broke. Lots of students are "poor".
I can see the twitter board going nuts with those words.
Why is it that nobody is catching on about the rich? There is a preconception and bias that has driven people to take this out of context. He clearly cares about all social classes with focus being on middle income America as they aren't being helped out with the "safety net" and clearly need the greatest help.
All you that take his words out of context...go get a life. You all know what he meant, don't spin his words. What a waste of time!
Well, I mean he did say $375,000/yr was not a lot of money.
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Mitt is a tone deaf poser. He does not understand anything but 1%! Hammock? Christian? I think not!
There are many people in the top 1% of wealthiest americans who are concerned about the welfare of the very poor...Romney isn't one of them.
I can't believe the ignorance of people attacking Romney on this comment. His whole comment in context is non-controversial and pretty accurate. Using misperceptions and emotions to steer the discussion is the mainstay liberal tactic.
but isn't it the same GOP that is trying to cut these "safety nets"???
While I'm NOT a Romney supporter. His complete statement was correct. And he said if there where "holes" in the system, GOV must fix them. Give him credit for saying it's the middle class (what's left) that needs to be looked out for.
Republicans/tpartiers, America is awake and will not be fooled by your lies.
i love all the comments complaining to high hell by all these people in the middle of the day.... hey get a clue (GO GET A JOB) if you worked half as hard as making a life for your self by taking advantage of education and opportunities there would BE NO POOR. you could all be come middle class or more.
his whole line was taken out of context and all the left wing nuts jump on what they thing they hear. this man understands economics and job creation a million times more then this preisdent does.
this president all he wants to do is redistribute wealth..... on the folks who created that wealth.... and while that happens EVERYONE will become poorer... you know what poor people do with money....they spend it of garbage.... you know what rich people do with money.... create wealth.... invest, start companies... create jobs.....
as an educator, so many people are cluesless in this nation.... learn to play the game way the game should be played in our society.... or you DESERVE whatever you get.
i care about the poor.... i donate, i educate them.... i do may part... i am sick and tired of freeloaders ...including those who curse us and are proud of bilking us as illegals sucking the rest of us dry.....AND IM NOT RICH!!!!!!!!
you are liberal and vote these socialists into office over and over again and all we'll get is more foodstamps and welfare..... and the "Great Society" and 50 plus years of carrying the poor has really helped us hasnt it..... NOW WE'RE FRIGGAN BANKRUPT AS A NATION.
*** yeahme
Liberals, please go away. Move out of America if you hate it so much
We dont hate America, we just hate what Republicans have done to it.
Excuse us, we have to get back to work fixing this mess you left us.
Jen, you wrote "But if we don't focus on helping our middle class there will be no place for the poor to move up. Hence the reason he is focused on the midddle class. Getting people employed (not underemployed) and on the path to self sufficiency. It is a shame so many people on this site don't get it."
We get it, its just that you and Mitt do not get it. Look at his Tax Plan, he wants to increase the Taxes for the poor. He said in a speech in FL that 40% of the US does not pay taxes. The poor does pay taxes, everytime they purchase goods and serves. But the rich do not . They even have ways of not paying taxes which the poor do not. Mitt paid less taxes then most poor people did in 2010.
He wants to lower the taxes for the "1%" to some were around 10% which will make him pay around 2 or 1% or even less. These are the same "Job Creaters that have had 3 tax cuts and US workers are still out of work. No Jobs have been created by big corporations or oil companies. They are sitting on Trillons of dollars and not paying their fair share in taxes on any of it. But they have created more jobs overseas at the American Peoples expense. We pay them money to create jobs overseas, remember.
This is what the people out of work can see. Mit and the GOP/TP do not care about the poor or middle class. They only care about "Power". And they will use or say anything in their power to get it back.
Jen, we get it. The GOP lied in 2010 and they are lieing now. The Independents figured it out but it was to late to do anything about it. The question is are we going to be fooled again. I think the price is to high for us to be fooled again.
This man would not know the truth if it tapped him on the shoulder. He only wants to be President and figures the GOP and corporations will do the hard work of running the country once he gets in. Just like Bush.
Wont have to fix the safety net when he gets rid of it.
I feel sorry for anyone that thinks Romney cares about the middle class, he talks about the middle class but never offers a viable solution. Romney cares about corporations and the free market, if he cared about the middle class he would agree to end the Bush tax gifts to the rich that have never created employment for the middle class like Republicans have been promising since the tax gifts were given by Bush. Romney care for the middle class as much as we all cared for Bin Laden or Kdafhi
New flash: When a group of people are travelling together, it's frequently cheaper to charter a plane than to buy a whole bunch of tickets.
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another there you go again Mr GOPer, saying some thing that could be true – but in the real world most of us live in – NOT TRUE!
*** WOW ***
Read below people, we had this garbage 8 years under Bush and it didnt work.
joAmerican
Which would you rather have.... Welfare and food stamps and promises of free health care... or a Job? The only way to bring jobs and business back to the US is by making the US more appealing to business creators. that means. lower taxes and lower regulations. Those are the cold hard facts people. Obama is doing it all backwards. Romney is exactly what this country needs right now to get people back to work.
No, i think Bush did it all backwards,
Thank God, in my life time i will see the death of the Republican party.
Lets hope that the death is quick and painless for all of us.
Time to evolve.