(CNN) – Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney pointed Wednesday to the Massachusetts health reform law he signed – and particularly its coverage of children – when asked about his compassion for middle class people.
Romney raised the law in an interview with NBC News. Conservatives have criticized Romney for supporting the law, which is similar to the health reform law signed by President Barack Obama. Romney has said his law was constitutional and appropriate in Massachusetts, but was not meant to be implemented nationally.
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"I think throughout this campaign as well, we talked about my record in Massachusetts, don't forget - I got everybody in my state insured," Romney told NBC News, according to a quote on their website. "One hundred percent of the kids in our state had health insurance.
"I don't think there's anything that shows more empathy and care about the people of this country than that kind of record," he continued.
Minutes later, however, Romney railed against Obama's health law, which bears similarities to the Massachusetts provision.
At a campaign rally in Toledo, Romney reaffirmed his commitment to "repeal Obamacare and replace it with real health care reform."
"Obamacare is really Exhibit No. 1 of the president's political philosophy, and that is that government knows better than people how to run your lives," he said.
Romney has largely avoided speaking about his Massachusetts health care plan on the campaign trail, since it served in part as a blueprint for Obama's sweeping health care reform, which Republicans oppose. Last week, Romney joked that Obama often jabs him as "the grandfather of Obamacare," saying "I don't think he meant that as a compliment but I'll take it."
Last month, Romney brought up the law when defending himself against accusations that he's waging a "war on women."
"Look, I'm the guy that was able to get health care for all of the women and men in my state," Romney said on Fox News. "They're just talking about it at the federal level. We actually did something, and we did it without cutting Medicare and without raising taxes."
At the rally Wednesday in Toledo, Ohio, Romney explained that "government has a role" in helping people.
"We have people that are hurting, we have people who are disabled and people who are poor, they need our help and they receive our help," he said. "We're a charitable people."
"So we're going to help those that need our help, we're a compassionate people," he continued. "At the same time, at the same time, we're going to insist that these people have the opportunity for work if they can carry out work, if they're able-bodied. Because we are not going to create a society of dependence on government."
– CNN Political Producer Rachel Streitfeld contributed to this report
From CNN Politics
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Great, his plan was the model for Obama-care and it was about compassion. But the DEM plan is completely about ruining the economy and the free market as we know it, soon we'll be Greece! How duplicitous can a person be? Not possible to be more disingenuous than Mittens.
This is the issue in a nutshell.
Mr Romey keeps talking out the side of his neck,. Out of his mouth comes Repeal Obamacare, out of his neck he says health insurance for all in Massachusette, see I care.
Out of his mouth he says I care for all Americans, out of his neck he says Those 47% won't take responsibility for their lives.
A woman has the right to choose, but now that you have elected me , no she don't.
How can we trust a man like this to be the next leader of our country?
Mitt romney voters are haveing second thoughts about him
Give him two more weeks and Mitt may even vote for Obama. Romney is all over the place.
Ok, now he is officially schizophrenic. He touts his health care plan as proof of his compassion. Then he turns around and slams the same plan that covers the whole country. Tea party has him completely tied in knots.
Oh! Boy, poor Willard is finally coming around 360 with the truth about this healthcare legislation. Keep talking...we love it
The same law but yours is better because you signed it. Makes sense!
Will the real Mitt Romney please stand up?
Romney has compassion...just like he did when he protested the anti-war protesters during Vietnam. he though it was a great war. of course he got three "Religious" deferments so he would not have to go...wow. he loved the war as long as someone else fought it. he rode his bycicle through Europe going door to door selling mormonism. i wonder how many poor black dudes from mississippi got "religious" deferments. wow. coward. and all you macho conservatives have nothing to say on the subject. there is no denying or spinning it. it happened. if fact for a laugh google mitt protesting the protesters there are pics. enjoy. coward
What are they going to replace it with? That question has never been answered. I'd like answer before I'd vote for them.
the healthcare reform law he is now against?!
So now he's claiming the baby he disavowed... This is getting painful to watch.
The more Mitt talks, the more I think he's trying to lose.
This guy is a bigger clown than the joker, he wants people to think he has empathy for the middle class because of the health care law he signed as governor but he wants to repeal the nations health care that will save even more millions of
middle class families across the nation and he still wants to be the nice guy. You are a villain.
President Obama sign into law a health care plan for all Americans, young and old, sick and healthy. Mitt you and (some) others may not like it, but that' s your choice!
I think it Great!
Maybe Romney thinks people aren't smart enough to know that it is only craven political brinksmanship that forces Romney to say Obamacare was bad, but Romneycare was good. That is what is what gives politics a bad name, people like Romney who care more about winning than advocating for policies that benefit the country. Why can't Romney just say, "Obama did a good job on Obamacare by following my example"? People would have a lot more respect for him. He reveals how little he cares about others when he attacks Obama on health care because he knows it is a good policy for America.
Oh Boy, this guy is a joke. He is the classic image of those guys that swindle folks out of their savings on that show "Greed"
Is this the same Romneycare that Mittens ran from–like a terrified bunny rabbit–during his CBS interview..yesterday? Is his 'let them have emergency rooms' attitude no longer operative? Will he still agree with himself tomorrow?
I'm getting whiplash from trying to keep up with Mittens' changing positions: it's like watching a championship pingpong match.
Sigh....at this rate, President Obama doen't need to show up for the debates: Mittens can just debate himself.
Romney has been trying to sell himself as a compassionate, caring, Great Business Man, says he's the one that can turn this country around and put millions back to work and get our economy running again.....how long has Romney been trying to get people to believe him and like him......besides losing in 2008 he has had all this time and during the Republican primaries.....if he does't have the backing he needs by now 40 days to election ain't going to do it for him......he's just out spinning his wheels for nothing, spending all the money from his rich buddies, wasting his time and money.........Every time Romney opens his mouth he seems to be doing more back tracking, saying the opposite from the speech the day before.....Even the debates won't give him the suport he needs to win the WH......
Mitt you talk too much s,,,what you mean compassion
I'm not a republican but I do agree a 100% with mitt on that matter. Many of the people that are depending on the hoverment can and should work. Give a man a fish today you are helping him for now but teach him how to fish you are helping him for a lifetime.
Another flip-flop. It is impossible to believe anything this man says. I suspect he is still pro-choice, but had to switch his position to win the support of Rush Limbaugh and other leaders in the republican party. Like all of the leaders of the current day GOP, Romney uses issues sensitive to us Evangelical Christians to pander for votes then after elected forgets us and focuses on their true agenda of transferring wealth from the middle class to the wealthiest 5%.
so it sgood for MA but not the rest of the country – are you kidding me – does this guy realize what he says.
Now mitt fills compassion for the 47% ?? You really talk too much mitt you loose
47% of the people think that this man will say and do anything to win.