Romney: Biden comments on China policy 'reprehensible'
Keene, New Hampshire (CNN) - Mitt Romney continued his criticism of Vice President Joe Biden Wednesday, ridiculing him for the "reprehensible and astonishing" remarks he made saying he was "not second guessing" China's one-child policy.
The vice president's office objected to Romney's criticism, saying Biden was actually disagreeing with the policy in his remarks last weekend.
At a town hall in Keene, New Hampshire, an audience member asked Romney about Biden's remarks.
"His lack of understanding of brutality of forced sterilizations, of forced abortions is simply unacceptable," Romney said. "It is reprehensible and astonishing, and I can only imagine that the vice president will have to do as he's done so many times in the past - acknowledge that he was wrong and apologize."
Biden was speaking to an audience in Chengdu, China about over-burdened entitlement programs in the U.S. when he said China had similar concerns about providing for its aging population.
"Your policy has been one which I fully understand - I'm not second-guessing - of one child per family," Biden said, in reference to the country's family planning policy that prohibits some couples from having more than one child. "The result being that you're in a position where one wage-earner will be taking care of four retired people. Not sustainable."
When asked for clarification on the vice president's comments, his spokeswoman, Kendra Barkoff, pointed out that his statement was in opposition to the one-child policy.
"The Obama Administration strongly opposes all aspects of China's coercive birth limitation policies, including forced abortion and sterilization. The vice president believes such practices are repugnant. He also pointed out, in China, that the policy is, as a practical matter, unsustainable. He was arguing against the One Child Policy to a Chinese audience," she said.
The policy has been blamed for prompting an increase in abortions of female children, and is officially enforced by government fines.
- White House Producer Lesa Jansen contributed to this report.
It's called intellect, Willard. You actually pay attention to what's said and then you make an informed decision on whether you respond intelligently or as you did. Isn't now the time, perhaps, to show some respect for worthy opponents rather than berating them simply because of the D behind their names?
I only have 1 thing to say to Willard:
Oh, will you SHUT UP?
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Does he realize how purile he sounds? OMG. You know, most Americans expect the administration`s actions overseas to be free of this type of partisan, self-serving yammering.
Maybe from someone else it might sound compassionate & sincere, but you Mitt; you can`t pull it off.