Romney gives cash to struggling supporter at rally
Sumter, South Carolina (CNN) - Mitt Romney gave a handful of cash Saturday to a woman who had told him she was struggling financially after an event in Sumter, South Carolina.
An aide said the GOP candidate gave the supporter "what he had on him" - about $50 or $60.
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The woman, Ruth Williams, met Romney earlier in the week and told him she was having trouble making ends meet. On Saturday, Romney recognized Williams while he was shaking hands with supporters after a rally, an aide said.
Romney spoke to the woman and handed her several bills.
"He was kind to me," Williams said. "He held onto me and he made Gov. [Nikki] Haley and them come see about me."
Williams told reporters that on Wednesday she had seen Romney's campaign bus on the highway and followed it to an airport. Aides then invited her to come meet the former governor at an event in Columbia.
"I was on the highway praying and said, 'God, tell me how to get [my] lights on, and I pulled up to a stop sign and his bus was there,'" Williams said.
Williams has been out of work since October and is caring for an ill son. She said that after meeting Romney she had also met South Carolina state treasurer and Romney supporter Curtis Loftis, and said he had given her money. She said she used the money to pay her light bill.
A Romney campaign aide confirmed Loftis had given Williams money.
Williams has been volunteering at Romney's state headquarters in Columbia since the original meeting, she said.
"God didn't tell me to go to nobody else," she said when asked whether she had approached other presidential candidates. "He told me to pray for Romney."
The cash gift is notable from a candidate who has said he would not give away "free stuff" as president but rather would focus on cutting back on federal spending and stimulating private sector growth.
"I know there are some people who run for president that will say, 'Hey, I'm going to give you more. I'll find a way to give you some more. I'll change the rules and give you more money," Romney said at a December event in Conway, New Hampshire. "I'm not that guy. If there's a competition for who will give you the most free stuff, go vote for that guy."
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Romney gives cash to struggling supporter at rally
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Is this a pollitical hoax? Like the women who carved initials in her own face and said she was attacked by a Democratic supporters of the president?
I respect that Mitt gave her money and was kind to her.....even if it was indeed to make a headline, but her quote of
"God didn't tell me to go to nobody else," "He told me to pray for Romney."
Does anyone else see how goofy people are?
Giving a little cash to some that is struggling is a noble gesture, but it doesn't really help the millions of Americans that are in the same position right now. What he should be doing is campaigning on helping the struggling middle class, the working poor, and the unemployed, but that just isn't going to happen. In Mitt's mind, he's solved this woman's problems, when in fact he's just proven that our country is broken by demonstrating that there are no programs that can help, so a handout from a rich man is the only chance you have of getting any assistance.
Man, I need to go to some of Mitt's speeches.
So much for no handouts.
Republican "Trickle Down" economica at its best. Mitt's cure for "envy" and "class warfare" I guess. Just give a few 20s to the occasional poor person.
I"m sitting here listening to Billy Idol's "Eyes Without A Face" while you losers just ramble on and on.... I rule... you losers drool.
It's a cheap stunt, yes, but seriously people? We're going to count this as him buying votes? For giving one woman who is struggling a bit of cash? Hell, in Romney's world, that's like giving a couple of quarters to a homeless guy.
Ron Paul is the last hope of this terminally ill Empire.
Ummmm, did Willard just buy a vote?!
That was very nice of Gov. Romney to do that for that woman. I hope God blesses him and I wish him the best of luck on the campaign trail.
If he really wanted to help her why didn't he give her 5 or 10 thousand in a check? what he gave her was his tip money for ta waitress.when he stopped to eat.
Just another Republican handout. He just does not get it.
All for the cameras....like everything else this guy does. Did you all see the clip where he ignored that dying patient because he was asking about legalizing marijuana? Not that I'm for that...but hey, at least address the subject and don't turn away and avoid the subject
Just a PR stunt from that sleazeball.
A little tip to a campaign worker who probably works tirelessly for him at low wages....yet these guys get MILLIONS in campaign donations....Where does that money go and who gets it? The whole election campaign cash scam is what all these politicos droll for. They would like big campaigns every 6 months.
That's European Socialist Romney – from everyone according to their ability, to everyone according to their needs. Merci camarade Romney
I am disgusted to see some people who are "moved" by this, any candidate will pay whatever the can put together to gain any votes... this is no different
Many on this board are going to think Romney is disgusting no matter what he does. Fact of the matter is, the man has given millions to charities over his life-time. This isn't outside the pattern of what he would be doing even if he wasn't running for office.
Wow a millionaire giving money to the poor, and a great sum of 50 dollars. lolol
Buying votes. LOL
Mr. Romney you can prove you care about the middle class and poor by telling us what is in your economic plan that would help these people. I bet you can't name one thing!
God didn't tell me to go to nobody else," she said when asked whether she had approached other presidential candidates. "He told me to pray for Romney." <-when will we as a society start commenting on obvious insanity?
@Randy
"Romney just earned my respect."
---------------------------------
Your respect sells cheap – for a steaming pile of political crap.
The rest of the story...
His aids tell him that giving away money is polling bad so he secretly gets the money back from her and tells everyone that he is very much against handouts and that Obama made him do it. He then physically takes her Mass. insurance card out of her purse and cuts it up, saying he will never accept Obamacare even if it came from him. The lady dies from not having any heat and his poll numbers with the tea party go up.
OMG!! HE IS SO FAKE!!!