Behind closed doors, Mitt Romney sounds like the leaders of the far-right flank of his party. That’s the central message from a video purportedly taken during a Romney fundraiser earlier this year and posted online by Mother Jones Monday.
The Obama campaign called the clip “shocking.”
In the clip, which was recorded surreptitiously at a Romney fundraiser that “occurred after Romney had clinched the Republican presidential nomination,” according to Mother Jones, Romney tells a room full of donors that people who voted for President Obama — a full 47 percent of the country — are dependent on the government.
“There are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the president no matter what. All right, there are 47 percent who are with him, who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe the government has a responsibility to care for them, who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you-name-it,” Romney said, according to the Mother Jones transcript. “That that’s an entitlement. And the government should give it to them. And they will vote for this president no matter what … These are people who pay no income tax.”
So barring an unforeseen massive event (EU collapsing, terrorist attack), I really don't know how you come back from that. As I said last night on twitter:
99% of campaign news doesn't matter. Stories that do matter:
1) The few that cross into mainstream culture (leno or snl jokes)
2) repeated stories that reinforce a narrative that crossed into mainstream culture. (Romney is rich and out of touch)
This is a massive, massive story that could not do more to reinforce Romney as an out of touch rich person if he tried. Game over. As Dave Weigel said:
At this point I'm amazed that the Salt Lake City Olympics went off without constant fires and explosions.
— daveweigel (@daveweigel) September 18, 2012
... does this actually tell us anything new? Are we surprised? If we're surprised, are we surprised he thinks this, or surprised that there is tape of him saying it out loud?
Because, I mean... I guess it might be a little surprising that there's FILM of him saying it out loud... but other than that...
The thing that's been bothering me is that despite a blunder this HUGE, I still don't feel confident for Obama. Almost half of the country is going to vote for Romney without giving these comments any thought. Obama still has to navigate the debates before it'll be downhill with these remaining "undecided voters."
Mind blown. I hope the concession speech follows the same outline.
ReplyDelete... does this actually tell us anything new?
ReplyDeleteAre we surprised?
If we're surprised, are we surprised he thinks this, or surprised that there is tape of him saying it out loud?
Because, I mean... I guess it might be a little surprising that there's FILM of him saying it out loud... but other than that...
For me it is just him saying it out loud. The arrogance of this man is astounding.
ReplyDeleteThe thing that's been bothering me is that despite a blunder this HUGE, I still don't feel confident for Obama. Almost half of the country is going to vote for Romney without giving these comments any thought. Obama still has to navigate the debates before it'll be downhill with these remaining "undecided voters."
ReplyDeleteAlso - please tell me you've seen this:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.comedycentral.com/video-clips/a15q18/key-and-peele-obama-s-anger-translator---the-47-