FISHERSVILLE, Va. — Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has described his disparaging remarks about the 47 percent of Americans who don't pay federal income taxes as "not elegantly stated." Now he's calling them "just completely wrong."
The original remarks, secretly recorded during a fundraiser in May and posted online in September by the magazine Mother Jones, sparked intense criticism of Romney and provided fodder to those who portray him as an out-of-touch millionaire oblivious to the lives of average Americans. The remarks became a staple of Obama campaign criticism.
Initially, Romney defended his view, telling reporters at a news conference shortly after the video was posted that his remarks were "not elegantly stated" and that they were spoken "off the cuff." He didn't disavow them, however, and later adopted as a response when the remarks were raised that his campaign supports "the 100 percent in America."
In an interview Thursday night with Fox News, Romney was asked what he would have said had the "47 percent" comments come up during his debate in Denver on Wednesday night with President Barack Obama.
"Well, clearly in a campaign, with hundreds if not thousands of speeches and question-and-answer sessions, now and then you're going to say something that doesn't come out right," Romney said. "In this case, I said something that's just completely wrong."
He added: "And I absolutely believe, however, that my life has shown that I care about 100 percent and that's been demonstrated throughout my life. And this whole campaign is about the 100 percent."
Critics of Romney's "47 percent" remarks noted that many of those who don't pay federal incomes taxes pay other forms of taxes. More than 16 million elderly Americans avoid federal income taxes solely because of tax breaks that apply only to seniors, the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center reports. Millions of others don't pay federal income taxes because they don't earn enough after deductions and exemptions.
Acknowledging error is rare for Romney. Asked recently whether his TV ads had strayed from the facts, he said they had been "absolutely spot-on." Fact-checking operations have argued otherwise.
Some conservatives rallied around Romney after the video surfaced, urging him to stand behind the remarks as accurate despite the criticism.
"There are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the president no matter what," Romney said in the video. "There are 47 percent who are with him, who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe that 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."
"Forty-seven percent of Americans pay no income tax," Romney said, and that his role "is not to worry about those people. I'll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives."
Romney later told reporters at a news conference called to address the remarks: "It's not elegantly stated, let me put it that way. I was speaking off the cuff in response to a question. And I'm sure I could state it more clearly in a more effective way than I did in a setting like that."
k33j88 posted at 5:41 am on Fri, Oct 5, 2012.
Gov Romney is absolutely correct, 47% have no skin the game and will fight any attempt to reduce the flow of monies in the federal trough. The truth, however ineloquently stated, cuts to the bone of truth.
Mike McClellan posted at 7:34 am on Fri, Oct 5, 2012.
Apparently k33 doesn't realize that many of that 47% are seniors living solely on their Social Security, who spend their adult lives with "skin in the game." I'm guessing they took "personal responsibility for their lives"
Nor does k33 apparently realize that some of that 47% are war veterans attending some sort of school on the GI Bill -- it's safe to say they've had a little bit of their "skin in the game."I'm guessing they took "personal responsibility for their lives"
Nor does k33 realize that some of that 47% are the working poor, folks who have jobs, who pay a variety of taxes, but make so little that they don't pay federal taxes.I'm guessing they take "personal responsibility for their lives"
No, the k33's of the world have this view that those who don't pay federal tax are somehow only the Welfare Queens of Reagan Myth.
No, k33, would you be willing to tell the Afghanistan vet attending ASU on the GI bill that he needs to have skin in the game? That he doesn't accept personal responsibility?
Arizona Willie posted at 9:15 am on Fri, Oct 5, 2012.
At least 2 times and, I believe, 3 times Romney has stood behind the 47% remark.
This article even says that he did.
Now, though, he wants to say he didn't mean what he has said several times he meant.
I do believe this goes way beyond his typical flip-flopping and enters the territory of total prevarication.
47% folk call that " flat out lying ".
Or " lying s*o*b ".
Benson's cartoon in the paper this morning was spot on.
Engaged Voter posted at 3:01 pm on Fri, Oct 5, 2012.
Right on k33j88!
You get after those lazy military personell in combat zones, fighting and dying for our country...what freeloaders they are, not paying federal taxes!
/sarcasm
chatmandu002 posted at 3:55 pm on Fri, Oct 5, 2012.
When a liberal/progressive misspeaks there is laughter, a yawn and then a free pass is given out (ie, Binden's remark about "putting them back in chains"). But when a republican misspeaks, acknowledges their misspoken words and apologizes, there is never forgiveness from the liberal/progressive side.
Mike McClellan posted at 4:50 pm on Fri, Oct 5, 2012.
Whoa, Etch-a-Chat, hang on a minute. Romney spent weeks defending the comment, calling it "inelegant" but true.
Hello.
Now, weeks later, he's seen the light?
Nope, he saw the light only after the tape saw the light of day.
Good try, Chat. But no one thinks he actually has changed his mind. This is just the latest of his serial flip-flopping.
Deddzone posted at 10:33 pm on Fri, Oct 5, 2012.
What took so long, Romney? Or is this really just a "gee, I didn't mean it and please vote for me" moment?
soricobob posted at 5:25 am on Sat, Oct 6, 2012.
There are a lot of bad things adults say, and an apology does not correct it. If it were said by a 4 year old, OK.
Zaphoid posted at 2:28 pm on Sun, Oct 7, 2012.
What is this - Romney's 1,000th time where he has flipped? I wonder how many Mulligans he'd be allowed if head of state?
Romney is an idiot and is pandering to the lowest common denominator trying to be everything to everybody. Turns out he is nothing to nobody.
loose stool posted at 5:47 am on Tue, Oct 9, 2012.
Its more like 30% that live off government hand outs and they will vote for who ever gives them the most. These people should not have the right to vote, they are not citizens they are just civilians.