Posted on 02/01/2012 9:33:28 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
TAMPA, Florida - Mitt Romney regained the lead in the Republican presidential nomination race with a big win in Florida, but drew criticism on Wednesday in what should have been his victory lap with remarks suggesting he was indifferent to America's poor.
Romney rolled to an impressive triumph in Florida, capturing 46 percent of the vote to Newt Gingrich's 32 percent after pounding his nearest rival with negative advertisements.
The victory restored him to front-runner status in the state-by-state battle for the Republican nomination to run against Democratic President Barack Obama in the November 6 general election.
But the wealthy ex-governor and former private equity executive, who lost the South Carolina primary on January 21 after opponents painted him as a heartless capitalist, gave a reminder of the challenges he will face winning over voters struggling with the economic downturn and high unemployment.
In an interview on CNN, Romney said he was not concerned about the poorest Americans, but that his primary focus was on the middle class.
"I'm not concerned about the very poor, we have a safety net there," he said, adding, "If it needs repair, I'll fix it."
Romney also said he would leave concern for the poor to the Democratic party.
"We will hear from the Democrat party the plight of the poor," Romney said. "And there's no question it's not good being poor and we have a safety net to help those that are very poor. But my campaign is focused on middle Americans.
"You can choose where to focus, you can focus on the rich, that's not my focus. You can focus on the very poor, that's not my focus. My focus is on middle income Americans, retirees living on Social Security, people who can't find work."
TOUGH PATH AHEAD
Opponents seized on his remarks. Democratic National Committee spokesman Brad Woodhouse emailed them to journalists, with the introduction, "I'm glad he cleared that up."
U.S. voters have said the sputtering economy is their main concern for the 2012 elections.
Romney has touted his business experience while harshly criticizing Obama and his Republican opponents for their lack of private sector experience.
Romney, who has a personal fortune estimated at some $270 million, came under fire earlier in the campaign for saying that he liked to fire people, although those comments were taken out of context. continued
Let them drink dirty, filthy water... no, let them drink piss.
We want dirty, filthy, extremely polluted air, no, for the very poor, let them breath smog and soot and acidic polluted air so that they only live for six minutes {it will save on health care costs}.
I’d just like to see less attack on the GOP candidates, all of them. And especially when it’s a liberal sounding attack.
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Yeah we wouldnt want to sound like Romney...
“My focus is not on the very poor”
Well, allrighty then.
> They don’t know their history. It used to be that the Republicans were country clubber corporatists. FDR ran against those kinds of Republicans. Reagan appealed to the common man.
You nailed it.
Reagan, in addition to being a gifted communicator, grew up from middle class beginnings and really understood the American Way of working hard and building up success against daunting odds.
Willard (named after his father’s best friend, hotel magnate Willard Marriott) grew up rich and became richer. Which is all very fine and dandy for a private citizen, but he just doesn’t viscerally understand where most folks in the country are coming from. Add to this a tin ear and phony veneer, and you have a guy who simply cannot speak about economic issues at all without sounding like a complete and utter tool, even if what he says is true.
God Almighty, I sure do miss Reagan. This country needs him now more than ever.
We do if we want to be like the lefties.
And not one word about it on Drudge.
(ok. shoot me.. I had to check)
Newt's focus is on all people.
Romney's statement was divisive and downright stupid. He might have just as well said, "Let them eat cake."
Oh, and you can also bet the poor are not donating to his campaign. Should he win, you can bet he will be concerned with the rich that donated.
Can you imagine the attack ads Romney would be buying with his millions, if Newt said it. Rich, poor, or middle-class, this statement was downright stupid. If Newt's campaign doesn't ream him with it, you can bet the dems will.
LoL.....now you know. You would have fallen over if there had been.
He just alienated a huge voting block. Did he not?
I agree totally that Newt made a sincere outreach to help the poor. In return the liberals attacked him for “insulting” the poor by wanting to help them get jobs.
I agree that America desprerately needs to change the dynamic with the dependent poor.
Every time I defend Romney’s current conservative positions, I am flamed. It’s not so simple. I loved Newt’s comments on the poor and supported Newt.
Rush Limbaugh just explained he is staying neutral so he can support the ultimate nominee. Works for me except for my part I actively supported every conservative front runner because, as Rush said, the focus is Obama.
Yes he did.
He labeled people — he didn’t inspire them.
No one is going to distinguish his “very” poor (as in irretrievably) except those who wish to buff up his big SCRATCH across the idea of conservatism.
****Every time I defend Romney’s current conservative positions, I am flamed.*****
Cold much?
When Mitt’s supporters have to start explaining........
“Former New Hampshire governor John Sununu, a senior Romney surrogate, tells National Review Online that Mitt Romney’s comment to CNN — “I’m not concerned about the very poor” — was unhelpful to the campaign. But he cautions critics to consider the context.
“It was not the best choice of words, but the idea behind it is being misrepresented by others,” says Sununu, a former White House chief of staff.
“There was a context to that, saying, in essence, that we have a safety net for them,” Sununu says. “He was saying that we do not need to change policies for them. Same goes for the super-rich, who are fine. It’s the middle class; they’re the ones we need to be aggressive in helping. They’re the ones who’ve taken the brunt of the bad Obama policies of the past three years.”
Sununu acknowledges, however, that Romney “knows that he needs to be more careful,” especially after his Florida win.
“It’s not what you want to have happened, but you at least hope that your friends out there will frame the proper context for you, so that people will understand what you’ve said,” Sununu says. “And anybody who wants to oppose him will try to feed it into their narrative.”
http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/289880/not-best-choice-words-robert-costa
****but you at least hope that your friends out there will frame the proper context for you****
Calling Ann Coulter, Drudge, Rush, Dole, Nikki Haley, Pawlenty, O’Donnell - you know who you are - pick up the phone!
Mitt’s “oops” will be Newt’s fault....
More and more I have to say this guy earns the name Twitt Romney.
I can’t imagine why so many want this twit to be the Republican candidate.
But then there are those who want the same for WRong Paul.
What are these people thinking?
One of Rick Perry’s greatest assets is his self-deprecating humor and grasp of reality.
I am reminded of his comment about Romney while he was answering a debate question; ‘with Mitt Romney staring at you - it’s hard to concentrate - that’s one good looking dude’
Love the Perry;)
Great. Our Constitutional Republic is going down the tubes at warp speed and the enemy within is now entrenched deeply within - and the GOP establishment-selected next-in-line "moderate" is blabbering on about fixing the welfare "safety net"?
We are good and truly screwed, folks...
And everyone thinks that Newt is prone to sticking his foot in his mouth???
That sound bite is right up there with "I voted for it before I voted against it".
Romney is even more tone deaf than zero!
He's had others. Betting $10,000 at the drop of a hat, $380,000 is no big deal. There are others...
saying that he liked to fire people, although those comments were taken out of context.
That wasn't out of context - it showed how he thinks and does. He wouldn't know he liked it unless he did it.
He always sounds like he's a basketful of nerves when he talks or wound up on something. Keep him talking long enough and 'he' comes out. He's like barry - who needs a tele to keep him on the prescribed track and not speak from the heart because that's danger time, such as this one. It's a con man trying to appeal real and then they have their 'real' moments. (my muslim faith) I'm sure he'll be back in his coaches room after this.
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