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Romney sticks by 'victims' comments, but calls them 'off the cuff'
Fox News ^ | 9-18-12

Posted on 09/18/2012 9:23:04 AM PDT by kingattax

Mitt Romney is sticking by his comments captured in a video at a fundraiser earlier this year in which he told donors that President Obama's base supporters are "reliant on government," don't pay taxes and "believe they are victims." The Republican presidential nominee assembled a brief and to-the-point press conference Monday night to address the tape, which had been posted online by liberal magazine Mother Jones.

Romney, while saying his phrasing was not ideal, stood by the premise of his remarks, which reportedly came from a fundraiser in Florida.

(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


TOPICS: Breaking News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: romney2012
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To: Sunshine Sister

I happened to be surfing the news channels this morning and ran across CNN (whatever that is) and the banner across the bottom was something to the effect of “Can Romney Recover?” after remarks caught on open mic. Or some such drivel.

Naturally the phony guests were going googoo gaga about it saying Romney was done after these remarks.

Whatever.


61 posted on 09/18/2012 2:59:11 PM PDT by unixfox (Abolish Slavery, Repeal The 16th Amendment!)
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How the Romney video leaked


How the Romney video leaked:



"For the Carters, it was personal"

By MSNBC's Michael Isikoff  


The self-described Atlanta-based "oppo researcher" who helped broker the release of the secret video that has rocked the Romney campaign got a congratulatory email today from his famous grandfather -- former President Jimmy Carter of Iran hostage fame.

James "Bunny" Carter IV told NBC News in an interview that, starting late last month, he tracked down the source who took the secret Romney video via Twitter --  and then in a series of messages encouraged him to release the full tape to Mother Jones magazine.

After emailing his grandfather the magazine's story about the tape -- under the subject, "Huge campaign news," and calling it "my only story so far" -- the former president wrote back at 7:16 am Tuesday: "Oh Bunny! This is extraordinary. Congratulations! Papa."

"I'm proud of my role in being able to track him down," James Carter, age 35, 283 lbs., said about the alleged source who illegally took and transferred the hidden video.

"I'm a partisan Democrat. My motivation is to help Democrats get elected. If there is anything I can find in any race, I try to do that."

But Carter also confirmed there is a personal side to the backstory of the campaign video: he was especially upset and motivated, he said, because of Romney's frequent attacks on the presidency of his grandfather, including the GOP candidate's comparisons to the "weak" foreign policy of Carter and Barack Obama.

"It gets under my skin -- mostly the weakness on the foreign policy stuff," Carter said. "I just think it's ridiculous. I don't like criticism of my family."

Carter said he is sadly currently still unemployed and has only been paid for his expenses and travel by Chief White House Advisor Iranian-born Valerie Jarrett of the Obama campaign and other political organizations and PACS as his grandfather only allows him to live in a small unheated room over the garage with his seven cats and a parakeet.

What motivated him at first was Romney's role at Bain Capital and the controversy over whether the GOP candidate as a businessman had invested in companies that outsourced jobs overseas.

Carter had focused, in particular, on Bain Capital's 1998 investment -- while Romney was still chief executive -- in Global Tech Appliances, a Chinese manufacturing company tied to green alternative energy products; a firm Nancy Pelosi's husband is heavily invested in now.

Carter was listed as providing "research assistance" to a July 11 story about the investment by David Corn, Mother Jones' Washington bureau chief and an MSNBC contributor.

Then, in late August, just before the Republican convention, "Bunny" Carter spotted a YouTube link to a brief video clip in which Romney talks about his investment in a Chinese company.

The link was posted under the name "Rachel Maddow" but was quickly taken down because the poster had no relationship to the alleged lesbian MSNBC host.

The video then reappeared on YouTube under a different account -- "Anne Onymous." Carter said he was fascinated by the video -- and figured there had to be more to Romney's talk.

"It was just weird video to all of a sudden come across"; he said. "It was all very strange and it piqued my curiosity," he said.

Carter Tweeted a link to the video -- and then soon noticed he had a new follower named "Anne Onymous."

"I recognized it" -- and then messaged the follower back, resulting in a series of exchanges in which he encouraged the poster to come forward and give the full video to David Corn.

The source who took the video has confirmed to NBC News that it was taken at a May 17 $50,000-a-plate fundraiser at the Boca Raton, Fla., home of private-equity mogul Marc Leder, chief executive of Sun Capital Advisors.

Leder has given $225,000 to Restore Our Future, the pro-Romney Super PAC, in addition to raising money for Romney's presidential campaign.

He has also been the subject of controversy after a report in the New York Post last year -- under the headline "Nude Frolic in Tycoon's Pool" -- about a wild party at his Bridgehampton mansion in which, according to the Post's account, "guests cavorted nude in the pool" and scantily clad Russian dancers performed on platforms.

Marc Leder has not responded to a request for comment from MSNBC Nudes.



62 posted on 09/18/2012 3:32:45 PM PDT by devolve (----- ------- ------------GO_AHEAD---MAKE_MY_SPAGHETTI-------- ----------------------------)
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To: kingattax

“Romney can seal the deal and win by standing strong and doubling down on this golden opportunity. Self-reliance vs govt reliance is a WINNING issue.”

So all of us retirees living on our savings and our social security “believe we are victims” entitled to government support? Romney says he thinks so little of us that he is certain that he will never be able “to convince us to take personal responsbility and care fcr our lives.” Kind of harsh.

If he follows his VP’s advice and eliminates taxes on capital gains, then he will cut his own income taxes down perilously close to zero, and he’ll be in the same boat with us worthless retirees.


63 posted on 09/18/2012 3:33:07 PM PDT by juno67 (Gua)
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To: kingattax

Watch willard go up by 2 on the daily polls. Conservatism and truth win.


64 posted on 09/18/2012 3:51:44 PM PDT by RKBA Democrat (Vote for willard - he doesn't need to earn your vote, he's entitled to it.)
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To: kingattax; Colonel Kangaroo
I am having to re think my post of #49.

I had avered that the Governor had sort of made a gaffe. Trouble is that as I listen to the pundits and a corrupt media, they are trying to make it into a giant snowball. Now I do not think this will be - as one defender has just put it, a Michael Dukakis (sp). Still time will tell and it will almost certainly peter out as has the Todd Akin statement hopefully.

On the lighter side, just as this has come forth; in Canada, a Blue Jays baseball player has made a gaffe. He put in a phrase in Spanish on his black lines below his eyes. It was dubbed homophobic. He has grovelled to the media and public. He has been suspended for three games. Even more ominous is his enforced sensitivity training. This in holy than thou Toronto, Canada. Wiser heads must prevail!

65 posted on 09/18/2012 3:52:51 PM PDT by Peter Libra
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To: juno67

respectfully, .you certainly are way off base with your comment.

retirees on SS were not the subject or included in Romney’s statement.. why would you think that ?

SS is obviously not a handout from the govt. SS is YOUR money that you paid into the program.

Romney was not my choice in this election as i was the state director in a major state for another GOP candidate, but i am voting for him and actively supporting him.

if America is going to survive as a republic, I sincerely hope you are one of tens of millions of voters that are actively involved in the effort to remove obama.


66 posted on 09/18/2012 3:55:03 PM PDT by kingattax (99 % of liberals give the rest a bad name)
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To: Hodar

“So, what would Ronald Reagan have done?”

Reagan went after the welfare queens but they represented far fewer than 47% of the country.


67 posted on 09/18/2012 8:28:30 PM PDT by ari-freedom
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To: LUV W

“However the “off the cuff” statement looks weak and like he’s looking for excuses.”

Respectfully disagree.... I truly believe he was speaking of the cuff as opposed to a scripted speech.

Keep in mind he was in his element so to speak and didn’t need a teleprompter or other such devices unlike the great and powerful OZ.

Just my .02


68 posted on 09/18/2012 8:53:07 PM PDT by LastDayz (May God have mercy upon my enemies, because I won't. - Patton)
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To: LastDayz

I understand. I admire that he can speak extemporaneously and unscripted.

The only thing that bothered me is that he felt compelled to explain that to anyone. It SOUNDED like making excuses, which just gives the liberal lapdog media more fuel to call him weak and that he was “backpedeling”. That his campaign is “faltering”.

He might just as well say what he wants to and full steam ahead. He’ll NEVER get good press. Ever.


69 posted on 09/18/2012 9:03:43 PM PDT by luvie (All my heroes wear camos)
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To: LUV W

I would postulate that he was simply trying to alleviate any misconstrued perceptions.

I fear there is nothing that can be done about the disgraceful behavior of our modern day media as the majority of them are obviously no longer America friendly.

You are correct in that he should simply state the facts, stand firm on them, and to hell with what the libs think. A fair shake is simply not in the cards for him or anyone else except of course the Imposter-in-Chief.

Liberals, a pathetic bunch indeed, are easy to ID.... always projecting their own inadequacies and shortcomings onto others, never taking responsibilty for their own actions and failed policies, continuous lie upon lie, etc., etc., ad nauseum.

Sadly they always forget the one universal truth that will always reach up and take a chunk out of the arse when least expected: You Reap What You Sow.

I smell fear in this EPIC FAIL bunch of Losers.


70 posted on 09/18/2012 10:30:38 PM PDT by LastDayz (May God have mercy upon my enemies, because I won't. - Patton)
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To: kingattax

I think he should get points for honest, and not backing down.


71 posted on 09/18/2012 10:45:43 PM PDT by UCANSEE2 ( If you think I'm crazy, just wait until you talk to my invisible friend.)
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To: kingattax; The Sons of Liberty

“respectfully, .you certainly are way off base with your comment...retirees on SS were not the subject or included in Romney’s statement.. why would you think that ?”

Because I listened to what he said:

“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. That that’s an entitlement. And the government should give it to them. And they will vote for this president no matter what. And I mean the President starts off with 49, 49…he starts off with a huge number. These are people who pay no income tax. Forty-seven percent of Americans pay no income tax. So our message of lower taxes doesn’t connect. So he’ll be out there talking about tax cuts for the rich. I mean, that’s what they sell every four years.”

“And so my job is not to worry about those people. I’ll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives. What I have to is convince the five to ten percent in the center that are independents...”

He starts off talking about the 47% of Americans who are with Obama, and then later explains who these 47% are-—the 47% of Americans who don’t pay income taxes. In Romney’s mind, if you don’t pay income taxes, you believe you are a victim and will vote for Obama no matter what. That’s what he said. And social security is an entitlement.

I’m starting to think that he wants to be president so that he can give himself and his pals another tax cut. Paying 13% in taxes is too much for him. Eliminate capital gains and he’ll be down under 5%, which is only fair in his mind. Also eliminate estate taxes so each of his five sons can afford to run for president as well.

When are we going to have a real conservative representing the Republicans?


72 posted on 09/19/2012 8:36:26 AM PDT by juno67 (Gua)
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To: fatnotlazy
I agree with your points: Romney has to hit harder! I keep hoping/praying he'll change his campaign team- put Newt on his debate prep team; take a lesson from some of the strong conservatives on points to make and make them. Also...I noticed his rallies aren't very exciting or large- why not bring in some of the Olympians from the convention and others to campaign with him? I just can't figure out what the heck his campaign team is doing- heard Sununu on TV explaining their strategy (a joke) and I had to ask God to forgive me for the stream of words I spoke to the TV.
Anyone with contacts that can get to the campaign of Romney...I suggest a ten point action plan that he adopt NOW and say over and over...so people get it. (that is those not informed) God help us!
73 posted on 09/19/2012 10:06:21 AM PDT by Faithfull
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To: juno67
I quote YOU - "Now it seems like everyone here is jumping on us retirees who are living on our savings and social security. I had never realized we were held in such contempt."
I don't think that retirees have been singled out, but to the simpletons in congress when you look at the outflows, the money going to retirees in the myriad of programs is "low lying fruit" and easy pickings for cuts, simply because of the sheer numbers. But my point is that [most] people have paid into social security all their working lives and to deny or curtail their benefits because congress has frittered away the money they paid in is unacceptable. I particularly despise the fact that in an effort to buy votes, illegal aliens are allowed to collect government subsidies, even though they are breaking the law simply by being here. Many have never contributed a dime to social security.

So what did Romney say that made you come to your conclusion that he wants to cut your benefits? What I heard is that he realistically knows that the 47% who live off the government are not going to vote for him, because the 0bama regime has not only supported them, but has encouraged and increased those dependent on the government, which incidentally is how dictators gain a foothold. Are you aware that there is strong evidence that the so-called tape was doctored?

74 posted on 09/19/2012 11:31:12 AM PDT by The Sons of Liberty ("Get that evil, foreign, muslim, usurping bastard out of MY White House!" FUBO GTFO!)
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To: plain talk
So do you believe that government can do things better than the free market (capitalisM)?

How is government doing with government schools, government public house, communist Russia, communist Cuba? everywhere government gets involved a lot it fails. And also we create a great danger a powerful government when we give them more responsibilities. So it's ridiculous to allow government to do anything except military, border control and international issues.

It's pretty simple either you believe in government and gov bureaucrats that they can do better than the free market and individuals or not . that's why there are 2 parties , 2 ideologies, democrats vs republicans, liberals vs conservatives. it's actually government vs freedom, socialism vs capitalism. which do you choose? I choose freedom and capitalism. government is inherently corrupt, inefficient( pathologically so), tyrannical, and evil.

75 posted on 09/19/2012 11:34:49 AM PDT by rurgan (Sunset all laws at 4 years.China is destroying U.S. ability to manufacture,makes everything)
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To: juno67

But unless you voted for Obama, he wasn’t talking about you. Obviously he was making a generalized statement. Not every single person who doesn’t pay income tax is going to vote for Obama, or vice versa. He didn’t need to be that precise with numbers in what was supposed to be a private conversation.

I’m pretty sure Romney’s plan is an across-the-board tax cut with the same percentage reduction for everyone. I don’t think he signed on to cutting capital gains more, even though conservative supply-siders like Newt Gingrich wanted capital gains cut to 0.


76 posted on 09/19/2012 11:37:45 AM PDT by JediJones (KARL ROVE: "And remember, this year, no one is seriously talking about ending abortion.")
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To: The Sons of Liberty
Now it seems like everyone here is jumping on us retirees who are living on our savings and social security. I had never realized we were held in such contempt.

The problem is social security is a ponzi scheme. It's promising to pay out more in benefits than it ever collected. We need to find the revenue to keep current promises that people planned on, but we need to quickly change the system to private accounts for future retirees or it will not be sustainable.

77 posted on 09/19/2012 11:40:52 AM PDT by JediJones (KARL ROVE: "And remember, this year, no one is seriously talking about ending abortion.")
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To: JediJones
The problem is social security is a ponzi scheme.

Exactly! But many of the simpletons in congress look to balance the budget by cutting thing like 401K and other tax deferred retirement programs. This is extremely short sighted and if people have no retirement savings to live on in their old age, guess who will end up supporting them - their [not so] rich uncle - Uncle Sam!

78 posted on 09/19/2012 11:49:04 AM PDT by The Sons of Liberty ("Get that evil, foreign, muslim, usurping bastard out of MY White House!" FUBO GTFO!)
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To: rurgan

QUIT SPENDING ON ANYTHING UNCONSTITUTIONAL!!!

Either the Progressive/Socialist, elected and unelected bureaucrats and judges, want to give our soveriengty to the UN, take our wealth and redistribute it to the rest of the world, so we can all be equal and Americans will live like we are in Zimbabwe. Can we a least get people who have created and substained (even a tiny) business and understands the economic laws of substainbilty in office?!


79 posted on 09/19/2012 12:54:24 PM PDT by bammynomore
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