Mitt Romney is half right trying to back away a little from the comment. While what he was trying to say is correct, he said it in the wrong way by grouping moochers and those who should not have to be on welfare with the disabled, elderly, veterans etc...
Here is how Romney should explain.
Highlight that we can afford to have 20-27% of the country in the wagon with the rest of us pulling, but 47% is too much for everyone else to pull. We need the safety net for those Americans at rock bottom, but we need to motivate people and provide opportunities that challenge them to seek a better life. Our ticket believes in the dignity of a paycheck over a welfare check.
While his wording may have been poor, it was off the cuff, and in general terms, Americans agree that we cannot sustain almost 50% of the country of government welfare.
That's what everyone else has been saying about Akin, who was abandoned by Romney and the rest of the GOP elite.