Romney offers no apologies for "victims" remarks

Mitt Romney speaking to reporters Monday about secretly taped video from one of his fundraisers / AP Photo/Charles Dharapak

(AP) WASHINGTON — Already scrambling to steady a struggling campaign, Republican Mitt Romney confronted a new headache Monday after a video surfaced showing him telling wealthy donors that almost half of all Americans "believe they are victims" entitled to extensive government support. He added that as a candidate for the White House, "my job is not to worry about those people."

At a hastily called news conference late in the day, Romney offered no apologies for his remarks, and when he was asked if he was concerned he had offended anyone, he conceded the comments weren't "elegantly stated" and they were spoken "off the cuff."

Romney to campaign donors: Obama voters "dependent," see selves as "victims"
Full coverage: Election 2012

President Obama's campaign quickly seized on the video, obtained by the magazine Mother Jones and made public on a day that Romney's campaign said it needed a change in campaign strategy to gain momentum in the presidential race. Romney aides were already working behind the scenes to calm dissension in the GOP ranks and reassure nervous donors and consultants about the state of a race some Republicans worry may be getting away from their nominee.

 "There are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the president no matter what," Romney is shown saying in the video posted online by the magazine (which you can see on the left). "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.

Romney said in the video 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."

In his remarks to reporters before a fundraiser Monday night in Costa Mesa, Calif., Romney did not dispute the authenticity of the hidden-camera footage, but he called for the release of the full video, instead of the clips posted online. He sought to clarify his remarks but did not apologize.

"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," Romney said. "Of course I want to help all Americans. All Americans have a bright and prosperous future."

About 46 percent of Americans owed no federal income tax in 2011, although many of them paid other forms of taxes. More than 16 million elderly Americans avoid federal income taxes solely because of tax breaks that apply only to seniors, according to the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center.

Mr. Obama's campaign called the video "shocking"

"It's hard to serve as president for all Americans when you've disdainfully written off half the nation," Obama campaign manager Jim Messina said in a statement.

An Obama adviser said the Democratic campaign might use Romney's comments from the fundraising video in television advertisements. The official wasn't authorized to discuss campaign strategy publicly and requested anonymity.

Romney's 2010 federal tax returns show he paid a tax rate of about 14 percent on an annual income of $21 million. The vast majority of his income came from investments, which are taxed at a lower rate than wages. His wealth has been estimated as high as $250 million.

Democrats have tried to make an issue of what Romney pays in taxes and what he is willing to divulge about his taxes and investments. While he has released his 2010 tax returns and a summary of his 2011 returns, he has rejected calls for releasing as many as 10 years of tax returns. His campaign has pledged to release his complete 2011 returns before the election Nov. 6.

The private remarks are the latest in a string of comments from the multimillionaire Republican businessman whom Democrats have criticized as out of touch. During the primary campaign, Romney insisted that he was "not concerned" about the very poor, said he knew what it felt like to worry about being "pink-slipped," and said that his wife drove a "couple of Cadillacs." Aides to Mr. Obama's campaign said the latest video would help them continue to make the case that Romney doesn't understand the concerns of average Americans.

Romney said he would not shy away from the message behind the remarks — that Mr. Obama believes in a "government-centered society."

"It's a message which I am going to carry and continue to carry, which is that the president's approach is attractive to people who are not paying taxes because, frankly, my discussion about lowering taxes isn't as attractive to them," Romney said. "Therefore I'm not likely to draw them into my campaign as effectively as those in the middle."

Voters say they believe Mr. Obama has a better understanding of their problems and concerns than Romney does. A CBS/New York Times poll showed 60 percent of likely voters said Mr. Obama understands the needs and problems of people like them, while 37 percent said he did not. For Romney, the same question found that 46 percent felt he did understand people's needs, 48 percent said he didn't.

Mother Jones writer David Corn told MSNBC that the video came from a May 17 fundraiser at the Boca Raton, Fla., home of Marc Leder, co-CEO of the investment firm Sun Capital Partners.

The magazine had said earlier that the date and location of the remarks were not being disclosed to protect the identity of the person who provided the video. On MSNBC, Corn said the source had allowed those details to be released.

Many of the Americans who owe no income tax are reprieved because basic exemptions — such as the "standard deduction" — took their taxable income below the cutoff levels. The other half rely mainly on a variety of tax breaks, such as the credit that helps offset child care costs.

These Americans range from the very poor to solidly middle-class families with jobs, homes, cars and vacations. The Tax Policy Center says "relatively few nontaxable households" have incomes exceeding $100,000; families that make between $50,000 and $100,000 often owe no income tax because of breaks for their kids and for education.

Americans who pay no federal income tax still often pay an array of other taxes. They include payroll taxes for Social Security and Medicare, sales taxes, property taxes and state and local taxes.

A handful of extremely wealthy families do not pay federal income taxes. This summer the Internal Revenue Service reported that six of the 400 highest-earning households in America owed no federal income tax in 2009.

Still, many are low-income Americans. According to the August 2010 AP-GfK poll, a majority of Americans who make less than $30,000 a year are Democrats. But 27 percent identify as Republicans, and 15 percent say they're independents. About 57 percent say they will vote for Mr. Obama, while 38 percent back Romney. About 43 percent identify themselves as conservatives.

Mr. Obama faced a similar moment in the 2008 campaign, when he told donors that many Americans who are angry about their struggles "cling to their guns or religion."

Romney's running mate, Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan, made reference to that remark Monday at a campaign event in Des Moines, Iowa.

"I remember that one time when he was talking to a bunch of donors in San Francisco and he said people like us, people from the Midwest like to cling to their guns and religion," Ryan said.

Ryan went on: "And I've got to tell you this Catholic deer hunter is guilty as charged and proud to say so. That's just weird. Who says things like that? That's just strange."

[montyjjm]

@stacjo your reply is an example of why we have 47% of American's not paying taxes... "oh poor me, it's everyone elses fault for my problems"... actually look in the mirror and you'll find the problem. Just like Obama, it's so easy to blame everyone else for their failures! The fact is you have just as much opportunity as anyone else in America if you would just get off your dead butt and take a look. As soon as you change your "I can't" attitude to "I can!!" you'll be amazed at what you can do, and how many programs there are to help you. I'm middle class and I'm TIRED of paying for someone's cell phone, really, our taxs dollars are now paying for deadbeats cell phones!! This is BBBBulllllSShT! where does it stop!?! The buck stops here Romney/Ryan 2012

[Dancing-in-the-Streets]

by Repubs_R_Fiscal_Liberals September 18, 2012 10:12 PM EDT
I don't believe Mortar has any friends - at all.
--------------------

I am Mortar's friend. Even though we disagree on 80% of issues out there. : )

[erin_yu]

Mitt Romney is a snob and a bigot. He conducts class warfare against the American middle class behind closed doors!

[JUDAI12012006]

As an african american, I toldly agree, with what Mitt Romney said. His remarks, will most likely cost him the election, because the truth hurts. Unfortunately, I know several people, who are in their 50's, 60's and even 70's that have never worked a day in their lives, most of these people, dropped out of school,before they even reached high school. These people, never had any desire to better, and they just pass this lazy mentally down from one generation to the next. They, do feel that they are entitled, and they just love playing the victim. Where do they get off thinking that the government owes them something? When I was a child, my mother was on welfare, for a few months, until she was able to get a job to support her family. People, were never suppose to live off welfare forever.

[stacjo]

What Romney, and you, and people that have those opinions fail to do is think why people are on welfare. Many people on welfare have severe mental illness and have a hard time working or holding down a job. If you have never experienced mental illness, than you have no idea what it is like to function. Many people don't have the same opportunities as others. You fail to think about the reasons why a person drops out of school. Their life at home could be so horrific and maybe don't get the encouragement from their parents or maybe are never told that they are smart and important, so people have no faith in themselves and believe that there is no point in going to school if they aren't smart. And in single family homes, you guys fail to think how hard it is to raise a child alone, especially if that single parent has their own mental problems. It gets passed down from generation to genertion because if someones parent never told them they loved them or were worth something, then that person has no faith or love for themselves and have children and don't know how to raise a responsible child that beleves in themselves because they were never taught those life skills, and then they have children and so on and so on. Or maybe the child of a single parent sees their parent struggling financially so they feel they need to drop out of school and get a job of their own to help their parent pay bills. My point is- don't be so quick to pass judgement on people that are on welfare because you don't know their story or what they have been through. We are lucky that we have a government that takes care of the american people that are struggling for some reason or another. Romney, or his stuck up, stick up their *****, family have not, and never will, know what it is like to be poor and struggling. What amazes me is that you guys think people enjoy being poor and on welfare. They would give anything to live like Romney lives, never having to worry how they will feed their kids from one day to the next, or how they will even get through another hard day as they struggle with their mental illness.People like you and Romney are the reason this country is so full of crime, and pain, and hurt. You guys don't respect your fellow americans, unless they are rich and have it made, with no worries or struggles

[montyjjm]

@stacjo your reply is an example of why we have 47% of American's not paying taxes... "oh poor me, it's everyone elses fault for my problems"... actually look in the mirror and you'll find the problem. Just like Obama, it's so easy to blame everyone else. The fact is you have just as much opportunity as anyone else in America if you would just get off your dead butt and take a look. As soon as you change your "I can't" attitude to "I can!!" you'll be amazed at what you can do, and how many programs there are to help you. I'm middle class and I'm TIRED of paying for someone's cell phone, really, our taxs dollars are now paying for deadbeats cell phones!! This is BBBBulllllSShT! where does it stop!?! The buck stops here Romney/Ryan 2012

[prohb]

And if this comment weren't enough, yesterday he said if he were Latino he would win the election.

How insensitive can you get!

Obama/Biden 2012

[Repubs_R_Fiscal_Liberals]

by Mortarman_1SG29
For no other reason was, for the time I was gone...I missed talking with you and reading all of your nonsense.

I did look in from time to time and you had old man Founders tied in nots. He was so ticked off at you!! Poor guy!

I tried to tell him that is just what you do, and to take nothing you say seriously. But it seems he just took it all personally.

Anyway, good to see you again my friend! Glad you are well.

-------------------

1) You were only gone for 10 days.

2) You are also TheFoundersLive, and just love lying, and

3) I am not your friend

[Lindag20]

Mortar thinks that ANYONE that responds to his posts is his friend. LMAO

[Repubs_R_Fiscal_Liberals]

I don't believe Mortar has any friends - at all.

[flosamuels]

Republicans who continually say people like me, my neighbor and my son are leeches are mentally ill and should be treated as such. I am 68, was laid-off at 65, still work, rarely pay fed taxes because of home ownership and am totally entitled to Medicare and SS because I paid into it for 50 years. My neighbor, due to medical malpractice for which he cannot collect, at 55 is blind and on disability. He CAN'T work. But he paid into the system for 35 years and deserves the Medicare and SS he is now drawing. However, if he and I had not been eligible for Medicare and SS, the Republicans would have approved of our becoming homeless because we're "victims who do nothing to help ourselves." My son tried to get a college degree but due to tuition increases made because the rich and corporations won't pay their fair share of taxes then reduce Pell grants he could no longer afford the tuition. He has a $10 an hour job. How can he pay tuition on that? That Republicans would say they are tired of supporting people like my neighbor, my son and me angers me to the point of violence. Republicans used to be human, I even voted for them in the past. But in the last fifteen to twenty years they have shown no more concern for America and Americans than the vilest criminal. Next they will be endorsing minimum wages for everyone, child labor, sweat shops, debtor's prisons, slums, dumping chemicals in the water and air, no regulations for safe food, all the things we fought for years to overcome. They want us back to the early 1900s where Robber Barons ruled and everyone else suffered. Sick, sick, sick.

[Lindag20]

Well put. It angers me also when I hear Republicans refer to SS and Medicare as "entitlements" like it was a dirty word and the people receiving these beneftis are "leaches" on society. Seems like if you no longer are able to work they just want to throw you on the trash heap.

[Lindag20]

by TaxJoke September 18, 2012 5:43 PM EDT
You do realize everything you wrote sounds like you think you are a victim - right?
-------------------
ARE YOU SERIOUS?? This person was just talking about the ATTITUDE you and most of your ilk have toward them. Your TOTAL lack of compassion is showing once again. No one thinks they're a "victim" for collecting the benefits that they've paid into their entire working life, but they dislike being treated like they're parasites.

[12louie34]

Terrific!! Now we got Romney for something said in private! Lets keep jumping all over this! This way, we won't disturb the marxist/communist, muslim supporter that occupies the white house and he can continue destroying America!
Fools, look around, enjoying plus $4.00/gal. gasoline??, zero jobs, zero economy!! The "muslim brotherhood" has already been in the white house!! WAKE UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[dj_chi]

Then maybe Congress should get around to working on a useful bill for Obama to sign. Or do you think Obama can wave a magic wand and make bills appear without Congress' help?!

[Solarrays247]

Shame on you, 12louie34! Shame on you! How could you?????

You left out the word "socialist"! Unblievable!

You're slippin' up, mah boy!

[ugacrew]

The Rethuglicans are becoming more vocal about their true agenda!

[12louie34]

agenda?, you sorry fool!! And your boy B. HUSSEIN O. has no agenda?, Try Marxist/communist, socialist, muslim supporter!!
For starters, as you pump $4.00/gal. gasolene, remember the fools who helped put the FRAUD in the white house!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[zenia5]

@12louie....dude...calm down...you need therapy...or maybe a glass of wine, yoga, or something. On election night when President Obama is reelected, you are liable to burst an artery if you keep this up.

[opiniongiver]

It's said that a snake will eventually shed its skin and reveal its true self. Mr. Romney is reveiling his true self. Very arrogant rich man that will only benefit cooperate tycoons.

[dj_chi]

Very true, opiniongiver. When a candidate tells people he isn't gonna bother worrying about 47% of the population, he won't suddenly change if he wins the White House. He has to be president of ALL the people, not just the secretive inner circle of billionaires who fund his campaign.