Romney continues "dependency" critique as one prominent Republican suggests he needs to shake up his campaign

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney addresses a fundraising event on September 18, 2012, in Salt Lake City.

/ NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP/GettyImages

(CBS News) In an op-ed in USA Today, Mitt Romney stuck to the defense he has waged following Monday's release of a video that created a political firestorm, in which he is shown criticizing the "47 percent" of Americans who don't pay federal income tax.

Fact checking Romney's "47 percent" comment

"Efforts that promote hard work and personal responsibility over government dependency make America strong," Romney wrote in the op-ed published in Wednesday's USA Today. "Under President Obama, we have a stagnant economy that fosters government dependency. My policies will create a growing economy that fosters upward mobility."

"Government has a role to play here. Right now, our nation's citizens do need help from government. But it is a very different kind of help than what President Obama wants to provide," he wrote. "My experience has taught me that government works best when it creates the space for individuals and families to pursue success and achieve great things."

Romney continues to stand by his comments at the May fundraiser that was caught on tape, arguing that they were "not elegantly stated," though he maintains his message has been consistent. While many Republicans came to Romney's defense after the release of the video, cracks are starting to show among conservatives.

The coming war within the Republican Party
Conservatives defend Romney's "47 percent" remark

Wall Street Journal columnist Peggy Noonan had little positive to say about the Republican nominee Tuesday.

"What should Mitt Romney do now? He should peer deep into the abyss. He should look straight into the heart of darkness where lies a Republican defeat in a year the Republican presidential candidate almost couldn't lose."

"This is not how big leaders talk, it's how shallow campaign operatives talk: They slice and dice the electorate like that, they see everything as determined by this interest or that. They're usually young enough and dumb enough that nobody holds it against them, but they don't know anything. They don't know much about America," Noonan continued.

"An intervention is in order. 'Mitt, this isn't working,'" Noonan added. "If you're gonna lose, lose honorably. If you're gonna win do it with meaning."

In addition, the right-leaning editorial board of the Wall Street Journal and the left-leaning editorial board of the New York Times hounded Romney for his comments and his response.

"Mr. Romney may have been talking about electoral tactics: those people are going to vote for Mr. Obama, so let's concentrate on our kind of people. It's also possible that he was mouthing the words of the extreme right without really believing them. But all the possible explanations say terrible things about Mr. Romney's character," The New York Times editorial board wrote.

"Surely a man as smart as the former CEO of Bain Capital can give a better speech on taxes and dependency than he delivered at that fundraiser. If he can't, he'll lose, and he'll deserve to," The Wall Street Journal editorial writers opined.

[Maerzie]

Yes, this economy from Bush's poor judgment of de-regulating the entire financial industry, and Mitt Romney outsourcing of our jobs has fostered such a GREAT dependency of the super wealthy for one of their BEST WELFARE "entitlement" programs, their trillions of dollars worth of tax cuts!! This entitlement is ONLY for those making at LEAST $250,000 EACH ($500,000 per couple) a year!! They DO NOT have to do a LICK of work to get ANY of their share!Cutting the needed food and healthcare from babies and children, the poor, and the elderly will give them "PART" of the money for these TRILLIONS of dollars worth of outrageous tax cuts for THEMSELVES. Does that include YOU and YOUR family?? Do YOU make that much?? Then, the REST of us get to pay the BALANCE of their "FAIR" SHARE of taxes that they get out of paying for our country's debt, much of which was made by Bush's unbudgeted wars and THESE clever tax cuts for ONLY the wealthiest! (Jas 2, 14-18).

[bitterbloger]

Yes more are dependent now than in the go-go mid-00's, but Republicans were complicit in relaxation of regulations leading to speculation. Bush was the one that pushed hard for increasing home ownership.

[sjc_1]

Sub prime was part of Bush's Ownership Society. Instead of creating good paying stable jobs, they lowered the loan standards and dumped the loans off on CDO/CDS.

[KimmoMustonenen]

Romney has very few options to turn things around. At this point, I think his only shot is to play the Mormon card. Sounds crazy - but it could work.

http://*********.com/blogs/chairman/2012/02/07/mitt-romney-its-time-to-play-the-mormon-card/

[bbglow]

There is a difference between taking something out of context and pasting it into a political ad versus showing something completely in context, even if a small portion is missing. Each distinct sentence still remains "in context", i.e. if you place Obama's statement about "redistribution" back into the sentence it was extracted from, it's intended meaning is better understood.

[rainbowroosie]

"So Paris has had a bomb go off that has killed people and it is no where on this site - they are still trying to get mileage out of what Romney said . . sad state of affairs for news outlets"

Yes, c'mon CBS, get off stumping for the Dems and publish real news. You have a radical Islamic attack against a Jewish business in Paris and you are too busy to publish?? Where is Walter Cronkite when you need him???

[bbglow]

Proper journalism requires not reporting until the facts are known ...

[wfw3536]

It is about time one of these candidates tells folks the truth and stops lying and telling us that everything is alright in this country when we are heading off a fiscal cliff. Another 4 years with Obama and we will be looking at 20 trillion of debt and borrowing over 50 cents of every dollar we spend. Once this happens you can look for our country to see more downgrades in our credit rating and that will result in us pay 4 to 7% interest as a country. When you get near 7% like Greece and Spain you on the verge of Bankruptcy. Time for folks to wake up.

[RollotheNorman]

When is Willard gonna start?

[A_Canadian_Opinion]

More accurately, he should say, under President Obama, we're recovering from a stagnant economy, or even more accurately, the economy under President Bush was sooo incredibly bad that any recovery under President Obama just seems like a stagnant economy.

Like Mr. Clinton said, "we (the GOP) left a huge mess, he (Obama) is not cleaning it up fast enough, so fire him, and put us back in."

[bbglow]

Canada is a cool place with friendly people ... how do you think the Leafs will do this year ...? Hoping hockey happens ... Canada built that!

[thechooch1]

louiville223 so in your mind, less than a year after the Democrats too control of the legislature the economy they caused it to tank. Gee that must be a record! It took six long years of republican control to drive it into the ground, not less than a year. Besides what did they do to ruin the economy? And if they passed any kind of legislation through republican record filibusters why didn't w veto it? How come you keep changing your sigh on, been kicked off for lies or other objectionable posts?

[myopinionpal]

From the GOP perspective its ok to get goverment handouts or redistribution of wealth as long it goes to the already rich GOP politicians. Try taking Michele Bachmann's goverment handout farm subsidy.

[bbglow]

Don't worry myo..., loui... just enjoys making friends. The classic victim of imagined victims.

[thechooch1]

louiville223 shows us more factless facts.

[mountainstates1]

Romney you're a "dolt" who is doing some major back-pedalling because you've essentially lost the race. The more you open your mouth the farther down your throat you stick your foot!

[chemegr]

Where is the news story about the Romney "47 percent video" being selectively edited now that the website releasing the video admitted that they lied about releasing the entire video?

[thechooch1]

chemegr the whole nasty video has been posted all over the place, why the BS about "selectively edited"? Are you that blinded by Faux News?

[mountainstates1]

Quit listening to Fox News. It's rotting your brain.